Oktoberfest Trolley Food Tour

The Oktoberfest Food Tour is the seasonal cousin of the standard Hershey trolley tour, and it leans into autumn in central Pennsylvania, a region with deep German heritage. The Pennsylvania Dutch, who are really Pennsylvania Germans, shaped the food culture of this whole corner of the state, so a trolley route with a German-style, fall-comfort theme feels at home here rather than gimmicky. You ride Lulu the Trolley, the vintage-style red trolley used by the operator for its themed tours, with a small group and a guide, stopping at local restaurants for tastings in the spirit of the season. Expect hearty plates, seasonal flavors and drinks that fit the mood, with the guide filling the ride time with stories about the area's German roots, the farms behind the ingredients and the history of the town. Because the tour is seasonal, it runs in the fall rather than all year, which makes it a good reason to plan a Hershey trip around September and October rather than the summer rush.

Autumn is one of the better seasons to visit Hershey. The summer crowds at the park ease once schools are back in session, the days are cool enough for walking, and the surrounding farmland turns gold and red. A themed food tour fits the season well: you spend the afternoon eating and drinking, then walk off the excess in the gardens or along Chocolate Avenue at dusk.

The tour is a good choice for friends and couples who like a party atmosphere without the commitment of a full evening out, and it also suits families with teenagers who can handle a few hours of grown-up food.

Because the route and the menu are themed, treat the exact stops as flexible. Operators adjust seasonal tours to the produce and the kitchens available, so the guide on the day is the best source for what you will eat. What does not change is the format: a small group, a short ride between stops, a guide with local knowledge, and tastings that build into a meal.

If you or someone in your group avoids alcohol, say so when you book, since themed tours often include drinks that can usually be swapped for non-alcoholic options if you ask in advance.

Plan the rest of the day around it. A fall morning at Hershey Gardens or the Hershey Story Museum pairs well with an afternoon tour, and the Hotel Hershey's hillside setting is at its best when the trees turn. Check the operating window before locking in flights, because a seasonal tour does not run outside its dates, and book early for weekend departures, which tend to fill first.

If your trip falls outside the fall season, the standard Hershey Trolley Food Tour and the brunch-themed Rise and Dine tour offer the same trolley-and-tasting format at other times of the year.

Think about who will enjoy it most. Groups of friends celebrating a birthday, couples on a fall getaway and visiting relatives who have already seen the park all tend to rate seasonal tours highly, because the theme gives the afternoon a shape. If you are traveling with someone who is hard to please on food, the small-plate format is a strength: nobody has to commit to a full entree, and a miss at one stop is balanced by a hit at the next.

Bring a light jacket for the walk between the trolley and the doors, since autumn afternoons in the Susquehanna Valley can turn cool quickly once the sun drops behind the ridge. Finally, leave the evening open. After three hours of tastings most people want a short walk and an early night rather than a formal dinner, and the hotels in this guide make that easy.