Wrendale GC
Hummelstown, PA (just outside Hersey)
Black - 73.6/137
Blue - 71.8/132
White - 69.3/124
'06 Fees: $55-$75
Directions: From the Philadelphia area (East)
I-76 Turnpike West to exit #266 (Lebanon/Lancaster). Turn left onto Rt. 72 North and follow Rt. 322 West to Hershey. Follow Rt. 322 West directly onto Hersheypark Dr./Rt. 39 West. (Rt. 322 West will exit). Follow Hersheypark Dr. to the GIANT Center. Turn left at the traffic light at the GIANT Center onto Rt. 39 West. Take Rt. 39 West 1.8 miles and turn right onto Hanshue Road. Wren Dale is ½ mile on the right.
From the Lancaster area (South)
Rt. 283 West to the Rt. 743/Elizabethtown exit. Rt. 743 North towards Hershey to Rt. 322 West. Follow Rt. 322 West directly onto Hersheypark Dr./Rt. 39 West. (Rt. 322 West will exit). Follow Hersheypark Dr. to the GIANT Center. Turn left at the traffic light at the GIANT Center onto Rt. 39 West. Take Rt. 39 West 1.8 miles and turn right onto Hanshue Road. Wren Dale is ½ mile on right.
Per my buddy Gregg, this new course just outside Hersheypark in a tough links course reminscient of Wyncote. Plans are to take it private eventually, so play it now while they're still operating out of an office trailer for a clubhouse and need the revenue. Sounded like a great value at the $55 greens fee he paid, although website says non-member fees are $75. 10 minute tee intervals.
Best Bar Nearby: You'd be hard pressed to find a classier, cozier place to belly up than the Hershey Hotel's Iberian Lounge. Masculine and warm in darkwood and classical fabrics, with a roaring fireplace and possibly the best chocolate martini on the planet according to Travel Channel. For something a little less hoighty-toighty, check out the Bear's Den sports bar at the Hershey Lodge. Themed on the Hershey Bears, the local minor league hockey team who play at the Giant Center right next to HersheyPark (check the home schedule at www.hersheybears.com). The Den features a game room, 9' x 12' video wall and multiple TVs, DJ booth, and dance floor.
Where To Stay: Travel Channel loves the historic Hotel Hershey (100 Hotel Rd, 800-HERSHEY, www.hersheypa.com, $309/night). A classic upscale spot with an ornate lobby in a unique style that's hard to put a finger on, sort of Mediterranean meets European meets Cuban??? An interesting photo history hangs in the hallways. Plus there are gorgeous gardens and 36 holes of golf right out the back door. And EVERYTHING at "The Sweetest Place On Earth" is chocolate. On your pillow, in your room, all over the unbelievable dessert menus, even down to the cocoa baths and chocolate wraps at the spa. 234 guestrooms, 3 restaurants, 14 dining options, a lounge, and a chocolate theme park. Sounds like a weekend to me. My mom recommends the slightly more afforable resort option at the Hershey Lodge. For us great unwashed masses, the area features many national hotel chains. Among the most centrally located are Best Western, Comfort Inn, Hilton Garden, Holiday Inn Express, Days Inn, and Hampton Inn.
Where To Grub: Five minutes outside Hershey, Hummelstown hosts a trio of fun options: For 50's hip, try the Soda Jerk Diner & Dairy Bar (403 E Main, 717-566-7707) with a full diner menu and attentive service. Boro Bar & Grill across the street won Hershey's Best Wings for 2 years running in 2002-2003. And Al-Mediterraneo (288 E. Main St, 717-566-5086) looked like a very stylish Mediterranean meal on a drive-by.
Travel Channel also loves Hotel Hershey's Circular Dining room (jacket and tie required?). Forget the breathtaking views of the formal gardens, the award-winning wine list, and the superbly prepared American cuisine, it's worth a visit just for the irresistably decadent chocolate dessert menu. OR, Hotel Hershey's Fountain Cafe is serves casual, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with views of Hershey valley below. The Fireside Steakhouse at the Hershey Lodge is a nice upscale experience (entree's $22-$35), the Hershey Grill is a more informal setting, and Lebbie Lebkicher's is a fun family buffet.
When venturing outside the resort, hit these local spots: Local guides recommend Union Canal House (107 S. Hanover St, Union Deposit, 717-566-0054, www.unioncanalhouse.com), an on-going eatery since 1751. Try the specialty of the house, Roast Long Island Duckling in a fantastic orange sauce, or sample the 8 varieties of wild fish, the savory lamb, veal, or beef dishes, as well as the extensive wine list, all in a pre-Revolutionary setting. A bonus: the place is supposedly haunted by the ghost of a young Irish girl named Rebecca. US Airways magazine digs Brian Kents (934 E Chocolate Ave, 717-533-3529, www.briankents.com) for eclectic fine dining in an upscale environment with a seasonal menu.
Further Diversions: Hershey Amusement Park (www.hersheypa.com) is open all Summer and officially closes for the season around the end of September. A full theme park with 6 legit roller coasters, it's all you can do in a day, and could easily entertain for a full weekend. Hershey Chocolate World is a fun tour ride with a cute mock-up of the chocolate making process, having recently undergone a $5 million renovation. But once you're in the park, do yourself a favor and skip the ridiculous lines at the kiddie-cars and the log flume. If you're that hot, try the waterpark instead. For grub inside the park, hit Famous Famiglia for the official pizza of Yankee Stadium, Freeman's Texas BBQ for the ribs, and make sure you sample a glass of the park's tasty lemonade. A family of 4 can expect to burn through $75-$100 in park food for a full day. Per Tom M, Hershey's late Oct Halloween and late Nov/Dec holiday celebrations are well worth a weekend visit, with selected rides, attractions, and shops open through the end of the year. Hershey Museum (www.hersheymuseum.org ) details the history of Milton S. Hershey and his chocolate company.
Nauseous from the sickly-sweet chocolate theme yet? There's also outlet shopping in town for your golf widow.
All that, and I didn't use the word "chocoholic" once!
Best Advice: Lose 5 or 8 pounds before you go. Oh, and I almost got pulled over here, so I'd watch your speed when trying to navigate your way through town and into the attractions.