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Community Playground · Hershey, PA
Cocoa Castle is a free, castle-themed community playground in front of the Derry Township Community Center in Hershey, PA — two play areas, dragon slides, and no admission, about a mile from downtown Hershey.
Our take Cocoa Castle is about 12 minutes south of our shop (I-81 Exit 80 to Route 39) — an easy, free stop to burn off energy before or after the bigger Hershey attractions.
Cocoa Castle is one of those rare spots that genuinely delivers for the whole family without costing a dime, which is exactly why we point visitors to it. The playground was rebuilt in 2017 by the Derry Township Friends of Parks & Recreation, replacing a beloved wooden original that neighbors built together back in 1993 — the new version kept the castle spirit (peaked roofs and all) while adding modern, safer equipment. For anyone planning a long weekend around Hershey, a free, low-key break like this makes the day easier to plan.
The playground sits on Derry Township parkland alongside the Community Center on Cocoa Avenue, split into a section for older kids and a dedicated toddler area so the little ones aren't getting bowled over. The features kids gravitate to first are the dragon slides and the HERSHEY'S KISSES Hut play structure. There are picnic tables on site and parking behind the Community Center or on the street, so packing a lunch turns it into an easy half-day stop. Admission is always free; donations toward park upkeep are welcome but never required.
A few practical details that make Cocoa Castle easier to plan around. The whole play area is ringed by a fence — with the entrance set on the side rather than the front — which is a relief when you're tracking a toddler in an otherwise open park. Beyond the dragon slides and HERSHEY'S KISSES Hut, kids also make their way to a haunted pirate ship structure and a faux-rock climbing piece they scramble up into the play area. Shade is limited: there are some mature trees around the perimeter but they don't cover much of the play area, so bring hats, water, and sunscreen on hot afternoons. If you want the place to yourselves, a weekday morning is your best bet — weekends and summer days get busy.
Dawn to dusk is the official Derry Township parks schedule — it shifts seasonally and is not published as clock times specific to Cocoa Castle. Check the Derry Township parks page or call ahead to confirm before visiting. Restrooms in the adjacent Community Center depend on its hours, which are separate.
605 Cocoa Ave, Hershey, PA 17033
Cocoa Castle is in Hershey, PA. The map shows both pins — Cocoa Castle and our shop in Grantville — so you can see exactly where it sits relative to us.
Yes — admission is free, and donations toward park upkeep are welcome but never required. The adjacent Derry Township Community Center runs separate fee-based programs and pool access.
Yes. The playground is divided into a section for older kids and a dedicated toddler area, so younger children have their own space away from the bigger equipment.
It's roughly a mile from Hersheypark — close enough to work into the same trip when you want a lower-key, cost-free break before or after the main park.
Yes — the play area is fully enclosed by a fence, with the entrance on the side rather than the front. That makes it easier to keep an eye on younger kids, since they can't slip straight out toward the parking area or the street.
You can park on either side of Cocoa Avenue near the playground — not just the lot behind the Community Center — with sidewalks leading in from the street. Restrooms are inside the adjacent Community Center, so access depends on its hours; it's worth a quick stop on your way in to confirm they're open.
It's easy to build a low-key Hershey morning around the playground — grab supplies first, let the kids run, then find lunch nearby.
A couple of minutes away — handy for picnic supplies before you settle in at Cocoa Castle's tables.
About five minutes off; a big open hall with from-scratch snack-bar food that works for a casual family lunch afterward (kids welcome in the daytime).
Another nearby Hershey spot if the grown-ups want a proper sit-down meal once the playground's done.
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Verified via: Derry Township — Public Parks (official) · Cocoa Castle — Good for PA · Cocoa Castle — Been There Done That With Kids
Cocoa Castle is a public community playground we're featuring in our guide — we're not affiliated with Derry Township. Details are from official and public sources and were accurate at the time of writing; please confirm current hours before visiting.