Attending America’s Largest RV Show in Hershey, PA

Long before we were RVers, we attended the Hershey RV Show and started to think about adding an RV to our travel plans and modes of transportation. As longtime residents of Lancaster, PA, we used to attend the show for fun, and when we researched an RV to buy, the Hershey RV Show became an invaluable resource just 30 minutes away. Now that we’ve been RV owners for 5 years and have been to the Hershey RV Show at least 7 times, we can bring a more experienced RVer perspective, as well as recall what it was like to attend as a newbie. So, whether it’s your first time going to the show or you’ve gone many times before, here are a few of our tips for going to America’s Largest RV Show.

What to Know Before You Go: America’s Largest RV Show in Hershey, PA

Maybe you’re just going to the show to look around, maybe you’re new to RVing, or you’re just curious about what an RV show entails. If you’re at all unfamiliar with RV shows, you might be wondering what makes the Hershey RV Show so special. Simply put, it truly is America’s Largest RV Show, hosted by the Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle & Camping Association (PRVCA), with something like 1,500 RVs from around 40 manufacturers spread across nearly 1 million square feet, which is the equivalent of 33 football fields. This year it’s the 57th annual America’s Largest RV Show (also known as the Hershey America’s Largest RV Show), and it’s still the biggest RV show that we’ve ever been to, with an RV lifestyle energy you don’t get anywhere else.

If you’re not sure what type of RV you even like, what brands of RVs exist, or what the inside of a new RV looks like these days, there’s no other place to see this many RV brands, models, and floor plans all in one place. If you’re seriously considering buying an RV and you know what model you want, this is one of the best places to talk directly with manufacturers and RV dealers and get show-only price deals.

If you’re relatively new to RV shopping, you may not know this: your local RV dealer is probably only able to carry a few select brands and models. At Hershey, nearly every one of the RV manufacturers in the RV industry is represented, and you’ll be meeting not only with knowledgeable salespeople, but also with the top folks from corporate offices who know every detail of how these RVs were constructed and are authorized to offer show-only deals. You’ll also find fifth wheels, motorhomes, small popup campers, and small travel trailers all in one place, so it’s a great chance to compare a lot of must-see brands side by side if you already have a dream RV in mind, or if you’re still narrowing it down.

Here are some general rules for attending the big show. Some are generally helpful as a spectator, but hopefully these are also helpful for those who are seriously considering buying an RV at the show, going as a seasoned RVer looking at new RVs, or a first-time buyer picking up RV supplies and add-ons from vendors.

Getting There

The Hershey RV Show brings in people from all over. The location in Central Pennsylvania means you might be driving in from a few states away or flying in from elsewhere in the country or even other parts of the world. The Hershey RV Show is held in the gigantic parking lot outside the Giant Center in Hershey, so when planning your travels, use this address: Giant Center, 550 Hersheypark Dr, Hershey, PA 17033 as the destination.

Arriving By RV

If you’re arriving in your own rig, you have a few camping options close to the Giant Center. You can dry camp right across from the show or set up at a nearby campground with hookups. The dry camping lot, run by Hershey Entertainment, doesn’t take reservations and costs $60 a night, paid at the gate, plus $10 if you’re towing a vehicle behind a motorhome. There are no hookups, no freshwater fill, and no campground facilities, so this only works well if you’re set up for off-grid power and dry camping. Because the roads are busy, you cannot walk across Hersheypark Drive from the lot; a free shuttle handles the crossing instead. If you have a small Class C or B Class Van that will reasonably fit in a regular parking spot, you can bring that to the show as well.

If you want full hook-up RV camping that’s still close by, Hersheypark Camping Resort is less than two miles from the Giant Center and runs its own dedicated shuttle to the park and show, which is a nice perk after a long day of walking. We’ve met folks living the full-time RVing life at this RV park who come back to the show every year just for the excuse to stop in Hershey. We stayed here in 2025, and plan to stay again in 2026. Read our review of our stay at the Hersheypark Camping Resort for more information!

Closest Airports to Hershey, PA

For those who are flying in, Harrisburg Airport is the nearest airport to Hershey. Lancaster, PA also has an airport in Lititz, but it’s for very small regional flights. The next closest major airports are BWI, about 100 miles and 2 hours away, and Philadelphia International Airport is about the same: 2 hours and 100 miles. We find BWI easier to deal with, but traffic on 83N might not be! It all depends if Philly or Baltimore is easier for you!

Hotel Options

Someday we’ll make a guide to hotels in Hershey, but for now, we know there are a few close to the show. The world-famous Hershey Hotel is one option, of course, but it’s a luxury resort with prices to match. You can also stay at the Tru Hotel, a Courtyard by Marriott, or several other options.

Arriving By Car & Parking

If you’re not bringing an RV and simply want to browse or shop, driving in is the simplest option. The Giant Center sits just off Hersheypark Drive, with easy access from I-81 and PA-283, and parking for the show is free.

The parking lot is enormous, and even with thousands of RVs and exhibitor spaces set up, there’s still yet another parking lot where you can park if you’re coming by car. The road into the show is to the right (follow signs for Giant Center, not Hershey or Chocolate World). The road circles around the show and the parking lot, so it can take 5 minutes or more to get to a parking space. Once you’re parked, take note of where you’ve parked by looking at the numbers and markers on the street lights in your section and/or taking a photo.

Again, it’s a massive lot and easy to forget where you parked after a day of remembering RV model numbers and details. From the parking, you’ll be walking towards the Giant Center, which takes several minutes depending on where you are in the lot. Handicap parking and shuttles are available for transportation if needed. If you park in the general lots, there are steep stairs over the road, so if you have any mobility issues, be aware of the stairs and see if someone can drop you off closer to the show or use the shuttles.

Ticketing

You can, and should, purchase tickets in advance and online. Do not buy tickets from third-party sellers, since they are not guaranteed and can cause issues with entry. You also do not need to buy tickets for children under 12 since they can attend for free. Only buy tickets from the official website and app, and be sure to keep your email and QR code for entry handy for quick scanning. Check out all the details, including some discounts for military, senior citizens, and first responders.

After you cross into the show from the parking lot, there’s a security line where bags will be searched. The lines to get in can be long, especially when the show first opens for the day. One year, we think it was 2021, when the RV business was absolutely booming, the show took hours to get into. We haven’t had that experience since, but there is always a line for security and getting your ticket checked. That super busy year, if you arrived at 8, you didn’t get in until 10, but if you arrived at 10, you flew through the line. If that happens again and you’re attending the show just for fun, you might want to head out for a bit to enjoy some local Hershey breakfast spots and come back later in the day, once the crowds have thinned.

What To Bring

While your bag will be searched and it can take longer in line, at least one member of your party will probably want to bring a bag with some things. Usually, there are shopping bags with brochures and show maps handed out at the entrance, which can be helpful for toting things as well if you like to travel light.

There are food and beverage concessions, but the lines are long, and it’s frequently a hot day, so you’ll want to bring a big water bottle or drink to stay hydrated, and a few snacks are never a bad idea. If you’re seriously looking for an RV, you might also want to bring a pad of paper or notes on your phone with your questions about your rig.

If you’re planning to make some equipment purchases, make sure you have all the model numbers and measurements for your RV, motorhome, travel trailer, or towing vehicle.

Your phone camera or a camera of some sort is also going to be a huge help; after looking at hundreds of RVs, the details tend to blend together. If you can, get a method for photographing the RVs you want to remember. Take a picture of the model name and number, usually on the outside of the RV, or the sales sheet that might be inside on the counter or table, or take a video if that’s your style. Then take exterior and interior photos, including floor plans if the RV has a printed one posted. Trust me, it gets hard to identify all the models and details later as you scroll through pictures.

Footwear and Clothing

This show requires a ton of walking, especially if you’re planning on visiting several areas of the show and going into the vendor section inside the Giant Center, which doubles as an exhibition center for the show, and means going down many steps if you don’t take the elevator. Unlike the boat shows we attend, you don’t usually have to remove your shoes before entering the RVs, so slip-on footwear isn’t required, but comfortable, supportive shoes that you can walk in all day are highly recommended, and the dealers will appreciate that you wear shoes that are non-marking and without a pointed heel, so you don’t damage the floors.

Comfortable clothes matter too. September in Pennsylvania means it can be very hot, very rainy, or a little cold; sometimes all in one day. Our tip is always to dress in layers. You might need a sweater in the early morning, and a tank top by the end of the day. I never get it quite right, so I tend to stash a few options in the car or a light jacket in a bag with me.

Pet Policy

Many RVers are pet owners. In fact, being able to bring our dog along is one big reason we travel by RV in the first place. That said, pets aren’t allowed at the RV show unless they are registered service animals or dogs that can remain in an enclosed stroller the entire time. Otherwise, leave your dog at home or in the comfort of an AC-cooled RV with a dog monitor back at one of the campgrounds.

What to Research Before You Go

Before you go, if you’re planning on seriously looking at RVs for purchase, you’ll want to do your homework. While the pricing at the Hershey show is often some of the best you’ll see, you still want to know the competitive pricing range for the models and options you’re considering, since higher prices can sneak in on add-ons. If you have any technical questions, this is going to be a great time to ask them, since both knowledgeable dealers and representatives from the corporate build teams might be on hand. If you’re coming from a few states away, it’s also worth contacting the dealers in your home state beforehand to see if they are attending the Hershey show. They may be able to extend show pricing when you get back home, and it’s also always good to start the relationship before you’re standing in their lot.

You also want to have a family discussion before the show if you’re serious about buying something. You’ll want to know your budget and be ready to write a check and discuss your financing options if you’re trying to secure a great deal on a particular model. Sometimes last year’s models will be brought to the show on closeout, and you’ll want to be ready to act.

If you’re shopping, jot down your must-have floor plans, and get an understanding of the names or model numbers that have that floor plan.

If you’re just going as a casual visitor learning about RVs, it still might be worth doing some prep work to find out which RV class and style is for you, and which models and brands you really want to see. If you drive a truck and are thinking about getting a travel trailer or truck camper, you’ll want to know all the information about towing capacity and weight distribution for your vehicle before you start looking at trailers.

Reading up on the models, watching dealer videos, and checking out independent RV reviews on YouTube is a great way to get familiar with all the RV brands and models in the RV world. Once you find a few models you’re considering, you may also want to join any Facebook owners’ groups for that brand or model. This will give you a much better sense of what real RV owners and other RV enthusiasts think about the RVs you’re considering, beyond a sales pitch.

Food and Amenities

A series of food trucks is usually located close to the show’s entrance, right outside the Giant Center. The Giant Center also has concessions and public restrooms, plus porta-potty-style restrooms dotted around the show, with locations noted on the map. There are also vendors walking around with water and lemonade for sale if you need a quick bite or a cold drink between RVs.

If you want more of a sit-down meal, there are local amenities as well. Hershey and Harrisburg have plenty of options nearby, from quick bites and sports bars to fine dining, plus stops like Tröegs Independent Brewing if you want to make an evening of it after the show closes.

Vendor Areas

In addition to the RVs and travel trailers that are the main attraction, hundreds of booth vendors also attend the show. This means everyone from sewer hose manufacturers and RV refrigeration companies to makers of custom blinds, decor, and RV upgrades like levelers and stabilizers are on hand, along with plenty of other RV accessories and new features you won’t find at your local dealer. You’ll also get to meet with some RV parks and other specialized vendors. Vendors are dotted outside of the show and in various tents, so just like you would do with the RVs themselves, be sure to do a little research on the features of the product, as well as the correct price range.

 

Learn from our big mistake, which encompasses all of these rules. One year we purchased a replacement fan for our RV inside the Giant Center. We had researched the model and thought we got a great deal, but we hadn’t actually confirmed the model number against what we’d researched at home. It turned out to be a prior year’s model, and we’d overpaid. First off, it’s hard to get in and out of the vendor area with a purchase in hand, and we had to carry that fan all the way to the elevator and out to the parking lot. Then we had to haul it back through the show for a return the next day. Even if it’s not something big, save your purchases until the end of the show if you can, so you’re not carrying them all over the show and risking setting them down and forgetting them.

Education, Seminars, and Meet and Greets

Check the show’s events calendar for educational seminars and hands-on workshops on topics like RV maintenance, electrical systems, weight distribution, boondocking on public lands, and trip planning for national parks, since seating is limited and the popular sessions fill up. Between the seminars and the sheer number of manufacturers on hand, it’s easy to see why this is one of the biggest RV trade shows in the country, not just a camping show for browsing. You’ll also see lots of RV YouTubers and other favorite content creators being filmed at the show, especially around new RV models, the latest accessories, and the latest innovations on display. Many of the YouTubers have meet-and-greet times, so keep track of the times they’ll be available for photo ops and chatting by checking out their social media posts.

Show Etiquette and Other Tips

There aren’t too many rules at the show, but like everything else in life, it is helpful if you bring your patience and best manners. This includes elevator rules: let someone out before you get in. If you’re heading into an RV with a long line of people waiting to see it, make your visit as brief as possible while still getting the information you need.

Consult the map and make a plan. There’s no rule that says you can’t aimlessly wander the show, but if you’re short on energy or time, it’s worth making a plan for the areas you most want to see. And if you’re going to buy, or you’re seriously considering a model, we recommend doing your homework ahead of time so you’re ready to act when you find the right RV at the right price.

After the Show

After the RV Show, you’ll no doubt be tired, and there’s nothing better than relaxing back at your hotel, RV, or at one of the local restaurants and breweries.  We’re working on a guide right now with our recommendations for places to eat in Hershey, including the best restaurants, best breakfast spots, and best breweries in the area.

More Things to Do In Hershey and Central PA

Hershey isn’t just chocolate and RV Shows; there are plenty to do in this town and the surrounding areas, including Lititz and Lancaster, PA. Hershey has hockey games, amazing performances at the Hershey Theater and Giant Center, and world-class gardens and bike trails. We’ll follow up with ideas for things to do in Hershey, PA that aren’t Hersheypark.