My recent trip to the Inn at Westwynd Farm was combined with a “kidcation” to Hershey Park, and while the roller coasters were the high point for my girls, the highlight for me was the chance to stay at this fabulous farm and inn. The Inn at Westwynd Farm had been on my “B&B Bucket List” for awhile, so when planning our end-of-school trip, there was some method to my madness in taking the kids to Hershey Park, just three miles from the inn. We took an easy, direct flight from Boston’s Logan Airport to BWI on Jet Blue (my favorite airline) and then drove less than two hours up to Hershey. For Boston, NYC or Philly  families, Hershey is a great choice for an easy summer vacation.

Take a big dose of romance, combine it with a gorgeous horse farm, add a kid-friendly attitude, and you begin to understand the Inn at Westwynd Farm. Now imagine huge helpings of extra amenities like a guest fridge filled with wine, beer, soft drinks, juice, popcorn, Pennsylvania Dutch pretzels, plus four or five different offerings for afternoon refreshments, along with free wi-fi, and you’ll fully appreciate the haute hospitality and extra value here. Gorgeous rolling hills with horses grazing, manicured gardens and lilies popping open everywhere complete the picture.

We stayed in the Landar room, which featured a fireplace, deep double Jacuzzi tub, king bed and a private porch and entrance. I had to admit the romantic features of this room were wasted on me and my nine and eleven year old girls, who were far more impressed with the chocolate kisses and Hershey bars on the dresser. I made a note to myself to return with the husband next time. I did, later truly appreciating the silky high thread count sheets and amazingly comfortable bed as I fell asleep for the best night sleep I’d had in weeks.

My youngest child went right to work making friends and managed to find her way to the kitchen to help Carolyn Troxell, the inn’s co-owner and innkeeper, make zucchini bread for the next morning. Carolyn’s husband Frank had no trouble luring both daughters away from the kitchen  to see the horses and the barn. We all got the chance to meet the goats, alpacas, horses, cats and barn dogs, which were a highlight for the girls. My youngest stayed behind to help feed and brush the horses while my older daughter and I set off to explore the waterfall, koi pond and gardens next to the inn.

Just three miles from the thrills and chills of Hershey Park, I was impressed with how quickly the landscape changed from outlets and amusement parks to the rolling hillsides and farms of Pennsylvania Dutch country. The inn offers a perfect bucolic retreat for rest and relaxation, with complete access to the restaurants, outlet shopping, concerts, caverns and rides in Hershey. Yet once at the inn, it’s tough to think about leaving. Upper and lower living rooms featuring snacks and TVs, ambling porches, a library with a guest computer, plus a barn filled with interesting animals mean that common space and built-in entertainment are plentiful.

Rarely does one inn do so well catering to diverse interests, yet here honeymoon couples can easily co-vacation with families and corporate guests. Guest rooms are located throughout the house, and the two-story carriage house adjacent to the inn offers living and dining rooms, a kitchen and a bedroom spacious enough for a family or those wishing for extra privacy.

The note on the chalkboard in the dining room captures the essence of what vacations are all about here and hit home with me; it read “it doesn’t matter where you go in life, it’s who you have beside you”. The Inn at Westwynd Farm is a place to enjoy having those you love beside you. I did.

For More INNformation:

Inn at Westwynd Farm, 1620 Sandbeach Road, Hummelstown, PA 17036, 1-717-533-6764 or 877-Westwynd(937-8996). Rates: $109-189/nightly, a BedandBreakfast.com Diamond Collection member.

Fly Jet Blue direct from Boston to BWI or Philadelphia Airport, then drive under two hours to Hershey. Alternately, fly from Boston Logan to Harrisburg, and then it’s a twenty minute drive. Enjoy lovely country views, gourmet breakfasts and afternoon refreshments, and comforting amenities in rooms accented by antiques, fireplaces, jacuzzis and luxurious linens The inn is also fully equipped for business travelers with wi-fi access and a guest computer. Experience the attractions of Hershey and Pennsylvania Dutch country, go biking or canoeing, explore Amish Country and Civil War sites easily from the inn's central location.

Marti Mayne is the B&B Editor for Wandering Educators 

All photos courtesy and copyright Marti Mayne