Giant Center sits in the heart of Hershey, Pennsylvania — at 550 W Hockley Rd, about 12.5 miles from the hotel. If you’re heading there for a Hershey Bears game, a concert, or any other event, the drive from Inn of the Dove takes about 16 minutes by car depending on traffic.

That puts you in a good spot for an evening out — close enough to get there early, short enough to get back comfortably after the show. This guide covers the full picture: what’s on at Giant Center, how parking works, where to eat in the area, and how the evening typically plays out for couples doing a night at the arena.

What Giant Center Is — And Why Couples Build Trips Around It

Giant Center is a 10,500-seat multi-purpose arena on the Hershey Entertainment & Resorts campus at 550 W Hockley Rd, Hershey, PA. Opened in 2002, it’s one of the better mid-size venues in the mid-Atlantic region — large enough for major tours and sporting events, small enough that there isn’t a bad seat in the building.

Hershey Bears Hockey

The Hershey Bears are the primary tenant of Giant Center — the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals and one of the most storied franchises in professional hockey. Founded in 1938, the Bears have won 13 Calder Cup Championships, more than any other team in AHL history. A Bears game is a genuine event. The crowd is knowledgeable, the building fills to capacity for big games, and the atmosphere carries real weight.

The regular season runs from October through April, with playoff hockey extending into May in strong years. If you’re planning a winter or early spring visit, a Bears game is one of the most memorable evenings you can build a trip around in central Pennsylvania.

Concerts and Live Events

Giant Center’s concert roster draws from the same pool as any major mid-size arena. Country headliners, rock tours, pop acts, and hip-hop artists all include Hershey as a regular tour stop. The arena is well-run, the sightlines are good from nearly every seat, and the on-site parking is organized and well-managed. You won’t spend the last hour of your evening sitting in post-show traffic in a parking garage.

Beyond concerts and hockey, Giant Center also hosts WWE events, Disney on Ice, family shows, major wrestling cards, and graduations. Over 150 events take place at the arena each year, which means there’s almost always something on the calendar worth planning around.

What Makes the Difference on a Concert Night

There’s a real gap between coming back to a standard hotel after a concert and coming back to a quiet, private suite where the whole property is yours. No lobby crowd at midnight. No hallway noise when you’re trying to sleep in. No 6 a.m. wakeup from the room next door.

Inn of the Dove is an adults-only property for couples. It’s a small property — not 200 rooms — which means the corridors stay genuinely quiet. No children are permitted on the grounds at any time. No pets either. When the show ends and you make the 16-minute drive back, the corridor is empty and the hot tub is waiting. That’s a meaningfully different end to the evening.

The Suite You Come Back To

Every suite at Inn of the Dove includes a private jetted hot tub. Two suites feature private heated indoor pools. Most have a wood-burning or gas fireplace. The suites are themed — each one different — but what they all share is privacy — and the kind of quiet that comes with a property where the hallways stay genuinely empty.

For a Giant Center event night, these are the four suites worth knowing about first:

All suites can be viewed on the Rooms & Suites page. If the pool suites are unavailable for your dates, the Honeymoon Suite, Rose Suite, and Hawaiian Paradise Suite are all strong alternatives for a Giant Center event night.

How a Giant Center Event Night Actually Works

Here is the practical version — exactly how most couples plan a Giant Center evening around a stay at Inn of the Dove:

Add Something Special — Romance Packages

If you’re pairing a Giant Center visit with an anniversary, birthday, or any other occasion, Inn of the Dove offers in-suite romance packages. These are typically arranged before arrival. If you’re already here and would like to add something extra tonight — chocolates, champagne, flowers — call the front desk at 717-540-5540 and we’ll do our best to put it together for you.

All packages are added to your reservation by calling the hotel directly at 717-540-5540 or noting your preference when booking online. Bathrobes are also available as an add-on at $19.99 per pair. Browse all options on the Packages page.

Practical Notes Before You Book

• Check-in: 3:00 p.m. / Check-out: 11:00 a.m.
• Cancellation policy: 48 hours for standard suites; 7 days for pool and theme suites.
• Parking: Free private parking for all guests throughout their stay.
• Front desk hours: Sunday–Thursday 9 a.m.–10 p.m. · Friday–Saturday 9 a.m.–midnight.
• Late arrival: If your event ends after 10 p.m. on a weekday, contact the hotel in advance to arrange a self-check-in code.
• Best rate guarantee: Booking directly through the hotel or via the hotel’s booking portal always gives you the best available rate — up to 15% lower than third-party sites.

Other Nearby Hotels to Hershey Worth Knowing About

If you’re comparing where to stay near Giant Center, here’s a quick look at some of the other lodging options in the Hershey area:

For couples looking for something different — a private suite, in-room hot tub, and complete quiet after the show — Inn of the Dove remains the closest adults-only option to Giant Center. For more on what’s worth doing in the area, see our Things to Do Near Inn of the Dove hub page.