Ever dream about winning a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory? Or taking a step onto your childhood Candyland board game? Well Candytopia is pretty freaking close! The exhibit is located right in Midtown at Penn Plaza and when I went with two of my friends on Saturday, Sept. 1, I had no idea what I was getting into.
When you first walk in there are little storefronts and signs that look like Diagon Alley from Harry Potter. There is a cheerful guy in a top hat (again, think Willy Wonka) who greets you and welcomes you into Candytopia. Then, once you enter the first room, you are surrounded by a bunch of clocks. After the guide gives you a spiel about the magical land you’re entering, one of the giant clocks lowers from the ceiling and has a bunch of taffy on it for you to take!
After that, you walk through a sort of inflatable tunnel that leads you to the next room. The rest of the exhibit is various themed rooms that feature candy sculptures, confetti, and tons of photo opportunities. There was an underwater themed room, a room full of candy portraits (including everyone from Prince to Marilyn Monroe to Cardi B), and it all led up to the grand finale of the marshmallow ball pit! Don’t worry, they’re not real giant marshmallows, but they sure did look like it. And the best part? There was a treasure chest in every room with FREE candy for you to take! So yeah, I left with a purse FULL of sour gummies, Kit Kats, Pixie Sticks, and more.
Candytopia will be open in NYC through mid November. There is also a location in San Francisco that is open now through the end of November. Admission was $34, which isn’t bad but tickets do go fast, so you have to plan ahead. It was definitely a fun experience that I would recommend checking out for anyone in those two areas. My photos are a little out of order, but take a look at all the sweet stuff I saw!
What’s your favorite candy?
xoxo, Kayla
