cool factory tours usa

25 Best Factory Tours in America for Families Who Love to Go Behind the Scenes

Find out what it takes to construct a jellybean, giant plane and everything in between.

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After a prolonged period of being stuck at home, some families are looking to travel again. And while the COVID-19 pandemic means that precautions still have to be taken, and not every destination is up and running at 100% capacity, there's still plenty of unique experiences out there that are once again open to the public.

The following factory tours and appropriate for kids, are well-reviewed by families and are currently open to visitors (or will be opening soon). But you might want to book ahead — some require timed tickets or reservations before you visit. But when you're done, you'll all know a little bit more about how the world around you is made.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory (Louisville, Kentucky)

Swing by to see how baseball bats are made — this company has been churning them out since 1884. Your family can walk through the factory production line and watch the wood chips fly! Everyone can try out bats from iconic players, like Babe Ruth and Derek Jeter. With plenty of photo ops (including your crew inside a giant baseball mitt) and a free mini bat souvenir for every guest, this tour will be a home run. Open daily; $ 18 for adults, $11 for ages 6 – 12, free for ages 5 and under

Jelly Belly Visitor Center & Factory (Fairfield, California)

From your perch above the production line, you’ll witness all the steps — slurry, steam bath, glossy application — it takes to create the gourmet jellybeans that have been a thing since the late 1800s. Video screens provide close-ups and fun facts (like it takes 1 – 2 weeks to make a jellybean). Feeling hungry? Stop at the café for a jellybean-shaped pizza. Open daily (but factory workers are typically there only on weekdays), $5 for adults, $2 for ages 2 and up, free for younger kids

The Kazoo Factory Tour Experience (Beaufort, South Carolina)

After learning the ins and outs of kazoo-making during a factory walk-through, everyone gets to create their own instrument to take home. A built-in souvenir is music to our ears! Open Monday to Friday, $9 for adults, $7 for ages 4 – 11, free for younger kids

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PEZ Visitor Center (Orange, Connecticut)

The colorful facility dispenses equal parts nostalgia (it maintains well-organized vintage PEZ displays) and tech wizardry (you can see how the famous candy is packed). Be sure to snap your kid’s pic in front of the world’s largest PEZ dispenser, which looks like a person wearing a PEZ-themed baseball cap. Open daily; $5 for adults, $4 for ages 3 – 12, free for younger kids

Polaris Experience Center (Roseau, Minnesota)

School-age kids who love to build things will have their mind blown going behind-the-scenes at this maker of snowmobiles and ATVs. On the guided tour, they’ll see laser cutters, high-speed saws and other cool equipment making parts for the vehicles. They can also watch motors being installed and ATVs being tested. Whoa! Open Monday to Friday; children under age 6 prohibited; free

Hammond’s Candy Factory Tour (Denver, Colorado)

This centuries-old confectioner invites you to see how it makes its lollipops, candy canes and other treats. Looking through large viewing windows, your crew will be gobsmacked at how the colorful candies are shaped and packaged. Open Monday –Saturday; free

Kohler Design Center Factory Tour (Kohler, Wisconsin)

Got a teen whose interested in manufacturing? They’ll be fascinated by this detailed two-hour, 3 ½-mile foray behind the scenes of how the brand’s famous plumbing products are created. Open Monday – Friday, children under 14 not permitted, free

Sweet Pete’s Candy Shop (Jacksonville, Florida)

Willy Wonka vibes are strong at this mansion that takes guests from room to room of candy-making demos. You’ll get to design your own chocolate bar, choosing from more than 16 toppings. Check availability online; $6.45 per person

Henry Ford Rouge Factory Tour (Dearborn, Michigan)

One truck per minute rolls off the assembly line at this famous automotive factory — and your crew gets a birds-eye view of the goings-on from a 1/3-mile observation deck. There’s also a gallery of cool cars, like a 1965 Ford Mustang, to check out. Check dates online; $22 for adults, $16.50 for ages 5 – 11, free for younger kids

Turkey Hill Experience (Columbia, Pennsylvania)

While the dairy producer’s actual factory is closed to the public, this children’s museum-like attraction gives families the inside scoop on ice cream-making, plus unlimited free samples. Your kids can create their own virtual flavor, and then star in a commercial promoting it . Open daily; starts at $10.50 per person

World of Coca-Cola (Atlanta, Georgia)

Since you can’t tour an actual Coke bottling plant, this attraction is the next best thing. Its Bottle Works exhibit, showcasing real equipment, explains the packaging process. And you’ll get a chance to taste different kinds of sodas from around the world. Open daily; $19 for adults, $15 for ages 3 – 12, free for younger kids

Tillamook Creamery Tour (Tillamook, Oregon)

From a viewing gallery above the factory floor, you’ll see how milk becomes cheese. Then hit the dining hall for gooey faves, likes grilled cheese and mac ’n cheese. Your fam can even share a “flight” of ice cream. Open daily; tour is free, you can add tasting experiences for a charge

Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Los Angeles, California)

Your crew will be star-struck hanging out at a working movie studio. During the hour-long guided portion, you’ll see backlots, movie sets and maybe even spy someone famous. Then you’ll have two more hours to explore on your own — plenty of time to snap a pic of your family in front of the fountain from Friends . Open daily: $69 for adults, $59 for ages 5 – 10

The Great Utz Chip Trip Tour (Hanover, Pennsylvania)

Kids will discover how potatoes get turned into chips at this famous maker’s plant near the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. They can watch factory workers from an observation gallery; closed-circuit TV monitors provide close-ups. Everyone receives a free sample of chips at the end. Open Monday – Thursday, free

Ben & Jerry’s Factory Experience (Waterbury, Vermont)

With a tentative re-opening planned for the end of June 2022, this beloved attraction wets appetites with a short movie about how Ben & Jerry got their start. From there, it’s off to the mezzanine where you’ll watch how the ice cream is made. Samples of ice cream (sometimes a flavor that’s exclusive to the factory) is the proverbial cherry on top. On your way out, visit the “ice cream graveyard” of flavors that are no longer made. Check back for ticket info

The Crayola Experience (Easton, Pennsylvania)

There are many activities to take part in at The Crayola experience, including a live show where a "crayonologist" demonstrates how crayons are made. The 65,000-square-foot attraction also includes a toddler and a big-kid playground, interactive games and a studio for art projects, among manny other stations — they recommend blocking out three or four hours for a visit. Open daily. Admission is $25 if you buy tickets in advance; a timed ticket is required for all visitors ages 3 and up. There are also Crayola Experience locations in Chandler, Arizona; Mall of America, Minnesota; Orlando, Florida and Plano, Texas, but offerings may vary

Taza Chocolate Factory Tour (Somerville, Massachusetts)

Specializing in stone-ground chocolate, this candy maker explains the production process and hosts a sampling. On weekends, there’s a scavenger hunt-themed tour for kids under age 10 . Open Wednesday – Sunday; $8-$12 per person

The White House (Washington, DC)

Though not a factory in the traditional sense, White House tours are back, and you can meander around the famous Blue Room, Red Room, State dining room and — best of all — the Rose Garden. But you can’t wait until the last minute to book. Twenty-one to 90 days before you’d like to visit, you need to request one of the free tours by contacting your congress member’s office. Tours are only available on Fridays and Saturdays

Blue Bell Creamery Factory Tour (Brenham, Texas)

Look high above the factory floor to see ice cream being packaged in different types of containers. An employee is on-hand to answer all the kids’ questions about the process, so encourage them to ask away. Open Monday – Friday; free

American Whistle Company (Columbus, Ohio)

A kitschy stop on a Midwest road trip, this factory doles out loads of engaging info about a topic you probably never considered — how whistles are made. Everyone receives a whistle to take home. Open Monday Friday; $6 per person

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Factory Tours

Celebrating american imagination and industry.

From planes to crayons, these fun factory tours go behind the scenes

Feb 14, 2020 • 7 min read

What’s more fun than breaking open a bright new box of crayons or digging a spoon into a melty pint of ice cream? Getting a behind-the-scenes look at how they’re made, of course.

Whether you’re a super fan or are just generally curious, companies around the US – some that have been in business for decades, and in some cases, for over a century – are offering a fresh new way to experience their goods. Visiting the factory offers insight on how a product comes to life, usually in a hands-on, interactive and fun way. From Cape Cod potato chips to PEZ candies, these 11 factory tours are worth a visit.

PEZ Factory – Orange, Connecticut

The world’s largest PEZ dispenser, vintage Star Wars PEZ and a PEZ motorcycle can all be found in the 4000 sq ft visitor’s center of the company’s candy-making factory . From floor-to-ceiling windows, see the tiny tabs being packaged. (Along with its sister candy-making factory in Traun, Austria, the company produces 5 billion candies each year).

Take time to explore the decades of memorabilia packed into the two-story center, and go on a scavenger hunt for a chance to win a sweet prize at the end.

Ben & Jerry’s – Waterbury, Vermont 

Every ice cream lover should add a Waterbury, Vermont , pilgrimage to their bucket list. The Ben & Jerry’s factory tour gives guests a front-row peek into the ice cream-making process, an overview of the company’s colorful history, and – the best part – a sample of the flavors. Finish the visit with a stroll around the company’s outdoor Flavor Graveyard, an ode to discontinued pints.

If a 30-minute tour isn’t enough, opt for the Flavor Fanatic Experience; the $225, two-hour package includes a private guided factory tour, a tie-dyed lab coat, and a hands-on mixing and tasting session in the Flavor Lab, led by one of the company’s Flavor Gurus.

Cape Cod Chips – Hyannis, Massachusetts

In Hyannis, Massachusetts, find the Kennedy compound, the fast ferries to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, and the Cape Cod Potato Chip factory. More than 250,000 visitors each year take the free, self-guided tour, which includes a walk through the facility to see potato chips made in custom kettles, plus relics from the first factory dating back to the 1980s.

At the end of the tour, break open your complimentary chips at an umbrella-shaded table on the sunny patio. (The tour is available Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm.)

US Mint – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

If you have coins in your pocket, there’s a good chance they were minted in Philadelphia . (You can tell by the tiny “P” stamped on one side.) In the city of brotherly love, the US Mint has been producing coins for over 225 years, and visitors can see the process during the self-guided, 45-minute tours available to the public most days.

See the coining operation from 40ft above the factory floor, check out the historic artifacts, like the press used to make the nation’s first coins in 1792, and see the series of seven, 5ft-tall Tiffany glass mosaics created to commemorate the opening of the third US Mint building in 1901. While the Mint sadly doesn’t offer free samples, you can buy commemorative coins and other collectibles in the gift shop.

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Jelly Belly Factory – Fairfield, California

The sixth-generation family-run candy company has been in business since 1898, and making the beloved Jelly Beans since 1976. At the Jelly Belly Factory , self-guided tours lead visitors through a quarter mile-long elevated path, with interactive exhibits and a view of the factory floor. For a flat fee of $39 for groups of up to six, private tour guides will take you through. In the end, everyone gets free samples of the rainbow-hued treat.

Louisville Slugger Factory  – Louisville, Kentucky

You can’t miss the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory , located in downtown Louisville , Kentucky. The 120ft, 68,000 pound, world’s largest baseball bat leans against the side of the building, marking the entrance. Louisville Slugger has been making its iconic bats since 1884, and the factory and museum give visitors an up-close look at how they’re produced. Walk through the line to see the step-by-step process, explore the Bat Vault, with a copy of nearly every bat the company has ever made, and leave with a souvenir mini bat, free for tour-goers.

You might also like: A spirited trip through Kentucky bourbon country

Tillamook Creamery Factory – Tillamook, Oregon

Inside the strikingly modern facade of Oregon’s Tillamook Creamery Factory , the milk produced by the cows on the company’s fourth generation farm is transformed into award-winning cheeses. Get a bird’s-eye view from the observation windows, down onto the factory floor, as the process goes from fresh milk to cheese curds to aged cheddars.

The sprawling, state-of-the-art aging warehouse on site houses upwards of 37 million pounds of cheese, which age from 60 days to 6 years before being sent back out to the warehouse to be cut into bricks and packed up for the grocery store. Don’t leave before sampling all the cheese.

Hershey’s Chocolate Factory – Hershey Pennsylvania

In the central Pennsylvania town of Hershey, the lamp posts are shaped like Hershey’s Kisses and there’s usually a faint whiff of chocolate in the air. To find the source, head straight for the Hershey’s Chocolate Factory . During the free, 30-minute tour, visitors can take an immersive journey through the facility to see how chocolate is made, from cocoa bean to foil-wrapped bar, and finish with a Hershey’s treat.

For $26.95, the create-your-own candy bar tour lets visitors make their own confection, and design a personalized wrapper for a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

Crayola Experience – Easton, Pennsylvania

Crayola has been in business for over a century, making iconic crayons and coloring accoutrements for kids and adults alike. (Color Escapes, ie adult coloring books, were introduced in 2015.) The colorful company has a manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania ’s Lehigh Valley, about halfway between Philadelphia and New York City, and about ten minutes away, visitors can check out the Crayola Experience . Guests can see how crayons are made in a live show, pose for a personalized coloring page, mold a critter or character out of crayon wax, and name a color, taking home a keepsake crayon.

Taylor Guitars – San Diego, California

Seasoned musicians and anyone who appreciates a good Spotify playlist will love the thoroughly educational look into how Taylor Guitars are made. Every weekday at 1pm, free, guided tours are offered at the legendary manufacturer of premium acoustic guitars, used by artists like Taylor Swift, Dave Matthews, and Zac Brown.

The 75-minute tour takes place right on the factory floor, so visitors can soak up each step of the process, from choosing the wood and assembling the pieces to finished product. Don’t miss the guitar room, where myriad models are available to test out. (Tours aren’t offered on weekday holidays, so check the schedule before visiting.)

Boeing – Everett, Washington 

The Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour is located just north of Seattle , at the company’s Everett factory. Inside the building – which is the largest in the world, by volume – the aircraft design and manufacturing company assembles the 747, 767, 777 and 787 planes. The 90-minute tour is the only one of its kind in North America, offering a look inside a working commercial jet engine assembly plant, and highlights include the factory tour, plus the Boeing gallery that showcases over 150 products the company makes and is developing, including satellites, submarines, and alternative fuels.

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, the facility offers hands-on robotics workshops, introducing visitors to the basics of coding robots for use in the manufacturing process. Tours are so popular, travelers can book day trips from downtown Seattle that include transportation, hotel pickup and dropoff. (Visitors must be 4, or 122 cm tall, to go on the tour.)

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Best US Factory Tours and Museums

Related to:, celestial seasonings.

celestial seasonings, factory, tour, boulder, colorado

Photo by: Courtesy of Celestial Seasonings

Courtesy of Celestial Seasonings

We’ve all had a cup of Sleepytime tea, but have you ever wondered what goes into making that little pouch of goodness? At the Celestial Seasonings factory, visitors can watch as herbal tea ingredients are blended, packaged and shipped to your local grocery store. The tours are free, and include free samples of all the different Celestial Seasonings tea varieties.

Harley-Davidson

harley davidson, motorcycle, factory, york, pennsylvania

Photo by: Klaus Nahr , Flickr CC-BY-SA-2.0

Klaus Nahr , Flickr CC-BY-SA-2.0

Get in touch with your inner biker at the Harley-Davidson factory in York, PA, where the Touring, Softail and Trike models are all made. Catch a glimpse of the manufacturing and assembly process, and sit on a Harley before it’s shipped from the factory.

Jelly Belly

jelly belly, factory, tour, fairfield, california

Photo by: Jelly Belly Candy Company

Jelly Belly Candy Company

Did you know that a jelly bean takes at least a week to make? Find out why on a Jelly Belly factory tour in Fairfield, CA, where 150 different jelly bean flavors are constantly being cooked up. Tours are free, but make sure to check out the candy store and chocolate shop before you leave.

Louisville Slugger

louisville slugger, museum, factory, kentucky

Photo by: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Visit the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory to see how the iconic bats are made. The factory museum also has a collection of retired Louisville Sluggers that have been swung by some of baseball’s greats. Tours are $10, and you’ll get your very own miniature bat!

The Crayola Factory

crayola crayons, factory, easton, pennsylvania

Photo by: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

While there is not an actual manufacturing plant onsite, the Crayola Factory serves as a museum and visitor center where you can become an expert on how the famous crayons are made. Learn about Crayola’s history, color on the walls, play with sidewalk chalk, and watch as your own souvenir box of crayons is made.

Intel Museum

intel, museum, santa clara, california

Photo by: Bloomberg/Getty Images

Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Intel Museum is a 10,000-square-foot learning experience. Watch as employees demonstrate how silicon chips are made, and even try on one of the “bunny suits,” which workers must wear while manufacturing the chips.

Maker's Mark Distillery

makers mark, distillery, loretto, kentucky

Visit this National Historic Landmark to learn about the distillery’s history, watch the fermentation process, and get a look at the barrels that the whiskey ages in. The tour also includes a look at the bottling area, where workers hand-dip the top of each bottle in Maker’s Mark’s signature red wax.

Hershey's Chocolate World

hersheys chocolate world, factory, hershey, pennsylvania

Photo by: Gary Burke/Moment/Getty Images

Gary Burke/Moment/Getty Images

Feel like you stepped into a scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Hershey’s Chocolate World . Walk through a tropical jungle where cocoa beans are harvested, take a simulated factor tour, create your own candy bar, and don’t forget to pick up your free sample!

mack truck, museum, allentown, pennsylvania

Photo by: Lehigh Valley, PA

Lehigh Valley, PA

Head to Macungie, PA, to see how Mack trucks are made. Be prepared, because the factory tour includes 1.5 miles of walking! Stop by the Mack Museum in Allentown, PA, to see truck models from 1907 to 1973.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

ben and jerrys, ice cream, factory, waterbury, vermont

Photo by: Raffi Asdourian , via Flickr

Raffi Asdourian , via Flickr

Located in Vermont’s Green Mountains, the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream factory is a must-see for satisfying any sweet tooth. Get a glimpse of the ice cream production line, watch a “moo-vie” on the company’s history, and stop at the Flavoroom for a taste of the flavor of the day. Don’t forget to visit the flavor graveyard, the final resting place for retired ice cream varieties.

Gibson Guitar Factory

gibson, guitars, factory, nashville, tennessee

The Gibson luthiers (string-instrument makers) bind, paint, neck-fit, buff and tune the famous guitars right at the Memphis factory. Watch as they make some of the same guitars that have been played by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix.

Tabasco Factory

tabasco factory, avery island, louisiana

Photo by: Omar Torres/AFP/Getty Images

Omar Torres/AFP/Getty Images

Visit tiny Avery Island on the Bayou to learn how the famous hot-pepper sauce is made, aged, bottled and shipped. Make sure to stop at the Tabasco Country Store at the tour’s end for a taste of Tabasco-flavored ice cream and to pick up Tabasco-inspired souvenirs.

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21 Great American Factory Tours You Can Take Right Now

Many historic American factories are open to the public. Here are the ones worth the trip.

There's probably no escaping taking the kids to an amusement park this summer—sweltering in long lines and paying for overpriced junk food. But when that torment is over, take them to a different kind of theme park, one you'll both enjoy: an American factory. You'll see how baseball gloves are made. Or how they print the posters for your favorite concert. Or how a guy at Harley-Davidson takes every bike up to 77 mph on what looks a lot like an automotive treadmill. Sometimes you'll even get candy. And unlike at Six Flags, admission is often free.

1. Hatch Show Print

Nashville, Tennessee:  75 minutes; $15 (adults), $10 (ages 6 to 12)

Nashville's recent "it city" status has our skyline so dotted with cranes that longtime residents have started calling it Little Dubai. I worry that the town where my ten-year-old daughter, Margot, was born is becoming unrecognizable to her. So I decided a tour of the Hatch Show Print letterpress was in order.

"What's a letterpress?" Margot asked.

"They make music posters," I said. She got excited.

"Think they have any of Taylor Swift?" she asked.

"Maybe," I said, explaining that they've been in business since 1879, and have worked with just about every musician you can think of—from Elvis Presley to Elvis Costello.

"Who's Elvis Costello?" Margot asked.

The production process hasn't changed much in over a century. Some of the letter blocks—exactly 0.918 inches high, a standard established in 1886 by the United States Type Founders' Association—are the original end-cut maple versions. This isn't Photoshop. There is no erasing. If even the smallest amount of grit builds up beneath an individual block, it must be sanded by hand so that it prints evenly. The rollers have to be reinked every four prints—each one slightly more faded than the last. These subtle inconsistencies are what make Hatch Show Print posters so special: No two look exactly alike.

The craftsmanship wowed my daughter—just like it had wowed me on my first visit, not long after I moved to Nashville two decades ago. But her favorite part was the end, when we got to browse through an inventory of photo plates and posters dating back to the shop's very first print run. I marveled at the photo plate for Led Zeppelin's first Nashville appearance in 1970. Then I glanced over and spotted Margot. She had the very same grin on her face. She was looking at a poster from Taylor Swift's "Speak Now" tour. —Adam Ross

2. The U.S. Mint

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Also Denver, Colorado): 45 minutes; free

From a 40-foot observation deck you'll see coins—tens of millions each day—sliced from metal coils that weigh 6,000 pounds and stretch five football fields. Inspectors use magnifying glasses to check the quality. Just one flaw in one coin and the entire batch is destroyed and recycled.

3. John Deere

Waterloo, Iowa (Also East Moline, Illinois, and Ankeny, Iowa): 90 minutes; free

Tours take place on a tram pulled by—what else?—a John Deere tractor. Huge robotic arms spray each vehicle in signature green and yellow. But the logo is still applied by hand.

4. Airstream

Jackson Center, Ohio: One to two hours; free

Each of the iconic travel trailers has thousands of rivets holding together huge sheets of aircraft-grade aluminum. And every one of those rivets is drilled in by hand. Once finished, the campers go into the rain-test booth, where they're pounded by hurricane-strength rain for 20-minute cycles.

5. Bourbon Barrel Foods

Louisville, Kentucky: 25 minutes; free

The nation's only soy sauce microbrewer—yes, soy sauce microbrewer—uses repurposed bourbon barrels and limestone-filtered Kentucky spring water to create a uniquely smoky-sweet condiment. FDA restrictions keep you from the factory floor, but you can still watch through glass as workers cook soybeans, roast grain, and press mash with six tons of force.

6. Woolrich

Woolrich, Pennsylvania: One hour; free

Woolrich has been churning out fabric since 1830, including blankets for Civil War soldiers. And for the factory's 60-odd employees, working with raw wool—a single blanket takes roughly four pounds—is its own kind of battle. A variety of heirloom machines dye, comb, spin, wind, warp, weave, wash, and roll the material before it can be turned into something you'd cozy up with on the couch.

7. Coors Brewing Company

Golden, Colorado: 30 minutes; free

What kind of dad takes his five-year-old son on a brewery tour? A cool one, I thought, boarding the shuttle bus to the Coors plant in Golden, Colorado—the largest single-site brewery in the world, capable of turning out 13 million barrels of beer annually. To me, it was just another father–son outing—a chance to see something new and learn something interesting. Like the zoo, but with the freshest free beer imaginable. Little did I suspect my boy would end up scarred for life.

In and of itself, the self-guided tour is utterly wholesome, an experience as pure as the vaunted Rocky Mountain spring water that prompted Adolph Coors to set up shop in Golden back in 1873. Exhibits explain ingredients, malting, mashing, etc., while affording a look at impressive mechanized assembly lines that channel endless rivers of freshly filled cans and packed cardboard cases in perfect perpetual motion. It wasn't easy to detach my son's nose from the observation window, but over the clack of the machinery, Daddy discerned the siren song of the samples that await responsible drinkers of legal age at the end of the tour.

As I sipped a cold glass of Coors and my son a soda, we surveyed our surroundings: an ersatz pub, decorated with old advertisements—including one featuring E.T. (left), that lovable extraterrestrial, imploring imbibers to "phone home" for a ride should they overindulge. This seemingly harmless poster, unfortunately, made by far the largest impression of the day on my son. What is that thing? Is it coming to get me? What part of me do you think it would eat first? Years later, the poor lad is still uncommonly concerned with the perceived dangers posed by aliens, even smiling ones in bartenders' aprons.

Then again, if that keeps him out of the taverns for a few extra years, maybe it's not all bad. —Kendall Hamilton

8. Golden Flake

Birmingham, Alabama: 45 minutes; free

When my wife and I moved from New York City to Birmingham, Alabama, five years ago, I'd braced myself for culture shock. I knew as much about college football and black-eyed peas as I do thermonuclear fusion. But while I'm still rusty on the vagaries of the wishbone formation, we definitely came out ahead. We've got a yard now, and a dog, and some savings. And we live ten minutes from a snack-food factory.

Since 1923, Golden Flake, "The South's Original Potato Chip," has been supplying chips and puffs and curls and popcorn and pork skins from Florida up through Virginia, in flavors as unlikely as Tangy Pickle BBQ and just plain Hot. It is tiny next to the Utzes and Pringles of the world, and touring its 700-employee Birmingham facility can feel like visiting a friend's home-brewing shed, if instead of beer he churned out Chili Lime Pork Cracklin Super Strips.

"This is our cheese puff, corn puff, and popcorn department," said both our guide and, I hope, whoever greets me in the afterlife. There are 14-foot drums of vegetable oil and giant rotating seasoning cylinders and kind-looking ladies slicing potatoes in half (by hand, for quality control). The highlight comes at the halfway point: a basket brimming with potato chips plucked fresh off the conveyor belt, intercepted between fryer and bagging station, and offered to you for sampling. It is the perfect bite of a perfect chip. Thin but still crunchy, with just-too-much salt. Whatever's in your pantry seems like wafer-shaped Styrofoam in comparison.

It's just one of several snack breaks on the tour. If your taste buds still want more—and they will—you get a few complimentary bags to take home. Lucky for me, I was already there. —Brian Barrett

Everett, Washington: 90 minutes; $20 (adults), $14 (age 15 and under)

When you're stuck in the middle seat and the baby behind you is wailing, it's easy to forget what a miracle an airplane is. You won't after visiting Boeing—the largest building in the world, big enough to fit Disneyland with 13 acres to spare—and witnessing 30,000 employees assemble millions of parts and miles of wiring into 747s and other jumbo jets.

10. Chevrolet Corvette

Bowling Green, Kentucky: One hour; $10 (adults), $5 (ages 10 to 16)

So you're buying a Corvette Z06. First off, congratulations. A supercar. You're a lucky man. But why stop there? For an extra five grand you can hop on the assembly line at the Bowling Green factory and help build your 650-hp engine, which gets emblazoned with a plaque commemorating the experience. For those on a budget, $10 gets you the standard factory tour—still thrilling, just no keys at the end.

11. Harley-Davidson

York, Pennsylvania: Two hours; free or $35

There's a free tour, but it keeps you on the periphery of the shop. Pay the $35 for the Steel Toe Tour and you get to walk up and down the aisles, right next to the workers as bike parts are delivered to them, on-demand, by a trolley that follows magnetic tracks in the floor. At the end, the guys put each finished Harley on a dyno machine and steadily bring it up to 77 mph, running the bike through all the gears.

12. Fender Guitars

Corona, California: One hour; $10 (adults), $8 (seniors), $6 (ages 13 to 17), free (ages 12 and under)

The first time I saw a Fender Telecaster up close was in 1979 on the stage of the Hollywood Palladium. I was 14, and Joe Strummer was next to me pounding out the chords to The Clash's "White Riot"—the two of us shouting the lyrics along with a few other teenage punks who had also scrambled onstage during the encore.

Strummer was thousands of miles from his London home that night. But his battered axe? That wondrous machine had been born less than an hour south, in Fullerton, California, where in the early 1950s self-described tinkerer Leo Fender revolutionized the electric guitar. Since that encounter with Strummer, I've seen hundreds of other Fenders—as a music journalist as well as in my short time as a drummer, which included a stint with punk legends Bad Religion. But I didn't fully appreciate their magic until I strapped on a pair of Devo-like safety goggles and took my first tour of the Fender Factory.

It all starts with unremarkable blocks of alder and ash. From this wood, about 400 employees—more than a few aging longhairs among them—shape, sand, seal, and paint the classic Telecaster and more angular Stratocaster bodies. They then fit the necks, attach the wound pickups, and connect the knobs. Finally, each instrument is plugged in to a row of new Fender amps to check the sound quality.

In the summer, crowds for the twice-daily tour average 50 people. On the April morning I visited, there were only six of us, including two middle-aged Swedes. Afterward, browsing a showroom filled with memorabilia of Fender-playing guitar gods, I asked the guys what made them travel all this way. One clearly didn't understand En glish. The other only a little. He smiled, pointed to a poster of Jimi Hendrix, and simply said, "Him." Returning the gesture, I pointed across the room, to a display about punk. The centerpiece: a replica of Strummer's banged-up Telecaster. —John Albert

13. Lodge Cast Iron Manufacturing

South Pittsburg, Tennessee: Last weekend in April, 45 minutes; free

You can't get in while the factory is running—it's way too dangerous—but once a year (during April's National Cornbread Festival, naturally) Lodge opens its doors to tourists. Hard to say what's more amazing: the electromagnet that can lift five tons, the furnace that burns at 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit, or the pouring machine that uses ancient sand-molding techniques to create as many as 8,000 skillets an hour.

14. Wood -Mizer

Batesville, Indiana: 30 minutes; free

I live in rural Indiana, in the north part of a farm county. Out here, the sight of a Wood-Mizer, the industrious portable saw mill, passing by behind a pickup or being towed up onto someone's acreage for a few days of transformative deep-woods lumber milling, is a moment of awe, rare and powerful, like catching sight of a panther or something. In the right conditions, three men and a Wood-Mizer can mill enough lumber to build an entire pole barn or a fishing cabin in just a day. It is a tool of thrift, profit, and creativity. I don't own one—I'm just another fanboy—but I do have a hat. And the logo alone gets me silent nods of respect from farmers who otherwise want nothing to do with me.

I bought the hat after going on the Wood-Mizer factory tour in Batesville, Indiana. (It was cheaper than the sawmill.) The six-month-old plant churns calmly forward, the assembly line formed in the shape of a U. There's no shouting. No rushing. No alarm registered along any of the snug, worker-designed assembly. There's notable focus in the workforce—risen from pride, taken from ownership (the 34-year-old company is entirely worker owned)—that permeates the movement and pace from loading dock to shipping dock. For me, the moment I recognized the familiar machine occurred right in the turn of that U, after the powdered orange paint was kiln-dried onto the steel frame. Then the wheels were attached and the custom motor mounted.

And then I couldn't help myself. "There's the big cat," I exclaimed, like some kid seeing a ballplayer parking his car. The guy on the line heard me. "You gonna build something?" he asked, assuming I was a buyer. I smiled and pointed to my factory-supplied earplugs. "I'm just on a tour," I said, but he couldn't hear me. "Build something great," he said. He was standing over a new Wood-Mizer, so it sounded like a promise. —Tom Chiarella

Nocona, Texas: One hour; $5

When Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan was seven, his father took him to a hardware store in downtown Alvin, Texas, to buy his first baseball mitt. It was a Nokona. Since 1934, the family-owned company has made gloves the same way: hand-lacing and stitching American rawhide, then beating it to hell with a mallet until the pocket is ready to snag a one-hop grounder.

16. Jelly Belly

Fairfield, California: 40 to 60 minutes; free for the self-guided tour, $47 for a guided tour that takes you on the factory floor

The thousands of jelly beans tumbling in hoppers may sound like bingo balls, only here every one drawn out is a guaranteed winner—except maybe the buttered popcorn. You can taste them at every stage of the tour, but save your appetite. The factory store at the end offers unlimited samples. If you paid for the guided tour, called Jelly Belly University, this is where you make up for your tuition.

17. Tabasco Pepper Sauce

Avery Island, Louisiana: One hour; $5.50

When I was growing up in the Cajun Triangle, any time a relative or college friend came to town, my family trotted out one of three old chestnuts: tours of swamps, plantations, or the Tabasco factory. I always hoped for the peppers—because I am afraid of alligators and ghost stories but mainly because, like all good Louisianans, I am obsessed with hot sauce.

Avery Island is only three miles wide, so most of the growing happens in South America. But this is where the rust-colored mash is packed into old bourbon barrels—about 50,000 are stacked in the warehouse—and left to ferment for three years. When ready, it is mixed with vinegar and aged for another month. Finally, the sauce gets bottled and shipped off to 180 countries.

The smells of the tour are as good as the sights—all that spice mixing with nearby forests of azalea trees. But the best part comes afterward, at the free tasting, when someone inevitably volunteers to try the inferno-level habanero sauce. That someone will always be me. —Katie Macdonald

18. Kenyon's Grist Mill

West Kingston, Rhode Island: July 23 to 24 and October 22 to 23; free

Two giant slabs of granite—each more than 150 years old and weighing more than 2,000 pounds apiece—pulverize whole grain and corn into meal and flour. That's it. A simple, centuries-old process that retains all the nutrients of the original grains and corn. Make sure to bring home some Johnny Cake mix.

Kohler, Wisconsin: Three hours; free

Lowell Kappers, the 80-year-old former Kohler employee who led our tour, worked at the Wisconsin factory, north of Milwaukee, for 44 years—31 of them as a cast-iron grinder. Three decades machining crankshafts and rail-track components. Three decades wearing a respirator helmet to keep pulverized iron dust out of his lungs. He retired in 1999 but still shows up two or three mornings a week to give tours. The factory has been offering them since 1926, a couple of decades before Kappers's dad started working there.

The tour is epic: four buildings, three hours, two and a half miles. You sidestep moving forklifts. You cross beneath conveyors shuttling tubs. You watch molten iron flow. In a cavernous brick loft called the pottery, liquid clay pumped from basement tanks filled plaster-of-paris molds before getting glazed and fired in 2,450-degree industrial kilns. In the enameling shop, an employee in a silver heat shield coated a cast-iron shower floor in enamel powder, then slid it into the orange maw of another kiln.

There are so many kilns. But Kappers didn't break a sweat, despite the heat and constant walking. The only time he really lingered was when we got to the aisle where he had worked, the spot where he jockeyed that heavy grinding wheel all those years.

"Noisiest place in the factory," he said. He wasn't complaining. He was proud. And then he was off again. —Phil Hanrahan

20. R.L. Winston Rod Company

Twin Bridges, Montana: 45 minutes; free

I learned to fly-fish on a fiberglass five-weight that my dad bought at Abercrombie & Fitch in the '60s. With his tongue sticking out in a pose of concentration, he showed me the basic ten and two. Wait for the glass to finish its slow backward flex, wait for the line to unfurl, then launch your forearm forward. Be patient, son.

This was the early '90s. By then, Dad's A&F beauty was a relic. Space-age graphite had made fiberglass obsolete. Trouble was, graphite is much stiffer than glass. Graphite rods cast like rocket launchers, and spooky trout require a delicate approach. Based in Twin Bridges, Montana, at the confluence of three legendary trout rivers, 87-year-old R.L. Winston Rod Company has figured out an alchemy that transforms graphite into velvet. The key ingredient is its staff of 40—roughly 10 percent of the population of Twin Bridges. They secure line guides with hand-wrapped thread. They balance rods by feel and sight alone. They hand-fit the ferrules connecting the rod sections to within one thirty-second of an inch. When customers send in broken rods for repair, Winston rebuilds the damaged segments from scratch.

"We've got a machine for attaching guides that's sitting upstairs collecting dust," said my tour guide, production manager Joe Begin. "We find that our employees are more efficient and make fewer mistakes."

This tireless, meticulous labor accounts for the cost of the rods: ranging from $500 to $3,000. That might sound pricey, especially when a perfectly serviceable rod will run you about $200. But near the end of the tour, I was frantically crunching numbers in my head, trying to figure out how many meals I could skip in the coming month. Fortunately, the gift shop sells only hats and sweatshirts. —Elliott Woods

Seattle, Washington: 30 to 40 minutes; free

One look at the sewing floor and it's easy to see how the garment and bag company that C.C. Filson started in 1897 to outfit Gold Rush prospectors has continued to thrive. Veteran employees, some who've been there 30 years, operate antique treadle machines customized to work with the brand's hallmark rugged twill.

*This article origionally appeared in the July/August 2016 issue of  Popular Mechanics. 

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The 15 Best Factory Tours in America

By Katelin Hill

Updated on Aug 1, 2018 4:14 PM EDT

0 minute read

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John Deere in East Moline, Illinois

In 1837, Illinois blacksmith John Deere set out to address the concerns of local farmers whose plows weren’t holding up against the thick Midwest soil, and the John Deere empire was born. Today, the company’s East Moline factory offers tours that guide visitors through the process of manufacturing the company’s various machines—the American-made equipment that helps feed the world.

Related: 10 American-Made Buys for Your Outdoor Living Area

Jelly Belly in Fairfield, California

Wikimedia Commons

Why does it take up to 14 days to create a single jelly bean? Find out on the Jelly Belly Candy Company’s free factory tour. Learn how the 50 Jelly Belly flavors and other sweet treats are made, sample some of your favorites, and stop off at the café or fudge shop afterwards to enjoy some sweet (and savory) snacks, or take them to go. Jelly bean-shaped burgers, anyone?

Related: Yes, These 20 Weird and Wacky Museums Actually Exist

Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations in York, Pennsylvania

flickr.com via Klaus Nahr

The Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations center, established in 1973, is where the Touring, Trike and CVO families of motorcycles are assembled. Visitors to the Vaughn L. Beals Tour Center will be able to explore exhibits, walk the factory floor from manufacturing to assembly to the end of the line, and sit on a current production model.

Related: 15 Classic Roadside Motels You Can Visit Along America’s Highways

The United States Mint in Philadelphia and Denver

istockphoto.com

See where the money gets made at two of the four active United States Mint facilities. The Philadelphia and Denver locations offer free self-guided walking tours that showcase the past and present of the Mint and describe all stages of the coining process, from the craftsmanship that goes into the original designs to the final production process.

Related: 20 Weird and Wacky Destinations for a Family Road Trip

Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour in Mukilteo, Washington

To visit the only North American commercial jet factory open to the public, direct your car to Mukilteo, about 30 miles north of Seattle. There, you can view 747, 777, and 787 Dreamliner models while they’re being assembled in the Everett production line and meet some of the thousands of employees who support the design and development of Boeing’s aircraft. The Everett production facility, the largest building in the world by volume, has welcomed millions of visitors since 1968.

Related: 7 Companies That Want to Help Their Employees Buy a House

Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour in Boulder, Colorado

flickr.com via Wally Gobetz

The Celestial Seasonings Factory offers what may be one of the country’s most aromatic tours: a behind-the-scenes look at how tea is made. See for yourself the manufacturing magic, from blending to shipping, that goes into every cup of tea, including the company’s ever-popular Sleepytime blend.

Related:  15 Places Every American Should Visit at Least Once

Hershey’s Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania

flickr.com via Rain0975

Hershey’s Chocolate World’s big attraction isn’t technically a factory tour—it’s more like an educational ride, the likes of which you might find at Disneyland. Guests board a moving chain of cars, “It’s a Small World” style, to travel through the story of chocolate, where animatronic characters explain how Hershey makes the company’s iconic milk chocolate . After the tour, try other attractions, including a create-your-own-candy-bar activity or the 4D Chocolate Mystery show.

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Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory in Louisville, Kentucky

flickr.com via Alves Family

An apprentice in his father’s woodworking shop , John Andrew “Bud” Hillerich began crafting baseball bats for himself and his teammates in the 1880s. Although the company was originally known for its wood butter churn, the baseball bats eventually became the company’s signature item. Fast-forward more than a century, and guests on the factory tour can watch the bats made right before their eyes—and even receive a free miniature Louisville Slugger bat to take home as a souvenir.

Related: 12 Unusual Ways to Reinvent Old Sports Gear

Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour and Ice Cream Shop in Waterbury, Vermont

Learn how one of America’s favorite ice creams is made, from farm to freezer. View the production room from a glassed-in mezzanine, and enjoy the sample of the day. After the tour, wander through the Flavor Graveyard to pay your respects to beloved flavors of years past.

Related:  17 Brands Born and Loved in the U.S.A.

Gibson Guitars in Memphis, Tennessee

Music lovers won’t want to miss the Gibson Beale Street Showcase in Memphis, where highly skilled luthiers (makers of stringed instruments) craft world-class guitars. On the tour, you’ll learn how Gibson became a leader in the musical instrument industry and trace the many steps involved in making a guitar, including binding, neck-fitting, painting, buffing, and tuning.

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Toyota Tour in Georgetown, Kentucky

At the world’s largest Toyota manufacturing facility, more than 2,000 cars are made each day. The Georgetown, Kentucky, factory  welcomes visitors on weekdays for a tour that includes a tram ride around the plant, a discussion of the acclaimed car company’s future, and a peek at the very first Camry ever made in the United States—a pristine example of late-1980s auto design. 

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Airstream Factory Tour in Jackson Center, Ohio

flickr.com via Matthew Simoneau

For many, an Airstream isn’t just a convenient, comfortable way to get from point A to point B— it’s a way of life . These touring coaches and travel trailers are handcrafted in Jackson Center, Ohio, where the company welcomes visitors for a two-hour walking tour through the state-of-the-art factory.

Related:  The 18 Best Tiny Houses on Wheels

Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee

Make a trip to Lynchburg, Tennessee, for a behind-the-scenes tour of the whiskey-making process at the Jack Daniel Distillery. As  no distillery tour would be complete without a taste , upgrade to the Flight of Jack Distillery Tour, which includes a stop at historic Barrelhouse 1-14, where visitors over 21 years of age will savor a flight of five Jack Daniel’s whiskeys and liqueurs.

Related:  10 “Sober” Alternative Uses for Alcohol at Home

Tabasco Factory in Avery Island, Louisiana

flickr.com via Kent Kanouse

The McIlhenny Company has turned their hometown of Avery Island into a destination for lovers of their famous Tabasco® brand Pepper Sauce. A factory tour of their facility provides background on the McIlhenny Company and the McIlhenny family, and answers all your burning hot-sauce questions. While you’re there, take the Tabasco Culinary Tour, sample delicious Cajun cuisine, or take a Tabasco-centric cooking class with Hospitality Chef Lionel Robin.

Related: 17 New Essentials for Your Best-Ever BBQ

Pendleton Woolen Mills in Washougal, Washington, and Pendleton, Oregon

flickr.com via Association of Washington Business

Learn how Pendleton turns raw wool into fabric, and fabric into beautiful, intricate clothing and blankets . The Pendleton Blanket Mill and Washougal Weaving Mill offer weekday tours where they educate visitors about the weaving process and demonstrate how one weaver’s dream and the hard work of six generations turned Pendleton into a household name.

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10 Fascinating Factory Tours in the US

Kids love amusement parks but considering you probably don’t want to spend hours in long lines, we thought you could take them to a different kind of theme park, one you’ll BOTH enjoy! An American factory. You’ll see how things are made, including how they print money, or how a guy at Harley-Davidson takes each bike up to 77 mph on what looks like an automotive treadmill.

Sometimes you’ll even get candy. And unlike at Six Flags, admission is often free. There are still plenty of items proudly made in America, and many companies that still choose to employ US workers to build them offer great tours of their factories or plants. Many are open to the public. Here are 10 that are worth your trip!

Harley-Davidson, WI

Visitors are welcomed here to see the INs and OUTs at this 849,000sqft factory near downtown Milwaukee, but that’s just one stop here in the hometown of the Harley. The free tour keeps you on the outskirts of the shop. But if you pay for the Steel Toe Tour, you get to walk along the aisles, next to the operators, as parts are delivered to them by a trolley following magnetic tracks in the floor.

At the end, they put each Harley on a device and gradually bring it to 77 mph, running the bike through all its gears. Be sure to visit the company’s interactive downtown museum, and consider checking into the nearby Iron Horse Hotel, considered the coolest place to stay in town.

Jelly Belly Jelly Bean Factory, CA

The thousands of jelly beans tumbling around in tanks may sound like bingo balls, but here, each draw is a guaranteed winner, except the buttered popcorn, obviously! You can taste them at each stage of your tour, but you should save your appetite. The factory store at the end offers unlimited samples!

This 40-minute tour is available every day between 9am and 4pm. You can see the process of jelly bean making from a suspended walkway, and weekday visits have the bonus of observing the staff during production. The tours are ADA and stroller accessible, which automatically makes them great for ALL fans of jelly beans, no matter the age.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing, TX

The BEP features the various steps of paper currency production, beginning with large, blank sheets of paper and ending with wallet-ready bills! As the Government’s security printer, its responsible for designing, engraving, and printing US paper currency. The Fort Worth facility makes over half of the nation’s paper currency order and is one of only two locations in the US making it!

The 750,000sqft facility sits on 100 acres of land along the historic Chisholm Trail. Here, visitors are invited to view the production process on a free 45-minute educational tour along an enclosed walkway suspended over its production floor. Visitors will also experience two floors of interactive exhibits and displays showcasing the history of the BEP. While guided tours are presented in English, tours are also available in Spanish and American Sign Language.

Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory, TX

This tasty tour is available weekdays between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm on a first-come, first-served program. After ensuring your spot on the tour, you have eight educational DVDs to choose from in the center to view while you wait for the tour to begin. During the 45 minute tour, a guide will take you to three different viewing decks to oversee the production floor and various parts of the ice cream-making process.

It starts with homogenization, the creation of the Rainbow Freeze Bars and Ice Cream Sandwiches, and the filling of the Blue Bell cartons with the ice cream. The tour is not free, but it does include a hefty serving of your chosen Blue Bell ice cream flavor at the end before being guided to the gift shop, where you can buy even MORE ice cream.

Boeing Everett Factory, WA

See the world’s biggest building by volume, 472,000,000 cubic feet, for the chance to glimpse Boeing’s 747s, 777s, and 787s. The guided tour starts with a video on the history of Boeing before heading into the manufacturing factory.

This is where you’ll see those huge jets being assembled. Then head over to The Innovator, a seven-seat simulator that puts you in the cockpit for the ride of your life. The weak-stomached may want to sit out for this one!

The tour also includes admission to the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Gallery, where you’ll find many interactive activities, such as designing and building your own aircraft. While there are no age requirements for visitors, the attendees must be 4 feet tall and over.

Ford Rouge Factory, MI

This may just be one of the most significant areas in the history of automobiles. The city of Dearborn itself is just ten minutes from downtown Detroit, where you can find the F150 pickup truck being produced.

Besides seeing all the action on the factory floor beneath you, guests are also given a crash course, through multimedia magic, in the history of the place, the Ford Motor Company, and the industry at large.

You may also want to see the top of the building. It has the world’s biggest green roof, at 10.4 acres. All tours begin at the close by Henry Ford museum complex, which is a destination unto itself.

Ricarda is our very definition of a wanderer. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, she’s on a race to see and experience as much of the world as possible. She packed up her life one day and has been traveling by RV ever since, scouring the states to discover the many stunning views the US has to offer! Lucky for us, she’s also one of our senior writers so we get access to a lot of worth-telling insights about her amazing adventures.

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• Featured Tours

Welcome to your guide to factory tours!

Ever wonder how the fortune gets into the fortune cookie? How toothpaste gets into the tube? Or how sheet metal is welded into a shiny new car or motorcycle? Having traveled thousands of miles and personally visited hundreds of factory tours since 1992, we invite you to explore some manufacturing mysteries of the world. Since most of the tours are free, and many give free samples, factory tours and company museums remain the best vacation value in America. Come along for the ride!

The Toronto Star featured an article on me and some of the factory tours I have written about. I am quoted in a CNN Travel feature about nine great factory tours. We also wrote an article for the magazine Leisure Group Travel and was mentioned in Travel & Leisure .

Your guide to factory tours, Karen Axelrod Author and Factory Tour Consultant

8 of the Best Factory Tours Across America

Last Updated on December 15, 2023

By Dave G. Houser

Tours of a factory can be exceptionally interesting for the entire family. Although it sometimes seems we live in an age of imports, let’s not overlook the bounty of goods and products that proudly bear the “Made In America” label.

From jets to hot sauce, baseball bats to blankets, we still make lots of good stuff here in the USA. And many manufacturers host factory tours for you to see how their products are made.

These behind-the-scenes tours of their factories can be quite entertaining and informative – and they’re usually at no or very low cost.

Here are eight American factory tours that are very popular.

Winnebago Industries  (Forest City, Iowa)

Nearly 15,000 visitors come to this Northern Iowa city each year. They come to learn about one of America’s iconic brands with a tour of Winnebago Industries’ main RV production facility.

Founded in 1958, Winnebago was the first recreation vehicle manufacturer to build motor homes on an automotive-style assembly line. The company now boasts the world’s largest and most technologically advanced RV plant.

This free, two-hour factory tour highlights a visit to the factory’s main assembly area – named Big Bertha. Equivalent in size to eight football fields, Big Bertha features three busy production lines. Tours take place Monday-Friday, April through November.

Winnebago Industries, Inc.

Visitors Center 1045 South 4th Street Forest City, IA 50436 https://www.winnebago.com/about-us Tel: (641) 585-6936 or (800) 643-4892 Tours: Monday and Wednesday at 12pm / Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 9am and 12pm Admission: free Note: Reservations are highly recommended / closed-toe shoes required / significant walking including ascending and descending stairs / no video or photography permitted You can also enjoy Camper Van tours at Winnebago’s Lake Mills, IA facility. Tel: (641) 585-6936 for information

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream  (Waterbury, Vermont)

Ice cream! Ice cream! We all scream for ice cream! And how cool it is that we can watch it made at this funhouse of an ice cream factory. You’ll find it in the scenic Green Mountains of Vermont .

Famous for its wildly fanciful flavors (Vermonty Python, Bovinity Divinity, and Urban Jumble among them), Ben & Jerry’s welcomes visitors on daily guided tours. After being closed during the pandemic, tours will begin once again mid-July 2022 .

They include a “moo-vie” about the company’s history, an overview of the production facility Mondays through Fridays. In addition, there’s a final stop in the Flavoroom to sample the flavor of the day.

Afterward, you can visit the Flavor Graveyard to pay respects to discontinued flavors. In the past this kooky, entertaining 30-minute tour costs $4 for adults, while kids 12 and younger were admitted free.

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

181 Waterbury-Stowe Road Waterbury, VT 05676 https://www.benjerry.com/about-us @  [email protected] Tel: (802) 337-1201 Open: opening date not yet announced; call for information regarding dates and admission fee. Note: ticket availability is very limited. Ben & Jerry’s recommends you purchase tickets online.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory  (Louisville, Kentucky)

Here’s an experience that’s sure to be a home run with baseball fans. In Louisville, KY , pay homage to the official bat of Major League Baseball during a half-hour tour of the factory where the fabled Louisville Sluggers are handcrafted from sturdy white ash or maple.

Participants can also peruse the company museum, where they receive a mini-slugger as a souvenir.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Tour

800 West Main Street Louisville, KY 40202 www.sluggermuseum.org @   [email protected] Tel: (877) 775-8443 / (877)775-8443 Open: Monday–Thursday: 9am – 6pm / Friday–Saturday: 9am – 7pm / Sunday: 10am –5pm Admission: adults $18 / 60+ $17 / children 6-12 $11 / 5 and under free Note: Louisville Slugger recommends you purchase tickets online in advance

Pendleton Woolen Mills (Washougal, Washington)

A six-generation family enterprise, Pendleton Woolen Mills is (pardon the pun) a dyed-in-the-wool American success story. During the early years, the company’s original mill in Pendleton, Oregon, made robes and blankets for American Indians — and therein originated the intricate patterns and vivid colors that have come to characterize the Pendleton brand.

Luckily for travelers, Pendleton has now resumed its tours at its Washougal mill after canceling them during the pandemic. The company is expecting tours of its Pendleton, Oregon mill to hopefully resume later this year or early next year.

Visitors can join narrated tours of the Washougal mill, located on the Columbia River about 18 miles east of Vancouver, Washington. There you can observe working looms and learn a bit of the company’s history and tradition, then shop for clothes and blankets in the factory outlet store.

Pendleton Woolen Mills

2 Pendleton Way Washougal, WA 98671 https://www.pendleton-usa.com/mill-tours.html Tel: (360) 835-1118 (Pendleton’s on-site retail store) Open: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 11am and 1:00pm. Admission: Tours are free

Boeing Future of Flight  (Mukilteo, Washington)

Washington is also home to a tour experience that ranks as the nation’s most popular factory tour — an exciting and informative 90-minute spin through the world’s largest aviation plant and the only jet-manufacturing center that’s open to the public.

Nearly 300,000 visitors a year view the giant assembly area where Boeing turned out the famous 747s and continues production777s and the 787 Dreamliner. It takes place in a massive building with a footprint covering 98.3 acres.

The Future of Flight Aviation Center features exhibits and interactive displays, including a seven-seat flight simulator, The Innovator, which puts you in the cockpit for a hair-raising ride. Reservations are a must to guarantee tour times. Ticket prices vary seasonally from $20 to $16 for adults and $12 to $10 for kids under 15. Note: there’s a minimum height requirement of 4 feet for children participating in the Boeing tour.

Boeing Future of Flight

8415 Paine Field Boulevard Mukilteo, WA 98275 https://www.boeingfutureofflight.com @   [email protected] Tel: (800) 464-1476 Open: Monday – Sunday 9:30am – 5pm (closed Tuesday and Wednesday) Admission: adult $12 / youth (6-15 years) $6 / 65+ $10 / Military with ID $10 / under 6 years free Note: The Boeing Future of Flight is located 25 miles north of Seattle, not in Seattle.

Tabasco Factory Tour (Avery Island, Louisiana)

You’ll never mistake the piquant Tabasco aroma as you drive to 2,200-acre Avery Island in the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun country.

Your eyes will water a bit as you tour Tabasco’s production line, where well-aged, island-grown peppers, vinegar, and salt brew to create America’s favorite hot sauce. It’s a tour highly recommended to those suffering from blocked sinuses.

Tabasco also owns Jungle Gardens, a 170-acre display of azaleas, camellias, and bamboo; and Bird City, a haven for waterfowl. Both are located near the factory and add to the sensory rewards of an Avery Island visit.

Tabasco Factory Tour

32 Wisteria Road Avery Island, LA 70513 https://www.tabasco.com/visit-avery-island/tabasco-tour/ Tel: (337) 373-6129 / (337) 373-6139 Open: Daily 9 am – 4 pm Admission:  Adults $12.50 / children $9.50 (4 and under free) / seniors & veterans 10% discount Note: cash is not accepted for admission

John Deere Factory Tour & Pavilion  (Moline, Illinois)

With four plants strategically located in America’s agricultural heartland, Deere & Company has an impressive array of famously green farm machinery, construction and forestry equipment, and consumer lawn and garden gear.

Tours are available at three Deere factories in Waterloo, Iowa – but our choice is the Harvester Works in Moline. Here, you can not only go behind the scenes on a narrated 1.5-hour tour to see some of the company’s largest machines brought to life – but also visit the John Deere Pavilion — the world’s largest agricultural museum. Note that at the present time all Deere factory tours continue to be closed to the public due to the pandemic.

The immense 14,000-square-foot Pavilion is loaded with equipment and engaging interactive exhibits that trace the company’s 179-year history. Next door, the cavernous John Deere Store sells various items emblazoned with the company logo. Tour participants must be a minimum of 13 years of age.

John Deere Harvester Works Factory Tour

1100 13th Avenue East Moline, IL 61244 https://www.deere.com/en/connect-with-john-deere/visit-john-deere Tel: (800) 765-9588 Open: John Deere factory tours are currently unavailable due to the pandemic. Check the company’s website (above) for updates. Admission: Factory tours and admission to the Pavilion are free. The company highly recommends, however, that you make reservations in advance. Note: No video recording or photography is permitted on the tours

You may also enjoy: Visiting America’s Industrial Past / 5 Historical American Homes / Three Great Days in Savannah, Georgia

Maker’s Mark Distillery  (Loretto, Kentucky)

Maker’s Mark is not only a working distillery, it’s the largest distillery in the world. In addition, it’s also a U.S. National Historic Landmark.

Located on 1,000-acre Star Hill Farm, Maker’s Mark is the only distillery with its own water source and watershed. And this distillery still does things the old-fashioned way, including printing its labels on a hand-operated printing press and hand-dipping each bottle’s top in hot wax. That’s quite a list of credentials for any factory tour.

Tours are given year-round with several options to choose from. If you’re looking for something more than a tour there’s also a seasonal gathering, a whisky workshop. and fine dining at Star Hill Provisions.

Maker’s Mark Distillery

3350 Burks Spring Road Loretto, KY 40037 https://www.makersmark.com/visit-us Open: Daily 9:30am – 3:30pm Admission: adults 21+: $22 + tax / active Military with valid ID: free / Veterans with valid ID: $17 The distillery does allow children to join the tours (although they can’t partake in the bottle dipping, and obviously, any samplings).

July 6, 2022 at 12:54 pm

These all look spectacular .. what a cool way to learn about an industry and a bit of American culture. You might in future add the Steinway tour [Astoria, NY] and maybe the Cabot in Vermont not sure they’d be as riveting and larger than life than these which really makes one want to simply re route and include. Thanks for a fun read.

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FACTORY & MAKER TOURS NEAR YOU

Factory tours offer a behind-the-scenes view of how your favorite products are made. Be prepared to be educated and entertained as you learn how things are made. 

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Take a Made in America California Factory Tour

California is a great place to see guitars being made, visit a winery , or tour a candy factory . You can see a working mill as well as woodworking tools being manufactured, visit a working nut farm, or see where popular tableware is produced.

California Factories That Offer Tours

Alembic | Rohnert Park, CA

Alembic invites you to visit the factory and see how they make their fine hand-crafted, ready-to-play, and custom basses and guitars. Alembic also produces pre-amps and accessories. Tours are available with advance notice on the first Wednesday of the month

When Alembic started back in 1969, our goal was to create the finest quality American made instruments ever known.  Alembic

Bates Nut Farm | Valley Center, CA

Educational tours, weekdays from January through September. Spend time on the farm and learn how nuts are grown and harvested, the history of nut agriculture in California, tour the roasting, packaging, and storage area, enjoy a hayride, and more.

#Bates Nut Farm

Blue Ox Millworks | Eureka, CA

Tour a working mill that has made pieces for made pieces for state parks, historic cathedrals, Russian East Orthodox churches, two governor’s mansions, and even the White House twice. You’ll see all the woodworking trades that have made Blue Ox Millwork famous.

#Blue Ox Millworks

Heath Ceramics | Sausalito, CA

Visit the sweeping semi-circle factory where Heath Ceramics has been making dinnerware , drinkware , and serveware in the USA since 1959. Factory tour sizes are limited so reservations are required.

#Heath Ceramics

Intel | Santa Clara, CA

Intel offers self-guided visits, group tours, student tours, and field trips at the Intel Museum where you’ll learn about Intel’s history, the science behind the semiconductor industry, and much more.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory | Pasadena, CA

Visitor day tours for groups of 10 or less, public group tours, educational tours, and virtual tours. Guests may also visit the von Karman Visitor Center, the Space Flight Operations Facility, and the Spacecraft Assembly Facility.

#Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Lance Camper Mfg. Corp. | Lancaster, CA.

A behind-the-scenes look at Lance Campers for shoppers, owners, RV enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to learn how Lance campers are made. By appointment, tours are scheduled on the first and third Wednesday of each month.

Sherline | Vista, CA

Sherline manufactures lathes and woodworking tools at a 66,000-square-foot facility that hosts production, assembly, and administrative offices. They invite visitors to take a factory tour, Monday-Friday, excluding holidays.

Taylor | El Cajon, CA

Enjoy a showcase of Taylor guitars when you visit the USA headquarters in El Cajon, CA.

#Taylor Guitars

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U.S. Borax Visitor Center | Boron, CA

One of the biggest and richest deposits of borax on the planet is buried deep in the Mohave Desert. Take a trip to the visitors center where you’ll get free admission to historical and geological exhibits on the rim of the active borax mine.

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Made in the USA Matters has a complete directory of United States chocolate and candy factories that offer tours . Check out the chocolate and candy factory tours in California .

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Made in the USA Matters has a complete directory of United States vineyards and wineries that offer tours . Check out the vineyard and winery tours in California .

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See all that Moscow has to offer by choosing one or more of our incredible Moscow day tours. Visit Red Square , St. Basil’s , the Kremlin or perhaps a vodka museum and the fantastic Moscow metro system , we have it all. Our expert, informative and fun guides will help you get to know Europe’s largest city. Please click on the day tour details to learn more or contact us for more information about our Moscow tours using the form at the side of the page.  You can also schedule a call with one of our Russian travel specialists to learn more.

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Take this opportunity to learn more about the Russian writer Lev Tolstoy. During the visit to the museum you will see part of a vast collection of exhibits connected to Tolstoy and his family including books and personal...

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This apartment museum located close to Patriarch Ponds became the prototype of the "bad apartment" described in the novel "The Master and Margarita." Currently the museum's collection includes more than three thousand...

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