factory tours website

• 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

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.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

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

MORE INFORMATION

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

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Travel

11 U.S. Amusement Parks That Are Free to Enter

The Best Caribbean Resorts for Families

Best All-Inclusive Resorts Where Kids Stay Free

The Best Alaska Cruises

Universal's Epic Universe Will Live Up to Its Name

25 Fun Girls' Weekend Getaway Destinations

Inside Vrbo's Vacation Rentals of the Year 2024

20 Best Places to Visit in April

20 Surprising Disneyland Freebies

The Best Family Vacation Ideas

The Best Bachelorette Party Destinations

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.

You might also like: Philadelphia will be known as 'The City of Sisterly Love' for the remainder of 2020

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.)

Explore related stories

Apr 10, 2024 • 8 min read

From art museums to Chinatown districts to the sobering Manzanar National Historic Site, these are the best places to learn the history of AAPI Americans.

Apr 4, 2024 • 7 min read

Apr 3, 2024 • 8 min read

Mar 26, 2024 • 8 min read

Mar 15, 2024 • 10 min read

Mar 13, 2024 • 7 min read

Feb 29, 2024 • 9 min read

Dec 11, 2023 • 6 min read

Oct 10, 2023 • 7 min read

Oct 6, 2023 • 7 min read

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. 

DISCOVER TOURS BY STATE

Each US state has a unique manufacturing history and something to share. From the Washington Apple Farm Tours to Wisconsin Cheese Manufacturing to California Food Factories… explore, discover and learn what makes each US State so special. 

Connecticut

Massachusetts, mississippi, new hampshire, north carolina, north dakota, pennsylvania, rhode island, south carolina, south dakota, west virginia, popular category tours.

Cheese Tours

Who doesn't like cheese?

Chocolate Tours

Chocolate... yes please!

Candy Tours

Just one bite... I swear!

Can I pet this animal? Yes!

Ice Cream Tours

Can I fit one more scoop?

Is there told in them their hills?

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.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Site Search

Search our website to find what you’re looking for.

Select Your Language

You can select the language displayed on our website. Click the drop-down menu below and make your selection.

Ford Rouge Factory Tour

Tour the rouge, today at ford rouge factory tour, discover your drive..

Pop open the hood on game-changing technology, sustainable design and sheer American grit at America’s greatest manufacturing experience. Get an inside look at the most iconic moments of American manufacturing history, and immerse yourself in modern manufacturing’s most progressive concepts. This is where big ideas gain momentum.

Rev up your inner engineer in a five-part experience at a legendary factory — Ford Motor Company’s Dearborn Truck Plant.

Walk through the Legacy Gallery and Electric Vehicle Display, and look back at the iconic vehicles manufactured at the Rouge complex, all while looking ahead to automaking’s electric future. Take a seat in our Legacy Theater to learn more about the history of Ford Motor Company. Feel the force of modern engineering in the multisensory Manufacturing Innovation Theater. Travel up to the observation deck for sweeping views of the historic Rouge Complex and one of the world’s largest living roofs. Step into the elevated plant walkway for a look at where the legendary Ford F-150 is assembled.

A true model of 21st-century sustainable design, Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant showcases how community, business and the environment can thrive together in a single environment. Start to finish, Ford Rouge Factory Tour offers awe-inspiring encounters with America’s celebrated manufacturing past, present and future, plus a look into the sheer scale of a working auto factory.

5-Part Experience View Map

Legacy theater.

Learn about the history of the challenges and triumphs of the Ford Motor Company, including the storied partnership between management and labor at the historic Rouge Complex.   Details 

Manufacturing Innovation Theater

A multisensory representation of the manufacturing experience, from concept to highway, filled with jaw-dropping special effects.   Details 

Observation Deck Overlooking the Living Roof

View the massive network of production facilities that make up the Rouge, including a bird’s-eye view of Ford Motor Company’s innovative living roof. Planted with a drought-resistant groundcover, the living roof spans 454,000 square feet.   Details 

Plant Walkway

Walk the elevated walkway over the Dearborn Truck Plant’s lean and flexible final assembly line, where the aluminum-body F-150 is made. (Please note that the schedule for active vehicle assembly varies and is not guaranteed.)   Details 

Legacy and Electric Vehicle Gallery

View historic vehicles manufactured at the Rouge during the 20th century, Look to the future and hop in the new Ford F-150 Lighting, the world’s first electric pickup truck.   Details 

Seasonal Living Lab Environmental Area

See sustainable design in action. Discover how natural processes deal with water, soil and air challenges at the Rouge. (Please note that this experience is seasonal.)   Details 

Featured: Manufacturing Innovation Theater

Celebrating the engineering ingenuity behind the production of the all-new aluminum-body Ford F-150 truck, the multisensory Manufacturing Innovation Theater comes complete with vibrating seats, gusts of wind, 3D projection mapping, winking robots and much more.

Active Assembly Information

Ford Rouge Factory Tour is an experience housed within Ford Motor Company's Dearborn Truck Plant in partnership with The Henry Ford and the United Auto Workers union.

The Dearborn Truck Plant is a real working factory. As a result, there are many factors that can cause inconsistent active assembly hours. This includes vehicle demand, supply shortages, factory floor renovations and construction, and staffing considerations. The Dearborn Truck Plant does not build vehicles during daily breaks, shift changes, holidays and weekends.

Please note that The Henry Ford cannot control Ford Motor Company’s production schedule and cannot guarantee that guests will see the assembly line in full operation during their visit. The Henry Ford is also not able to refund tickets in the event that vehicles are not being actively assembled.

Regardless of whether vehicles are being actively assembled, guests will be able to view the Dearborn Truck Plant’s final assembly area via a fully accessible suspended walkway at all times. The final assembly area is only one part of the Ford Rouge Factory Tour’s five-part experience. All other parts of the tour remain unaffected.

The Dearborn Truck Plant will not be in active assembly during these dates in 2024 and 2025, following the plant’s holiday and maintenance schedule. The dates include but aren’t limited to:

• January 1-2, 2024
• January 15, 2024
• March 29-April 1, 2024
• May 25-27, 2024
• June 19, 2024
• August 31-September 2, 2024
• November 5, 2024
• November 11, 2024
• November 28-December 1, 2024
• December 24, 2024-January 5, 2025

Active assembly is not available on Saturdays, and the tour is closed on Sundays. It also will be closed for a private event the morning of Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

Discover ways to save when you purchase tickets online.

Exclusive Discounts at our Partner Hotels

Over 6,500 5-Star Reviews for The Henry Ford on Trip Advisor

Factory Tours

Celebrating american imagination and industry, 10 tours in missouri.

• Moscow Tours
• Customized tours
• Moscow for kids
• Evening activities
• Moscow evening activities
• St Petersburg evening activities
• Day trips out of Moscow
• Golden Ring tours
• St Petersburg tours
• Russian tour destinations
• Package tours
• Moscow highlights
• Travel Tips
• Upcoming group tours
• Moscow events

The wonders of Moscow metro

Request form

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website, and to facilitate providing you with services available through our website. By continuing to use our website, you accept our use of cookies, the terms of our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service . I agree

• Preplanned tours
• Daytrips out of Moscow
• Themed tours
• Customized tours
• St. Petersburg

Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Search this Site:

South carolina factory tours | see it made in the usa.

Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There is no additional cost to you when you make a qualifying purchase via an affiliate link. Click here for the full affiliate disclosure.

Take a Made in America South Carolina Factory Tour

South Carolina offers the opportunity to visit a working dairy farm , see how the finishing touches are put on a BMW, and learn about tea grown in the USA on these fun and educational South Carolina factory tours.

South Carolina Factories That Offer Tours

BMW Group Plant & Zentrum Museum | Spartanburg, SC

Get a glimpse into the plant process with a 1-hour tour that leads guests through the finishing process. Watch robots attach the rear hatch, doors, and hood. Visit the Zentrum museum to experience the past, present, and future of BMW.

Charleston Tea Garden | Wadmalaw Island, SC

Enjoy a 35-40 minute trolley ride through acres of tea bushes with a stop at the greenhouse or take a walking tour where you’ll peer through glass at the tea production factory below.

#Bigelow Tea #American Classic Tea

More Tours in South Carolina

South Carolina Cheese Factory Tours

Made in the USA Matters has a complete directory of United States cheese factories that offer tours . Check out the cheese factory tours in South Carolina .

South Carolina Dairy Farm Tours

Made in the USA Matters has a complete directory of United States dairy farm tours . Check out the dairy farm tours in South Carolina .

USA Factory Tours

Did we miss a South Carolina factory tour? Please share it with our community in the comments below.

American Dairy Farm Tours | See Dairy Products Made in the USA

American Cheese Factory Tours | See Cheese Made in the USA

American Chocolate & Candy Factory Tours | See Chocolate & Candy Made in the USA

American Potato Chip Factory Tours | See Snack Foods Made in the USA

American Distillery & Brewery Tours | See Spirits Made in the USA

Pin it south carolina factory tours.

Your saves and shares help other Americans find products that are Made in the USA. Thank you!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Made in the USA Product Categories

Baby & Toddler

Clothing & Shoes

Electronics & Accessories

Farm & Ranch Equipment

Food & Drinks

Hobbies & Leisure

Home Furnishings

Household Essentials

Patio & Garden

Personal Care

School & Office

Sporting Goods & Recreation

Tools & Home Improvement

© 2024 madeintheusamatters.com

• Share on Facebook

New! Made in the USA Matters Facebook Group

Join the Made in the USA Matters Facebook Group where you can ask for USA-made product recommendations, request we find an American-made product you're looking for, and help others find Made in the USA products they need.

We welcome Made in the USA consumers and manufacturers!