School’s out for the summer! Your kids are excited, but you’re not. I’m not surprised. After all, how many trips to the mall, the park, or the zoo can you possibly take? Nothing changes! The beach is an excellent choice, but won’t work on rainy days or while last week’s sunburn is healing. So what will you do to keep the kids (or you) from climbing up the walls?
Think museums, but think unique. You don’t have to visit the same old discovery or science museum you visit every year. In the United States, businesses love promoting themselves - and there’s no better way to do that than to invite the public in to see how their favorite novelties are made first hand. Try out one of these amazing factory tours to keep your kids occupied and amused this summer.
1. Hershey’s Chocolate World
There are very few children who aren’t in love with all things chocolate. The Hershey’s Chocolate World Factory Tour in Hershey (go figure), Pennsylvania is a cool way to relax and learn about how chocolate is made. The air-conditioned tour is conducted in a seated car that takes you though a model factory so you can see the process first-hand. I remember my grandmother taking me on this tour as a kid, and I guarantee that knowing there was a huge container with free samples of Hershey’s minis was enough to keep me patient until the end! Don’t want to spend the entire day indoors? The Factory Tour is right outside the amusement park!
2. Basic Brown Bear
The Basic Brown Bear Factory, located in San Francisco, California, is the perfect destination for children who love to find out how things are made and put together. Hopefully your future doctor hasn’t conducted surgery on his favorite stuffed animal, but perhaps understanding how a teddy bear is made will prevent Teddy from becoming an experimental patient again. Watch how bears are designed, how the fabric is cut, how the pieces are sewn together, and how the bears are eventually stuffed. Not recommended for young children who are particularly attached to their furry friends and believe them to be real.
3. Louisville Slugger Museum
The young baseball enthusiast in your life might not even realize that baseball bats do not, in fact, magically appear at the nearest sporting good store without some sort of effort. The history of the baseball bat is made into a rich, educational, and fun experience at the Louisville Slugger Museum in Louisville, Kentucky. The factory tour will show you how bats are made and a stroll through the factory will give you the opportunity to relive some of baseball’s finest moments. Everyone who stops by goes home with a tiny commemorative bat as a souvenir.
4. The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory
The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory is similar to the Brown Bear Factory, but is located in the beautiful mountains of Vermont. I have been to this factory and personally love how the concept of a teddy bear is presented more as a “birth” than a mechanical project. Vermont Teddy Bears are guaranteed for life. If your furry friend is damaged, you can send him back to the Factory Hospital for repair - be sure to stop and visit the hospital, located at the end of the tour, and wish the current patients a quick recovery!
5. Jelly Belly Factory
Another hot option for candy lovers, the Jelly Belly Factory and Warehouse has two locations: one in Fairfield, California and the other in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. The tour itself consists of a train ride through the warehouse with brief stops at incredible stations designed to help you understand how all of the candy made in the factory is created. Did you know that most jelly beans only have flavoring on the coating? Jelly Belly Beans have flavored insides AND coatings. Free jelly bean samples at the end of the tour will prove it!
6. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory
The Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory in Waterbury, Vermont is an amazing place to not only learn about ice cream but also what it means to give back to the community. Ben and Jerry started out small but saw their dreams come through as the company grew, and they never forgot their original roots. Visit the factory to find out how ice cream is made, how it’s tested for quality assurance (trust me, you’ll want that job), and how the company gives back to the community. There are dozens of events at the factory each year. Ben & Jerry’s is celebrating it’s 30th birthday this year - stop by, take the tour, try a free sample, and wish them continued success!
7. Crayola Factory Tour
A trip to the Crayola Crayon Factory in Easton, Pennsylvania is certainly on my list of things to do this summer. Crayola has designed a fun and exciting hands-on tour guaranteed to keep everyone involved and entertained. Learn how crayons are made (they’re not actually made here), draw on the walls, or take the time to create a craft together. The themes within the plant change every few months, so a repeat trip later in the year might be in order, too!
Any one of these tours guarantees you and your child a safe and pleasant summer experience. Who knows - maybe they’ll learn something new while you’re at it!
Photo Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
If you liked this post subscribe to our feed to get regular updates.
