Factory tours
Feb 6, 2013, 6:06 pm
#1
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,580
Factory tours
What are the best factory tours in the US and abroad?
Any that are to be avoided?
So far I enjoyed the Jelly Belly tour in California, but the Ben and Jerry's tour in Vermont was a bit of a letdown.
Any that are to be avoided?
So far I enjoyed the Jelly Belly tour in California, but the Ben and Jerry's tour in Vermont was a bit of a letdown.
Feb 6, 2013, 6:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Seat 1A
Programs: Non-status paid F/J (best value for $$$)
Posts: 4,124
In some countries such as China, Indian, Thailand etc., certain group tours involve "Factory Tours" (jewellery, tea, spices etc.) which are tourist traps. They expect you to buy stuff at above market prices.
Feb 6, 2013, 6:55 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,224
Factory tours
Jelly Belly has a great tour if you are a candy lover, I believe it won best factory tour in the USA. Others that I've heard are good are the Guiness factory tour in Dublin and the Heineken factory tour in Amsterdam.
Feb 6, 2013, 6:56 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA, DAL, blah, blah, blah...The usual.
Posts: 646
The Tobasco plant in Louisiana is kinda neat. It's short, but educational.
Who knew they needed a salt mine nearby in order to make hot sauce.
(watch out for the gators)
Oh...and the Bourbon Trail.
A bit more than a factory tour.
Who knew they needed a salt mine nearby in order to make hot sauce.
(watch out for the gators)
Oh...and the Bourbon Trail.
A bit more than a factory tour.
Feb 6, 2013, 7:35 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DTW or FNT
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 635
Factory tours
Definitely Boeing factory tour. That was great. Also, there's an assembly line tour at The Henry Ford in Detroit/Dearborn. I live here and I've never been on it, but I guess you can see where trucks are made.
The best part of the Ben and Jerry's tour was the maple sundae I bought at the end.
I second the previous poster regarding the factory tours in china. All I wanted to do was see the Great Wall and I was followed around a jade factory/showroom by people trying to rip me off.
The best part of the Ben and Jerry's tour was the maple sundae I bought at the end.
I second the previous poster regarding the factory tours in china. All I wanted to do was see the Great Wall and I was followed around a jade factory/showroom by people trying to rip me off.
Feb 6, 2013, 8:37 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Downers Grove, IL
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Posts: 5,983
Originally Posted by buckeyefanflyer:20199561
Boeing Tour 747,767,777,787 production lines
I'd also add the Makers Mark Distillery in Kentucky.
Feb 6, 2013, 9:03 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 529
Factory tours
-Dole Plantation, Oahu
-Ethel M Chocolates, Las Vegas
-Bacardi Rum, San Juan (more like a museum and you get 2 free drinks)
-World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta (also a museum but you get to taste Coke products from around the world)
-Ethel M Chocolates, Las Vegas
-Bacardi Rum, San Juan (more like a museum and you get 2 free drinks)
-World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta (also a museum but you get to taste Coke products from around the world)
Feb 6, 2013, 10:15 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ*S plus various hotel programs
Posts: 945
I did this one back in 1988. At the time it cost about US$0.50 to do the tour which seemed to spend about 30 minutes in the brewery part and the last two hours in a bar drinking lots of free beer. What more could a student want in a factory tour?
Feb 6, 2013, 11:36 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: HHonors Diamond; My Mom's Favorite Kid
Posts: 3,929
Waterford factory tour in Waterford, ROI.
You can touch the machinery and talk to the artists. You could probably even ask to make a cut ( they might even let you). This kind of tour could never be allied in the US. No insure would write the risk.
You can touch the machinery and talk to the artists. You could probably even ask to make a cut ( they might even let you). This kind of tour could never be allied in the US. No insure would write the risk.