# Factory tours USA



## chrose (Nov 20, 2000)

I was doing a search on something totally unrelated and came across this website. I have no affiliation whatsoever! But it looked really cool as I am a big fan of checking out the companies that make the things we take for granted. You might find something in your area you didn't know about or have something new to do with visiting relatives!

http://factorytoursusa.com


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## allie (Jul 21, 2006)

Thanks for the link! I checked out Indiana and I actually live under an hour to about 2 hours from most of the places listed. I'd love to go tour The South Bend Chocolate Factory! YUMMY! I have been to one factory that wasn't listed there, "Four Seasons Manufactured Housing" which is very similar to going to the rv/camper factories. I was assistant manager of a manufactured housing dealership once upon a time and took customers on tours to see how the homes are built. Quite interesting the first time or two! LOL

Maybe I can make a day trip with the kids sometimes to some of the other places listed! Thanks again!


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## free rider (May 23, 2006)

I love going on factory tours! Great link.


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## phoebe (Jul 3, 2002)

Thank you Chrose! I LOVE factory tours :bounce: I enjoy seeing how things are made and, if given half a chance, talking with the people making them.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

I checked out my state and wasn't surprised to find the cheese, beer and Harleys. But a winery? I wasn't aware of that. Like Allie, I live quite close to most of these places but haven't visited any. What a great idea for building a weekend get-away! Thanks for posting it.

Mezz


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Good one, chrose!


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## chrose (Nov 20, 2000)

When I lived in Pa. the local channel had a tv show on that essentially showed factory tours of semi local places. I saw how Mack trucks were made, York barbells were cast, etc. I really enjoyed the shows and developed a real taste for seeing how the things we take for granted are actually made. Funny how you never really think about it, it's just there on the shelf. John Ratzenberger hosts the show on the Travel Channel, "Made in America" that does just that. I have only been able to see it a couple of times but I watched how steel was made and some other things. Dirty jobs qualifies too for this kind of show. This is true reality tv and I bet if they tried to show it on network tv it would actually be received fairly well. But the tv execs would probably be too afraid to take a chance that if fed something better the public they might actually like it. So instead we get to see the mindless drivel they shove in our face. Now everybody wants to have an American Idol type show.


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

Good thread. I've bookmarked it.

In our RV travels, industrial sightseeing/factory tours are right next to museums in our activities. We've been to a score of wineries, several distilleries, a couple breweries, Harley-Davidson plant, Piper Aircraft plant, Ford pickup plant, Corvette plant, Toyota Camry plant, Tillamook cheese plant, an oak whiskey-barrel plant in Lebanon, MO, the USGS map-production center in Rolla, MO (where everybody stopped whatever they were doing to show and explain it to us- well hey, it's the government, they're not under a lot of pressure,) the gigantic foundry in York, PA where they were making replacement turbines for the Aswan High Dam (used to be Allis-Chalmers, now German and I've forgotten the name.) That one probably doesn't count, since my wife's cousin was the executive assistant to the CEO, and I don't think it's available to the public. They were bending five-inch thick strips of steel into corkscrew-shaped pieces to be welded together to form cornucopia-shaped volutes for the turbines. Mostly guided by hand (with powerful material-holders) under huge drop forges. Dam*dest thing I've ever seen.

We've been to the Jelly Belly factory near Sacramento, which maybe doesn't count either since it was designed from the ground up as a tourist destination. Good tour, though.

Local Chambers of Commerce can sometimes be helpful in pointing these things out. They're not as available as they used to be due to worries about liability.

I always go for 'em when I can find them. And, the wineries and breweries usually give you samples. :beer: 

Mike


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