7 Fantastic Factory Tours You Can Only Take Near Philadelphia

Pennsylvania is known for being a manufacturing state, particularly when it comes to baked goods and snacks! If you’re looking for something fun and educational to do on a chilly winter weekend, visit any of these factories for their unforgettable tours near Philadelphia, and walk away with a newfound appreciation for the snack foods, drinks, and even crayons that you use all the time.

Yelp / Noble I.

Michel Cluizel's chocolate company originated in Normandy, France, three generations ago. Now, their chocolate factory, shop, and museum is located a short drive away from Philadelphia in the suburb of West Berlin. This is an easy drive, and if you time it right, you can continue right down Route 73 toward Amalthea Cellars, which sells wine bottles dipped in Cluizel Chocolate during the holidays.

Read more about the Cluizel Chocolate Company and how to schedule a tour here.

Facebook / Herr's

Pennsylvania is the Snack Capital of the world, but if you visit only one snack factory, make it Herr's. The tour is consistently rated among the top in the country! Watch the production floor making your favorite Herr's snacks and learn what it takes for a potato to make the cut.

Read more about the Herr's Factory Tour here and plan your trip!

Facebook / Crayola Experience

The Crayola Experience is so much more than just a crayon factory. Kids of all ages will enjoy the 27 interactive exhibits that encourage imagination and creativity. The tour will show you how the world famous crayons are made, and then invite you to test your coloring skills in the gigantic museum.

Here are their hours and information to help you plan your visit.

Facebook / Martin Guitar

Some of the world's finest acoustic guitars and ukuleles are made right here in Pennsylvania at the Martin Guitar factory. Take the free tour to see what goes into selecting each wood for the world-class instruments, and how the luthiers have fine-tuned their craft to turn out impeccable sounding instruments.

You can tour their music museum for free, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm; their free walk-in factory tours run Monday through Friday, 11:00 am - 2:30 pm; and enthusiasts aged 18+ can enjoy a behind the scenes tour Monday through Friday, 9:30 am for $25.00/person.

Click here for more information from Martin Guitars.

Facebook / Julius Stirgis Pretzel Bakery

The historic bakery is easy to miss, but just look for the giant pretzel out front. This is America's oldest commercial pretzel bakery, and though Amish pretzels are a little different than our philly soft pretzels, they're still delicious. Tours cost only a few dollars ($3.50 for adults and $2.50 for children ages 4-12) and you'll learn how pretzels are made and twisted, right on site! You'll even get to try making a pretzel yourself. They're open Monday through Saturday.

Plan your visit right here.

Flickr / Rachel Antosh

America's oldest brewery is right here in Pennsylvania! That's no surprise though, everyone from Philly is proud of our favorite lager. Tours are all ages, but everyone must wear closed-toed shoes to check it out. The history here is impressive, and it's one of the best brewery tours you'll ever take. Tours run Monday-Friday at 10AM, 11AM, 12PM, 1PM & 1:30PM.

More information on touring the Yuengling Brewery is available here.

Yelp / Bruce L.

Of course Hershey's Chocolate World makes the list! This is perhaps the most famous of the many factory tours near Philadelphia, and for good reason. You will not only enjoy learning the history of the company, but you can make your own candy bars, visit an entire theme park, and sample more chocolate than you ever thought possible. Now is the perfect time to visit, because Hershey really goes all out for their holiday celebration.

Learn more about the magic of Hershey, PA here.

What’s your favorite factory tour near Philadelphia? Have you been to any of the above? Let’s talk about your visit in the comments!