Looking for something unusual to do on your family vacation this year?  Consider taking the kids on a factory tour.  For people of all ages, there’s just something fascinating about watching things get made.  And if the end result is delicious?  So much the better.

Photo by PinkCupcake via Flickr CC

1. Jelly Belly Factory
Where: Fairfield, CA
Trip idea: Add this on to a tour of San Francisco, Napa, and Yosemite.
Stay: Homewood Suites Fairfield-Napa Valley Area

Yes, it’s commercial.  Yes, the gift shop is out of control.  Yes, you will be asked to wear a silly paper hat.  But when you see hundreds of thousands of cheerfully colored jelly beans rolling off the assembly line, you won’t care.  Try to go on a weekday, when the assembly lines are rolling.

2. Hershey Chocolate World
Where: Hershey, PA
Trip idea: See the sights in Philadelphia then satisfy your sweet tooth.
Stay: Homewood Suites Harrisburg-East Hershey

More like “It’s a Small World” than most factory tours (think animatronic singing cows), the Hershey tour simulates chocolate production from bean to bar.  If you check your cynicism at the door, you’ll enjoy it.  The tour is free but good luck getting out of there without buying souvenirs.

3. Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory
Where: Hyannis, MA
Trip idea: Visit the factory on a side trip from Boston
Stay: Homewood Suites Boston-Peabody

Less a tour than a self-guided walk, a visit to the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory will still be a hit with kids.  After all, it’s not every day you get to see one of America’s favorite snacks being prepared in front of your eyes.  Free samples are the icing on the cake.

4. Eli’s Cheesecake World
Where: Chicago, Illinois
Stay: Homewood Suites Downtown Chicago

Cheesecake is a little bit of an acquired taste (read: usually only adults like it), but why should kids have all the fun?  Learn how cheesecake is made and taste the results.  Children under 5 aren’t allowed in the bakery.

5. Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream
Where: Waterbury, VT

It’s not really on the way to anywhere, but that’s beside the point.  If you find yourself this far north (and east), you owe it to yourself to take a tour of this free-spirited iconic factory.  Non-stop cow jokes, samples, and the flavor graveyard (R.I.P Chunky Monkey) are all part of the fun.