Have you ever wondered how products are made, or want to see something new and different on your next trip? If so, then make sure to take your family on one of the hundreds of factory and company tours located throughout the United States. Many of these tours are free, and offer a fascinating glimpse of the inner workings of companies, with their massive machinery and interesting products.

Factory Tours USA provides information on over 500 factory tours throughout the United States. This is an excellent site to help families find a tour that will appeal to their interests.

Some of our favorite factory tours include:

Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour, Waterbury, Vermont: Watch ice cream production on this 30-minute tour, taste a sample of the day, and end the tour with a scoop of your favorite flavor.

The Crayola Factory, Easton, Pennsylvania: This unique family-oriented discovery center provides kids with lots of opportunities to create and do things with Crayola products.

Eli's Cheesecake World, Chicago Illinois: Visit this 62,000 square foot bakery and watch Eli's bakers at work. After the tour, families can visit the cheesecake bar where over 30 varieties of cheesecake are available by the slice. Be aware that infants are not allowed in the operating bakery portion of the tour and children may not be carried in certain sections of the bakery.

Blue Bell Creameries, Brenham, Texas: Take a tour of the Blue Bell ice cream plant and sample some of the company's ice cream at the end of your tour.

Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas: Take a tour of Space Center Houston, the Official Visitor's Center of NASA's Johnson Space Center. Tram tours take guests behind the scenes and visit various sites including the X-38 Assembly Building.

Jelly Belly Candy Factory, Fairfield, California: Located about an hour north of San Francisco, the Jelly Belly factory makes over 150 sweet treats. The 40-minute walking tour allow families to learn more about this candy and watch it being made.

These tours are great learning experiences and loads of fun. Some factory tours even give free samples of their products, which is particularly great at food factories.