Indiana factories to visit and tour

Indiana has factories to visit and tour. Below, first are the active, working factories. The next section has historical operations which often have demonstrations or renactments. These incluse both large and small operations, from several person chocolate factories and cheesemakers to large manufacturers making paper towels, wood products, beverage cans and bottles, are open to the public with real tours, exhibitions and fun education.

In some cases, such as a manufacturing process that is no longer in use, the only way to see it and learn about it is a museum or living history center. So, we also provide information about engineering facilities and museums, dinosaur digs, even government facilities, like NASA, astronomy oberservatories and more that are open to the public on certain days and times. And if there is some place that is just plain fun to visit, we add that, too!

These are perfect for homeschooling, for STEM and for fun! Kids love visiting these places! They're learning and getting an education without even realizing it. And most of these are either free or under $10! What's better then fun, entertaining, good for children and families, educational and free?

Here are some of the top factory tours in Indiana and contact information and tips about visiting them.

Factories, Engineering, Museums and other fun demonstrations and exhibits to visit in Indiana

1. Annie Oakley Natural Perfumery - perfume factory
   300 Johnson Street, Ligonier, Indiana 46767. Phone: 260-894-7219. Email: Tours@AnnieOakley.com. Open: Book a Tour Online, open: Monday - Friday 10 am - 5 pm, year-round (except holidays); Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm year-round, except holidays. Tours begin promptly on time, plan to arrive before the scheduled start time. Walk-ins are welcome. Reservations are NOT required. Just enter the Studio and purchase your tour ticket at the counter. Or you may pre-brook your tour via email call 260-894-7219, book your tour online. View where the creative perfumery process takes place on your perfume factory tour, including the bench lab where fragrances are created and blended, and the factory where they are bottled and readied for distribution. You will experience first-hand perfumes being hand-made and have an amazing sensory experience with some of the world’s most exquisite perfume essences - including those considered rare and vintage.
   Group Tours accommodates 5 to 55 people. Group Factory Tours must be scheduled in advance. Depending on attendance levels, tours typically last 45 minutes.
   Tours are handicapped accessible.
   Tour cost is $5 per person. Attendees then receive a $5 off certificate good toward any purchase of $10 or more.
   FREE ADMISSION TO STUDIO & GIFT SHOP.
   Create your own personal fragrance at our world-class organic Mixing bar.
   Annie Oakley Perfumery was founded in 1980 by perfumer/entrepreneur, Renee Gabet. Her mission was to create world class perfumes right here in the American heartland. She traveled all over the world in pursuit of the finest natural perfume essences. Upon completion of the tour, you will have the opportunity to sample more world class fragrances and essences, shop our gift area, and
   create your personal blend at the Mixing Bar.
2. DeBrand Chocolates - chocolate factory,
   10105 Auburn Park Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46825. Phone: (260) 969-8333. Email: customerservice@debrand.com. Open: Tuesdays at 10:00 AM, Thursdays at 1:00 PM, Saturdays at 10:30 AM
   Cost in 2023 is $10 per person, with each person receiving a rebate of $10 off a $20 or more purchase.No reservation required. Tours begin promptly on time, plan to arrive before the scheduled start time. No minimum number of people required. Tours are subject to cancellation during holidays. Please call for more open tour information during any holiday season. They also have Scheduled Private Tours which must be scheduled ahead of time. Email publicrelations@debrand.com or call Public Relations at 260.969.8335, M-F 9 AM to 5 PM.
   Tours can be scheduled Monday through Sunday; however, it is suggested that you schedule your tour Monday through Friday in order to view an active chocolate-making process.
   Cost in 2023 is $10 per person, with each person receiving a rebate of $10 off a $20 or more purchase. Available for groups of 10 or more. They can make exceptions for groups less than 10 (depending on availability). The cost would be (in 2023) $100 total and you would receive 10 rebates of $10. Each rebate can be used on a purchase of $20 or more after the tour
3. South Bend Chocolate Company - Chocolate factory
   3300 W. Sample Street, South Bend IN 46619. Phone: 800-301-4961. Email: orders@sbchocolate.com. Open: Factory & Museum Tours are at the top of every hour; Mon to Fri 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Sat 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Closed Sundays & major holidays.Please note, shirt and shoes are required. If your tour group is 10 or more people, call 574-233-2577 to schedule a tour. Please allow extra time for larger groups. Factory Outlet Store Hours are Mon - Fri 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Sat 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Closed Sundays & major holidays. This is a factory and Chocolate Museum, with a 58,000-square-foot factory and museum. Visitors who take the factory tour are treated to a history lesson of chocolate and its origins, as a guide leads guests through all of the factory processes, including panning, enrobing and more, including a test sample at the end. For an extra special treat, you'll dip a chocolate spoon, walk through the Chocolate Museum and receive 10% off your purchase that day. The Chocolate Museum is home to one of the largest collections of chocolate memorabilia in the world, including a 1,300-year-old Mayan chocolate pot among the hundreds of tins, containers and chocolate boxes of all shapes and sizes. The collection extensively features American chocolate companies.
4. Subaru of Indiana Automotive - automotive assembly
   5500 IN-38, Lafayette, IN. Phone: 765-428-7631. Email: Kayla.Cunningham@subaru-sia.com. Open: Tours are offered at 11:00 AM EST. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday- except during model change and non-production days. If the date you are looking for is not listed on the website, there is either a large group booked or there are no tours on that date.
   Tours are free to the public and by reservation only. If you do not make a reservation, you do not have a space on the tour. Your guided tour will give you the chance to witness our impressive facility and see Subaru vehicle production from start to finish. Tours of SIA highlight the Stamping processes, where you will observe giant presses turning raw coils of steel into the vehicle's metal structure. From there, you will see these panels expertly welded together by over 1,671 robots in our Body Assembly area. Following the Paint Shop, you will see Associates bring the vehicles to life as they assemble over 2,000 parts into and onto each vehicle in Trim and Final. Finally, viewing our Tester Line will prove our commitment to quality and safety. Ultimately, you will see what makes a Subaru a Subaru.
   Some restrictions listed below, see their page for more.
   Tours may be cancelled or postponed on short notice, or without notice, for weather or business-related purposes.
   If tours are cancelled, you will be notified via email.
   If you will be arriving late or have last minute changes, please contact us immediately.
   Minimum age is 10 years old; there are no exceptions to this rule
   We do not allow crutches, casts, wheel chairs or other immobilization devices in our plant. This is for the safety of everyone.
   Catwalk Info
   Tour will take place on an elevated catwalk where you will walk 1.25 miles and take around 3,500 total steps.
   There are 250 individual stair steps throughout the route.
   There are no restrooms or break areas throughout the route.
   We walk at a fast walking pace to get through each area before they shut down for a break.
   No cell phones, cameras, or recording devices allowed.
5. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana - automobile manufacturer
   Toyota Indiana Experience Center, 4000 S. Tulip Tree Dr, Princeton, IN 47620. Phone: 812-387-2266. Open: Tuesday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CST; Tour Times Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Reservations required; times vary. Join us for a free, tram-driven tour through the home of the American-made Toyota Corolla (the world’s all-time best selling car) to experience how people and machines work together to build ever-better vehicles.
   

Indiana Historical Forts and Sites, Famous buildings, Active Federal facilities to tour, Geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

1. Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial:, Lincoln City, IN.
   

   Abraham Lincoln grew from youth to manhood on this southern Indiana soil. Many character and moral traits of one of the world's most respected leaders was formed and nurtured here. Explore Lincoln's boyhood and learn about the boy who would one day become the leader of our nation.

   
   • Updates, fire alerts, warnings and conditions
   • Info about the park
   • Park event calendar
   • Park maps

Indiana State historic sites and parks

These are state-run parks, museums and historic sites that present the history of some manufacturing process, industry, or living settlement

Plan your visit

• Follow Indiana State Parks on Facebook and Twitter.
• Check closings and announcements.
• Search by location with interactive map.
• Use the Indiana DNR mobile apps for maps and information.
• View the Recreation Guide for details on park services and features.
• Find a nature program or special event.
• Some properties have saddle barns.

State Parks List

• Brookville Lake, telephone: 765-647-2657 or 765-647-2658
• Brown County, telephone: 812-988-6406
• Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber SRA), telephone: 765-276-0194
• Cecil M. Harden Lake (Raccoon SRA), telephone: 765-344-1412 or 765-344-1884
• Chain O' Lakes, telephone: 260-636-2654
• Charlestown, telephone: 812-256-5600
• Clifty Falls, telephone: 812-273-8885
• Deam Lake SRA, telephone: 812-246-5421
• Falls of the Ohio, telephone: 812-280-9970
• Fort Harrison, telephone: 317-591-0904
• Hardy Lake, telephone: 812-794-3800
• Harmonie, telephone: 812-682-4821
• Indiana Dunes State Park, telephone: 219-926-1952
• Interlake SRA, telephone: 812-922-0002
• J. E. Roush Lake, telephone: 260-468-2165
• Lincoln, telephone: 812-937-4710
• McCormick's Creek, telephone: 812-829-2235
• Mississinewa Lake, telephone: 765-473-6528 or 765-395-7038
• Monroe Lake, telephone: 812-837-9546
• Mounds (Anderson), telephone: 765-642-6627
• O'Bannon Woods, telephone: 812-738-8232
• Ouabache, telephone: 260-824-09262
• Patoka Lake, telephone: 812-685-2464
• Pokagon, telephone: 260-833-2012
• Potato Creek, telephone: 574-656-8186
• Prophetstown, telephone: 765-567-4919
• Redbird SRA, telephone: 812-847-0146
• Salamonie Lake, telephone: 260-468-2125
• Shades, telephone: 765-435-2810
• Shakamak, telephone: 812-665-2158
• Spring Mill, telephone: 812-849-3534
• Starve Hollow SRA, telephone: 812-358-3464
• Summit Lake, telephone: 765-766-5873
• Tippecanoe River, telephone: 574-946-3213
• Trine SRA at Pokagon, telephone: 260-833-2012
• Turkey Run, telephone: 765-597-2635
• Versailles, telephone: 812-689-6424
• Upper Wabash Interpretive Services, telephone: 260-468-2127
• Whitewater Memorial, telephone: 765-458-5565

Indiana Seasons, bugs, topography and climate

Indiana in in the eastern midwest, mostly flat or rolling hills, with a humid subtropical climate. Winters are considered to be temperate, (meaning they can be very cold, or mild); Summers are warm or hot; and rainfall is fairly evenly distributed through the year. However, the state is subject to periods of both drought and some flood. ... s Indiana averages 220 days with sunshine.

Camping Tips

Make camping reservations at State Parks in Indiana here.

Reservation phone numbers:

Camping, cabins, shelters, group camps: 1-866-622-6746.
State Park Inns and Brown County State Park cabins: 1-877-563-4371.

RATES and FEES
ENTRANCE | CAMPING | BOATING | HORSE | OFF-ROAD CYCLING | MISC. | HUNTING & FISHING

RESERVATIONS
CAMPING| INNS | CABINS | SHELTERS | PINE HILLS GROUP CAMPS

Camping Fees

The rates listed on the state website typically apply for all camping, late April through early November. For camping and rates outside of these dates, please call the property directly. All guests, including campers, will pay a one-time entrance fee upon their arrival. Please see "Entrance Fees" for specific pricing.

There are both state parks and private campgrounds in Indiana.