Find a factory to tour for fun and learning!

Maryland factories to visit and tour

Maryland 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 Maryland and contact information and tips about visiting them.

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

  • Amazon Fulfillment Center - tour of the facility
    BWI2: Amazon Fulfillment Center, 2010 Broening Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21224.
    BOOK ON THEIR WEBSITE. Each tour is approximately 60-90 minutes long. On the tour you may walk up and down at least one flight of stairs and walk approximately 1 mile. Amazon says "Ever wondered what happens when you shop on Amazon? Book a free walking tour of an Amazon warehouse and see how our people and technology deliver for customers." The also have the following recommendations and requirements:
    Arrive Early - arrive 15 minutes prior to your tour.
    Attire - All guests must wear flat, closed-toed, and closed-heeled shoes (no sandals, clogs or high heels). We recommend wearing comfortable shoes or sneakers. Additionally, long hair must be pulled at or above shoulder length. Loose fitting clothing (long-hanging jewelry, scarves, or ties) are not permitted. Headscarves worn for religious reasons are permitted but must be tucked in securely.
    Identification - Upon your arrival, your tour leader will ask for a government issued photo ID. Please ensure that guest information submitted during sign-up matches the guest ID.
  • Heavy Seas Beer - brewery
    4615 Hollins Ferry Rd, Halethorpe, MD 21227. Phone:  410-247-7822. Email: events@hsbeer.com . Open: brewery tours on most Saturdays. You can book tours online or in-person at the Heavy Seas Taproom.  Tour the Heavy Seas brewery and learn how your favorite beer is made! Each tour comes with a pint glass and beer tasting. Tours are usually on Saturdays at 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm and typically last 45 minutes. Participants must be age 21+ . You can book VIP tours by emailing them.
  • Old Line Spirits Distillery - distillery
    4201 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21224. Phone: 443-218-9984. Email: info@oldlinespirits.com. Open: for tours on Saturdays 1:15 PM & 3 PM (times may change, check with them). An approximately 75 minute tour and guided tasting of the Old Line American Single Malt production and aging process. From grain to glass, participants will get a deep dive into how we make our award winning American Single Malt Whiskeys followed by a sampling of four of our products. Get Old Line Spirits Distillery tour tickets on their website here.
  • Phillips Seafood Processing Plant - seafood factory
    106 Schumaker Lane, Salisbury, MD 21804. Phone: 888-234-CRAB (2722).
    • Open: It looks like they no longer have tours, but Preservation Maryland presents their history and has many historical photos of the operation.  They say the Phillips Packing Company began in Cambridge, Maryland in 1902 with a single plant and went on to become the largest employer in Dorchester County.
  • SPAGnVOLA -chocolate factory
    360 Main St. Suite 101, Gaithersburg, MD. Email: customercare@spagnvola.com. Open: Saturdays only. Educational factory tours tells about the origins of cacao, growing regions, and farming practices. Tour and Chocolate Making 101 class: In 2023 $75 per Person (Limit to first 20 registered students). This is a 20min. comprehensive tour of “The Truffle Factory” gaining an understanding of the origin of SPAGnVOLA cacao from “cultivation to confection” our strategic farm-design in Hato Mayor Del Rey in the Dominican Republic and why we believe it leads to our chocolate flavors being unmatched anywhere else. During this tour you will experience the use of our specialized equipment, from roasting, winnowing, pre-grinding and refining our cacao beans into exotic chocolate. In conclusion, a sneak peek of our beginning stages of our Signature chocolate recipe with a palate pleasing tasting.
    2-1/2 hours to create basic chocolate Ganache filling, and learn create truffles and different dipping techniques.
  • UTZ Quality Foods, Inc. - potato chip and snack foods factory
    900 High St, Hanover, PA 17331. They are nearby in Pennsylvania, see the PA page!
  • Wockenfuss Candies - candy factory
    6831 Harford Rd, Baltimore, MD 21234. Phone: . Open: see their website. This tour provides an opportunity to see how candy is made from start to finish. The tour is free of charge and lasts approximately 30 minutes.
  • Domino Sugar Baltimore - sugar factory
    1100 Key Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21230. They no longer offer tours, except on very rare occasions.

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

Baltimore Shot Tower

  1. Baltimore Phoenix Shot Tower - historic bullet factory
    801 E Fayette St, Baltimore, MD 21201. Phone: (410) 837-5424. Open: Tours on Saturdays at 10 AM. The Phoenix Shot Tower, opened in 1828, is also known as the Old Baltimore Shot Tower. This is a 234 ft tall red brick shot tower, where bullets were made for many years, until 1892 (when improved manufacturing processes made shot towers obsolete) , by dropping globs of hot molten lead from the top of the tower.
    They became spherical during the drop, and cooled and hardened.
    The tower is located near downtown Baltimore in East Baltimore, in Maryland.
    When it was completed in 1828 it was the tallest structure in the US.
  2. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, - historic transportation canal
    Potomac River, DC,MD,WV.

    Preserving America's early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth.
    Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market.
    Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural, and recreational treasures.

    Coal Cargo Boat in the middle of the Canal being pulled by a mule team on the right hand side.
  3. Clara Barton National Historic Site, - Red Cross founder
    Glen Echo , MD.

    Clara Barton dedicated her life and energies to help others in times of need - both home and abroad, in peacetime as well as during military emergencies. Glen Echo was her home the last 15 years of her life and the structure illustrates her dedication and concern for those less fortunate than herself.

    Grounds of Clara Barton National Historic Site covered in snow.
  4. Fort Foote National Park, Military fort
    Oxon Hill, MD.

    Fort Foote was constructed in 1863 atop Rozier's Bluff to strengthen the ring of fortifications that encircled Washington, D.C. Two of the Guns that protected Washington are still there along with the remains of the fort's earthworks.

    !5-inch Rodman Cannon
  5. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Military fort where Francis Scott Key wrote our national anthem
    Baltimore, MD.

    by the dawn's early light, a large red, white and blue banner? Whose broad stripes and bright stars... were so gallantly streaming...over Fort McHenry! The valiant defense of the fort during the Battle of Baltimore on September 13-14, 1814 inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that became the U.S. national anthem. The fort's history holds many other stories too, from the Civil War to WWII.

    Living Flag
  6. Fort Washington National Park, - historic military fort
    Fort Washington, MD.

    Built to defend the river approach to Washington, DC, Fort Washington has stood as silent sentry for over 200 years. As technologies advanced so did Fort Washington, from the brick and stone of the 19th century to the concrete and steel of the 20th century. Joining the National Park Service in 1946, the park continues to protect the Potomac River.

    Fort Washington
  7. Harmony Hall, - historic mansion
    Prince George's County, MD.

    The 18th century Harmony Hall mansion is located on a 62.5-acre open pasture land estate along the Potomac River. This estate was purchased by the National Park Service in 1966, to preserve southern Maryland cultural heritage. Surrounded by a rich landscape, it offers visitors many chances to connect with Colonial History. The park also home to the remains of the Want Water House and canal.

    Harmony Hall

Maryland 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

Maryland Seasons, bugs, topography and climate

Maryland has a lowland coastal are as well as a mountainous area in the western part of the state.  In the highland west, temperatures can range from  -40 °F (-40 °C) to more than 100 °F (38 °C). The average temperatures in the western part of the state are 65 °F (18 °C) in July and 28 °F (−2 °C) in January. The eastern part of the state is more humid and hotter in the summer.

Camping in Maryland

If you're looking to save money on your trip, camping may be a fun alternative to hotels and motels, especially, if you already have the gear, or are looking to get some. BTW, this websites ( https://RoadTrippingAndCamping.com ) explains everything you need to know about camping gear and where to the best gear at the lowest prices.

The Maryland Park Service offers more than 2,000 campsites, 120 full-service and camper cabins, and 100 picnic shelters to guests. Reservations for these facilities can be made through a toll-free, reservation service by calling 1-888-432-2267, (9 am - 5 pm Monday through Friday). For citizens residing outside the United States, reservations can be made by calling 301-687-8160. This is not a toll-free call. TTY users can call 866-804-7846.

On-line reservations may be made at parkreservations.maryland.gov.

Camp Sites

Campers are limited to a maximum two-week stay. Campers who have stayed in a campground for two weeks must vacate the park for at least one week before re-registering. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day there is a two-night minimum stay required, which must consist of a Thursday/Friday, Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday stay. Holiday weekends require a three-night stay, which must include a Friday/Saturday/Sunday. Saturday arrivals or departures are not permitted during this time unless you are reserving seven (7) or more nights. Campsites have a picnic table and in most cases a fire ring. A central restroom facility with hot and cold running water and flush toilets is provided.

Camper Cabins

Camper CabinCamper cabins offer guests the option of enjoying the outdoors, while sleeping in a mini cabin on a real bed and closing a real door. Many Maryland State Parks offer these mini cabins, which are small rustic cabins with beds for four to six people -- usually a double and two twin beds set up bunk style. The six-person camper cabins also offer an additional futon couch or set of bunk beds and usually a small table w/chairs. Grills are provided for outdoor cooking and restroom facilities are available nearby. Camper cabin reservations must be made for a minimum of two nights on weekends and three nights on holiday weekends from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

There are both state parks and private campgrounds in Maryland.