Pennsylvania factories to visit and tour
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania and contact information and tips about visiting them.
Factories, Engineering, Museums and other fun demonstrations and exhibits to visit in Pennsylvania
- Asher’s Chocolate Company - chocolate factory
80 Wambold Rd, Souderton, PA. Phone: (215) 721-3276. Email: customers@ashers.com. Open: factory tours run Monday to Friday from 10am to 3:30pm. You can go on a self-guided tour at the Asher’s Chocolate Co. Headquarters. Perfect for families, groups, or just a day out, the Asher’s self-guided tour is entertainment for all ages! Operating out of the Souderton Retail Store, the self-guided tour takes you on a video journey through a viewing corridor that looks out upon the production facility. See the famous chocolates being made right in front of your very eyes. the Plus: FREE samples! Ask the store staff for a taste of your favorite treat, fresh out of the candy case! To access the self-guided tour, please visit through the Retail Store entrance. For groups larger than 5 people, it is helpful to call our retail store staff ahead of time so that we can best prepare. This family-owned business has been in the chocolate biz for five generations. - The Crayola Experience - crayon factory
30 Centre Square, Easton, PA 18042. Map and Google Directions. Phone: 610-515-8000. Email: eastonexperience@crayolaexperience.com. Open: daily.
Dozens of colorful and creative activities and a full day of fun awaits families in Easton, Pa., just a short drive away from Philadelphia and New York City.
Advance reservations are not needed. Purchase your tickets online to SAVE $3.00 Off each general admission ticket.
Strollers must be smaller than 31 in. (79 cm) wide and 52 in. (132 cm) long. Stroller wagons of any size are prohibited.
There are several parking options within walking distance of Crayola Experience Easton. To learn more about parking click here.
Last ticket sold for entry is 1 hour prior to closing; Last entry into the attraction is 30mins. before closing. - Harley-Davidson Museum and Factory Tour - motorcycle manufacturer
York, PA. Phone: (877) 883-1450. Open: in Oct 2023, their website says tours are temporarily suspended. The Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee offers guided factory tours where you can witness the birth of these iconic motorcycles. Explore the manufacturing process, heritage, and culture of Harley-Davidson. Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations center, established in 1973, is where the Touring, Trike and CVO families of motorcycles are assembled. Visitors to the Vaughn L. Beals Tour Center will be able to explore exhibits, walk the factory floor from manufacturing to assembly to the end of the line, and sit on a current production model. Harley-Davidson® Factory Tours offer the chance to watch extraordinary people channel their pride and expertise into machines that capture the imagination. We've opened the doors to some of our manufacturing facilities to give you a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring a legend to life. - Herr's - Potato Chips and Snack Factory Tour
271 Old Baltimore Pike -
Hershey's Chocolate World - chocolate factory, amusement park
101 Chocolate World Way, Hershey, PA 17033. Phone: 717-534-4900. It's the next best thing to Willie Wonka's and anyone can visit even without a Golden Ticket (except for Slugworth, that fiend). The tour involves the chocolate process and a free sample is given at the end. Free. In 2023 For $26.95, you can even make your own candy bar (pre-reserve recommended). 9 a.m.-6 p.m. There's a lot to see and do in and around the sweet town of Hershey, PA. Ride the coasters at HERSHEYPARK amusement park, stroll through Hershey Gardens or make a furry friend at ZooAmerica. Admission into HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD and the famous HERSHEY’S Chocolate Tour ride are free year-round and do not require tickets. All other attractions within the facility require a paid ticket. - Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery - historic pretzel factory
219 East Main Street (Route 772), Lititz, PA 17543. Phone: (717) 626-4354. Email: info@juliussturgis.com. Open: 10:30 am on Monday through Saturday from 12 pm on Sunday) The last tour of the day begins a half hour before closing. Tour the original pretzel bakery (lasts about 25 minutes), get a hands-on lesson in pretzel twisting using a flour & water mixture, & observe the bakers twisting old-fashioned soft pretzels by hand. Shop for delicious treats and souvenirs in the bakery store.
Tours begin each day when we open. Tours are limited in size. All tours (regardless of how many are in your party) are by appointment only. To reserve a spot, please click on the Schedule a Tour link below. Each guest is given their own piece of a flour and water mixture and taught how to twist a pretzel. The tour includes the original ovens built by Julius Sturgis and the history of pretzel baking in America. They are a historic landmark and not a modern pretzel-baking facility.
Prices are from 2023:
Ages 13+ $5.00
Military & Seniors. (65+) $4.75
Ages 4-12 $4.00
3 & Under Free.
There is off-street parking beside the bakery. The entrance to the parking lot can be found on the left-hand side when facing the building. Free curbside parking is also available on both sides of East Main Street in front of the historic bakery. The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is a historic landmark and is not a modern pretzel baking facility. They bake old-fashioned soft pretzels on site. -
Kreider Farms - working dairy farm
1463 Lancaster Road (Rt. 72), Manheim, PA 17545. Phone: (717) 665-5039. Open: tours Monday through Saturday from 9:30 AM until 1:30 PM. In 2023, tours cost $15/per person ages 12 and over, $10 per child ages 2-11. Experience the sights, sounds and smells of a real, working dairy farm on the Kreider Farms tour. This tour features a high-tech view of farming, including a drive down the middle of the "Cow Palace" barn and a bird's eye view of the milking carousel where we milk 1700 cows, 3 times every day. Filled with facts and humor, the Kreider Farms tour is fun for all ages! tour starts at the Welcome Center in Manheim, PA, where you'll enjoy an introductory video before boarding the classic trolley bus or shuttle for a guided tour of the farm. - New Holland Haytools
Factory - agricultural machinery producer
500 Diller Ave, Building 30, Lancaster, PA. Phone: (717) 355-1588. Open: NEW TOUR CENTER COMING SOON, Regular factory tours take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1pm (EST). The new tour center is scheduled to open at the end of September 2023. If you would like to schedule a tour for the future, please call 717-355-1588.Tour the factory to watch the latest in agricultural equipment. Safety equipment will be provided all guests. -
Turkey Hill Experience - ice cream
301 Linden Street, Columbia, PA 17512. Phone: 717-684-0134 x304. Open: hours change, see their page. While the dairy producer’s actual factory is closed to the public, this children’s museum-like attraction gives families the inside scoop on ice cream-making, plus unlimited free samples. Your kids can create their own virtual flavor, and then star in a commercial promoting it. Open daily; cost in 2023 starts at $10.50 per person (2023 price) $13.50. Enjoy UNLIMITED SAMPLES of ice cream and iced tea while you are here and be sure to check out the gift shop and take a souvenir home with you! Reservations are recommended. They recommend allowing about 1-2 hours to enjoy the Turkey Hill Experience.
Please arrive at the Turkey Hill Experience and check-in at the time you selected during the reservation process.
Military personnel (past and present) please show valid military ID at time of check-in to receive your discount.
The Military discount offer is for the person who served only, not the entire party. -
Utz - The Great Utz Chip Trip Tour - Potato chips
900 High St. Hanover, PA 17331. Phone: 800-367-7629. Email: tours@utzsnacks.com. Open: Monday to Wednesday 10 am to 3 pm and Thursday 10 am to 12 pm. Come see how potato chips are made and breathe in the delicious aroma of the famous Utz Potato Chips and Snacks at the over 600,000 square foot facility. they have built a special glass enclosed observation gallery that looks down on the production process from beginning to end. You will be guided step-by-step with the aid of a push-to-talk audio program and closed-circuit TV monitors. A wall display of the history will enhance your understanding of the company and its products. Come and enjoy the free tour at your own pace! Requirements: Tour does have steps. The self-guided tour lasts 30-45 minutes.
Please be sure to call ahead to confirm hours as their daily production schedule is subject to change. The Tour Gallery is closed on the following major holidays: New Year’s, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving & Christmas. -
D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. - Brewery, Museum and Gift Shop
420 Mahantongo St, Pottsville, PA 17901. Phone: (570) 628-4890. Open: Monday-Saturday: 10am-3pm; Mon-Fri: Tours run every hour. Saturday: Tours run every 1/2 hour. Last tour leaves at 3pm. You may bring children, but strollers are not permitted, as they are not safe for certain areas of the brewery. Free brewery tour and tastings in Pottsville, PA in the summer. Extended hours will begin Saturday, May 26 and run through Saturday, September 1, and the free brewery tours will run every hour, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday tours will run every 45 minutes from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you haven’t visited us yet, America’s Oldest Brewery is a short drive away in historic Pottsville, PA. Experience the nearly 200 years of American brewing history. Discover the famous hand-dug caves that were used for beer fermentation before refrigeration and the iconic brew house with its breath-taking stained glass ceiling. Check out how we survived Prohibition at the adjacent creamery business and current gift shop & tasting room. Completely closed shoes are REQUIRED. We recommend sneakers.
Please note the tour is not wheelchair accessible. Be prepared to walk approx.150 stairs. Valid ID will be required if you wish to sample after the tour. Tours are FREE for all ages. Please review Before You Go on their page for more information regarding the facility.
CLOSED: Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Day
Pennsylvania Historical Forts and Sites, Famous buildings, Active Federal facilities to tour, Geology: like fossils and volcanic areas
- U.S. Mint at Philadelphia - Mint, a Factory that makes
money. literally
151 N. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Phone: 215-408-0112, 24-hours a day. Phone: 215-408-0230. Open: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The entrance closes at 4:15 p.m. Closed on federal holidays. Summer Tour Hours (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend) are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m and the entrance closes at 4:15 p.m. Closed on federal holidays. The U.S. Mint does not manufacture coins on Saturday. Directions: located on 5th Street between Arch Street and Race Street in Center City. All tours are free and self-guided and take approximately 45 minutes to complete. No reservations are necessary. Spring and summer-month visitors may experience a brief line to enter. You can also watch a virtual tour video to go inside the Philadelphia Mint! And you may a brochure, A Handbook to the Self-Guided Tour of the United States Mint (PDF, 3.30MB) as a guide for your tour. On the tour you will:
View the coining operations from 40 feet above the factory floor. Check out the historic artifacts, See the first coining press, used to strike the nation’s first coins in 1792, and other historic artifacts.
Marvel at the seven glass mosaics created by Tiffany of New York to celebrate the opening of the Third Mint building in 1901. These five foot treasures highlight the coining processes in ancient Rome.
Meet Peter the Mint Eagle, a real Bald Eagle who made the First United States Mint his home. Today’s Mint artists still study Peter when working on new eagle designs.
Safety and Security
Photography, smoking, eating and drinking are prohibited. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, weapons and large packages. All visitors are required to enter through a metal detector.
Special Needs: The United States Mint public tour and store are completely accessible to visitors with special needs. Wheelchairs are also available with no reservation necessary.
There is a Gift Shop, located in the main lobby of the building, selling United States Mint Coin Sets, commemorative coins, numismatic collectibles, books, games, and United States Mint souvenirs. The telephone number for the gift shop is 215-408-0230.
Public Transportation:
SEPTA (Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority)—Subway, trolley, and bus service throughout the city and area. The Market-Frankford subway line stops one block from the United States Mint at 5th and Market Streets. Multiple bus routes run along Market Street as well. For more information, call (215) 580-7800 or visit www.septa.org.
PATCO (Port Authority Transit Corporation) Speedline—Travel into Center City Philadelphia. The closest PATCO stop is at 8th and Market Streets. For more information, call (856) 772-6900 or visit www.ridepatco.org. - Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site,
Railroad site
Gallitzin, PA.
The first railroad to circumvent the Allegheny Mountains, the Allegheny Portage Railroad was the finishing piece of the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal. "The Portage," opened in 1834, marking the first time that there was one, direct route between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. All things to all people, it served merchants, passengers, slaves in pursuit of freedom, and soldiers from the Mexican War.
- Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site,
home of the famous author
Philadelphia, PA.
Described as horrifying, mystifying, and brilliant, Poe’s writing has engaged readers all over the globe. The six years Edgar Allan Poe lived in Philadelphia were his happiest and most productive. Yet Poe also struggled with bad luck, personal demons and his wife’s illness. In Poe’s humble home, reflect on the human spirit surmounting crushing obstacles, and celebrate Poe’s astonishing creativity.
- Eisenhower National Historic Site,
Home and farm of the president
Gettysburg, PA.
Eisenhower National Historic Site preserves the farm of General and 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Adjacent to the Gettysburg battlefield, the farm served the president and first lady as a weekend retreat and as a meeting place for world leaders. With its peaceful setting and view of South Mountain, it was a respite from Washington, DC, and a backdrop for efforts to reduce Cold War tensions.
- Gettysburg National Military Park,
battlefield
Gettysburg, PA.
The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Rebellion", Gettysburg was the Civil War's bloodiest battle and was also the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln's immortal "Gettysburg Address".
- Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site,
iron foundary
Elverson, PA.
Hopewell Furnace showcases an early American landscape of industrial operations from 1771-1883, Hopewell and other "iron plantations" laid the foundation for the transformation of the United States into an industrial giant for the time. The park's 848 acres and historic structures illustrate the business, technology and lifestyle of the growing nation.
- Independence National Historic Park,
Birthplace of the country
Philadelphia, PA.
The park represents the founding ideals of the nation, and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed inside Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Steamtown National Historic Site,
steam trains
Scranton, PA.
You'd feel heat from the firebox, smell hot steam and oil; you'd hear the whistle, feel the ground vibrate, and watch as one-ton drive rods turned steel wheels. Remember the sound of "chuff-chuff" from the smokestack? Today, you can learn the history of steam railroad transportation, and the people who built, repaired and rode, as we work to preserve a special era in America's industrial history!
- Valley Forge National Historic Park,
Revolutionary war encampment
Valley Forge, PA.
Valley Forge is the site of the 1777-78 winter encampment of the Continental Army. The park features 3,500 acres of monuments, meadows, and woodlands commemorating the sacrifices and perseverance of the Revolutionary War generation and honoring the power of people to pull together and overcome adversity during extraordinary times.
Pennsylvania 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
Pennsylvania Seasons, bugs, topography and climate
Pennsylvania's climate is a typical mid-Atlantic, hot summers, cold winters with prevailing winds from the west. The average temperature in July is about 70 °F (21 °C) and in January about 28 °F (−2 °C).
Camping in Pennsylvania
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.
PA state parks have the most variety of ways to spend the night. When visiting state parks, you can stay overnight in:
Make PA campsite reservations here
- State park inns
- Modern and rustic cabins and unique houses
- Deluxe cottages and yurts
- Campsites for RVs, cottages, and tents
- Trail shelters for those who are backpacking through
- Organized group campsites and cabin camps
Stay Overnight in State Forests
If you want to stay in PA state forests, you’ll have to give up those modern conveniences. Our state forests offer primitive and motorized camping without any modern facilities, water, dump stations, or utility hook-ups.
This is where you want to stay to get a true wilderness camping experience!
There are both state parks and private campgrounds in Pennsylvania.