Things to do / Travel Guide
The central California Coast region, with cities and towns famous for being situated in some of the most beautiful natural settings in the United States, is also home to one of the country's largest and most varied assortments of factory tours. Boasting one of the world's top wine regions, there are naturally many winery tours you can treat yourself to. In addition, whether your interests include chocolate, beer, glass works, stickers, ceramics, candy, teddy bears - you name it - there's surely a factory tour for you in this region.
Winery Tours in Napa Valley and Sonoma County, California
Napa Valley and Sonoma County; these names are practically synonymous with wine in the United States. Indeed, if you're ready to pay for the privilege (it can get expensive), there are a number of winery tours you can go on at any time of year in this rich agricultural region. Go behind the scenes of any of these wineries and you're winemaking knowledge is sure to be enhanced as you tour the wineries and sample the fruits of their labor.
In Helena, for instance, there's Beringer Vineyards, the region's oldest continuously-operating winery. On the tour you'll hear about the winery's history, see their hand-dug aging tunnels, and be able to taste three current release wines. In Napa itself there are a number of winery tours you can take. First there's the Vine Cliff Winery, which is known for its rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignons and bold Chardonnays, priding itself on intensely flavored, hand-made wines. There's also Sequoia Grove Vineyards, which is located on the site of a 100-year-old farmhouse surrounded by some of the last sequoia trees in the Napa Valley. While touring there you can sample some of the winery's award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and other wines. If neither of those wineries appeal to you, try a tour of Domaine Carneros, the only sparkling wine producer using Carneros grapes, exclusively. The premises are sure to impress, with the on-site chateau and visitors center boasting a grand staircase, an elegant Louis XV-style salon, and a terrace with a stunning view of the surroundings.
Brewery Tours in the Central California Coast
Learn everything you always wanted to know about beer at the Anheuser Busch plant in Fairfield, or at Anchor Brewing, about one hour south in San Francisco. During your brewery tour you'll learn about natural brewing process and see aging cellars, bottling lines, and huge storage warehouses. Guests over legal drinking age can sample some frothy, ice-cold beer for free at both establishments, while younger visitors will have to make do with a non-alcoholic beverage. Both brewery tours are free, but be advised that you may have to reserve a spot on an Anchor Brewing tour well in advance.
Candy and Sweets Factory Tours in the Central California Coast
If you have a sweet tooth or are just in the mood for some tasty delights, the central California Coast region is bursting with candy and chocolate factories that can help you meet your needs. First off is the Jelly Belly Candy Factory, which offers free factory tours where you can learn about the 150 different varieties of candy their produce. Kids of all ages are sure to love the samples you'll get!
Chocoholics need not feel neglected; the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory, in Berkeley, and Monterey Bay Chocolates, in Seaside, offer plenty of sweet treats to tempt your taste buds. On your factory tour you'll learn how these factories pump out butter creams, dairy-cream caramels, select nut clusters, creamy truffles, and specialty chocolates, as well as other sugar-free selections. While both factory tours are free, you'll need to be at least 18 to tour Scharffen Berger.
San Francisco's Chinatown is the natural place to go on a tour of a fortune cookie-making factory. At Mee Mee Bakery you'll learn how the after-dinner delicacies are made and solve the mystery of “how they get those fortunes in there.” In addition to their most popular items, the bakery also makes fresh breads, almond and sesame cookies, and delicious Chinese pastries.
Factory Tours in the San Jose Area
If you're into cars, or are just fascinated by seeing steel transform into automobiles, stop in Fremont, near San Jose, where you can take a tour of New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI), a joint venture of Toyota and General Motors. During the free guided tour you'll learn how automobiles are built as you take a tram through the stamping, body and weld, and assembly areas of the plant. Be sure to reserve your spot for this fascinating tour in advance.
Other Behind-the-Scenes and Factory Tours in the San Francisco Bay Area
If fortune cookie, chocolate, and beer tours aren't enough to keep you busy in the San Francisco Bay area, there are plenty other unique behind-the-scenes and factory tours to keep you intrigued and occupied.
For instance, you can take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Paramount Theatre, in Oakland. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the architecturally-wondrous 1930s-era Art Deco theater is home to both the Oakland Ballet and the Oakland East Bay Symphony. If you choose to stick with the arts, you can take a free behind-the-scenes tour of the Cohn-Stone Studios in Richmond, where you can see beautiful, functional vases, bowls, paperweights, and sculptural works of hand-blown art glass. Chances are you'll be taking a souvenir home with you.
A bit further north, in Petaluma, a couple other tours vie for your attention. What goes better with some Napa Valley wine than a little cheese? On a free self-guided tour of the Marin French Cheese Company you can visit the factory to see how they make their dairy products, and then purchase some for your own private consumption on the on-site retail store. And while on the expensive side, you shouldn't easily pass up a tour of the McEvoy Ranch, especially if you're into cooking, agriculture, or just happen to love olives. On the tour you'll learn the differences between virgin and extra virgin olive oil, and hear about the fascinating cultivation and harvesting techniques employed to produce fine oil from fresh olives.
Behind-the-scenes and factory tours are typically family-friendly activities good for a short and interesting diversion from a region's mainstream tourist activities. Generally inexpensive, visitors are often given complimentary tastes and samples, like at the many different food and beverage factories in the region. Note that some tours have irregular hours and admission restrictions. Click on the individual icons for more practical information.
Behind-the-Scenes and Factory Tours in San Francisco Bay Area, Carmel, Napa Valley, Central California Coast
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