Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour

No trip to Waterbury, Vermont, is complete without a trip to the Ben & Jerry’s Factory. The three-part tour includes a full look at the ice cream-making process from the mezzanine, which gives a full view of the factory floor. There’s plenty to see on the production lines since they produce around 250,000 pints per day. Next you’ll take a trip to the Flavor Room for a free sample of the flavor of the day, including a look at the factory’s brand new kitchen which creates the samples for the tour groups. When the weather warms up, be sure to check out the “Flavor Graveyard,” located past the playground area in the upper field and open from late-May to October. The graveyard pays tribute to various ice cream flavors that have “moved on” because of low sales. The eerie, yet interesting grave makers acknowledge such chilly flavors as “Makin’ Whoopie Pie” and “Holy Cannoli.” Definitely go on a weekday to see the production instead of a narrated taped version. Visit their website for more information.

By Cully Schneider for Peter Greenberg.com