Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour

Reviews

• June 21, 2024
  "A fun thing to do with family! It can become a pricier trip for larger groups but it is so so worth it!"
  - Vtfun
• April 15, 2014
  "What a great little tour. It's long enough to get the jist of the company, but short enough, so it's not boring, which makes it fun for all ages. My daughter who is 4, was really interested in the big machines that make the ice cream. The tour guide explained how each of the machines work, so it wasn't like it was just a quick peek and my daughter was able to view the equipment and see them in action. NOTE no photography is allowed in this area During the tour they also show a video, which is a little more adult oriented, but once again short enough, that by the time it's over the kids are just beginning to squirm and then your off to see the equipment. The final stage of the tour is the flavor room, where someone is stationed creating random flavors and the best part this is where the free samples are One of the great things about this tour was that the guide was funny, so it wasn't just a blahblahblah tour, it was upbeat and entertaining. While this tour isn't an every weekend adventure, I would still recommend going at least once a year."
  - vtfreebiegirl
• February 8, 2013
  "My out of town family loves coming here everytime that they are in town !!"
  - rebowman
• June 14, 2012
  "We brought our son last year and he loved it! I have to say I was impressed with how well the tour was, the kids where excited and the lady was able to keep right up and keep kids of all ages entertained! We plan on going back this summer!"
  - Vtmomma13
• June 14, 2012
  "Pretty good place to take school aged children, though as someone else mentioned you may want to find out when tours begin so you aren't waiting. A bit of free ice cream at the end was certainly a favorite! We once got to taste a flavor they were testing not for sale yet so that was kinda neat! "
  - rougeurbleu
• February 2, 2012
  "Everyone needs to make sure they have done the BJ's tour ! So much fun. "
  - rebowman
• August 18, 2011
  "I love Ben Jerry's and I love the tour. We take many out of town guests there and always swing in if we are in the area even if it is not for a tour. Our favorites are the outdoor activities we never get tired of the flavor graveyard or the playground! My kids 5 2 do not do so well on the tour. They aren't quite at the age where the informative video is fun for them so keeping them still was a challenge. They did enjoy looking at the factory and eating the ice cream."
  - mommasboys
• August 16, 2011
  "This was a great little day trip. The grounds were quite packed when we went so be prepared for a crowd. The tour was fun, informative and cheap oh and there's ice cream samples at the end My favorite part. also outside the building they had a bunch of activity's like free spin art and for 5 you can Tyedye your own tees. I would like to go again soon"
  - katiebug_1530
• June 29, 2010
  "I took our 8 11 yr old kids on this short tour. It begins in the main lobby, adjacent to the gift shop. As soon as you hear the cow bell ring follow your tour guide upstairs for a 6 and 12 minute movie explaining the history of the company and what it's mission is today. Both of my children commented they learned alot about the company's founders Ben and Jerry. Next stop is view from the top. You are over the actual factory where you can watch them make the ice cream. On any given day, at any given moment what is going on in that room can be different. On the day we were there they were packaging. As a parent I loved that the tour is only 3 for adults and free for the kids. Plus at the end they do nice sized samples. They were super accommodating for my tree nut allergy kid and had an alternate sample of sorbet available for him."
  - missmagpie
• March 5, 2010
  "While I may have infinite loads of patience, my sevenyearold son does not. A trip to the Ben and Jerry's ice cream factory in Waterbury is definitely a test in patience the tour starts every hour on the hour, and, depending on when you get there, the first part could be a bunch of waiting around until they ring the cow bell. Yes, my son liked this part. The next part is a 7minute documentary on the history of Ben and Jerry and their ice cream business. It's cute and flashy, but let's face it, after a few minutes, small kids start to loose their focus, especially when the movie is a bunch of people talking. Now, I'm not one of those parents who thinks their kid needs to be stimulated constantly, and educational experiences are good, but isn't there a way to make education fun? Hindsight when we were home going over our experience, my son recited all sorts of Ben and Jerry facts, so it did sink in there! After the moooovie is the secret insiders look at the factory. But, guess what? The day we were there, they were not producing anything. Now, tell me, for a kid, what is so interesting about looking at a room full of nonmoving machines? How are they to visualize the process, when they have nothing in their short lives to compare it to? Oh, wait, here comes another movie! Another documentary on how the plant operates. While the grownups may find the tidbits of information interesting, like the giant freezer thingy that gets down to minus 70 degrees, kids have no real frame of reference for this stuff. They need handson experiences, and to see things in action. So, the saving grace of this whole experience is, you guessed it FREE ICE CREAM! They give a sample at the end, and my son was very excited about this part. He said it was the best ice cream he had ever had! And what's neat about this part is you get to try a flavor you might not have normally bought at the store or a scoop shop. We had the Hannah Teter Maple Blondie, and it was delicious! Maple ice cream, blond brownie chunks, and a maple swirl! YUM...reminded me why we love Ben and Jerry's...even if their tour is a bit of a snoozer!"
  - SamPoet
• January 25, 2010
  "I swear we have been on this tour with every out of town guest and it is still always fun for me too! The plant is really fun for all ages and the tour will keep kiddos entertained as well as adults. The ice cream sample at the end is always a big hit. And the pricing is still affordable! Gotta love that."
  - patcher
• February 23, 2009
  "My kids are 6 and 3 and I took them on the Ben and Jerry's Factory Tour in Waterbury, VT. They loved the tour and it was explained simple enough so that they could understand. It was a fun activity to do during school vacation and I recommend it to all."
  - vtblondie@hotmail.com

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