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Adventures Out
See How It's Made
Massachusetts has long been known for innovation and industry. To open your child's eyes to the wonders of manufacturing, take them on a factory tour where they can see how newspapers, chocolates, or candles are made – right here in the Bay State. Call ahead to confirm tour times.
In Black & White
Visit the Boston Globe headquarters in Dorchester to find out how people---from editorial, advertising, and circulation to design and production---work together to create the daily newspaper. See and hear the giant printing presses in action. Along the way, you may recognize staff writers and columnists whose faces are featured in every issue. Since newspapers by nature are deadline driven, tours are by reservation only and must be scheduled in advance.
The Boston Globe, 135 Morrissey Blvd., Dorchester; 617-929-2653. Tours Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m., and 1:15 p.m., plus one Wednesday evening per month at 6:30 and 7:45 p.m.
Sweet Success
If you watch Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman on PBS, you may recall an episode where Nina and Madi made Sweet Sloops at Harbor Sweets in Salem. Sweet Sloops are delicious sailboat-shaped piece of almond butter crunch, covered in white chocolate dipped in dark chocolate and crushed pecans. When you visit the store, you may see candy being made from a viewing platform overlooking the front production area. If you call ahead, however, you can schedule a guided tour through the production floor and see various handmade candy-making processes.
Harbor Sweets, Inc., 85 Leavitt Street, Salem; 800-234-4860. Tours Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to noon, by reservation.
Crunch Connoisseurs
Each year, thousands of visitors take the tour to see
how Cape Cod Potato Chips are made in Hyannis. The
journey from field-fresh potato to crunchy chip includes
stops for slicing, cooking, seasoning and bagging, with
samples to taste at the end.
Cape Cod Potato Chips, 100 Breeds Hill Road, Hyannis, 888-881-2447. Tours Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Yankee Ingenuity
Yankee Candle in South Deerfield is much more than a flagship store and manufacturing plant; it’s a destination. At the Candlemaking Museum, you can watch chandlers (a.k.a. candlemakers) making candles using early 19th century techniques. Afterwards you can do the same at the dip-your-own-candle station. At Wax Works, watch demonstrations of modern candlemaking. Then you can make your own jar candle, create your own scent, and even dip your hand in wax to make a hand sculpture.
Yankee Candle, 25 Greenfield Road, Deerfield; 877-636-7707. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; no reservations required.
Worth a Trip
Consider these factory destinations as well. All offer family-friendly tours. Visit the web sites for details:
- Finagle a Bagel, Newton, MA, and other locations. See how bagels are made.
- Pairpoint Glass, Sagamore, MA. Watch glassblowers at work.
- Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston, MA. Learn how beer is brewed.
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Merrimack, NH. Learn how beer is brewed.
- Ben & Jerry’s, Waterbury, Vt. A sweet tour of an ice cream favorite.
- Tom’s of Maine, Sanford, Maine. See how natural hygiene products are created.
(BPP, 3/09)
Before your next night on the town, visit Restaurant.com
for big savings at local eateries.
Bypass theater ticket lines. Buy movie tickets in advance at Fandango.com. Read reviews and find showtimes for any movie in the U.S.
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