There aren’t many places that chocolate pudding, cantaloupe, bubble gum, strawberry cheesecake and a juicy pear are acceptable together — let alone in one handful. Not only can you come up with whatever flavor combination you can think of on the
Jelly Belly Factory Tour, but you can witness the creation of the bite-sized candies first hand. About an hour north of
San Francisco in Fairfield, Calif., your family can tour the factory where the world’s No. 1 gourmet jellybeans are made. The free tour of the factory lasts about 40 minutes, and even when the factory isn’t in use on the weekends the tour still goes on — the same goes during the annual shutdown of the factory from June 8-28, but visitors get to see a completely different aspect of the factory on display as the machines are taken apart and completely put back together.
For a closer look, get your “Degree in Beanology” with a behind the scenes tour of the factory with
Jelly Belly University. The personal tour looks more like a science class as visitors don lab coats, gloves and hairnets to learn about the flavorful concoctions “master confectioners” develop at the factory. This one will make you hungry, so it’s a good thing tastings of the treats are part of the education.
Tour info: general tour starts approximately every 15 minutes, daily, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m; free of charge. Jelly Belly University breaks groups into parties of six; and tours available Monday – Friday at 9:30 a.m, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.; lasts an hour to 90 minutes; $47/person.