San Francisco is famous for the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and its colorful, vibrant neighborhoods such as Chinatown, North Beach, and Union Square. Most visitors, however, are unaware of the guided factory tours that are often free, family-friendly, and always fun.
Text courtesy of the U.S. Commercial Service

Alembic Inc. (Santa Rosa)

This family-run custom guitar and bass-making company has crafted instruments for the likes of the Grateful Dead, Metallica, and Jefferson Airplane. Alembic's claim-to-fame is Ron Wickersham's development of “active electronics,” or the use of pre-amp devices that offer a quiet pickup. Ask about the weirdest custom-designed instrument on site the day of your visit.

• Where: 3005 Wiljan Court, Santa Rosa, CA 95407. Tel: (707) 523-2611
• Logistics: Tours offered on the first Wednesdays of each month at 11 a.m., or by appointment with at least a few days’ notice.
• Cost: Free
• Website: www.alembic.com

Anchor Brewing (San Francisco)

Anchor's eight unique beers – including Anchor Steam® – are all produced in one of the handsomest and most traditional breweries in the world. Each brew is virtually handmade from an all-malt mash in their handcrafted copper brewhouse, a veritable museum of the simple, traditional breweries of old. A tasting session follows the two-hour tour.

• Where: 1705 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
• Logistics: A public tour is available each weekday by reservation only for groups of up to 10 people. Children are welcome, but of course may not taste the beer.
• Cost: Free
• Website: www.anchorbrewing.com
  
  

Basic Brown Bear Factory (San Francisco)

Attend a walking tour on the floor of America's only real working Teddy Bear factory and stuff your very own teddy bear.

• Where: 2801 Leavenworth Street, San Francisco, CA 94133. Tel: (415) 409-2806 or (866) 522-2327
• Logistics: Tours offered on a drop-in basis at 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Groups larger than 10 require reservations.
• Cost: Free

Nourot Glass Studio (Benicia)

Founded in 1974, Nourot remains a working glass factory with old world feel and techniques. The Nourot Showroom displays many original vases, paperweights, jewelry, platters, and sculptural pieces. Visitors can see glass blowing up close; the 2,000-degree molten glass is drawn out of the blazing furnaces on five-foot long blowpipes.

• Where: 675 East H St., Benicia, CA 94510. Tel: (707) 745-1463
• Logistics: Open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Tours are offered on Tues. and Thurs. at 10 a.m. 45 people maximum.
• Costs: “Walk-ins” and school groups are free.
• Website: www.nourot.com

Boudin Bakery (San Francisco)

The Boudin Museum & Bakery Tour allows visitors to witness history in the baking. Stroll through the collection of historic and interactive exhibits as you observe the bakery in action from the museum’s floor-to-ceiling window walls and glass-walled catwalk. Learn why sourdough is called sourdough and why the bread can't be made anywhere else but this microclimate.

• Where: 160 Jefferson St., San Francisco, CA 94133.
• Logistics:  Open seven days a week 12 p.m-4 p.m. The museum offers self-guided tours with guided tours available for groups only. Bread tasting at the end of the tour.
• Cost: US$3 (under age 12 is free).
• Website: www.boudinbakery.com

Charles Chocolates (Emeryville)

Chuck Siegel has been a part of the San Francisco chocolate scene since 1987 when he started his first premium chocolate company, Attivo Confections, at the age of 25. At Charles Chocolates, everything is made by hand in very small batches using traditional techniques.

• Where: 6529 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608
• Logistics: Tours offered Wed.-Sun. at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Reservations required.
• Cost: Free to visit. US$10 for tour and tasting.
• Website: www.charleschocolates.com

Fenton’s Creamery (Oakland)

An Oakland landmark, Fenton’s Creamery was founded in 1894 and is dedicated to preserving the tradition of creating ice creams and topping batch-by-batch and scoop-by-scoop.

• Where: 4226 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, CA 94611
• Logistics: Tours for 8-12 people (ages 6 and up) offered Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Reservations required.
• Cost: US$3.95 to $12.95 depending on tour package.
• Website: www.fentonscreamery.com

Hangar One (Alameda)

The former Alameda Naval Air Station is home to Hangar One Vodka. The hangar was built in the early 1940s and was used by the military until the base closed in 1997. In 2005, Hanger One added a tasting room, which provides a view of the distillery and San Francisco skyline.

•    Where: 2601 Monarch St., Alameda, CA 94501

•    Logistics: Tasting Room open Wed.-Sat. 12 p.m.-7 p.m., Sun. 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Whole distillery tours on Sat. and Sun. at 1 p.m. Groups larger than eight require reservations.

•    Cost: Tours are free. US$10 per person for full tasting.

•    Website: www.hangarone.com

Heath Ceramics (Sausalito)

Heath Ceramics features a historical tour of its Sausalito factory where craftsmen have been producing award-winning tableware and architectural tile for more than a half a century. See every part of the process from clay making to kiln firing.

• Where: 400 Gate Five Road, Sausalito, CA 94965
• Logistics: Tours offered Fri. at 12:30 p.m. by appointment, and Sat. and Sun. at 11 a.m.
• Cost: Free
• Website: www.heathceramics.com

Intel Museum (Santa Clara)

From sand to silicon chips, you can learn about microprocessor history, computer chip design and manufacturing, chip factories, and technology careers.

• Where: 2200 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054
• Logistics: Museum open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pre-scheduling is not required for self-guided visits. Guided tours available for groups of 8-25 people.
• Cost: Free
• Website: www.intel.com

Jelly Belly Candy Co. (Fairfield)

Established in 1869, when founder Gustav Goelitz bought an ice cream and candy store in Illinois and his brother Albert was sent out in a horse-drawn wagon to sell their sweets. The California factory prepares over 150 different types of candy. Free tastings and a gift 2-ounce bag of Jelly Belly beans.

• Where: 1 Jelly Belly Lane, Fairfield, CA 94533
• Logistics: 40-minute tours offered daily, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Candy-making machines not in operation over the weekend.
• Cost: Free admission. Private tours, including factory floor walk-through, available for groups of up to six, for US$47 per person.
• Website: www.jellybelly.com

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore)

Home to the world’s largest laser, the Laboratory conducts some of the most innovative science and technology research in the nation – whether it’s ensuring the performance of the nation’s nuclear stockpile, developing capabilities to strengthen homeland security, cleaning up the environment, battling cancer, or deciphering the human genome. Nearby Site 300 is a 7,000-acre compound used by the Laboratory for non-nuclear explosives testing.

• Where: 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550
• Logistics: Discovery Center open Tues.-Fri., 1 p.m.-4 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tours offered on Tues. at 9 a.m., excluding holidays. Tours last about 2 to 2.5 hours. Maximum 14 people, must be age 18 and up. U.S. citizens need to register two weeks in advance; non–U.S. citizens 60 days in advance. Site 300 tours normally offered on the first and third Friday of each month from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., excluding holidays. Minimum of 6 people, maximum of 13.
• Cost: Free
• Website: www.llnl.gov

Marin French Cheese (Petaluma)

Marin French Cheese Co. is the history and future of American Artisanal Cheese production. Its Cheese Factory is located on pristine 700-acre grounds and is a site for weddings, barbecues, picnickers, and painters. Visitors are invited to pick up a deli sandwich, containing cheese from the same factory, or taste a selection of over 35 different cheeses made right on the property.

• Where: 7500 Red Hill Rd., Petaluma, CA 94952
• Logistics: Tours offered daily at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Groups larger than 10 require reservations.
• Cost: Free
• Website: www.marinfrenchcheese.com

Mee Mee Bakery Fortune Cookie Factory Tour (San Francisco)

Located in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Mee Mee has been making fresh fortune cookies daily from its bakery for individuals, restaurants, and special events since 1950. It also makes fresh breads, almond and sesame cookies, and Chinese pastries.

• Where: 1328 Stockton St., San Francisco, CA 94133
• Logistics:  Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. No reservations required.
• Cost: Free
• Website: www.meemeebakery.com

Mrs. Grossman's (Petaluma)

Graphic designer Andrea Grossman started the company after a local grocery store asked her to create a heart-shaped sticker for Valentine's Day. Now, 30 years later, her company makes more than 58 million stickers a year in a 110,000-square-foot factory. After the walking tour, guests learn how to make and decorate personal postcards using Mrs. Grossman’s stickers.

• Where: 3810 Cypress Drive, Petaluma, CA 94954
• Logistics: Tours offered Mon.-Fri. at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. During the summer (June 13 through Labor Day), tours are every hour on the hour. Reservations required for all tours.
• Cost: US$3 per person (under age 3 is free).
• Website: www.mrsgrossmans.com