We were first brought into the small movie theater to see a film about Ben and Jerry's beginnings. It was entertaining and informative, but I already knew most of the information in the film, so it was a bit of a let down. From there, we were taken to a spot above the factory where we could view the ice-cream being made. Unfortunately, we were packed so tightly into the space that unless you were one of the lucky few who got the spots by the windows, you couldn't really see what was happening in the factory. To compensate for this, they do have two televisions that show the machinery being described, but it's not really the same thing—I'm in the factory, I want to see the factory, not a pre-made film.

We moved from this room to the final part of the tour—the free ice-cream. It's a nice sized sample, and of course it's quality, but by this point I just kept thinking to myself "this is it? this is the whole tour?" In the end, I wished I could have my $3 back so I could buy a cone of ice-cream which would have been far more enjoyable.

There was one good thing about the tour, though. You're free to pretty much roam about the area as you like. We walked over to the flavor graveyard, where there are tombstones set up to honor retired flavors. This was a fun trip down memory lane that we were able to do at our own pace. The land is beautiful, and there is a small playground set up for the kids. My advice to those who are thinking about taking this tour is save your money, buy some of the ice cream, and spend the time walking around the grounds. You'll have a full tummy and a nice walk in beautiful Vermont.

We went very early, so it was not crowded, but reservations are recommended. Ice cream is not made every day, so it is wise to call for a schedule.

#1-866-BJ-Tours
www.benjerry.com

At the conclusion of the tour, you walk through the hall of fame with a whole bunch of articles and information about the ice cream. There is a little store and an ice-cream shop (so you can get more ice cream).

It's very tasty, and I would recommend checking it out if you are in the area.

We had stopped at the store about 8 years ago and decided not to take the tour this time. The tour costs about $3 each and covers a lot of tidbits of information. If this is your first time visiting the store, you should definitely sign up. Of course, on the tour, you get free samples!

What else is there besides the tour? One stop is the gift store. There are lots of neat "things" to look at and to buy. If you have to buy lots of Christmas stocking stuffer gifts, this store is for you. The gifts are unique and not too expensive. And best of all they are a reminder of your vacation in Cow country! Lots of gizmos and weird things that guys like to examine.

In the hallway, there are plenty of photographs and newspaper articles to read. There are some stories about the background of how a flavor was developed. There was also a newspaper article moaning fact that the yearly festival was being moved from Vermont to Woodstock, New York that I found interesting since I am from New York.

Outside the store the most important item of interest is the area to buy the main event: Ben & Jerry’s ice cream! And there are lots of picnic tables set up for eating your cone or dish of selected flavor! In addition, the playground apparatus are very Cow oriented themes.

Be sure to read more by visiting two web sites. The first is another visitor’s summary: Click here to read the professional newspaper writer’s narrative.
Click here to access the official company website . I absolutely loved the company’s website since it was so interesting and had great graphics. It made me laugh with all of the puns you expect from a company with the history of Ben & Jerry’s, but are still surprised to see. Shameless plugs, but historical and interesting! Make sure you see the section on flavors for a change (consistent with their environmental background), the "suggest a flavor" section (with the comment "you know you want to") and the graveyard (with appropriate graphics for all of the retired flavors). The site is a barrel of laughs.