9 Florida Factory Tours That Make Surprisingly Fun Day Trips In 2027
A clock tower installed in 1910 still ticks above one of the last traditional cigar factories in America. And yes, you can go inside and watch people roll cigars by hand at wooden tables.
That’s just one stop on this list. Florida has a surprising number of working factories that open their doors to curious visitors.
Candy gets stirred in copper kettles. Chocolate gets dipped, boxed, and handed over as samples.
I love that these trips trade long lines and pricey tickets for real people making real things. You learn something, you taste something, and you usually leave with a bag of something.
Some of these tours run only on certain days or seasons, so planning helps. Pack a cooler, wear comfy shoes, and bring friends who honestly share.
The bigger question is simpler. How many free samples can one road trip hold?
1. Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory
Chocolate-covered potato chips are on the menu here, which tells you the candy makers have a playful streak. Chocolate bacon shows up too, so salty snack fans can finally stop pretending they only like sweets.
Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory sits on South Beach Street in downtown Daytona Beach. The shop is airy and simple, and the real star is the factory working right on site.
Tours of that factory let you peek behind the counter at how the house-made confections come together. It’s a quick visit, so you can easily pair it with a beach walk or lunch nearby.
Once the tour wraps, the display cases get dangerous. You’ll find chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate-covered pretzels, assorted chocolates, and fine chocolate candies.
White chocolate lovers get special attention here, which is rarer than you’d think. There’s also a treat called Chocolate Heaven, and honestly, the name sets a high bar.
Vegan candy is part of the lineup as well, so plant-based friends won’t feel left out. Many of the chocolate items are vegetarian, which makes group shopping a lot easier.
If crowds aren’t your thing, timing matters. Afternoons from Tuesday through Saturday tend to be the busiest stretch.
Monday mornings and Sunday afternoons usually run quieter. The shop opens at noon on Sundays and at 9:30 a.m. the rest of the week.
There’s no dine-in seating, so plan to take your haul to go. A Florida beach day with a box of chocolates in the car sounds like a solid plan to me.
Address: 154 S Beach St, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
2. Davidson Of Dundee
Citrus juice turns into candy here, and the process looks a lot like a time machine. Recipes trace back to the early 1900s, and batches cook in copper kettles stirred by hand.
The family business has run from this spot along U.S. 27 since 1967. That’s decades of citrus candy making in a small Polk County town.
Glass-enclosed kitchens let you watch candymakers at work without getting in their way. You can also see the pack rooms, where finished treats get boxed up.
Tours walk you through the history of the company and how the candies and jellies are made. It feels like a slice of old-school Florida, back when roadside stops ruled road trips.
Now for the best part. Free samples of candy, jelly, and marmalade are offered, so bring an open mind and a clean palate.
Citrus fans should know the site also works as a fresh fruit packing house. You can sample and buy fresh citrus, which makes a handy snack for the drive home.
Hours run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The doors stay shut on Sundays, so skip the lazy Sunday candy run.
The stop is a quick one, which suits a day of hopping around Central Florida. Lake Wales and Winter Haven are close by if you want to stretch the trip.
Delivery is available too, in case you fall hard for a particular jelly. Your kitchen cabinet may never be the same.
Address: 28421 US-27, Dundee, FL 33838
3. J.C. Newman Cigar Company
A clock tower called El Reloj has kept watch over this Ybor City factory since 1910. It still works, which is more than most of us can say about our kitchen clocks.
J.C. Newman Cigar Company dates to 1895 and calls itself America’s oldest family-owned premium cigar maker.
The family moved into the El Reloj building in 1954 and has carried the business through four generations.
Guided tours last about an hour and take you right onto the factory floor. Skilled rollers, called torcedores, shape cigars by hand on antique wooden tables.
You’ll learn the full process, from leaf to finished product. Even if you never plan to light one, the craft is fascinating to watch.
The building also holds a three-level museum with century-old tools and interactive exhibits. Self-guided museum visits are an option if you’d rather wander at your own pace.
Want to try your own hands at it? Cigar-rolling classes are offered, and they make a memorable story for the ride home.
Planning ahead is important here. The factory generally welcomes visitors on weekdays and has also offered public access on the first Saturday of each month.
Check the official schedule before visiting in 2027, since weekend availability and tour times may change.
Ybor City itself is worth some extra time once the tour wraps up. The historic district grew up around cigar factories, so this stop fits the neighborhood story perfectly.
A factory store sits on site too. It’s a handy spot to grab a gift for the cigar fan in your life.
Address: 2701 N 16th St, Tampa, FL 33605
4. Saint Augustine Distillery
Ice used to be the main product in this building, and that’s a pretty cool origin story. The Saint Augustine Distillery now operates inside a restored ice plant dating to around 1907.
That history makes the visit feel like two tours in one. You get a peek at a working production floor plus a building with more than a century of stories.
Tours here are free, which is music to any road tripper’s ears. The self-guided experience lets you explore the distillery at your own pace while learning how the production process works.
Seeing the old ice plant put back to work is half the fun. Florida doesn’t keep many industrial buildings this old, so the setting alone earns a stop.
Free self-guided tours are available daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., while the retail shop stays open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. That gives visitors plenty of flexibility to explore the historic building and browse the shop afterward.
Want a smaller group feel? Aim for a weekday morning and you’ll likely have more room to ask questions.
The location on Riberia Street sits close to the historic downtown. That makes it easy to pair with a stroll through the old city streets.
Speaking of pairing, the chocolate stop at number seven on this list is in the same town. Two factory tours in one day sounds like smart planning to me.
Free parking nearby helps too, which is a small win in a busy tourist town. Paid lots are also around if the free spots fill up.
Address: 112 Riberia St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
5. Sweet Pete’s Candy
A 22,000-square-foot historic mansion full of candy sounds like a kid’s dream, yet it’s a real Jacksonville address. Sweet Pete’s Candy fills three stories with sweets, a restaurant, and an ice cream parlor.
Handcrafted chocolates are made right on site in a working factory. A balcony overlooks the production area, so you can watch the action from above.
Guided tours of the candy mansion explain how favorite treats get made. Guests also leave with a custom chocolate bar, which beats a paper souvenir map any day.
Candy-making and chocolate-making classes are where things get hands-on. They work well for school groups, and grown-ups get just as much out of them.
Over a thousand kinds of candy fill three large retail areas. Letting kids fill their own candy box is a classic move here, so set a budget before you go in.
Lunch is easy to fit in thanks to the cafe and full restaurant. Then you can finish with a scoop from the ice cream counter.
USA Today once ranked it the third-best candy shop in the country. That’s a big shout for a spot in downtown Jacksonville.
Check the calendar before you go, because the shop is closed on Mondays. Thursday through Saturday it stays open until 8:30 p.m., which works for an evening stop.
Saturday afternoons draw the biggest crowds. Weekday mornings tend to be calmer for families with little ones.
It’s a strong pick for a rainy Florida day too. The fun happens indoors, so a passing storm won’t wreck your plans.
Address: 400 N Hogan St, Jacksonville, FL 32202
6. Wicked Dolphin Distillery
Florida sugarcane fields sit just miles from this Cape Coral operation, and that’s no accident. Wicked Dolphin Distillery started in 2012 with a simple goal of making a true Florida product.
The company uses 100% Florida sugar and local ingredients. Production happens in small batches, which means slow and careful work.
The showpiece is an American copper pot still, the largest in South Florida. Seeing that big, shiny piece of equipment up close is worth the drive by itself.
Tours are fun and packed with information about how the process works. You’ll hear about the journey from Florida sugar to finished product in plain, easy terms.
Hours run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Sundays are closed, so plan accordingly.
Cape Coral makes a great base for a full day out. The city is known for its canals, so you can pair the tour with time near the water.
A gender-neutral restroom is on site, a small but thoughtful touch. Little details like that make a stop easier for groups of all kinds.
Gulf Coast road trippers will find it a nice change from beaches and shopping. Learning how a local product starts in nearby fields adds real flavor to a Southwest Florida visit.
The name alone deserves a smile. Who wouldn’t want a photo outside a place called Wicked Dolphin before heading inside?
Address: 131 SW 3rd Pl, Cape Coral, FL 33991
7. Whetstone Chocolates Store And Tasting Tour
Key lime chocolate exists, and you can taste it in St. Augustine. Whetstone Chocolates has made sweets in this city since 1967.
The family behind it opened an ice cream store in 1966, then branched into homemade fudge. Chocolate came next, and the family-run business has kept going ever since.
The Original Chocolate Tour runs at the King Street factory store. You’ll learn about chocolate’s history and how the confections get made.
A four-tiered tasting is the star of the show. It helps you tell dark, milk, and white chocolate apart, plus cocoa nibs.
Along the way, you can watch the inner workings of the factory. The tour gives you a fresh respect for how much careful work goes into each piece.
Guides keep things light and funny, so it never feels like a lecture. It plays more like a show than a class.
The store afterward stocks a wide range of chocolates, plus ice cream, drinks, and cakes. Pace yourself during the tasting so you still have room.
Hours run 9:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day of the week. Saturday afternoons get busiest, while weekday mornings are calmer.
Want more chocolate action? Another Whetstone store on St. George Street has a viewing area where you can watch chocolatiers work.
It’s an easy add to a walking day through the historic streets. A box of local chocolate also makes a much tastier souvenir than a magnet.
Address: 139 King St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
8. Key West Legal Rum
History has a sense of humor at this Key West stop. The distillery operates on the site of a former saloon, right in the island’s old town.
Key West Legal Rum offers tours that explain how the production works on site. It’s a fun, quick activity that fits nicely between beach time and sunset plans.
The name hints at a playful nod to the island’s past. Key West has a long, colorful history, and this spot leans into that local flair.
Doors open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. That schedule gives you plenty of room to sleep in after a late night on the island.
Friday and Saturday afternoons are the busiest times. Weekday mornings right after opening tend to feel calmer.
The distillery sits on Simonton Street, an easy walk from much of downtown. Walking or biking there is simple if you’re staying nearby.
Parking is paid in this area, so a stroll may be the smarter move. Key West parking can test anyone’s patience.
A gender-neutral restroom is available on site. The space also welcomes LGBTQ+ visitors, matching the island’s open, friendly spirit.
For a day trip down the Overseas Highway, this makes a nice cultural stop. You get a bit of island history plus a peek at a working production space.
Not many Florida road trips end with a factory tour this close to Cuba. That alone makes for a fun bragging point back home.
Address: 105 Simonton St, Key West, FL 33040
9. Funky Buddha Brewery
Candied bacon and yucca tots on one menu? This Oakland Park brewery clearly knows how to make a tour day tasty.
Funky Buddha Brewery is a large production facility on NE 38th Street in Oakland Park. Public brewery tours are currently offered on Saturdays at 4, 5, and 6 p.m., so plan your visit around one of those scheduled times.
The tour gives you a look at how a big operation works from the inside. Seeing large-scale equipment up close is a treat for anyone who likes knowing how things get made.
Afterward, the kitchen menu does the heavy lifting. Bison sliders, a double smash burger, and Funky Wings are all on the lineup.
Lighter appetites have options too. The Greek chicken fold and eggplant fries are good picks, and the yucca tots are vegan.
A Cuban sandwich rounds things out with a classic South Florida flavor. Few foods say Florida road trip quite like that one.
Games are part of the no-frills setup, so groups can stick around after the tour. Bring a competitive friend and settle some old scores.
Evening hours stretch late, especially on Fridays and Saturdays. Wednesday and Saturday evenings draw the biggest crowds.
If you’re planning to take a brewery tour, keep the Saturday afternoon schedule in mind. Arriving a little early gives you time to settle in before your scheduled visit.
Weekend visitors should check tour times before heading out. Arriving early gives you time to explore before you grab a table for a meal.
Free parking is available, which helps in a busy area. It’s an easy add-on to a beach day along the coast.
Address: 1201 NE 38th St, Oakland Park, FL 33334