Factory tours can be so exciting for kids, but the Bud’s Best Cookies Tour in Hoover, AL will get adults excited too.  As soon as you get out of your car the sugar cookie smell will literally drive you crazy.  It gets worse.  Your salivary glands will be put to the test as you wait for cookie samples straight out of the oven. (This will be about 10 minutes into the tour.)

First things first

You’ll need a reservation.  It’s easy however they book up quick. So plan on having to wait for an opening.  When it’s go time you’ll enter the welcome area where you’ll receive hair nets, beard nets etc and check in with the receptionist.

Then you’ll head to the train.  The train is super cute and is comfortable enough for adults.  The conductor is super nice — look for a painting on the wall featuring him.

The factory is mesmerizing.  You’ll head into the oven first.  It may be hot for some but it felt good to us on the morning we toured.

Listen for fun facts from the tour guide about how hot the oven can get.  Don’t miss the murals  on the wall above you and throughout the factory.

Tips:

1. Tell the children to pay attention to the tour guide and make sure you do as well then ask questions of the kids after you leave.   For instance: How hot does the oven get? How many employees? How many different types of cookies do they make.

2. They will receive a cup at the beginning of the tour – make sure they keep it clean. What goes in the cup? Free cookies!

3.  Tell them to wave to the factory workers — when we went the factory workers were very friendly and waved to the children at every stop.

4. Bud’s Best cookies ships cookies and products all over the world — make sure you tell your kids to listen to that part of the factory tour and tell them to be able to listen for certain countries or at least a few that they can repeat to you.

5. Robots — There are two packing robots — Lucy and Ethel — it’s a loud area but tell the kids to be sure and listen to the facts about these robots.  It’s extremely cool to see these robots in action.

6.  Appreciation of the American Worker — All of the people in the factory have an important role in making Bud’s Best.  This is a great opportunity to talk about team work, mutual respect and working hard.

7.  At the end – Bud’s Best in  their generosity do give out samples at the end. It’s not a free for all grab what you want – it’s a bag of cookies – which is a great way to end the tour + they did give the kids some coloring books.

Cost:

Free, reservations are required

Address/Reservations:

2070 Parkway Office Cir, Hoover, AL 35244
Phone: (205) 987-4840

Clothing:

Hair nets, provided

Review

Educational value and overall experience:

★★★★★

 

Here’s a breakdown of how I rate a location in terms of educational value:

★ – Very little educational value. No signage, museums, plaques, explanation of visual interests.

★★ – Some information is provided or readily available online.  It could also mean the item or location has a deep history worth researching however information is not provided at the scene.

★★★ – The location or attraction offers educational talking points, signs, displays but is low on quantity of information provided.

★★★★ – Great quality of information, worth stopping by and offers informative and educational experiences throughout the facility.

★★★★★ – A must see attraction or experience with an abundance of resources, educational scavenger hunts, worksheets or books.  Plaques, displays are interactive and thorough.

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