Fun Factory Tours in the Midwest USA : Food, Machines, Motorcycles & more!
After exploring factory tours in the South and North of America, I was super excited to check out what the Midwest had to offer. And wow, I wasn’t disappointed! The Midwest is like the heart of American manufacturing, and there are so many cool places to visit.
From huge tractors to famous motorcycles, from beer brewing to food history, I found and visited some really amazing spots. Some places surprised me, and others were exactly what I expected. Let me share my adventure of the factory tours in the midwest USA.
John Deere
I visited two John Deere places, and both were pretty awesome if you like big machines.
John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois
John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois was my first stop. This place is huge! They have massive tractors and farming equipment that you can actually climb on and explore. I saw young kids getting so excited about the giant vehicles – their faces were priceless! Even if you’re not into farming, these machines are seriously impressive.
John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum in Waterloo, Iowa was my second John Deere experience. I didn’t expect much at first, but it turned out to be quite fun. The museum shows the history of John Deere and has so many old tractors and engines. It’s cool to see how farming equipment changed over the years.
Caterpillar Visitors Center in Peoria, Illinois
Caterpillar Visitors Center in Peoria, Illinois was another surprise. The heavy machinery here is just incredible! These are the machines that build roads and construction sites.
We have many heavy machines in Japan too, but the American ones are much bigger than what we use in our country. I was amazed at how huge they are. If you like construction equipment, this place is perfect.
Harley-Davidson Museum: Even Non-Riders Will Love It
The Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was so cool! I don’t ride motorcycles, but I really wanted to see real Harley-Davidson bikes because we don’t get many chances to see them up close.
The museum was full of people wearing leather jackets – they looked so cool! The best part was that you can actually sit on some of the bikes and take photos. The exhibition was really interesting and taught me a lot about motorcycle culture in America.
Here’s the thing – even if you’re not interested in motorcycles, this place is still fun. The history and the bikes are just fascinating to look at.
2. Food and Drink Factory Tours
Budweiser Brewery Experience in St. Louis, Missouri - Midwest brewery tours
Budweiser Brewery Experience in St. Louis, Missouri was definitely one of my favorite stops! I joined their “Day Fresh Tour” and saw the whole beer-making process. It was so interesting to learn how they make beer.
But what really caught my attention were the beautiful houses inside the factory grounds. I think employees live there? They were so cute that I bought a tiny house model at the gift shop!
The best part was the beer tasting at the end. The beer was fruity and tasted amazing – much better than I expected. They also gave us a sample bottle to take home. This was both fun and educational tours in the Midwest. I totally recommend it!
The Original Pizza Hut Museum in Wichita, Kansas
The Original Pizza Hut Museum in Wichita, Kansas was a tiny museum on the Wichita State university campus, but it was so interesting!
Pizza Hut is famous in Japan too, so I was curious about its history. The museum is small, but you can learn so much about how Pizza Hut started. You can park at the university parking lot for free.
SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota
SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota was another fun food stop. SPAM is popular in Japan, so I was excited to visit. The museum interior is really cute, and they have the complete history of SPAM.
What made me happy was seeing an exhibition about Japanese food culture and how SPAM is used in Japan. And yes, I bought a cute little pig souvenir from the gift shop! This place is a family-friendly factory tours Midwest.
Wendy's First Restaurant Site in Columbus, Ohio
Wendy’s First Restaurant Site in Columbus, Ohio looks like a regular restaurant from outside, but inside they have some exhibition about Wendy’s history. We ate there too, and the food was fantastic! It’s cool to eat at the very first Wendy’s location.
Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago, Illinois
Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago, Illinois was beautiful but super crowded. We had to wait in a long line just to get inside! The cafe is gorgeous, and they have lots of souvenirs you can buy. But honestly, there were too many people for me to really enjoy it. If you don’t like crowds, maybe skip this one.
Jolly Green Giant Museum in Blue Earth, Minnesota
Jolly Green Giant Museum in Blue Earth, Minnesota was interesting. I visited and saw the huge green giant statue.(When we visited, the museum was closed. We just saw this statue and impressed.) But this place is really in the middle of nowhere. There’s nothing else around, so it might be difficult to visit unless you’re already driving through the area.
3. Quality Craftsmanship-Shoes
Red Wing Shoe Company Museum in Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing Shoe Company Museum in Red Wing, Minnesota was a place I discovered while planning my trip. I didn’t know about Red Wing shoes before, but I’m glad I visited! The main attraction is the world’s largest boot – you can see it from both the first and second floors. It’s pretty impressive!
Of course, you can also buy high-quality boots in the store. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s worth seeing this giant boot.
Factory Tour Quick Reference Guide
Click the facility name then you can go to the official HP.
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Facility
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Factory Tour
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Address
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Self-guided
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400 River Dr, Moline, IL
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Self-guided
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500 Westfield Ave, Waterloo, IA
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Self-guided
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110 S.W. Washington Street
Peoria, IL
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Self-guided
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400 West Canal Street, Milwaukee, WI
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Guided tour
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200 Lynch St St. Louis, MO
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Self-guided
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1845 Fairmount St.
Wichita, KS
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Self-guided
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101 3rd Avenue NE
Austin, MN
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Restaurant
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257 E Broad St Columbus, OH
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Cafe
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646 Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL
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Self-guided
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1134 Giant Drive Blue Earth, MN
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Self-guided
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315 Main St Red Wing, MN
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Final Thoughts
The Midwest factory tours were totally different from what I expected. Some places were more fun than others, but each one taught me something new about American industry and culture.
Whether you’re into heavy machinery, food history, or just want to see some unique American attractions, the Midwest has something for everyone. Just be ready for some long drives between locations – but that’s part of the adventure!
Have you visited any factory tours in the Midwest? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!
