Did you ever want to know how chocolate candy is made, or how a farm works, or what it takes to make golf clubs? There are places around Phoenix where you or your group can take a behind-the-scenes tour of a company or manufacturing plant or a historical site. Some of them are even free!
Cerreta Candy Company Factory Tour
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Judy Hedding
Cerreta Candy Company offer a free tour of their Glendale facility and explains how they make their chocolates and candies. Reservations for individuals/families not required.
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick
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Judy Hedding
The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies play spring training baseball at this beautiful facility in Scottsdale, Arizona. For a small fee, you can take a behind-the-scenes tour and see how staff and players use the stadium so that we can enjoy the games on the field. Don't expect to see any ballplayers on this tour; it's all about the stadium.
Mystery Castle
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Judy Hedding
Mystery Castle in South Phoenix is neither a mystery nor is it a castle. It is actually someone's home, and she still lives there. It is unusual and has a colorful history, and so the owner gives tours in the non-summer months. There is a charge for the tour and reservations are required.
Wrigley Mansion Tour
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Judy Hedding
William Wrigley, Jr. made his fortune selling chewing gum during the Great Depression. He purchased The Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix and built a "little" vacation home for his wife, Ada nearby. The Wrigley Mansion offers guided tours of this unusual and historic property. There is a charge for the tour.
Shamrock Farms
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Judy Hedding
Shamrock Farms is a large, high tech dairy farm south of Phoenix in Stanfield. It's a bit of a drive, but it makes a nice day trip. There is a charge for the tour. Reservations required.
PING Golf
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Judy Hedding
West Phoenix is the location of the headquarters of PING Golf, otherwise known as Karsten Manufacturing. This tour is primarily for older children and adults who love golf. Reservations required. There is no charge for the tour.
Behind-the-Scenes at OdySea Aquarium
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Judy Hedding
If you want to see how the aquarium cares for all the animals on display at the aquarium, this is the tour for you. Learn about the systems that maintain all the tanks, the food and medication used for the sea creatures, and more.
Tovrea Castle
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TripSavvy / Jackson Vance
Seems like all our castles really aren't castles at all! This one, sitting high on a hill and looking like a wedding cake, was originally supposed to be a hotel but then became a private residence. The history of Tovrea Castle is quite interesting, and those who enjoy learning about the Phoenix from earlier in the 1900s will appreciate this guided tour.
Arizona Brewery Tours
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Judy Hedding
These brewery tours last up to five hours and include a designated driver, tour guide, beer tastings, food, and behind-the-scenes information about the craft brew industry in Arizona.
Queen Creek Olive Mill
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Judy Hedding
Tours of Queen Creek Olive Mill are offered during business hours in olive-pressing season. There is a charge for the tour. Reservations for individuals/families not required.
Mesa Arts Center
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Judy Hedding
This behind-the-scenes tour of the largest arts center in Mesa, Arizona is free. If you interested in the performing or visual arts and public art spaces, you'll appreciate this tour.
Scottsdale Trolley Tour
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Judy Hedding
You can take a free guided trolley tour of downtown Scottsdale, Arizona. The Scottsdale Trolley Tour introduces you to downtown Scottsdale districts, history and trivia.
University of Phoenix Stadium Tour
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franckreporter/Getty Images
The University of Phoenix Stadium is located in Glendale, Arizona. It is the home of the Arizona Cardinals football team. All year long, when there's no game going on, the stadium offers public tours of the facility. There is a charge for the tour, and tickets are required.
Sea Life Arizona
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Judy Hedding
Sea Life Arizona is an indoor aquarium located in Tempe, Arizona. You can certainly visit the attraction on your own, but you can also arrange to take a behind-the-scenes guided tour.
Orpheum Theatre
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Richard Cummins/Getty Images
The Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Phoenix is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was completed in 1929. You can take a docent-led tour of this venue, which is still operating today.
Superstition Farm
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Superstition Farm
At Superstition Farm in Mesa, you and your children can take a step into the world of dairy farming in the metro Phoenix area before all the family dairy farms make way for residential and commercial development. There is a charge for the tour. Reservations for individuals/families not required.
Chase Field
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PictureLake/Getty Images
The Arizona Diamondbacks play Major League Baseball at this state-of-the-art baseball stadium in Downtown Phoenix. There is a charge for the tour. Reservations required.
Culture Tour at Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa
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Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass
The Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa is the only Native American-owned luxury resort in Arizona and has a staff member who is designated the Cultural Concierge for the resort. The behind-the-scenes tour explains how every aspect of the resort was carefully designed to reflect the heritage and spirit of the area's native people, the Pima and Maricopa tribes.
Stuffington Bear Factory
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Ms. Phoenix/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Six days per week the folks at Stuffington Bear Factory allow people to tour the Phoenix facility for free to see how they make the stuffed animals. Reservations for individuals/families not required. Parking is free.
Arizona Department of Transportation Traffic Control Center
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Arizona Department of Transportation
Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) operates a Traffic Operations Center (TOC) in Phoenix. Reservations are required, but there is no charge for the tour.