The Ben & Jerry’s factory sits at 1281 Waterbury-Stowe Road, right off I-89 Exit 10 in Waterbury, and it’s one of the few roadside stops in Vermont where the experience matches the sign on the highway.
What the Tour Is
The guided factory tour runs about 30 minutes and covers the full production process: how whole milk arrives from Vermont dairy farms, how it gets pasteurized and mixed, and how finished pints are filled, frozen, and stacked on pallets. You watch from an enclosed observation deck above the production floor while a guide narrates the steps. On days when the line is running, which typically means weekday production shifts, you’ll see pints moving. The whole thing is more engaging than most factory tours because the scale is visible: the machinery is right below you, not behind distant glass.
At the end of the tour, you receive a sample of a single current flavor. The sample flavor rotates and isn’t always announced in advance, so you find out when you get there. Outside the main production building, the Flavor Graveyard is a small hilltop cemetery with wooden headstones marking every retired ice cream flavor, name, years it was produced, and cause of death (usually something like “peacefully” or “due to lack of sales”). Past residents include White Russian, Wavy Gravy, and Economic Crunch. It’s genuinely worth spending 15 minutes reading the stones. The full visit, including the tour, Flavor Graveyard, gift shop, and a stop at the Scoop Shop out front for a second serving, takes about 60 to 90 minutes total. For a deeper look at the town itself and what else to do nearby, the Ben & Jerry’s and Waterbury page covers the whole Waterbury food corridor.
Tickets, Hours, and What to Know Before You Go
No advance booking is required. Tickets are sold at the factory on the day of your visit: an estimated $4–6 per adult, roughly $3–4 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for kids under 3. (Prices are estimates; check the current rate at benjerry.com before visiting.) The factory typically opens at 10 a.m. daily, with the last tour of the day departing around 5 or 6 p.m. In peak summer, from late June through Labor Day, the Scoop Shop often stays open until 7 p.m. or later. Winter hours, from November through April, can be reduced, and tour frequency may drop. The factory closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
The single most practical scheduling tip: arrive before 11 a.m. or after 3 p.m. The 11-to-3 window on summer weekends and foliage weekends in late September and early October regularly produces 30- to 45-minute waits before you even buy a ticket. Weekday mornings are the most reliable option if you want to walk up and go directly into a tour. If your schedule puts you there at peak time, the Scoop Shop is a good place to wait out the line, the rotating flavors and the outdoor picnic tables make it a comfortable hold. For context on the broader Vermont travel calendar, including which months are busiest across the state, the Best Time to Visit Vermont page lays out the full picture.
What You’ll See on the Production Floor
The tour starts with a short film about Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield’s origin story: the $5 correspondence course in ice cream making they took from Penn State in the late 1970s, and the renovated Burlington gas station on St. Paul Street where they opened their first scoop shop in 1978. Then you head upstairs to the observation deck. Guides explain each stage of production, mixing, pasteurization, flavor addition, hardening, packaging, while pointing out what’s happening below. The factory processes Vermont-sourced dairy, and the connection to local farms is a recurring theme in the narration.
On production days, which typically run Monday through Friday and occasionally Saturday morning, the line is active and the tour feels immediate. On off days, the narration is the same but the floor is quieter. If seeing a full production run matters to you, a weekday visit is the right call. Either way, the tour is the same length and the free sample and Flavor Graveyard are always part of the experience.
Practical Tips for Your Visit
A light jacket is useful if you plan to spend time at the Flavor Graveyard. The hilltop is exposed, and even on warm summer days in Waterbury, the breeze at elevation makes it cooler than the parking lot. The gift shop sells factory-exclusive flavors and limited-edition merchandise, but pint prices are comparable to a grocery store, so the draw is the items you can’t get elsewhere rather than stocking up. The Scoop Shop next to the main building is a separate paid stop from the tour sample, the tour gets you one flavor, but the Scoop Shop charges per scoop if you want to try something different or get a sundae.
If you’re visiting with young children, the whole facility is stroller-accessible and flat, and the tour’s 30-minute length is a reasonable ask for kids. Families traveling through Vermont with kids of various ages will find Waterbury a natural midday stop between Burlington and Stowe. The Vermont with kids guide covers other family-friendly stops across the state, from Smugglers Notch to Quechee Gorge.
What Else to Do in Waterbury While You’re There
The Ben & Jerry’s factory is a half-mile north of Waterbury village on Route 100, and the village itself is worth the short drive. Prohibition Pig at 23 South Main Street in Waterbury does serious barbecue, brisket, smoked ribs, pulled pork, with duck fat fries and a solid craft beer list. It’s one of the better lunch or dinner stops between Burlington and Stowe, and the kitchen takes the smoking process seriously. Lines form on busy summer weekends, so arriving before noon or after 2 p.m. helps.
Heading north on Route 100 from Waterbury toward Stowe, you’ll pass Cold Hollow Cider Mill, which presses fresh apple cider on-site from late summer through fall and sells it by the glass or jug. The fresh-pressed cider donuts are a Vermont institution, made to order, warm, and covered in cinnamon sugar. The mill is about 3 miles north of the Ben & Jerry’s factory. Continue another 7 miles and you’re in Stowe village, where The Alchemist Brewery at 100 Cottage Club Road produces Heady Topper and a rotating lineup of IPAs distributed only in Vermont. If you’re building a day around the food-and-drink corridor, the sequence is natural: Ben & Jerry’s, then Cold Hollow, then Stowe and The Alchemist. That whole route takes about 3 to 4 hours at a relaxed pace. For a broader look at Vermont’s craft brewing scene before you go, the best Vermont breweries to visit post maps out the top options statewide.
If you’re staying overnight in the area, the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Waterbury Stowe at 1017 Waterbury-Stowe Road sits directly on the Route 100 corridor between Waterbury and Stowe, which puts you within 10 minutes of both the factory and the Stowe Mountain Resort access road. The Best Western Plus Waterbury - Stowe at 45 Blush Hill Road is another practical option close to the I-89 interchange. Both are straightforward mid-range properties without the premium pricing of Stowe’s ski-resort hotels.
Getting to the Ben & Jerry’s Factory
The factory address is 1281 Waterbury-Stowe Road, Waterbury, VT 05676. From Burlington (about 30 minutes northwest via I-89 South), take Exit 10 and follow Route 100 North for roughly one mile, the factory is well-signed and visible from the road. From Stowe, head south on Route 100 for approximately 10 miles. Burlington International Airport (BTV) is the nearest commercial airport, a 30-minute drive under normal conditions. There is no meaningful public transit connection to Waterbury, so a rental car or personal vehicle is effectively required. Parking at the factory is free and ample. The Vermont Travel Guide has logistics, regional maps, and planning resources if you’re building a longer itinerary around the state.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to book Ben & Jerry’s factory tours in advance?
No advance reservation is required. Tours run on a walk-up, first-come basis, and you buy tickets at the factory on the day of your visit. During peak summer weekends and fall foliage season, expect a 30- to 45-minute wait if you arrive between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Arriving before 11 a.m. on a weekday is the most reliable way to get a short or no wait.
Can you tour Ben & Jerry’s when the factory isn’t in production?
Yes. The guided tour runs every day regardless of whether the production line is active. The narration and film are the same, and the Flavor Graveyard, gift shop, and Scoop Shop are all open during regular hours. If watching a live production run matters to you, weekday visits give you the best odds. You can call the factory at (866) BJ-TOURS to ask about the production schedule for a specific date.
How long should you budget for a visit to Ben & Jerry’s?
The tour itself is about 30 minutes. Add 15 minutes for the Flavor Graveyard, 15 to 30 minutes in the gift shop, and however long you want at the Scoop Shop. A complete visit is typically 60 to 90 minutes. If you’re combining it with a stop at Cold Hollow Cider Mill (3 miles north on Route 100) and a pass through Stowe village, plan on a half-day for the full corridor.
Is Ben & Jerry’s a good stop for families with young children?
It’s one of the more kid-friendly factory tours in New England. The 30-minute length is manageable, the free sample at the end is a reliable crowd-pleaser, and children under 3 get in free. The facility is flat and stroller-accessible. The Flavor Graveyard is funny to read aloud with older kids. The main challenge is the wait time on busy days, so arriving early or late in the afternoon helps if you’re traveling with restless toddlers.
