No, we didn’t go on a tour of the state’s mountains and hiking trails…

We went on the best tours available in the state*: the Magic Hat Brewery and Ben and Jerry’s Factory tours!

As a former tour guide (when I was a Page I led more tours than I may care to admit), I tend to be sympathetic to the men and women who have to repeat the same stories and deal with tourists who think they’re clever as they make jokes you’ve heard dozens of times that day. But, I’m still usually one of *those* tourists anyway – I just can’t help it!

Anyway, both tours pretty much consisted of long videos and birds-eye views of the factory floors. The B+J video was funny, but the Magic Hat one was really preachy, all about how microbrews are All American, and Bud, Coors, and Michelob are huge evil corporations. And there was a lot of Twinkie bashing mixed in there, too, which I didn’t really think was relevant.

But either way, they both end with tastings of beer and ice cream (respectively), which is all that really matters!

*I assume the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory does NOT end with beer or ice cream samples.