How to plan a visit to the Jelly Belly Factory

We have a hidden treasure in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin that some people who are traveling through the area may not know about. It’s the Jelly Belly Factory Tour! My kids love to take out of town visitors on the Jelly Belly Factory Tour because it means free candy and fun for them. Some schools and homeschool groups even go on the Jelly Belly Factory Tour as a field trip, since they have a video explaining the process of making jelly beans!

The Jelly Belly Factory is located in SE Wisconsin, just about a mile East of I-94 off of the 165 Exit. The actual address is 10100 Jelly Belly Lane, Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158. It is not too far from the Chicago or Milwaukee area, and it is actually educational as well as fun! Even better it’s free, and you get free candy at the end! My kids love it, and most people in the area take their family and friends to Jelly Belly when they visit. If you are ever traveling through the area, it makes a nice, quick little stop. It’s open all year round, except for major holidays, and I’ll post the hours they are open below.

Free Train Tours are 9-4 daily, except for New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Jelly Belly Store is open 9-5 daily.
*No reservations are required. It is wheelchair and stroller accessible.
Check JellyBelly.com for more information.

Jelly Belly also has a store here that has a big variety of the candy they make, and you can taste free samples there as well! They often have items on clearance throughout the year, and the products they discount changes with the seasons. You can always buy bags of their Belly Flops on sale. We love these because they taste just as good as the normal Jelly Bellys, but for some reason, they don’t meet Jelly Belly’s standard for appearance. The Belly Flops may have 2 Jelly Beans stuck together, but in my book that’s considered a win! I love Jelly Bellys so much that we had them at our wedding on the table as favors. We got married around Easter, so it worked out perfectly. However, Jelly Bellys are delicious any time of the year. An interesting fact that you might not know is that President Reagan had Jelly Bellys on his desk when he was President. He even kept them in Air Force One. It’s said that he start eating them to help him quit smoking. I think this is what made Jelly Belly’s famous. They have a portrait of Ronald Reagan and other famous people on the tour made out of Jelly Bellys. I’m not trying to give it this article a political slant. Ronald Reagan is just the first President I remember as a child, and it’s a fun fact they tell at Jelly Belly. Now onto the train tour information!

When you get to the Jelly Belly Visitor’s Center in Pleasant Prairie, you start by waiting in line at the Jelly Belly Station. The line goes fast, as they take many people on the train at the same time. They have a movie of Ant Bully playing while waiting in line, since Jelly Belly’s are featured in that movie, and it makes the wait go fast. When it’s your turn, they will give you a paper Jelly Belly hat that must be worn during the tour, and they lead you upstairs. There is an elevator for those who can’t take stairs or for mothers with a stroller. Once upstairs they have interactive games and displays for people to interact with and learn more about Jelly Bellys. They have smell stations and a Bean Blitz virtual soccer game, as well as wall displays and videos.

After the stop at the Jelly Belly Station, guests can board the train for a 25-minute tour through the Jelly Belly Warehouse. On the tour, you will see how they make Jelly Bellys through a 4K/HD video. They also have equipment on display during the tour, as well as art and fashion made out of Jelly Belly products. They don’t allow photos to be taken once the tour starts, so I don’t have specific pictures of that, but as you can see from my other pictures, there is lots of candy and lots of fun! The tour ends with a free sample of Jelly Bellys, and you’ll end up exiting through the gift shop. I think the sample is a generous size. My kids and relatives love to go on the Jelly Belly Factory Tour at least once a year.

There is a variety of candy and Jelly Belly themed products you can purchase in the gift shop, and there are samples of fudge and Jelly Beans you can try. There is also a cafe with snacks in the store area. If you have a family member with food allergies like I do, It’s better to stick to the packaged candy that has ingredients listed on it than to try the samples. They have samples of fudge, that contain milk and some of the fudge flavors have nuts. My boys have a gluten and egg allergy and can have most Jelly Belly bean flavors. Always ask an employee if you are unsure and be sure to check the ingredients listed on the package for your specific allergen. It’s better to be safe than sorry. The Jelly Belly packages are marked as Gluten Free and made in a facility without peanuts.

If you don’t live near a Jelly Belly Factory, you can find Jelly Bellys at most grocery stores, and you can also buy here on Amazon and get them shipped free with Amazon Prime!