Love Easter candy? Visit five sweet spots where treats are made

If you love Easter candy, you should plan a trip to see where it’s made. Hershey’s welcomes about 4 million visitors a year who take a free tour at its flagship location in Pennsylvania.

The company makes Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, which a 2017 poll found to be America’s favorite Easter candy, followed by Easter M&M’s and Jelly Belly jelly beans. Here are five sweet spots to see.

1. England

British chocolatier Cadbury hatched its first cream-filled chocolate egg in 1923. The modern-day Cadbury Creme Egg, which has a sticky fondant filling, didn’t hit the market until 1971 — and it became an Eastertime hit.

Since then, Cadbury World has sprung up at the chocolate-maker’s plant in Bournville, near Birmingham. You can learn about the history of making Cadbury chocolate on a tour with interactive exhibits ($22 for adults, $16 for children 4 to 15) or indulge in a chocolate making class to savor the sweet stuff ($68 on May 27, and June 3 and 17).

Info: Cadbury World, Linden Road, Bournville

2. Fairfield, Calif.

Easter is Jelly Belly’s biggest holiday season. Step into the working jelly bean factory in Fairfield, about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, to watch the factory floor from an elevated walkway to see how jelly beans are made.

The daily tour is self-guided and free, as are samples. By the way, the most popular Jelly Belly flavors are Very Cherry, Buttered Popcorn and Licorice. Watch out: There’s a Jelly Belly candy store, cafe and fudge counter on site.

Info: Jelly Belly Candy Co., 1 Jelly Belly Lane, Fairfield; (800) 953-5592

3. Pennsylvania

Hershey’s, which has been around since 1894, used to give chocolate factory tours, but so many visitors turned out that the company switched to a “simulated tour” in 1973.

The result is Chocolate World, a free 20-minute exhibit that teaches you how cacao beans become chocolate and comes with a free sample (it’s not always a bar).

You can up your game with a Create Your Own Candy Bar workshop offered on selected dates between April 23 and May 24 ($19.95) or dip into a Chocolate Tasting Experience ($7.95 to $10.95).

Info: Hershey’s Chocolate World, 101 Chocolate World Way, Hershey; (717) 534-4900

4. Maryland and Pennsylvania

Peeps, those marshmallow chicks and rabbits in eye-popping colors, are made by a company in Bethlehem, Pa., called Just Born. It was named for Russian immigrant founder Sam Born.

Peeps doesn’t offer factory tours (neither do See’s Candies nor Russell Stover Chocolates) but there are two stand-alone shops if you want the full-on Peeps experience.

Other than marshmallow critters, you can buy Peeps luggage tags and key chains at stores in Center Valley, Pa., and and National Harbor in Maryland.

Info: Peeps & Co.

5. Nevada

The Ethel M Factory in Henderson is the real deal. You can walk down the “viewing aisle” to watch workers turning out fine chocolates filled with cremes, caramels and peanut butter as well as hand-made pecan brittle.

It’s named for Ethel Mars, mother of Forrest Mars, who created the famed Mars candy bar.

Self-guided tours are offered daily for free but timing is everything; don’t freak out if there’s a lull in the action at the time you visit.

You also can take a 30- to 45-minute tasting class with assorted chocolates (including liqueur-filled pieces) for a guaranteed chocolaty experience ($14.99 for adults, $12.99 for kids).

Info: Ethel M Chocolates, 2 Cactus Garden Drive, Henderson; (702) 435-2608

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