Enjoy traveling here to visit and tour the plant. Also enjoy shopping at the gift shop! Highly recommend, especially for you Airstream lovers!
Before the tour a 55 year employee of airstream gives you a detailed history of the company. If you aren't wearing glasses, you pick up a pair of safety ones, along with ear plugs, and a pen before you head out the door to start the tour. No photos can be taken during the tour, except if they turn on the water in the area where they check the seals on the airstreams. You get really close to the whole manufacturing process in the factory and it is noisy, but really interesting. Wear sensible, closed toe shoes, this is a factory. When the tour is over, there is a bit of a hike back to the starting point, where you hand over your glasses, and peruse the gift shop. Sometimes they also offer cookies and hot chocolate in a little sitting area. This was fun and informative. My sons, who are both in college, enjoyed it. We came away wanting an airstream!
We took our 12 and 13 year olds on the tour. The guide first tells you the history of the company in a waiting area. Then he leads you through the factory. The tour takes 2 hours. You must wear closed shoes and they provide ear protection and goggles. The tour is free. It's extremely interesting. Even our children enjoyed the tour.
Although unable to take the free factory tour during this visit, we have been able to in the past. If you are in the area, it is well worth a look. We really enjoyed the tour, and would definitely do it again!
I admit to a bias. We purchased our first Airstream travel trailer a month ago and we are in the midst of our first long trip. Heading through Ohio we decided to stop at the factory where our trailer was born. This is a must stop for Airstreamers. The factory tour is excellent. Watching how each trailer is made by the skilled folks here in Jackson Center is quite an education. These are folks who take great pride and care in the manufacture of each unit they produce. This is also a great place to meet fellow Airstream owners. We spent two nights in the full service camp on the factory grounds and met nice fellow travelers ready and willing to help newbies like us better understand our trailers. The staff at Airstream could not be nicer or more accommodating. If you've been giving thought to "trailering" stop here at Airstream and chances are you'll be hooked.
For years, I've been wanting to make the 25 minute drive for the daily 2:00 pm tour at Airstream. It was a terrible disappointment. The docent (if he could be called that) and his microphone assistant were ineffective in both sound quality and presentation. There were also many safety concerns - did not count the number of guests, did not confirm appropriateness of footwear, walked us through areas of factory where tools and equipment could easily have caused injury to both guests and employees. I do not recommend this tour.
This is a must do even if you are not into camping or Airstreams! Interesting to see how these are made. We went on a Friday and most of the workers were already gone. Was still able to tour the factory but wanted to see the whole process in action. Would recommend going Monday-Thursday. Still, it did not disappoint!
We purchased a 1977 Airstream camper 3 years ago. This fall we had a chance to go through the factory tour in Jackson Center, Oh. Loved it. Great way to find out about the history of Airstream's and how they are made. Loved seeing their collection of the oldies but goodies. Its a great education for campers of all brands.
Took a day trip during spring break up from Northern Ky. The whole family enjoyed this tour! The tour guide is very knowledgeable and clearly has a love for Airstream even if he's a little long-winded. We were able to see sooooo much on this factory tour compared to other factories we've toured. So glad they let us take pics too. Our kids will remember this adventure for sure! They are 2, 7 and 9 and all three had a great time. The factory was loud so be sure to wear ear plugs (provided) and I recommend close toed shoes, unlike the open sandals I was wearing. The only bummer is that they don't give away airstreams to the tourists! But the free cookies and hot chocolate/ coffee was pretty great.
We were fortunate to have been the only ones to sign up for this week's tour of the factory. Don Ambos, who has been with Airstream for 55 years led our private tour and this gentleman is obviously a legend and fixture all of his own at the facility. Tours run every Friday at 2:00pm. Go to Airstream's website and make sure to let them know you're coming. It was really amazing to not only see the manufacturing process, but also to learn all the facts and figures of this legendary company. We are in the process of rebuilding and modernizing a '74 Excella and seeing the way the new models are put together was absolutely invaluable. We also learned that you can order pretty much any part you need, including legacy parts if available, through the factory if you're willing to come pick it up. We were able to take some more photos than maybe typically allowed since we were the only ones there with Don, and because it was nearing the end of the shift. Since doing the tour, I am even more proud to be an owner, and to be a part in supporting a truly American-made icon. Airstream has a full hookup area for travelers to use which also has a dump station. There's also a parking lot where owners can leave their trailers for the season and have it worked on if needed by the crew.