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Travel Bird · 06-13-2012, 04:59 PM

Hi there, we are driving across the country and want to stop by Jackson Center for the tour (either on way back east or on the way home!!). I know that there is only one tour per day, M-F at 2pm and I know that I can't take photographs inside (this will just kill me). Is there anything else I need to know? Does anyone know how long the tour is? Thanks y'all!!!

masseyfarm · 06-13-2012, 05:13 PM

Be prepared to take home, Airstream jacket, Airstream Cap, Airstream Ball, Airstream "You name it" from the store. They have lots of good stuff there, not necessarily cheap, but you will buy it anyway.

Allow 2.5 hours for the experience.

Dave

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travel Bird

Hi there, we are driving across the country and want to stop by Jackson Center for the tour (either on way back east or on the way home!!). I know that there is only one tour per day, M-F at 2pm and I know that I can't take photographs inside (this will just kill me). Is there anything else I need to know? Does anyone know how long the tour is? Thanks y'all!!!

dznf0g · 06-13-2012, 05:16 PM

Have fun.

klattu · 06-13-2012, 05:18 PM

Take cash... leave your credit card far away

bwoodtx · 06-13-2012, 05:19 PM

Anna & Paul,

I am so jealous!!!! Enjoy the experience. Are you getting closer to your forever trailer? Cheers,

Bruce

Gene · 06-13-2012, 05:22 PM

Since you are still looking, this will give you some idea how they are made. The service center is behind the area where you wait for the tour and spend money on Airstream gadgets. They don't stop people from going into the shop as long as you stay out of the way and don't bother anyone.

Every once in a while someone posts photos of the tour. I expect they are using a cellphone camera.

It may last longer on Fridays. But we've done it twice and I'd love to have more time and go through everything in great detail. Every tour is a little different.

Don the Tour Guy has been doing this forever. If you ask him questions about corrosion or QC he is adept in avoiding the questions.

Gene

Silver Goose · 06-13-2012, 05:56 PM

We did a similar trip about 2 years ago. Got there late in the afternoon and parked in their full hookup terra port for $10/day as I remember. Seem to recall it was also the only RV park anywhere near so the convenience and price was a pleasant surprise. After a leisurely breakfast, we decided to check out the factory store. If you're on a tight budget don't go in there as you will certainly find too many things you suddenly must have! :-)

Unless something has changed, you get a comprehensive tour on Monday through Thursday but some things are only seen at a distance because it is an active production line and they can't let folks get between the workers and their work. We were told that if we came back on a Friday we could get a closer look at things as they weren't doing any actual assembly then. If you wanted to get a closer look at a trailer in various stages of the build, Friday might be better, but if you want to see how they do it, then the other days are best. Wear comfortable shoes as this is a walking tour and you cover a lot of territory.

Crazy Grace · 06-13-2012, 06:35 PM

We toured on a Friday afternoon last December. We were the only ones there and Don took us into every nook and cranny in the place and let us look inside all the trailers. He is a wealth of information and so great to talk to. Have a good time!

MrUKToad · 06-13-2012, 06:45 PM

See if you can locate the monkey that does the caulking and have him returned to the wild.....

Travel Bird · 08-15-2012, 11:42 AM

We toured the factory last month and it was a great experience being there. Too bad on the day of our tour, the Good Sam Club had a rally in town. There were about 50 of us on the tour and most owned SOB's. Don was a bit overwhelmed as he said he thought this was the biggest tour of AS history. So, we would like to go back on our next cross-country trip. Everyone should try to get there one day!! Hope everyone is having a great summer!!

Gene · 08-16-2012, 02:53 PM

The tour is never quite the same, so repeats can be good.

Gene

masseyfarm · 08-16-2012, 04:14 PM

That would be quit a crowd.

We did it in fall of 09 and their was one other couple on the tour with us.

Dave

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travel Bird

We toured the factory last month and it was a great experience being there. Too bad on the day of our tour, the Good Sam Club had a rally in town. There were about 50 of us on the tour and most owned SOB's. Don was a bit overwhelmed as he said he thought this was the biggest tour of AS history. So, we would like to go back on our next cross-country trip. Everyone should try to get there one day!! Hope everyone is having a great summer!!