Updated June 2008 

Looking for something different to do this summer? Go on a guided tour. The kids will get a glimpse of the inner workings of local businesses and see some pretty cool things -- and you'll enjoy letting someone else do all the talking for a change. Our region offers an array of tour options, from the rigorously educational to the just-for-fun. Here are some possibilities:

Boehm's Candies. Watch chocolates being dipped (yes, you do get a sample) on a 20-minute children's tour of the Issaquah factory. Kids must be 6 and older, and strollers aren't allowed. Tours run Mondays-Fridays, 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., between June and September, and reservations are required. Call 425-392-6652 or visit www.boehmscandies.com.

Boeing. Enter the enormous Everett plant and marvel at the spectacle of airplanes in mid-assembly on the only tour of its kind in North America. Kids must be at least four feet tall, babies aren't allowed, and reservations are a must during the summer months for the daily tours. Call 1-800-464-1476 or visit www.futureofflight.org.

Sunday Ice Cream Cruise. Capt. Larry Kezner pilots the MV Fremont Avenue around Lake Union, pointing out local color along the way, while guests enjoy ice cream treats and a kid- (and dog-) friendly atmosphere. Tours leave year-round from Fremont in Seattle, under the Aurora Bridge, and no reservations are necessary. Visit www.seattleferryservice.com for schedule and directions.

Outback Christmas Tree and Kangaroo Farm. A summer farm tour yields plenty of chances to get very close to wallabies and wallaroos (including joeys in their mothers' pouches) and a host of other exotic animals. The Arlington farm offers four tour times between March and October. Reservations aren't required, but they're recommended. For directions and reservations, visit www.christmastreesandroos.com or call 360-403-7474.

Pioneer Farm Museum and Ohop Indian Village . Kids can try their hand at chores pioneer children did -- milking, churning butter, scrubbing laundry -- and visit a 1880s homestead cabin on the one-and-a-half-hour tour of the Pioneer Farm. Visit the Ohop Indian Village for a glimpse into the seasonal activities of village residents, from shooting with a bow and arrow to chipping out a stone bowl. The farm offers daily tours between Father's Day and Labor Day, while the Indian village is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only during the same time period. Visit www.pioneerfarmmuseum.org or call 360-832-6300 for tour times and directions to the Eatonville location.

Capitol tours. Visit the state Legislative Building (the white-domed structure that houses the Legislature and the offices of the governor) for a guided tour of the workings of state government. The free daily tours set off hourly between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. from the foot of the rotunda steps on the north side of the building. Bring lunch and make plans to go on a self-guided tour of the campus grounds afterward. Go to www.ga.wa.gov/visitor/tour.htm for information about the building and grounds, plus self-guided tour information and a Washington state coloring book to download ("Teacher Information Packet"). If you're from outside the area, call the Visitor Center for other area activities, 360-586-3460.