Hilmar Cheese Factory

Aptly on scale with the industrial agriculture of the valley, this is the largest cheese-manufacturing site in the world, processing a million pounds of cheese daily. The product isn't gourmet (most are simple varieties of cheddar or jack), but the stars of the expansive visitor center are the 'squeakers,' young curds of cheese that have a squeaky texture as you chew them. A robotic cheese-making exhibit led by the animated Jersey cow, Daisy, is a thrill for the kids.