Walks Through Places of Industry

As the days lengthen and the weather gets warmer, the lure of the tour and curiosity about how things are made, grown, sold and shown make “industry walking tours” appealing. Here are some of the more unusual and usually free industry tours:

1 Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, 6100 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys: Located in a residential area, this water treatment plant provides an opportunity to learn about the treatment of sewage and how government works to reclaim and use water.

Docent-led tours, lasting about 1 1/2 hours, are offered Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9 and 10:15 a.m. Adults only. Call (818) 989-8166.

2 United States Post Office, 15701 Sherman Way, Van Nuys: This facility offers a one-hour tour tracing the route of the mail from the depository to the mail carrier. Sorting machinery is of special interest. Guided tours are given Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Call (818) 908-6625.

3 San Antonio Winery, 737 Lamar St., Los Angeles: A unique half-block-square winery offers a glimpse into automated bottling procedures. You’ll see the tanks, pumps, filling, corking, labeling and equipment used in the complex process of preparing wines and champagnes for market. Free guided tours are offered weekends, hourly from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Self-guided tours are available weekdays during the same hours. Call (213) 223-1401.

4 Goodwill Industries, 342 San Fernando Road, Los Angeles: Southern California’s largest employer and trainer of the disabled offers free tours demonstrating the path of a donation from the unloading dock to the resale area. Tours are scheduled Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. Call (213) 223-1211, Ext. 223.

5 Rockwell International, 12214 Lakewood Blvd., Downey: On the last Friday of each month (except November and December) from 7 to 9 p.m., the Downey facility hosts a Family Night. Offered are a film and speaker, the opportunity to see a mock-up of the Apollo XIV Command Module and a full-scale space station. Cameras are permitted. Admission is free and reservations are not required. The public may enter Gate 53, off Stewart and Gray roads. Call (213) 922-3507.

6 KCET, 4401 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles: This TV station offers a technical facilities guided tour lasting about 1 1/2 hours. Visitors can see how the station produces and controls the various aspects of television promotion. Offered only Tuesday and Thursday mornings by reservation, the tour is free for adults and children (sixth-grade age or older). Call (213) 667-9242.

7 International Guiding Eyes, Inc., 13445 Glenoaks Blvd., Sylmar: This facility, on 6 1/2 acres, trains dogs for service to the blind. The free tour provides insight into dog care, breeding, training and housing for dogs and humans. Call (818) 362-5834.

8 Merle Norman Cosmetics Classic Beauty Collection, 15180 Bledsoe St., Sylmar: Called a “treasure house of functional fine art,” this collection includes a Rolls-Royce room filled with autos from 1913 to the present. Also featured is one of the world’s largest assemblages of mechanical musical instruments, from small music boxes to the enormous pipe organ. The two-hour tours are free. Call (818) 367-2251.

9 Stewart Orchids, 1212 E. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel: Guided tours through the expansive nursery grounds are available only to groups of 25 or more, but self-guided walks are also informative. The growing area of about 48,000 square feet is one of three facilities (including a laboratory) devoted to the culture and study of most varieties of orchids--common and rare. Stewart offers printed information to orchid fanciers and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Call (818) 285-7195 or (213) 283-4590.

10 Vickman’s Restaurant and Bakery, 1228 E. 8th St., Los Angeles: Established in 1919 to serve the Grand Central Produce Market and the Flower Mart, this bakery and kitchen is open from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you come between 10 and 11 a.m., you can see how a no-frills busy kitchen and bakery are run. Call (213) 622-3852.