We took a trip to Bacardi Rum Factory to see the tour. I admit, the free drinks were also a draw for me! I have been on other sugarcane and rum tours on other islands and always enjoyed them. This was different, more of a tour about Bacardi that takes place at their factory, but not a factory tour. But it is generally entertaining.

Two things before we start:

• it is freezing inside the tour building - I was happy to have a sweater with me!
• bring the e-mail addresses of friends so you can send them a video e-card from the tour.

When you get to the Bacardi gate, just say you want to take the tour and the guard will give you a parking pass for your dashboard (it has rum drink recipes on the back!).

After you park, you walk into an open-air area — with the bar and chairs and tables set up. Stop at the desk to the left and the Bacardi greeter will give you tickets for the tour (in either English or Spanish) and 2 free drink tickets per person. The tours are every 20 minutes (alternating English and Spanish). So you may have time for a drink before the tour, but no drinks are allowed on the tour, so drink fast — or you can wait and have your drinks after the tour.

Our tour was called quickly, so we boarded the tram. The driver tells you a little about the company and a sculpture on the 1 minute drive to the tour building (we could have walked there!). You do not go into the actual factory - but a new tour building. You then experience an hour of a glitzy, informative, entertaining commercial for Bacardi.

They start with some history of sugarcane in the Caribbean and the origins of rum making. Then there is a nice movie about the Bacardi family history, and the Bacardi rum making process. I love the music in that movie!

Next you go into a reproduction of the original factory and the guide tells you how the rum was made and shows you how it is stored in burned oak barrels. Then you can look at all sorts of old Bacardi family memorabilia - pictures, original bottles, documents and a section to smell the types of rums.

Then you go into a "bar" where a bartender shows you how to make Mojito’s and a Cuba Libre. He also explains what Bacradi rums are available and how to use them. No samples here.

Then onto a neat section where they display all sorts of old Bacardi drink ads from magazines from the 1940’s to today - kind of cool! They also have computers available so you can send out a video e-card to friends at home. We made complete fools of ourselves and sent it out so everyone could get a chuckle!

Then you go back on the tram and a quick buzz past the actual factory where they tell you what is going on inside and then they whizz you back to the starting visitors center. Of course you get dropped off so you have to go through the gift shop. But the prices are better than in the supermarkets on the island, and they have all sorts of neat Bacardi clothes and accessories available. Also, some rums are available only at the gift shop or only here in the Carribean, so they make nice souviners.

The bartenders will make you all sorts of mixed rum drinks or let you try the rum straight. They usually seem not to be big sticklers to the 2 drink-ticket limit. When we ran out of tickets, they still made us more drinks. Kids can have soda or fruit juices (no ticket needed).

All in all the tour takes about an hour and then you chill out with your drinks for about another half hour, so it is a nice, free way to spend a half day. No pictures are allowed in most of the inside portion of the tour, but you can have your picture in front of Casa Bacardi!

Bacardi does not charge for the tour - it’s free! However, if you go with a tour operator, it will cost you anywhere from $25 - $40 per person. That is a rip and the tour isn’t worth that much.

The tours are available 7 days/week — Mon - Sat from 8:30 am - 6pm (last tour @ 4:30pm) and Sun 10am - 5pm (last tour @ 3:45pm). Open 357 days a year- closed only 3 Kings Day (1/6), Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Years Day

Allow 2 - 3 hours.

phone: 787-788-8400

website: www.casabacardi.org

Directions from San Juan - By car, get out of San Juan, go on Rt 18 until Highway 22 W, get off at the exit for Catano / Road 165. There is a little brown Bacardi sign. Take Road 165 until km 2.6 - follow the brown Bacardi signs. The Bacardi factory is visible on the right side just before the exit. You can also turn right at the light at Int 888 (it is in an industrial park area).

From Old San Juan - Take the ferry from Pier 2 to Catano, for $0.50 pp, each way. When you arrive in Catano, go to the right for a taxi to the factory for about $3.00 pp each way.

The drive from our house in Rio Grande takes about an hour and 15 minutes.