Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Botanical Cactus Gardens

For an all-out chocolate experience, visitors must check out the Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Botanical Cactus Gardens, which also includes an Ethel’s lounge.

Located in Henderson, Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Gardens is quite the adventure. Only 15 minutes away from the Strip, it attracts more than 700,000 tourists a year. Guests get to see chocolates being made, sample gourmet treats and meander through the maze of paths at the Botanical Cactus Gardens at no charge.

“Our chocolate factory and cactus garden provides a non-traditional tourist attraction for visitors to Las Vegas, a good alternative to the standard Las Vegas Strip,” said John Haugh, president of Mars Retail Group.

Picking up a piece of chocolate and popping it in your mouth only takes a second. Preparing the filling, texture and shape of it takes a lot longer. At the Ethel M Chocolate Factory, visitors witness the time and effort it takes to create that perfect morsel.

In fact, this factory has a series of pipes, conveyer belts and tanks that hold 20,000 and 35,000 gallons of chocolate.

“When we are refilling the tanks, we have to latch associates into belts to ensure that they don’t fall into the tanks of chocolate,” Haugh said.

Carol Chng, a visitor from Singapore, has never seen anything like this.

“It’s really interesting to see the process of chocolate,” Chng said. “And they are generous about free tasting.”

After exiting the factory, guests are free to roam around the Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge and sample chocolate. Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge offers eclectic, gourmet chocolate in a trendy, chic atmosphere. Featuring vibrant colored walls, dim lights and contemporary furnishings, Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge is the ideal place to escape the heat, relax and chat with friends while feeding that chocolate craving. In addition to its diverse chocolate collection, gourmet apples, warm fondues and chilled beverages are also available.

In the summer, don't worry about the sweltering Las Vegas heat. The chocolate factory provides miniature cooler packs to keep purchased goodies from melting.

And you don’t have to feel guilty about eating all those little chocolate bites – you can walk off the calories at the Botanical Cactus Garden. The cactus garden boasts three acres of more than 300 different kinds of plants, including Teddy Bear Cholla, Texas Prickly Pear, Spotted Aloe and other cacti that most people never knew existed.

“I’ve never really seen a garden full of cactus before,” Chng said.

So how did these two different kinds of attractions come together?

“Forrest Mars was passionate about both chocolate and gardening, including cacti,” said Haugh. “The opening of both the factory and the botanical garden was a natural extension of those two passions.”

The cactus garden features a breathtaking display of Christmas lights during the holiday season. Guests can also see caroling, dancing and visits from Santa.

-- Review by Jeannie Borbe