Ethel M Chocolates Factory, Cactus Garden and Chocolate Tasting Experience

food

Duration
Tasting 30-45 minutes; the factory viewing aisle and garden are self-paced
Price
Factory viewing and Cactus Garden free; Chocolate Tasting $25 per adult; Chocolate & Wine $35 (21+)
Departs from
Ethel M Chocolates Flagship, 2 Cactus Garden Dr, Henderson, NV 89014 (self-arrive)
Age policy
Tasting: children under 6 are discouraged; under-13s must be with an adult who has a tasting ticket. Wine pairing is 21+.

About

Ethel M Chocolates has made chocolate since 1981. Its flagship store and factory in Henderson, southeast of the Strip, combine a gift shop, a cafe, a factory viewing aisle and a botanical cactus garden. The store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The factory tour is self-guided. You look into the production floor through windows along a viewing aisle while staff make small-batch chocolates. Ethel M says production runs Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the aisle is open whenever the store is.

The Botanical Cactus Garden covers 3 acres and holds more than 300 species of desert plants, from Southwest cacti and succulents to trees and shrubs from Australia and South America. Ethel M calls it Nevada's largest cactus garden. Entry is free most of the year.

What to expect

Most visitors walk the cactus garden paths first, then enter the flagship store to look into the factory. Ethel M says the viewing aisle is open whenever the store is, but production may not be running outside weekday hours. The Cactus Garden Cafe inside sells milkshakes, hot chocolate and chocolate-dipped treats.

The ticketed tasting is hosted daily by the store team and lasts 30 to 45 minutes. It covers how chocolate is sourced, refined and made, and how to pick out flavor notes. The current signature menu pairs four chocolates with wines. Guests get an honorary chocolatier certificate and 15% off regular-priced items bought that day.

Good to know

  • The factory viewing aisle and cactus garden are free. The garden charges an entry fee during the holiday and Valentine's Day light displays, with part of it going to local charities.
  • Everyone attending a tasting must buy a ticket. Groups of more than 10 get 10% off tasting prices.
  • Bring ID for the $35 Chocolate & Wine pairing, which is for guests 21 and over.
  • Production runs Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. On weekends and outside those hours you may not see chocolate being made.
  • Holiday lights begin in early November, with more than a million lights across the garden, per Ethel M.
  • Seasonal tastings change. In fall 2026 the store also lists a Flavors of Fall tasting and a Chocolate & Beer tasting.

Questions about Ethel M Chocolates Factory, Cactus Garden and Chocolate Tasting Experience

Is the Ethel M factory tour free?

Yes. The factory tour is a free, self-guided walk along a viewing aisle inside the Henderson flagship store, open whenever the store is open, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. You look through windows at the production floor. Ethel M says production runs Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., so visit on a weekday in that window to see chocolate being made.

How much does the Ethel M chocolate tasting cost?

Ethel M's booking page lists the signature Chocolate Tasting at $25 for adults 20 and over, $20 for students 13 to 19, and $15 for children 6 to 12. The Chocolate & Wine pairing is $35 and is for guests 21 and over. Groups of more than 10 receive 10% off, and non-profit pricing is available by phone at 1-800-438-4356.

How long is the Ethel M tasting?

Each tasting lasts 30 to 45 minutes, according to Ethel M's booking page. It includes a short lesson on how chocolate is sourced, refined and produced, plus tips on tasting and identifying flavors. Afterward you receive an honorary chocolatier certificate and 15% off regular-priced items in the gift shop, valid for purchases made the same day.

Does the cactus garden cost anything?

Not most of the year. Ethel M says the 3-acre Botanical Cactus Garden is free and open to the public. During the holiday light display, which starts in early November, and the Lights of Love display around Valentine's Day, the garden charges an entry fee. Part of those fees goes to local charities.

Where is Ethel M Chocolates and when is it open?

The flagship store, factory and cactus garden are at 2 Cactus Garden Dr, Henderson, NV 89014, a drive southeast of the Strip. They are open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The store's phone number is 702-435-2608. Tastings are booked online through Ethel M's reservation system or by calling the store.

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