This post is sponsored by Ethel M Chocolate Factory. All opinions are my own.
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Date night the Ethel M Chocolate Factory way
Do you like chocolate and wine?
I know— it’s kind of a dumb question, especially asking if you like chocolate.
And since the answer is obviously a “Yes,” you should follow my lead and head to Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden for a chocolate and wine tasting experience in Henderson, Nevada.
How far is Ethel M Chocolate Factory from The Strip?
Just minutes away! Only a 15-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip.
There’s wine tasting and free fun at Ethel M Chocolate Factory waiting for you!
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (1) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (1)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_4555-1440x1920.jpg)
Similar Free People dress | Free People long sleeve henley | Amazon red purse | similar Free People boots | Gucci belt | Betsey Johnson earrings | Julie Vos bracelet | similar Free People ring |
A date night to never forget!
Does Ethel M Chocolate Factory have free tours?
Yep! And The Mister and I went there first to check out the chocolate factory and make sure everything is A-OK for you!
I mean— somebody had to go first, so we raised our hands for the full experience— cactus farm and all!
Well, I’m happy to say it’s *ALL* good— and made with *all good* ingredients because Ethel M excludes artificial preservatives when crafting their chocolates!
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (4) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (4)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3909-1440x1920.jpg)
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Ethel M is the Mama of Mars Candy (you know, the family that brought you Snickers & M&M’s), so it’s only the best of ingredients when Mama’s in charge!
Plus, during our visit, we learned that chocolate’s pretty much a fruit. So when you pair it with wine, it’s a kind of a fruit salad win-win!
Las Vegas locals— Visit Ethel M Chocolates and Cactus Garden light-display for Valentine’swith a scheduled tasting experience just like me and my boo did!
Not a Las Vegas local (womp womp)? No worries, you can still order goodies from Ethel M Chocolates online. They got you!
12 fun facts about Ethel M Chocolate Factory
1. Ethel Mars was the mother of the Mars chocolate empire.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (7) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (7)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3904-2-1440x1920.jpg)
2. Snickers bars were named after the family horse, Snickers.
3. In 1978, Ethel’s son,Forrest Mars Sr. retired from the family business and moved to Las Vegas to pursue his passion for cactiand to grow a cactus garden.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (8) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (8)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_5048-1440x1920.jpg)
4.Eventually,Forrest Mars got bored of retirement and opened the premium Ethel M Chocolate Factory in 1981, paying homage to his mother.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (9) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (9)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_4022-1440x1920.jpg)
5. There are over a million and a half lights in the cactus garden when it’s lit up for the Christmas season or Valentine’s celebrations! Valentine’s at Ethel M Chocolate Factory Lights of Love, pictured above and below.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (10) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (10)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_4019-1440x1080.jpg)
6. Ethel M Chocolates are crafted in small batches at the Las Vegas chocolate factory and flagship store.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (11) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (11)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3864-1440x1080.jpg)
7. Each piece of candy is hand-packaged and boxed on site.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (12) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (12)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3867-2-1440x1920.jpg)
8. No two Ethel M Chocolates have the same stripes!
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (13) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (13)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AC8A3FA6-BE4E-4C0A-AA60-4409410320B1-1440x1440.jpg)
9. Their 3-ingredient peanut butter is made in-house.
10. As the luxury tier of the Mars family brand, these chocolates are free of artificial preservatives.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (14) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (14)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3854-1440x1080.jpg)
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (15) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (15)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3851-1440x1080.jpg)
11. The chocolate factory is open every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving.I can see this as a new holiday destination for our family— hello Valentine’s, Galentine’s, Easter and hot chocolate on Christmas Eve!
12. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning twice, chocolate comes from the chocolate cocoa pods— and that makes it a fruit!
Do this!
Take the tasting experience and tour and get 20% off your purchase at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory retail store.
And take a selfie at the in-store Chocolate Wall.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (19) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (19)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3842-2-1440x1920.jpg)
Don’t do this!
The Mister and I were so excited about the fantastic tour and tasting that we spent half an hour picking out the perfect chocolate presents for our moms— and forgot to bring home Ethel M Chocolates for ourselves!
We purchased for our moms the4-piece Smile Collection andThe Champagne & Cordials Premium Chocolate Collection.
What can you do for free in Las Vegas?
For more day trips from Las Vegas, free tours, things to do and travel guides, check out these posts:
1.
3.9 Day Trips From Las Vegas Worth The Drive
4.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (22) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (22)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3962-1440x1920.jpg)
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (23) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (23)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3958-1440x1920.jpg)
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (24) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (24)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3954-1440x1920.jpg)
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (25) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (25)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3857-1440x1080.jpg)
I highly recommend you schedule an Ethel M Chocolate Tasting Room Experience. It’s a sensory and flavor exploration like none other— duh, it’s Las Vegas, baby!
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (26) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (26)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3920-1440x1920.jpg)
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (27) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (27)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3933-1440x1920.jpg)
The best in chocolate paired with the best in wine
1.Berry filled chocolate + Prosecco.I recommend Ethel M Raspberry Satin Crème Milk Chocolate.
2.Peanut butter chocolate + Chardonnay.I recommend Ethel M Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (28) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (28)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3949-2-1440x1920.jpg)
3.Chocolate with caramel and nuts + Malbec.I recommend Ethel M Pecan Caramel Rapture Milk Chocolate.
4.Dark chocolate + Pinot Noir.I recommend Ethel M Dark Chocolate Lemon Satin Crème.
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (30) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (30)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/iiiuuy765dcc.jpg)
![Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (31) Date Night At Ethel M Chocolate Factory Las Vegas - Shaunda Necole (31)](https://i0.wp.com/shaundanecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hgyyttxs2.jpg)
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