Every State’s Best Ice Cream Parlor For A Sweet Road Trip Stop
Nothing makes a road trip more memorable than a stop at a legendary ice cream parlor.
From small-town creameries to big-city scoops, every state has that one spot where locals line up for a taste of frozen perfection.
Whether you crave classic vanilla or wild flavor experiments, these 50 parlors serve up scoops worth the detour.
1. Milky Moo’s Deli & Creamery (Alabama)
Tucked away in Alabama’s countryside, Milky Moo’s serves farm-fresh scoops that taste like summer in a cone. Their homemade flavors rotate seasonally, so you might find peach cobbler one month and butter pecan the next.
Families flock here for generous portions and that down-home charm you can’t fake. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows your name and your favorite flavor.
2. Wild Scoops (Alaska)
Wild Scoops brings Alaskan adventure to every spoonful with flavors like wild berry and fireweed honey. Forget boring chocolate – this parlor celebrates the Last Frontier’s natural bounty in frozen form.
Located in Anchorage, it’s a must-stop after hiking or whale watching. Their creative combinations prove ice cream can be both gourmet and fun, with ingredients sourced from local producers whenever possible.
3. Churn (Arizona)
Phoenix heat demands serious ice cream, and Churn delivers with small-batch artisan scoops made daily. Their Thai tea and horchata flavors nod to the Southwest’s diverse food scene.
Each batch uses premium ingredients without fillers or shortcuts. The result? Silky texture and bold taste that makes you forget the triple-digit temperatures outside. Locals swear by their seasonal specials that change faster than Arizona weather.
4. Loblolly Creamery (Arkansas)
Little Rock’s Loblolly Creamery turns Southern ingredients into frozen magic with flavors like buttermilk pie and goat cheese with cherry. They’re not afraid to experiment, and that’s why people drive from across the state.
Using Arkansas dairy and local produce, every scoop tells a story. It’s ice cream with a conscience and creativity that keeps your taste buds guessing.
5. McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams (California)
California’s oldest creamery has been scooping since 1949, and McConnell’s still uses the same time-honored recipes. Their Eureka lemon and marionberry flavor is basically sunshine in a cup.
With locations across the Golden State, they’ve mastered the art of quality over quantity. Grass-fed dairy and zero stabilizers mean you’re tasting real ice cream, the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
6. Little Man Ice Cream (Colorado)
You can’t miss Little Man Ice Cream – it’s literally inside a giant milk can in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood. This quirky landmark serves creamy scoops with flavors that change weekly.
Salted Oreo and lavender honey are fan favorites, but the real draw is the vibe. With mountain views and a retro feel, it’s Instagram gold and taste bud heaven rolled into one sweet stop.
7. Ferris Acres Creamery (Connecticut)
Nothing beats farm-fresh ice cream, and Ferris Acres makes theirs with milk from their own herd. Located in Newtown, this family-run creamery offers over 100 flavors throughout the year.
Pumpkin pie in fall, peppermint stick in winter – they’ve got a flavor for every season. Kids love watching the cows graze while parents savor scoops that taste like childhood summers.
8. Woodside Farm Creamery (Delaware)
Delaware’s best-kept secret sits on a working dairy farm where cows outnumber customers most days. Woodside Farm Creamery churns out rich, dense ice cream that locals guard like treasure.
Their chocolate peanut butter cup is legendary, packed with chunks that make every bite an adventure. It’s a quick detour off Route 13 that’ll become your new road trip ritual.
9. Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlor (Florida)
Step into Jaxson’s and you’ve time-traveled to the 1950s, complete with tin ceiling tiles and servers in vintage uniforms. This Dania Beach institution has been slinging sundaes since 1956.
Their Kitchen Sink sundae requires a waiver – seriously. With 30 scoops and every topping imaginable, it’s a spectacle and a sugar rush. Bring your appetite and your camera for this Florida classic.
10. Leopold’s Ice Cream (Georgia)
Savannah’s Leopold’s has been a Southern sweetheart since 1919, serving handcrafted ice cream from secret family recipes. Their Tutti Frutti flavor is so famous it’s been featured in movies.
Original marble counters and vintage soda fountain equipment create an atmosphere money can’t buy. After touring historic squares, there’s no better reward than a scoop of honey almond and cream or lemon custard.
11. Lappert’s Hawaii (Hawaii)
Island flavors meet premium ice cream at Lappert’s, where macadamia nut and Kauai pie reign supreme. Born on Kauai, this Hawaiian treasure now has locations across the islands.
They use local ingredients like Kona coffee and liliko’i to create tastes you won’t find on the mainland. It’s the perfect cool-down after a day of snorkeling or volcano hiking in paradise.
12. Goody’s Soda Fountain (Idaho)
Boise’s Goody’s Soda Fountain is a blast from the past, complete with swivel stools and malted milkshakes. They’ve been serving smiles since 1988, keeping the retro soda fountain tradition alive.
Hand-dipped cones and phosphates made the old-fashioned way taste better when surrounded by vintage memorabilia. It’s where grandparents bring grandkids to show them how ice cream used to be.
13. Margie’s Candies (Illinois)
Chicago’s Margie’s Candies has been a North Side landmark since 1921, famous for shell-shaped sundae dishes and homemade hot fudge. Celebrities and locals alike squeeze into wooden booths for a taste of history.
Their ice cream is rich, their portions generous, and their charm undeniable. It’s the kind of place where first dates become anniversaries and kids become lifelong fans.
14. BRICS (Indiana)
Indianapolis knows BRICS as the place where ice cream gets creative without losing its soul. Their cookie dough flavor actually tastes like raiding the mixing bowl at midnight.
Small-batch production means flavors rotate, so regulars check the menu like it’s breaking news. With waffle cones made fresh all day, the smell alone is worth the visit to this Hoosier hotspot.
15. Black Cat Ice Cream (Iowa)
Iowa City’s Black Cat Ice Cream proves the Midwest does weird flavors wonderfully. Goat cheese cashew caramel and lavender lemon are just the beginning of their adventurous menu.
College students and professors alike debate the merits of each seasonal offering. It’s ice cream that makes you think while you lick, served in a space that feels like your coolest friend’s living room.
16. Sylas and Maddy’s Homemade Ice Cream (Kansas)
Lawrence, Kansas, runs on Sylas and Maddy’s, where over 200 flavors have been created since they opened. Jayhawk Java and burnt marshmallow are local legends.
Made fresh daily in small batches, their ice cream has that homemade density that coats your spoon. After a game or a concert, this is where the town congregates to celebrate with scoops and smiles.
17. Crank & Boom (Kentucky)
Lexington’s Crank & Boom brings bourbon barrel flair to ice cream with flavors like bourbon ball and ale-8-one float. They’re serious about their craft, using Kentucky-proud ingredients.
Each flavor is a love letter to the Bluegrass State, from bourbon to Derby pie. It’s sophisticated enough for foodies but fun enough for families making memories between horse farms.
18. Creole Creamery (Louisiana)
New Orleans’ Creole Creamery captures the Big Easy’s spirit in frozen form with flavors like bananas foster and lavender honey. They rotate over 20 flavors daily, so every visit brings new discoveries.
Locals debate their favorites with the passion usually reserved for gumbo recipes. After beignets and jazz, cool down with scoops that taste like Louisiana threw a party in your mouth.
19. Mount Desert Island Ice Cream (Maine)
Maine’s MDI Ice Cream started in a garage and grew into a state treasure with flavors like blueberry basil and sea salt caramel. Their creativity knows no bounds, much like Maine’s rugged coastline.
Using local ingredients and zero artificial anything, they’ve perfected the art of surprising your taste buds. It’s worth the line that wraps around the block in Bar Harbor every summer evening.
20. The Charmery (Maryland)
Baltimore’s The Charmery celebrates Charm City with flavors like Old Bay caramel and Berger cookie. Yes, Old Bay in ice cream – and yes, it works better than you’d think
Their playful approach to local ingredients creates flavors that are part novelty, part genius. With multiple locations across the city, they’ve become Baltimore’s unofficial frozen dessert ambassador, one weird flavor at a time.
21. Toscanini’s (Massachusetts)
Cambridge’s Toscanini’s has been making MIT students and locals happy since 1981 with flavors that border on scientific experiments. Burnt caramel and khulfee are just the start of their genius.
They’ve won national awards for flavors that push boundaries without forgetting what makes ice cream great – texture, richness, and pure joy. It’s brain food in the best possible way.
22. Moomers Homemade Ice Cream (Michigan)
Northern Michigan’s Moomers sits on a working dairy farm where cows provide the milk for over 150 rotating flavors. Their Mackinac Island fudge flavor is basically Michigan in a cone.
Families make pilgrimages here every summer, turning ice cream runs into full farm experiences. With picnic tables overlooking pastures, it’s the perfect stop between Traverse City wineries and Sleeping Bear Dunes.
23. Izzy’s Ice Cream (Minnesota)
Minneapolis’ Izzy’s invented the Izzy Scoop – a tiny bonus scoop on top of your regular order, because one flavor is never enough. Their salted caramel and brown butter almond are Twin Cities staples.
Using local dairy and seasonal ingredients, they’ve built a following that rivals any sports team. It’s the kind of place where choosing your flavor feels like a beautiful, delicious crisis.
24. Area 51 Ice Cream (Mississippi)
Mississippi’s Area 51 Ice Cream brings out-of-this-world flavors to the Gulf Coast with names and tastes that are pure fun. Cotton candy explosion and alien snot (it’s green apple, relax) delight kids and adults.
The alien theme is kitschy perfection, making it a road trip photo op and dessert destination. After beach time, nothing hits like a scoop of something weird and wonderful.
25. Central Dairy (Missouri)
Jefferson City’s Central Dairy has been Missouri’s ice cream sweetheart since 1932, keeping it simple with classic flavors done right. Their vanilla is so good it makes you understand why it’s called a classic.
Generations of families have made this a tradition, proof that you don’t need gimmicks when you’ve got quality. It’s ice cream that tastes like every good summer memory you’ve ever had.
26. Big Dipper Ice Cream (Montana)
Missoula’s Big Dipper has been scooping homemade happiness since 1995, using Montana cream and local ingredients whenever possible. Huckleberry is the state’s unofficial flavor, and theirs is legendary.
After hiking or floating the river, locals know this is the reward. With waffle cones made fresh and flavors that celebrate Big Sky Country, it’s Montana pride in every lick.
27. Ivanna Cone (Nebraska)
Omaha’s Ivanna Cone serves up puns and premium ice cream in equal measure. Their cookie monster and birthday cake flavors are childhood nostalgia you can eat.
Small-batch production means flavors rotate faster than Nebraska weather, keeping regulars on their toes. It’s the kind of neighborhood spot where servers remember your order and your name, making every visit feel special.
28. Luv-It Frozen Custard (Nevada)
Las Vegas’ Luv-It Frozen Custard has been a locals’ escape since 1973, offering rich custard that’s denser and creamier than regular ice cream. Their turtle sundae is Vegas gold without the slot machines.
While tourists lose money on the Strip, smart visitors come here for guaranteed satisfaction. It’s old-school Vegas charm in a cup, proof that the city’s best treasures aren’t always flashing neon.
29. Annabelle’s Natural Ice Cream (New Hampshire)
Portsmouth’s Annabelle’s keeps it natural with ice cream free from artificial ingredients and full of New Hampshire goodness. Their maple walnut tastes like autumn in the White Mountains.
Using hormone-free dairy and real fruit, they prove clean ingredients taste better. After exploring historic downtown or the seacoast, this is where locals and tourists unite over scoops that feel virtuous and indulgent.
30. Hoffman’s Ice Cream (New Jersey)
Jersey Shore summers aren’t complete without Hoffman’s, where boardwalk memories are made one cone at a time. Their peanut butter ripple has been a shore tradition since 1976.
With locations dotting the coast, they’re as much a part of summer as sand and sunscreen. Rich, creamy, and unapologetically indulgent – it’s exactly what you want after a day of waves and sun.
31. La Lecheria (New Mexico)
Santa Fe’s La Lecheria isn’t afraid to add green chile to ice cream, and the result is surprisingly magical. Their horchata and Mexican chocolate flavors celebrate New Mexico’s rich culinary heritage.
Using local ingredients and traditional recipes with a frozen twist, they’ve created something uniquely New Mexican. It’s proof that ice cream can be both adventurous and comforting, spicy and sweet.
32. Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream (New York)
NYC’s Lower East Side houses Morgenstern’s, where ice cream becomes art with flavors like black coconut ash and burnt honey vanilla. Their dedication to craft borders on obsession—in the best way.
Every batch is made with meticulous attention to detail and premium ingredients. It’s expensive, sure, but one taste explains why New Yorkers happily wait in line for these frozen masterpieces.
33. Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream (North Carolina)
North Carolina’s Sunni Sky’s brings Southern hospitality to ice cream with flavors like sweet potato pie and butter pecan praline. Their waffle cones are baked fresh, filling the shop with irresistible sweetness.
With multiple locations across the state, they’ve become a Carolina tradition. Each scoop tastes like someone’s grandmother made it with love, because that’s exactly the vibe they’re going for.
34. Pride Dairy (North Dakota)
Bottineau’s Pride Dairy has been North Dakota’s ice cream pride since 1930, serving scoops to generations of prairie families. Their chocolate malt is simple perfection that doesn’t need fancy descriptions.
In a state known for harsh winters, they’ve mastered the art of ice cream that brings warmth to your soul. It’s small-town America at its sweetest, literally and figuratively.
35. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (Ohio)
Columbus-born Jeni’s has conquered the ice cream world with flavors like brown butter almond brittle and goat cheese with red cherries. Their grassroots beginning in Ohio’s capital launched a national obsession.
Using grass-grazed dairy and direct-trade ingredients, they’ve elevated ice cream to gourmet status. It’s proof that Midwestern nice can also mean Midwestern innovative, one splendid scoop at a time.
36. Roxy’s Ice Cream Social (Oklahoma)
Oklahoma City’s Roxy’s brings back the soda fountain era with hand-dipped cones and floats made the old-fashioned way. Their amaretto cherry cordial is basically Valentine’s Day in a cup.
With vintage vibes and modern flavors, they’ve created a space where past meets present deliciously. After exploring the city’s museums or Bricktown, this is where you cool down and slow down simultaneously.
37. Salt & Straw (Oregon)
Portland’s Salt & Straw turned ice cream into a culinary adventure with flavors like pear and blue cheese or strawberry honey balsamic. They collaborate with local chefs and producers for limited-edition series.
Lines wrap around blocks because Portlanders know weird flavors done well are worth the wait. It’s ice cream that sparks conversation and occasionally controversy, perfectly fitting Oregon’s creative spirit.
38. Penn State Berkey Creamery (Pennsylvania)
Penn State’s Berkey Creamery has been making Nittany Lions roar since 1865, serving ice cream made by students from the university’s own dairy herd. Peachy Paterno and Alumni Swirl are legendary flavors.
It’s the most delicious part of any campus tour, where prospective students decide their future based partly on ice cream quality. Rich, dense, and perfect – just like a Pennsylvania education, but tastier.
39. Brickley’s Ice Cream (Rhode Island)
Rhode Island’s Brickley’s has been a Ocean State staple since 1980, serving homemade ice cream that tastes like childhood summers. Their coffee cabinet (that’s a coffee milkshake for non-Rhode Islanders) is the state drink.
With locations across the tiny state, you’re never far from a Brickley’s fix. It’s the kind of local treasure that makes Rhode Islanders defensive and proud in equal measure.
40. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (South Carolina)
Charleston welcomed Jeni’s with open arms and empty spoons, embracing their artisan approach to frozen treats. In a city known for culinary excellence, these Ohio transplants fit right in with flavors that respect ingredients.
After touring historic homes and eating Lowcountry cuisine, their brambleberry crisp or darkest chocolate provide the perfect sweet ending. It’s sophisticated ice cream for a sophisticated Southern city that appreciates the finer things.
41. Armadillos Ice Cream Shoppe (South Dakota)
Wall Drug might get the publicity, but Armadillos Ice Cream Shoppe in Spearfish is where South Dakotans go for serious scoops. Their buffalo tracks flavor is a Black Hills institution.
After exploring Mount Rushmore or Badlands, this local spot offers refreshment and flavors made with South Dakota pride. It’s the kind of place where tourists become regulars, planning return trips around ice cream stops.
42. Mike’s Ice Cream (Tennessee)
Nashville’s Mike’s Ice Cream has been serving handcrafted happiness since 2003, using local ingredients and creative combinations. Their Elvis flavor combines banana, peanut butter, and honey—a fitting tribute to Southern rock royalty.
After honky-tonks and hot chicken, cool down with scoops that capture Music City’s creative spirit. It’s the perfect encore to any Nashville adventure, proving dessert can be just as memorable as dinner.
43. Amy’s Ice Creams (Texas)
Austin’s Amy’s Ice Creams keeps things weird with made-to-order creations crushed on a frozen stone. Mexican vanilla is their signature, but the real fun is watching servers juggle cones while mixing your custom creation.
Born in 1984, they’ve expanded across Texas while maintaining that original Austin weirdness. It’s interactive ice cream theater that tastes as good as it looks, perfect for a state that does everything bigger.
44. Aggie Ice Cream (Utah)
Utah State’s Aggie Ice Cream has been a Logan legend since 1920, made by students in the university’s dairy program. Their Aggie Blue Mint is so popular it’s sold in stores statewide.
Rich, creamy, and made from the university’s own herd, it’s educational ice cream that tastes like pure indulgence. Visitors drive hours for scoops that fund scholarships—dessert with a purpose you can feel good about.
45. Ben & Jerry’s Factory (Vermont)
Vermont’s Ben & Jerry’s Factory in Waterbury is ice cream Mecca, where Chunky Monkey and Cherry Garcia were born. Factory tours show the magic behind the pints, ending with free samples.
The Flavor Graveyard outside honors discontinued flavors with actual tombstones—only in Vermont. It’s part pilgrimage, part tourist trap, and completely essential for any ice cream lover visiting the Green Mountain State.
46. Carl’s Frozen Custard (Virginia)
Fredericksburg’s Carl’s has been serving frozen custard since 1947, keeping Virginia cool with recipes that haven’t changed in decades. Their chocolate custard is so thick a spoon stands straight up.
Custard’s richer than ice cream thanks to eggs and constant churning, creating silk in a cup. After touring Civil War battlefields, this vintage stand provides the perfect sweet retreat with flavors that honor tradition.
47. Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream (Washington)
Seattle’s Molly Moon’s champions local ingredients and sustainable practices while serving ice cream that tastes like the Pacific Northwest. Their salted caramel uses Jacobsen sea salt from Oregon.
With quirky flavors and a commitment to community, they’ve become a Seattle institution faster than you can say triple espresso. It’s feel-good ice cream that actually does good, one scoop at a time.
48. Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream (West Virginia)
Charleston’s Ellen’s has been West Virginia’s sweet secret since 2011, making small-batch ice cream from scratch daily. Their black walnut flavor celebrates Appalachian ingredients with every creamy bite.
In a state often overlooked, Ellen’s proves good things come from Mountain State makers. After rafting the New River or exploring coal country history, these homemade scoops taste like victory and vanilla combined.
49. Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co. (Wisconsin)
Madison’s Chocolate Shoppe has been Wisconsin’s pride since 1962, making ice cream in America’s Dairyland with over 50 flavors. Their Zanzibar chocolate is dark, rich, and intensely chocolaty—no wimpy cocoa here.
Using Wisconsin dairy (obviously) and no shortcuts, they’ve perfected the art of ice cream that makes cheese-heads proud. It’s the state’s unofficial frozen ambassador, proving Wisconsin does dairy right in every form.
50. Big Dipper Ice Cream (Wyoming)
Jackson’s Big Dipper serves homemade ice cream with the Tetons as a backdrop – pretty tough to beat that view. Their huckleberry and cowboy crunch flavors capture Wyoming’s wild spirit.
After hiking, skiing, or spotting wildlife in Grand Teton or Yellowstone, this is where adventurers refuel. It’s ice cream that tastes better at elevation, surrounded by mountains and fellow travelers sharing trail stories.
