Are you an ice cream lover? If so, plan your next sweet escape to one of these 10 ice cream shops around the United States.
Back in college, my English composition professor posed our class a deep, thought-provoking question — What makes life worth living?
Along with my classmates, I pondered. Eventually I came up with this short (and sweet) list: the feeling of butterflies in my stomach when I have a crush, the twang of a strummed guitar, and strawberry ice cream.
If you agree that ice cream is a reason life is worth living, you are going to love this list. In 2016, I mostly traveled within the United States, and one thing we Americans do oh so well is ice cream.
It probably won’t surprise you that Wisconsin (and the Midwest in general) is well represented on this list. But, will America’s Dairlyand come out on top? You’ll have to read on to find out!
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10. Door County Ice Cream Factory & Sandwich Shoppe | Sister Bay, Wisconsin
While eating and drinking my way around Door County, I indulged in this classic chocolate-chip cookie dough ice cream sundae topped with hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry. This Sister Bay ice cream shop makes all 45 flavors in house, and you’re likely to find more than 25 flavors available when you visit.
Location: 11051 State Highway 42, Sister Bay, Wisconsin
Hours: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Daily
Stay Nearby: Country House Resort (2.2 miles)
9. Oscar’s Gelato Micro-Creamery | Minneapolis, Minnesota
With Twin Cities Food Tours, I stopped into Wilde Cafe & Spirits for this creamy little taste of Oscar’s salted caramel gelato. All the gelato flavors are made in house by the dessert chef. I recommend taking your gelato to go for a stroll through the riverfront neighborhood.
Location: Wilde Cafe & Spirits, 65 Main Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hours: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Wednesday – Sunday
Stay Nearby: Graduate Minneapolis (2.1 miles)
8. Blank Slate Creamery | Ann Arbor, Michigan
The bitter and sweet combination of Blank Slate Creamery’s Salty Caramel Coffee ice cream reminded me of a Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino®. The chocolate peanut butter scoop beneath it was utterly delicious, too. This family-owned creamery makes its ice creams from all-natural ingredients, including milk and cream from the Detroit area’s Guernsey Dairy, and is known for its unique flavors. You’ll also find non-dairy flavors and sorbet.
Location: 300 W Liberty St, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Hours: 3 – 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 3 – 10 p.m. Friday, 2 – 10 p.m. Saturday, 2 – 9 p.m. Sunday
Stay Nearby: Graduate Ann Arbor (.6 miles) — Read my review!
7. Batch | San Luis Obispo, California
Ice cream rolled in rainbow sprinkles and sandwiched by chocolate chip cookies is the stuff of childhood fantasies. To build your own dreamy ice cream sandwich, you’ll select your cookies, ice cream flavor, and if you’d like your sandwich rolled in sprinkles or chocolate chips.
Location: 1108 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo, California
Hours: Temporarily closed due to COVID-19 | Normal Hours: 12 – 9 p.m. Daily in Summer, 3 – 9 p.m. Thursday – Sunday in Winter
Stay Nearby: Granada Hotel & Bistro (.3 miles)
6. Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop | Disney Springs™ – Lake Buena Vista, Florida
At Disney Springs™, the best place to eat dessert is the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop. When I visited, I chose the Ocean Beach Sea Salt Caramel Sundae of vanilla ice cream covered in hot fudge, caramel, and sea salt. The over-the-top sundae is topped with whipped cream, a creamy caramel swirl, a Ghirardelli® SQUARES milk chocolate square, and a sprinkle of sea salt. So incredibly indulgent!
Location: Disney Springs™ (Marketplace), 1710 E Buena Vista Dr, Marketplace, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Hours: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Daily
Stay Nearby: B Resort & Spa (1 mile)
5. Purple Door Ice Cream | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
In 2016, I clearly had a mini-affair with salted caramel ice creams, and none were smoother than Purple Door’s. This Milwaukee ice cream shop is a Wisconsin favorite that makes more than 200 flavors including vegan options such as vegan cookies & cream.
Location: 205 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hours: 12 – 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 12 – 10 p.m. Friday – Sunday
Stay Nearby: The Iron Horse Hotel (.3 miles)
4. Kopp’s Frozen Custard | Greenfield, Wisconsin
It may be the most nondescript on this list, but frozen custard is delightfully rich, smooth, and creamy. America’s Dairyland is known for this delectable frozen treat, so I had to stop for a scoop at Kopp’s Frozen Custard, a local chain in the Milwaukee suburbs. Cones and dishes are available in vanilla, Swiss chocolate, and the flavor of the day. Plus, the menu features malts, shakes, floats, and sundaes all made with frozen custard!
Location: 7631 W Layton Ave, Greenfield, Wisconsin
Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. Daily
Stay Nearby: Fairfield Inn & Suites Milwaukee West (5.7 miles)
3. Ghirardelli On-The-Go at Ghirardelli Square | San Francisco, California
A classic hot fudge sundae completely hits the spot. This “world famous” one is creamy vanilla ice cream smothered in Ghirardelli® homemade hot fudge and garnished with whipped cream, chopped almonds, and a cherry.
Location: 8801 Beach Street, San Francisco, California
Hours: 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Stay Nearby: Argonaut Hotel, a Noble House Hotel (.2 miles)
2. Browndog Treats, Drinks, & Eats | Northville, Michigan
I visited Browndog Treats, Drinks, & Eats to taste the Metro Detroit creamery’s intriguing ice cream flavors, and they all sounded so interesting that I couldn’t choose just one. My waffle cone trio included Sweet & Sassy, a sweet strawberry scoop with black pepper and a rich balsamic reduction; Cookie Monster, a blue cookie dough ice cream churned with chunks of cookie dough, cookies n cream, and house-made chocolate chip cookies; and Salty Dog, a salted caramel ice cream swirled with salted caramel sauce, pecans, and brownies.
Location: 120 East Main Street, Northville, Michigan
Hours: 4 – 9 p.m. Tuesday – Friday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday – Sunday
Stay Nearby: The Inn at St. John’s (3 miles)
1. Door County Creamery | Sister Bay, Wisconsin
Taking the cake, Door County Creamery’s goat-milk gelato charmed me just as much the destination did. Seriously, I fell hard for Door County, and this roasted almond fig gelato was certainly part of that. In addition to an assortment of gelato flavors, the creamery specializes in artisanal cheeses and sandwiches. That is why I recommend stopping here for lunch and gelato as a must-have culinary activity in Door County!
Location: 10653 N Bay Shore Dr, Sister Bay, Wisconsin
Hours: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Wednesday – Monday, Closed Tuesdays
Stay Nearby: Country House Resort (.8 miles)
Plan Your Sweet Escape To One Of These 10 Ice Cream Shops In The United States
As you can see, Wisconsin lives up to its nickname as America’s Dairyland, but tasty ice creams can be found all across the United States. To map your route to these 10 ice cream shops, check out the interactive Google map below!
Are you an ice cream lover, too? Save this post to your food travel or ice cream boards on Pinterest for future reference!
You want an ice cream sundae now, right? Go ahead, indulge a bit.
Think you’ve eaten the best ice cream in the world?
Tell me about it the comment section below!
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OMG! It looks so yummy. Thanks for sharing such useful info. I love read info like this as I love ice cream very much. I also found some good info for best spots rolled ice cream in Atlanta. You guys may check it out here https://rolledicecreammix.com/10-best-rolled-ice-cream-in-atlanta/
Ice cream is my weakness. I think I need to do a Metro Detroit ice cream tour. 🙂
A Metro Detroit ice cream tour sounds fantastic! May I join? 🙂
Those flavors at Brown Dog and Door County are really unique. I’d like to try them. I visited Ghirardelli in Boston this summer as well as the Ben & Jerry’s factory.
I thought the flavors at Door County Creamery and Browndog Creamery were truly unique, too. I keep hearing wonderful things about Browndog’s basil ice cream. Since I have friends and family in Metro Detroit, I’m going to need to visit again to try that. Did you love Ghirardelli? You really can’t go wrong with a sundae at any of their locations. Now, Ben & Jerry’s I haven’t visited yet. Totally on my bucket list though!
I love ice cream too! I see you didn’t loose opportunities eating and tasting. Here in the West Coast, more and more ice cream shops are popping up. So, there are tons of different flavors to try. I like all those combinations they come up with. Happy ice cream tasting in 2017! #WeekendWanderlust
Ruth, I might have to get some recommendations from you for the West Coast ice cream shops before my summer travels. I’m hoping to make it to Oregon and Washington in 2017!
Oh boy…It’s been below freezing for three days, and we even got some snow. The last thing we want is…oh, wait… Those look delish! And sprinkles on an ice cream sandwich? #Genius!
Did you try all of these out for yourself? This list looks too yummy!! I was in San Francisco and at Ghiradelli Square, but I never tried out their ice cream… next time. 😉
I’ve tried MANY custard places all over who claim to have the best. I actually live in Sister Bay, WI but, I have to say that Kopps is most definitely the BEST!! We never go through Milwaukee without stopping at Kopps on our way there and back!!
Next time you’re taste testing in the dairy state, you must go to Kelley Country Creamery. Born and raised in this great state and land of delicious dairy treats. Hands down, Kelley’s is my favorite ice cream!
Oh my goodness this all looks amazing! And now seriously craving ice cream…it’s so hot & humid here in Fiji! I love gelato most of all.
Oh yummmmmmmmy – could not pass this post by!!! The salted caramel and anything from Ghirardellis! Just delicious- I love frozen yoghurt too in the States – all those toppings ?
This year I was lucky to have a lot of gelato when I was in Italy on my hols!
I’m a great lover of ice-cream so much so that I can survive on ice cream the whole day:) I’ve had the Ghiradeli sundae in SF and so many others….I can’t even remember the names.
Such a great post. #weekendwanderlust
You had me at ice cream. Now I want some ice cream. I actually prefer gelato but I don’t turn down ice cream, either. #weekendwanderlust
Oh my gosh, now all I want is ice cream for dinner. We share the same salted caramel obsession! I love the idea of the “Sweet and Sassy” favour. My favourite ice cream experiences were all in Italy – didn’t seem to matter where I went or what flavour I got, always seemed to be the best ever.
You really can’t go wrong with Italian gelato!
You had me at ice cream! I’m not sure I even tried 10 last year but I’d like to make it a goal for this year! My very favorite ice cream I ever had – and it was last year – is Jeni’s Ice Cream in Nashville, TN. I got the dark chocolate and buttermilk strawberry scoops (not together- they are separate) and it was so good.
More ice cream sounds like a wonderful goal to me. I’ve heard of Jeni’s Ice Cream in Nashville, and, as a country music fan, I’m always down for a visit to Music City. Might have to find my way back to Tennessee in 2017!
Those are some great reasons which makes life worth living, but I have to say you had me at Ice Cream! And that cookie sandwich brings me back to my childhood! They were my favorite! #WeekendWanderlust
Looking at all your pics made me crave ice cream, so I ending up indulging in a homemade sundae made with Sanders dark chocolate fudge topping. But back to favorite I. C. shoppes, I always enjoyed the gigantic single scoops served at Calder’s Dairy Shop on Southfield Road near Jefferson Ave.
Oooooh yum. I love ice cream though sometimes it doesn’t love me (stomach issues). I’ve been to Blank Slate and loved it (have you ever been to a Jeni’s? Similar ice cream IMO) and also Ghirardelli – SF and most recently, San Diego and Chicago.
I haven’t heard of Brown Dog so will bookmark that on yelp. Have you been to Ray’s Ice Cream, in Royal Oak? Portions are enormous and tasty.
I know I’ve heard of Ray’s, but I don’t think I’ve been there. I’ll have to check that and Jeni’s out soon. Thanks for the recommendations, Liz!
I’ve had to cut dairy out of my diet this year, and ice cream is by far the thing I miss the most. Though I do enjoy a few non dairy options, but I have only found them at the grocery stores, not in shoppes.
Keep trying ice cream shops, Jenn. More and more seem to carry vegan/dairy-free ice creams. For example, if you come out to Grand Rapids, I’ve had a pretty tasty vegan peanut butter ice cream. It’s never quite as creamy as the dairy version, but the flavor is still there.
Thanks for the tour or good eatin’ in Wisconsin! I need an ice cream fix – – – NOW!
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