We All Scream for Ice Cream!

| | | | |

While I know some of you might agree with me that ice cream is always in season, for many people a sign of summer is the opening of seasonal ice cream parlors. Someday, I hope to have a state by state directory of top ice cream spots (of course, personally vetted), but until I have the time, I thought a list of some places where you can tour ice cream being made would suffice:

Ben & Jerry’s Factory in Waterbury, Vermont: Arguably the mecca for ice cream lovers. The thirty minute tour is the perfect amount of time to check out how they make their 75 varieties, 55 of which are available in pint size.  You’ll get aerial shots of the production floor from a glassed in mezzanine and watch a short film on the history of the company. The nominal cost of the tour includes samples, but if a sample isn’t enough, check out the full service Scoop Shop, which also offers sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream cakes. Make sure you leave time to walk to the “Flavor Graveyard” located up the hill behind the plant.

  • image-asset-9642599

Turkey Hill Farm Ice Cream Experience in Columbia, Pennsylvania: So, technically, there is no formal tour, nor is there actually ice cream being made in a factory on site; however, the promise of all you can sample ice cream, lemonade, and iced tea was enough to make us stop as we traveled through the looong state of Pennsylvania.  There are interactive exhibits that explain how ice cream is made, an opportunity to star in your own commercial, the chance to “milk” mechanical cows and climb around in replica trucks, and a taste lab, where you can make your own ice cream (careful, extra fee for this activity). This is a great place to let kids burn off some energy as there is plenty of space to move.

Would you like to save this?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.

  • dscn0243-jpg

Goody’s Factory in Bend, Oregon: Known for their chocolates, they crossed over to the ice cream sector with success. You can take a free, self guided tour (free chocolate included!) or a quick 15 minute tour of the factory will show you the kitchen where they make sorbet, ice cream bars, and tons of different types of chocolates, in addition to their ice cream. You’ll also receive SIX different samples, included in the nominal cost of the tour. Plan ahead, though, as guided tours need to be scheduled two weeks and are only available on weekdays.

Ye Olde Mill at Velvet Ice Cream in Utica, Ohio: Receive a little history lesson with your ice cream on this free, 30 minute tour, which will take you through the seven steps they follow to make their ice cream. The tour ends with a three ounce sample of ice cream. Children will also enjoy exploring the interactive exhibits in their museum, checking out the petting zoo (weather permitting!) and playing at the playground. Tours only offered weekdays from 11am-3pm, but feel free to come early or stay late and check out the large gift shop and restaurant.  

Be Careful: While fact checking some information, I found out that many popular ice cream companies no longer offer tours of their factories, including:

  • Blue Bell Creameries in Texas

  • Blue Bunny Ice Cream

  • Boulder Organic Ice Cream in Colorado (no consistent times for tours, must check availability based on production schedule)

  • Graeter’s Ice Cream in Ohio

New England based, part high school English teacher, part non profit founder, part road tripper who LOVES hopping in the family SUV to explore America. Our bucket list includes National Parks, MLB stadiums, presidential libraries, and eating wherever the locals eat!

Similar Posts

  • | | | | |

    Touring the United Nations in New York City

    Over one million people visit the United Nations, located on the banks of the East River in Manhattan, each year. The charter for the United Nations, a name proposed by President Roosevelt in 1942, was signed in 1945 with 51 countries as founding members. Today, there are 193 member states and countries must apply for admission. New York became the permanent home of the United Nations in 1949 and construction on the complex was finished two years later. The United Nations is a meeting place for all members to “settle disputes, prevent future conflicts, find solutions to global issues, and protect all humanity”.  Public tours include opportunities to visit three or four of the six main organs of the UN, as well as many displays and art installations.

  • 10 Stops on the Ultimate Tour of Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    This week we’re celebrating the start of football season by sharing our tour of Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers and UPitt Panthers. On a recent trip to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we had the opportunity to tour the 68,000 seat stadium and many popular areas of the stadium, as well as a few spots the typical ticket holder doesn’t get to see.  The tour is fun and engaging and everyone (even us Giants fans!) will have a good time.

  • | | |

    10 Ways to Explore Alligator Park in St. Augustine, Florida

    We’re not a huge zoo family, but every guide we read about St Augustine, Florida, as well as a couple of fellow travel writers, all suggested visiting Alligator Farm Zoological Park. So, on our recent visit to St. Augustine, we started one of our mornings at the park and agreed it’s a special place the whole family will enjoy.

    Established in 1893, Alligator Farm is one of the oldest zoos in the country. Originally opened as an exhibition space of native Florida reptiles at South Beach on Anastasia Island, Alligator Zoo quickly became a popular spot for tourists. After both a storm and fire destroyed much of the area in 1920, the owners moved the animals to the current, nine acre space. The zoo is home to 24 species of crocodilian, 40 species of birds, dozens of reptiles, and many other animals. The park has shaded paths that weave through the exhibits, with plenty of viewing areas and places to sit and enjoy the beauty of nature. There’s also a zip lining course, daily animal feedings, and various programs and special events that offer plenty of new things to see with each visit.

  • | | |

    The Farmer’s Daughter in South Kingstown, RI

    I grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, right between Boston and Cape Cod and my parents and sister’s family still live there. Now living in southwestern Connecticut with my family, we’re always looking for places off Interstate 95 to meet for the day. Westerly, Rhode Island is exactly halfway between our home towns and we’ve found fun things to do in Westerly- look for a post soon on Westerly through the seasons.

    However, this past week we wanted to try something new. I had bookmarked my friend Sarah’s CTinStyle blog post on The Farmer’s Daughter, a garden center, in nearby South Kingstown, Rhode Island last year. I remember Sarah describing the beautiful displays, impressive selection, and attention to detail. I checked The Farmer’s Daughter’s website, and when I saw the promise of lots of family centered fun, it was a done deal.

  • | |

    Skytop Lodge in the Poconos

    Traveling during a still present pandemic: This summer we have been traveling to places that have low COVID numbers and offer opportunities for our family to explore the outdoors while keeping our distant from other groups. We went to the Poconos when our children were very little and loved the area (it’s also a super easy drive from our home). Skytop was near the top of my list to visit this summer because it offers so many activities included in our stay, so much areas to explore, and plenty of dining options right on site. We never left the resort and still had so many things we didn’t have an opportunity to do that we’ll “need” to return soon.

    Skytop Lodge, located in the Poconos of Pennsylvania, will transport guests to a bygone area. The main lodge, open since 1928, has grown over the past almost-century to a 55,000 acre resort that includes an 18 hole golf course, 2 pools, lakeside beach, miles of hiking trails, 5 restaurants, and dozens of daily activities for families of all ages. The grounds are stunning: manicured grass, lush gardens, and so many places to sit and relax (rocking on the back porch is a must!). There are flowers arrangements on every table in every space and every single one is fresh! Garden lovers should visit the gorgeous Flower Shop on the lower level of the main lodge.

  • | | | | |

    10 Exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City Kids Will Love

    One of the most famous museums in the world, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is located on Fifth Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, part of the famed “Museum Mile”. Founded in 1870, the museum’s collection includes over one and half million pieces of art in forms ranging from paintings, sculptures, photographs and drawings to costumes, decorative arts, and musical instruments that span over 5,000 years. There are 17 different departments and hundreds of galleries on display throughout the over two million square feet of space.

3 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *