Kellie VertetisNo matter where you are, ice cream is a cool treat during the hot summer months! But did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month? That’s right ice cream has a whole month dedicated to it! So what better way to celebrate than by trying some amazing ice cream at one of the top-ranked creameries near you! Here’s a list of some top choices to celebrate national ice cream month with no matter where you are in the US!
New York: Big Gay Ice Cream
If you live near the New York City Area, chances are you have heard of or gone to Big Gay Ice Cream Shop! The first concrete store opened in 2011, but the boys have been selling using their Big Gay Ice Cream Truck since 2009. In June 2012, Dessert Professional featured Big Gay Ice Cream in their 10 best ice cream parlors in the U.S. issue. Then in May 2013, The Daily Beast and USA Today ranked Big Gay Ice Cream as the #5 best ice cream parlor in the world – the highest ranked U.S. ice cream parlor on the list.
Press has called Big Gay Ice Cream one of “New York’s ice cream powerhouses–not only for what they do with ice cream, but for the ice cream itself.” Not in the New York City area, but still want to try the the unique flavors like Salty Pimp and the Bea Arthur during National Ice Cream Month? Well Big Gay Ice Cream just opened their first storefront in Philadelphia, and released a cook book last summer for those of you on the West Coast.
Miami: Bianco Gelato
This gelato parlor in Miami’s Coconut Grove is for people who care about organic ingredients and healthy options. You can get your scoops sugar-free, dairy-free, or gluten-free. But having health-conscious choices doesn’t make the gelato any less delicious. Hazelnut is a popular pick, but pumpkin and avocado are up there too. Order to get them in a cup and they’ll top it off with a slice of waffle cone. They make gelato the old-fashioned way. Everything is made from fresh and all natural ingredients! They tell customers that “they make everything with love, not chemicals because you are what you eat and they want you to be awesome!”
Palm Springs: Great Shakes
In a world of traditional ice cream shops, Great Shakes in Palm Springs dared to be different. This family-run business has been focused on milkshakes since the very beginning. The owner, Nelson, and his family make everything by hand, including butterscotch, salted caramel, fudge, marshmallows, graham crackers, and whipped cream. Every straw is adorned with a house-made mini-doughnut, and you’re allowed to create whatever combination you desire. If you choose two flavors, say chocolate and lemon, and the shake turns out less than pleasant, Nelson will make you another shake, no questions asked. However if you aren’t feeling super creative, try one of Great Shake’s 25 staple flavors. If there’s one thing for certain, you won’t leave Great Shakes feeling dissatisfied.
San Francisco: Bi-Rite Creamery
Whether it’s, peanut brittle, marshmallows, or snickerdoodles, Bi-Rite Creamery chefs make everything that goes in their handmade ice cream. At this San Francisco staple, ice cream comes in sandwiches, cakes, pies, and sundaes. Flavors like honey lavender with Sonoma honey and brown sugar with ginger caramel swirl are unlike anything you’ve tasted before. So take advantage of a day use hotel in San Francisco and head down to the Bi-Rite Marketplace. And definitely don’t forget to stop at Bi-Rite Creamery!
Atlanta: Morelli’s Ice Cream
When opening in 2008, shop founders Donald and Clarissa Morelli’s goal was to create the best and most unique ice cream in Atlanta. From the caramelized peach ice cream made with real peaches to the cinnamon toast sundae, the treats at Morelli’s Gourmet Ice Cream are extravagant and one-of-a-kind. The shop serves over 200 different flavors of ice cream from a rotating roster of flavors! So if you’re taking a daycation in an Atlanta hotel, stop here for a scoop. Maybe even try more than one delicious option!
Chicago: Margie’s Candies
Few places create nostalgia for simpler times like Margie’s Candies in Chicago. Although the shop is famous for their ice cream, they offer a wide variety of sweets as well. Margie’s Candies has delighted young and old with their homemade sundaes, shakes, and hand-dipped candies for more than 90 years. Musical legends, Hollywood greats athletes, and even Al Capone have noshed on sweets at Margie’s Candies. The Beatles dropped by with dates after performing at Comiskey Park. Years later, the Rolling Stones stopped by and sat in the very same booth. Margie’s also features one of the largest sundaes in the world so take a few friends on a daycation in Chicago for National Ice Cream Month and see if you can finish the whole thing!
New Orleans: The Creole Creamery
Last, but certainly not least on our list is the New Orleans staple, The Creole Creamery. The Creamery has been serving kids of all ages since the early 2000s. Its signature item is the Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream which is made with cream cheese straight from New Orleans. Like Margie’s, The Creole Creamery has a sundae eating challenge! The Tchoupitoulas is a sundae challenge as big as its name. It’s made with eight scoops of ice cream and your choice of eight toppings served in grand fashion with whipped cream, cherries, and wafers. Anyone who can finish it gets immortalized in The Creole Creamery’s Hall of Fame.
There you have it, folks. These are some of the best places to grab scoops from sea to shining sea. Make sure you book a day use hotel to make full daycation out of your ice cream experience.
Kellie Vertetis
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