The Most Iconic Ice Cream Shop in Every State

Trowbridge’s has been scooping ice cream in downtown Florence since 1918, making it Alabama’s oldest ice cream shop and the city’s oldest business still operating in its original location.

Four generations of the Trowbridge family have kept the soda fountain going over the years, turning it into a beloved local landmark.

The signature orange-pineapple ice cream, created by founder Paul Trowbridge, is the must-order flavor.

Wild Scoops has helped redefine Alaska’s ice cream scene by showcasing local ingredients in small-batch flavors inspired by the state.

Since opening in 2015, the shop has earned national attention for creative flavors such as baked Alaska, Fruity Pebbles, and Thai tea.

The bubblegum-pink Sugar Bowl has been an Old Town Scottsdale icon since 1958, changing little over the decades.

Order a towering banana split, hot fudge sundae, or one of the shop’s classic ice cream sodas to get the full experience.

Loblolly Creamery partners with local farmers and uses seasonal ingredients whenever possible.

Since opening in 2011, the shop has built a loyal following for its inventive flavors, such as buttermilk, and house-made waffle cones.

Since its opening in 2006, Bi-Rite Creamery has become known across the state for artisanal ice cream, and long lines outside its Mission District shop have become part of the experience.

Salted caramel is the undisputed signature flavor, though honey lavender and balsamic strawberry remain favorites, as well.

Housed inside a 28-foot-tall milk can, Little Man Ice Cream has been one of Denver’s most recognizable landmarks since opening in 2008. The whimsical shop often draws lines around the block and has become a must-visit for locals and tourists.

Salted Oreo, banana pudding, and the classic sweet cream are among its most popular scoops.

Ferris Acres Creamery has been serving homemade ice cream on a working dairy farm since 2003.

Visitors can enjoy a cone while overlooking the cows that help produce the cream, making it one of New England’s most charming ice cream destinations.

Black raspberry, moose tracks, and seasonal fruit flavors are customer favorites.

The Ice Cream Store has been a Rehoboth Beach boardwalk tradition for decades, becoming famous for its enormous selection of homemade flavors.

It has well over 100 rotating flavors, featuring fun names like Motor Oil and Cereal Killer.

Jaxson’s has been delighting South Florida since 1956 with towering sundaes, nostalgic decor, and portions that are almost comically large.

The family-owned restaurant has been featured on numerous travel shows and remains one of Florida’s most famous ice cream parlors.

The Kitchen Sink sundae — loaded with scoops, toppings, whipped cream, and cherries — is legendary.

Leopold’s has been a Savannah institution since 1919, with lines often stretching down the block for a taste of its old-fashioned ice cream.

Tutti Frutti, made with rum ice cream, candied fruit, and fresh roasted Georgia pecans, is the shop’s century-old signature flavor.

Lappert’s began on Kauai in 1983 and has become synonymous with premium Hawaiian ice cream, incorporating island-grown ingredients like Kona coffee, macadamia nuts, and tropical fruits into many of its signature flavors and family recipes.

The Kauai pie flavor, made with coffee ice cream, chocolate fudge, coconut, and macadamia nuts, is one standout order.

Westside Drive-In isn’t just famous for burgers — it’s also home to Idaho’s most iconic frozen treat. Guy Fieri featured the retro drive-in on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” helping introduce its most unusual dessert to a national audience.

The must-order is the Idaho ice cream potato: a potato-shaped dessert made from vanilla ice cream rolled in cocoa powder and topped with whipped cream and cookie crumbs.

Since 1926, this South Side institution has been serving slices of five flavors stacked into one colorful cone: chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (vanilla with cherries and walnuts), pistachio-almond, and orange sherbet.

A century later, The Original Rainbow Cone is still one of Chicago’s defining summer traditions.

Opened in 1900, this beautifully restored soda fountain features antique marble counters, ornate woodwork, and an extensive collection of vintage mechanical-music machines and music rolls.

Zaharakos’ hand-crafted sodas, phosphate drinks, and classic sundaes are every bit as memorable as the historic surroundings.

Le Mars proudly calls itself the “Ice Cream Capital of the World,” and Wells Enterprises — the maker of Blue Bunny ice cream — helps justify the title. The visitor center celebrates the company’s history while serving generous scoops of Blue Bunny ice cream.

Signature sundaes, shakes, and rotating Blue Bunny flavors make this a must-stop tourist destination for ice cream lovers.

Since opening in Lawrence in 1997, Sylas & Maddy’s has earned a cult following for making dozens of small-batch flavors from scratch every day. A second location opened in Olathe in 1999.

The family-owned shop has become a Kansas institution thanks to playful flavors and consistently long lines, especially during the height of the summer.

Peanut butter cup and Cookie Monster, along with rotating seasonal flavors, are among the shop’s biggest hits.

Crank & Boom started as a small operation inside a Thai restaurant before growing into one of Kentucky’s most acclaimed ice cream brands.

Kentucky-inspired flavors like bourbon and honey, blackberry and buttermilk, and blueberry lime cheesecake are among its most popular offerings.

Angelo Brocato has been serving Sicilian-style gelato and Italian desserts since 1905, making it one of New Orleans’ oldest family-run businesses.

The pistachio and spumoni gelatos are classic flavors at this historic ice cream shop.

For many Mainers, summer doesn’t officially begin until Red’s Dairy Freeze reopens for the season.

The stand, which opened in 1952, serves classic soft-serve cones as well as other cold treats, including shakes, sundaes, Nor’easters (soft serve blended with a candy and topped with whipped cream), and slushes.

A vanilla soft-serve cone dipped in chocolate or rainbow sprinkles is the quintessential Red’s order.

Since opening in 2013, The Charmery has become Baltimore’s hometown ice cream shop, thanks to its rich small-batch ice cream and playful flavors inspired by the city.

The shop is known for balancing nostalgic classics like chocolate and vanilla with more inventive creations, and locals line up for scoops year-round.

Since opening in 1981, Toscanini’s has become one of the country’s most celebrated independent ice cream shops, with a reputation that extends far beyond its two locations in Massachusetts.

The New York Times once famously said it served “the world’s best ice cream,” cementing its legendary status as a destination for frozen-dessert lovers.

Nestled on a working dairy farm outside Traverse City, Moomers has become one of Michigan’s most beloved summer destinations.

The family-owned creamery makes its ice cream with fresh milk from the farm’s own cows, and in 2008, it was voted “America’s Best Scoop” by Good Morning America, helping put it on the national map.

Grand Ole Creamery has been a Twin Cities favorite since 1984, drawing loyal customers with homemade waffle cones and generous scoops of super-premium ice cream.

The neighborhood institution regularly lands on lists of Minnesota’s best ice cream shops, and its lines often stretch down the block on warm summer evenings.

Borroum’s has been serving customers in downtown Corinth since 1865, making it Mississippi’s oldest operating drugstore, according to Visit Mississippi.

Its vintage soda fountain offerings have become just as famous as the old-school pharmacy itself, drawing generations of locals for old-fashioned ice cream treats and milkshakes.

Few frozen desserts are as synonymous with a city as Ted Drewes is with St. Louis.

Ted Drewes got its start in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1929, and its first St. Louis location opened the following year. Its famous Chippewa Street stand, found along historic Route 66, has served customers from around the world since 1941.

It’s known for its rich frozen custard and famously thick concretes, a thick dessert made by mixing frozen custard with nuts and candies.

Big Dipper has been a Missoula staple since 1995 and has grown into one of Montana’s best-known ice cream brands.

The shop makes its ice cream from scratch in small batches and regularly lands on national “best ice cream” lists.

Coneflower Creamery, which opened in 2016, has quickly become one of America’s most celebrated ice cream shops thanks to its farm-fresh ingredients and inventive small-batch flavors.

In 2026, it claimed the No. 1 spot as America’s best ice cream shop in a USA Today ranking, bringing even more attention to the Omaha creamery.

Luv-It Frozen Custard has been a Las Vegas institution since 1973, proving that the city offers more than casinos and buffets.

The family-owned stand still serves rich, freshly made frozen custard with unique toppings and mix-ins, as well as a flavor of the day.

Hayward’s has been making homemade ice cream in southern New Hampshire since 1940 and remains one of the state’s quintessential summer destinations.

The family-owned shop is known for serving enormous scoops in dozens of flavors, from maple walnut to moose tracks.

Holsten’s has been delighting New Jersey natives since 1939, but it became a pop-culture landmark after the final scene of “The Sopranos” was filmed inside the old-fashioned ice cream parlor.

Today, fans of the show travel from around the world to sit in the famous booth while enjoying the same homemade ice cream.

Taos Cow has become one of New Mexico’s favorite ice cream shops by making rich, small-batch ice cream with fresh local dairy.

Regional flavors like lavender honey, piñon caramel, and Mexican chocolate set the creamery apart.

What began as a small yellow scoop truck on the streets of New York City in 2008 has grown into one of the country’s most recognizable premium ice cream brands.

Honeycomb is the signature flavor, while Earl Grey tea and Sicilian pistachio have become cult favorites.

Tony’s Ice Cream has been a Gastonia tradition since 1915, making it one of North Carolina’s oldest ice cream shops.

The family-owned business has earned the loyalty of generations of customers with homemade ice cream and classic soda fountain treats.

Pride Dairy has been making ice cream in Bottineau since the 1930s, becoming a beloved institution in northern North Dakota.

Its classic flavors, including butter brickle and chocolate peanut butter, continue to draw road-trippers every summer.

Graeter’s has been making ice cream since 1870, and it remains one of the country’s most iconic family-owned ice cream companies.

The brand still uses its signature French Pot process, which involves producing just a few gallons of ice cream at a time for an exceptionally creamy texture.

Black-raspberry chocolate-chip is Graeter’s most famous flavor and has earned fans far beyond Ohio.

The Ice Creamatory has become one of Oklahoma’s standout dessert destinations by making inventive, small-batch ice cream with premium ingredients in a spooky, funeral-themed setting.

The shop frequently rotates seasonal and made-in-house flavors.

Salt & Straw became one of the most prominent names in Portland’s food scene after opening in 2011, thanks to imaginative flavors that pushed far beyond traditional vanilla and chocolate.

Sea salt with caramel ribbons is arguably the shop’s signature flavor, alongside creative favorites like honey lavender and strawberry honey balsamic with black pepper.

Founded in 1861, Bassetts is known as one of America’s oldest ice cream companies. It has been a fixture inside Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market since the market opened in 1892, and it is the only remaining merchant to have operated there since day one.

Its rich, dense ice cream has made it one of the city’s most enduring culinary landmarks.

Gray’s Ice Cream has been serving homemade ice cream since 1923 and remains one of Rhode Island’s quintessential roadside stops and the state’s oldest operating ice cream shop.

The family-owned shop is especially popular during the summer, when visitors line up for generous scoops after a day at the beach.

Off Track Ice Cream has earned a following by making small-batch ice cream with local ingredients and creative flavor combinations.

The Charleston shop is known for rotating seasonal menus that highlight local flavors like brown-butter pecan, Key-lime pie, and seasonal fruit flavors.

Operated by South Dakota State University and its students, the SDSU Dairy Bar has been serving ice cream made with milk from the university’s own dairy herd for decades.

It’s become a favorite stop for students, alums, and travelers, and is said to have invented the ice-cream flavor cookies and cream in 1979.

Located beside the historic Old Mill, this creamery has become a must-visit stop for families exploring the Smoky Mountains.

The shop makes waffle cones from scratch and incorporates fresh ingredients made around the Old Mill complex into its flavors. It serves generous scoops of Southern specialties, such as blackberry cobbler, oatmeal cream pie, and banana pudding.

Amy’s Ice Creams has been delighting Texans since 1984 with quirky flavors, energetic scoopers, and made-to-order creations with plenty of toppings to choose from.

The Austin original has since become one of the state’s most recognizable dessert brands.

Aggie Ice Cream has been made by Utah State University since the 1880s and is one of the state’s most beloved traditions.

The creamery gives students hands-on experience while serving premium ice cream to fellow students, alums, and visitors.

Few ice cream brands are more recognizable than Ben & Jerry’s. Founded in Vermont in 1978 by childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the company grew from a scoop shop inside a gas station in Burlington into an international phenomenon.

Visitors to the Waterbury factory can tour the facility and sample iconic flavors like Cherry Garcia, Phish Food, and Half Baked.

Once voted the top ice cream shop in America by USA Today, Island Creamery has been serving small-batch, farm-fresh ice cream on Virginia’s Eastern Shore since 1975.

Signature flavors include Marsh Mud (rich dark chocolate) and Pony Tracks (vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, peanut butter, and peanut butter cups).

Since opening in 2008, Molly Moon’s has become Seattle’s signature scoop shop by sourcing milk, fruit, and other ingredients from Washington farms.

Maple walnut and salted caramel are among the shop’s bestselling flavors.

The Frozen Barn has become a favorite stop for visitors exploring New River Gorge National Park.

The family-owned shop is known for handcrafted ice cream, oversized waffle cones, and signature ice cream sundaes.

Chocolate Shoppe has been scooping homemade ice cream since 1962 and has grown into one of Wisconsin’s most beloved brands.

The company has earned national awards while staying true to its rich recipes for flavors such as chocolate and peanut-butter cookie.

Farson Mercantile may be a tiny country store, but it’s home to one of Wyoming’s biggest ice cream legends.

Travelers routinely make detours just to order one of its famously oversize soft-serve and traditional cones, which are so large they’re often photographed before they’re eaten.