Warm weather is here, summer is on its way, and that means one thing: ice cream! There’s no sweet treat that’s better for families, especially on those hot summer days. And while places like Friendly’s or Dairy Queen are great, we’re all about the local mom-and-pop spots in the area.
There’s just something extra-special about that freshly-churned ice cream, made right here in South Central PA. So when you’re looking to do something fun and get a frosty treat while you’re at it, check out our list of local places to check out!
READ: Guide to Local Parks and Playgrounds in South Central PA
Jump to: CUMBERLAND COUNTY – DAUPHIN COUNTY – LANCASTER COUNTY – LEBANON COUNTY – YORK COUNTY
Ice Cream in Cumberland County
- Dough and Arrows, Carlisle: Homemade desserts, ice cream, and edible cookie dough. You can also get sundaes, floats, and milkshakes.
- Shirley Rae’s, Mechanicsburg: Full-service shop with new flavors created each day, as well as a variety of fun toppings.
- Leo’s Homemade, Carlisle: Nationally ranked as one of the best shops in the country, they offer traditional and unique flavors, as well as pints and ice cream pies to take home.
- Goose Bros., Shippensburg: Soft-serve traditional flavors, as well as seasonal offerings.
- Rakestraw’s, Mechanicsburg: Hand-dipped traditional and season flavors with humongous scoops!
- Hanna’s, New Cumberland: Nostalgic, 50s-themed gem with sundaes, floats, milkshakes, malts, and more.
- Massey’s Frozen Custard, Carlisle: Old-fashioned homemade custard, with vegan options, milkshakes, and pup cups for your four-legged friends.
- Eckle’s, Mechanicsburg: Described as a “blast from the past,” featuring sundaes, sandwiches, and penny candy.
- The Twirly Top, Gardners: Soft-serve, along with hand-dipped Turkey Hill flavors, are served alongside milkshakes, floats, and sundaes. For hot food, they have burgers, hot dogs, and fries.
Ice Cream in Dauphin County
- Urban Churn, Harrisburg: Desserts inspired by cultures around the world, with craft ice cream made using all-natural ingredients.
- CHILL Ice Creamery, Hershey: Multiple local hand-dipped flavors, including stuffed donuts and cinnamon rolls!
- Cubby’s, Hummelstown: Family-owned spot with a variety of unique flavors, and games outside on the patio.
- Cherry Blossom Creamery, Hershey: Hand-made flavors, which include dairy-free, plant-based options; their production room is also public, so you and your kids can see how ice cream is made!
- Nittany Scoops, Harrisburg: Fun options that rotate each week from Penn State Creamery.
- King Kone Creamery, Hummelstown: Indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy a variety of flavors, with swing sets for kids to play on. In addition to scoops, you can get milkshakes, sundaes, banana splits, and more.
- Sweet Treats and More, Elizabethville: Homemade flavors, as well as a candy shop, with tons of unique offerings you won’t find anywhere else.
- 3B, Harrisburg: Tons of flavors, with both hand-dipped and soft-serve options made from local dairies.
- Gelato di Babbo, Hummelstown: Homemade gelato, made from scratch in small batches, including vegan and non-dairy options.
- Meadows Frozen Custard, Harrisburg: Frozen custard and yogurt, Italian ice, smoothies, and shakes located alongside miniature golf and batting cages.
Ice Cream in Lancaster County
- Isabella’s, Lititz: Enjoy hand-dipped cones, milkshakes, and sundaes, along with a variety of great toppings.
- Miesse Candies, Lancaster: Homemade chocolate, candy, and ice cream in a local shop operating for over 100 years.
- Mulberry Thrill, Marietta: Multiple options, including dairy-free and diabetic-friendly choices, as well as milkshakes and choose-your-own-cookie-and-ice-cream sandwiches!
- Udder Choice, Ephrata: Made fresh right on the premises, with flavors rotating and tons of specialty sundaes.
- Lapp Valley Farm, Intercourse: Homemade flavors made from the family’s own dairy cows, which makes for incredibly rich, creamy treats.
- Strasburg Creamery, Strasburg: Try one of their 300 homemade seasonal flavors (rotating throughout the year), served in a homemade waffle cone, in this local staple.
- Lancaster Sweet Shoppe, Lancaster: Large selection of flavors served alongside baked treats, including stroop waffles!
- Lickity Split, New Holland: Mom-and-pop parlor located in a historic building, serving a variety of milkshakes, cones, and sundaes.
- Oregon Dairy, Lititz: Tons of great options, including ice cream flights to try multiple flavors, and gigantic themed sundaes the entire family can enjoy together.
- Splits and Giggles, Lancaster: Colorful cafe with fun outdoor seating, serving Hershey’s scoops in large portions.
- Tin Roof Cafe ‘n Sweets, Ephrata: Hand-dipped flavors, frozen yogurts, affogato, milkshakes, floats, and more!
- The Pretzel Hut, Brickerville: Soft-serve in traditional flavors, as well as two weekly offerings, which you can get in PRETZEL cones… and stop by their petting zoo for more fun while you’re there!
- Good Life, Lancaster: Flavors made in-house with numerous toppings available, along with cakes and other sweet treats.
- Scoops, Mountville: You can get tons of floats, milkshakes, sundaes, and cones here, but make sure to try their Mountville Meltdown as a family challenge! Then enjoy some miniature golf when you’re done.
- Son’s, East Petersburg: Huge menu offering milkshakes, soft serve, Italian ice, sundaes, and more.
- Fox Meadows Creamery, Ephrata: Homemade fresh flavors made from the family’s dairy farm, right on site.
- The Salted Spoon, Lancaster: Family-owned creamery serving scoops, sundaes, milkshakes, floats, and more.
- Greco’s, Lititz: Philly-style water ice and homemade hand-dipped ice cream, with flavors that change weekly.
- Rolled Cone Creamery, Lancaster: Lactose-free flavors, including pup cups, which you can watch be made fresh right in front of you!
- Turkey Hill Experience, Columbia: See how one of our hometown favorite brands makes their ice cream here, and then stop by their Taste Lab to make your own unique flavor!
- Down On The Farm Creamery, Strasburg: Homemade ice cream with a playground the kids will love, and the chance to see farm animals, too.
Ice Cream in Lebanon County
- The Jigger Shop, Mt. Gretna: Open for decades and serving scoops right on the shores of Mt. Gretna Beach.
- Patches Family Creamery, Lebanon: Homemade flavors made with farm-fresh milk right on site, as well as a playground for the kids, food to feed their farm animals, and more!
- Annie’s Soft Ice Cream, Campbelltown: Corner shop offering soft-serve scoops, sundaes, milkshakes, and more.
- Rainbow Snow, Palmyra: Family-owned and operating, serving shaved ice, milkshakes, snowballs, cones, pup cups, and much more!
- Frostbitez, Jonestown: Eat indoors, where they have games for the kids to play, or outdoors, at the park! Soft-serve cones, dishes, Italian ice, and tons of other options available here.
Ice Cream in York County
- Jim Mack’s, York: Opened in 1958, they have ice cream and milkshakes, as well as a miniature golf course, arcade, and some small rides.
- Ben and Scooter’s, Hanover: Soft-serve scoops, snowballs, parfaits, pup cups, and more.
- Candy Mountain Creamery, Dillsburg: Originally open under The Sugar Shack, you can get sweet treats, floats, fruit bowls, milkshakes, and more, as well as hot, frozen, iced, and bubble drinks.
- Bonkey’s, Red Lion: Family-owned and operated, serving freshly-made scoops, including dairy-free and vegan options.
- Half Pint Creamery, Hanover: Tons of flavors, including rotating seasonal and specialty offerings, as well as cakes, cupcakes, and PUPcakes!
- I Love Ice Cream, York: Rolled ice cream served with plenty of fun toppings to try, too.
- Big Dippers, Hanover: Large portions of Turkey Hill flavors, as well as shaved ice, and a swing set for the kids!
- Sarah’s Creamery, Dover: Old-fashioned style store serving 44 flavors at a time, straight from the Berkey Creamery at Penn State.
- Paleteria Tocumbo, Hanover: Homemade Mexican ice cream and smoothies, made with fresh fruit.
