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Save room for these 12 Lancaster ice cream shops


Summer time in Lancaster means it's time for ice cream. Because Lancaster County boasts several dairy farms, the ice cream here is fresh and creamy. Although you can find ice cream at nearly every gas station and convenience store, visiting one of these Lancaster ice cream shops is worth the trip.

Downtown Lancaster

While Carmen & David's Creamery on Prince St. closed a few years ago, their delicious ice cream is still served up in several downtown spots. Decked out in pink and green, Penny's Ice Cream truck can be found at the Prince Street Park on warm days. Check Penny's Facebook page for days and times. Chestnut Hill Café on Chestnut St., and Commonwealth on Queen on N. Queen St., also serve Carmen & David's ice cream.

Walk a few blocks west of downtown on Lemon St. and you'll find Splits & Giggles, a cozy neighborhood restaurant that serves hand-dipped Hershey ice cream. Their adorable corner store even has a few outside seats.

North of Lancaster

Travel up the pikes from downtown and you'll find more yummy treats.

On Manheim Pike, Son's Italian Ice and Ice Cream in East Petersburg has a big menu of sundaes, milkshakes and specialty treats. Even your pooch can enjoy a sundae, topped with dog biscuits.

On Fruitville Pike, Good Life has an ever-changing selection of ice cream, like Sweet Corn, Shoofly Pie, Buttered Popcorn, Whoopie Pie, Pumpkin Pie and Bubblegum. Their freezer case is filled with ice cream cupcakes, cakes and waffle cone tacos. Grilled Goodies, their latest creation, is your choice of ice cream sandwiched between sliced of Whoopie Pie or other pastry, then grilled and topped with a drizzle of sauce.

Keep going further north on Fruitville Pike, and you can have a taste of Italy. Ciro's Italian Bistro makes their own authentic gelato. Over a dozen flavors are available daily, including the traditional Stracciatella.

On New Holland Pike, the Leola Freeze & Frizz sells soft serve ice cream and sundaes. The old-fashioned restaurant is surrounded by fields, and offers a small playground to keep kids busy.

South of Lancaster

Once you travel south of downtown Lancaster, the road passes farms that are tucked into rolling hills. One of those farms, Pine View Dairy, on New Danville Pike, is the premiere destination for ice cream lovers. Ice cream doesn't get much fresher than theirs. If you eat outside, you can even pet the cows that provided the milk. Be sure to buy Pine View's famous milk in a bag to take home with you.

East of Lancaster

If you're shopping at the outlets or visiting the Amish shops, you can choose between two top-notch ice cream shops.

The Strasburg Creamery on W. Main St. is a popular tourist destination. Nestled in the historic town of Strasburg, the creamery serves up their own ice cream in an old-fashioned parlor. Their signature apple dumplings aren't to be missed.

King's Creamery on Old Philadelphia Pike offers ice cream that's made from their own dairy. Though the store is small, the hand-dipped ice cream is as fresh as it gets.

West of Lancaster

West of Lancaster, just off Rte. 30 in Mountville, is Scoop's Ice Cream and Grille. Scoop's has hand-dipped ice cream in a variety of flavors. Their menu also includes milkshakes, sundaes and their gigantic treat, the 12-scoop Mountville Meltdown.