UPDATE 2024: New destinations added!!! Since we originally published this post in 2015, we’ve received lots of recommendations from readers. Thanks for all the great suggestions last summer! Still missing your favorite? Please let us know! We’re always happy to do more ice cream eating, ahem, I mean, research 🙂
Also, we had a TERRIFIC suggestion by a reader to indicate which places have dairy-free options. We have started to add that info to the list where we can find it/remember it. If you know that info for any of the places on this list, please do us a HUGE favor and leave a note in the comments section below. Thanks!
Originally published in 2015. Although we do our best to update information periodically, we encourage you to check out each destination’s website for any changes before you visit.
With Memorial Day weekend almost here, what better way to kick off the unofficial start of summer than with a list of our favorite places to grab that quintessential warm-weather treat: ice cream! So today we are sharing some of our top picks for an ice cream outing. And as usual, we’ve been to and blogged about each one of these destinations, so you can get a little firsthand preview before you go–and yes, we’ve even tried the ice cream for you. Yeah, it’s a tough job. But someone’s got to do it! 🙂
(In no particular order)
1. Indulge in a sweet treat (or a lobster roll), relax by the pond and discover the faerie village at Jessica’s Garden in Marlborough.
2. Make your Mystic visit sweeter with a stop at Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream near Mystic River Park.
3. Explore the animal barns and watch the ice cream being made at the UConn Dairy Bar in Storrs. (Dairy-free option available)
4. Pair your frozen treat with homemade baked goods at The Sweet Spot in New Milford.
5. Enjoy homemade ice cream and then chill on the patio while the kids play on the expansive lawn at Tall Man’s Ice Cream in Cromwell.
6. Go back in time with the retro diner stylings and ice cream sundaes at Shady Glen in Manchester.
7. Hit the beach or take a whirl on the carousel after indulging in some soft serve from the Ice Cream Shack at Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale in Madison.
8. Greet the friendly animals and sample the homemade ice cream at Robb’s Farm in Glastonbury. (Dairy-free option available)
9. Enjoy the seaside ambiance as you savor a scoop at Dad’s Restaurant in Niantic.
10. Check out a real working dairy farm, pick up some fresh milk and stay for an ice cream cone at Fish Family Farm in Bolton.
11. Let your little monkeys check out all the jungle gyms after enjoying a scoop of premium ice cream at Kloter Farm’s Ice Cream Barn in Ellington. (Dairy-free option available)
12. After a day at The Dinosaur Place, try a monster size scoop (choose from dozens of homemade flavors!) at the beloved Salem Valley Farms ice cream stand in nearby Salem. (Dairy-free option available)
13. Explore the expansive Kids in Motion Playground in Cheshire, then cool off with a homemade scoop at Sweet Claude’s, which is literally down the street! (Dairy-free option available)
14. Escape the hustle and bustle with a leisurely stop (think adirondack chairs and lawn games) and a unique ice cream creation at Jem’s Garden and Dairy Barn in South Windsor. Bonus: they serve a delicious lunch too! (Dairy-free option available)
15. Folks have been stopping by Harry’s Place in Colchester for almost a century! With lots of seating, a spacious back lawn and plenty of sweet treats on the menu (not to mention lunch & dinner fare too), a visit to Harry’s should be your family’s summertime tradition too.
16. OAAM readers begged us to try Grassroots in Granby (and we were happy to oblige!). This gourmet ice cream shop boasts the most unique flavor lineup around (Cardamom Cashew, anyone?), but don’t get too attached to a favorite. It’s rarely the same scoop twice! Top off your treat with a visit to the amazing playground at nearby Salmon Brook Park.
17. Another reader favorite is The Collin’s Creamery in Enfield. This off-the-beaten-path location is perfect for an ice cream escape. You can enjoy the serene surroundings while the kiddos climb on the tractor playscape and play lawn games. (Dairy-free option available)
18. If you like their milk, you’ll love their ice cream! The Farmer’s Cow Calfé in Mansfield serves up 20+ tantalizing ice cream flavors, all available to scoop or take home in pints. Plus, you can indulge in their famous “Milk Bar” too.
19. Buttonwood Farm in Griswold may be famous for their annual Sunflowers for Wishes event, but their amazing ice cream is what keeps visitors coming back all summer long. (Dairy-free option available)
20. The Durham Dari Serv (in Durham) has been scooping up delicious ice cream for CT residents for over half a century. You’ll find hard and soft serve, plus a variety of sundaes and frozen treats. It’s a local favorite, so expect a crowd! (Dairy-free option available)
21. At Cowlick’s Creamery in Waterford you can enjoy your ice cream treat in an upcycled ferris wheel car or a boat! Because chairs and picnic tables are soooo five minutes ago. (But don’t worry, they have plenty of those too.) (Dairy-free option available)
22. Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard in Rocky Hill (and other locations around the state) is the place to be for dairy-free! Choose from dozens of delicious ice flavors like mango, black cherry, cantaloupe, pear…the list goes on and on. And for those dairy devotees, you can sample the decadent frozen custard. (Dairy-free options available)
23. Okay, so technically this one’s not in CT, but Gran-Val Scoop in Granville, MA is worth the trip! Delicious ice cream you can enjoy as you meander through the barnyard and greet the friendly animals. There’s even a play area too! And lots of indoor and outdoor eating. (Dairy-free options available)
24. Enjoy a scoop of their creative flavors while strolling among the historic buildings at Main Street Creamery in Wethersfield. (Dairy-free options available)
25. Sample unique and delicious flavors named after Connecticut towns and landmarks at Frisbee’s Dairy Barn in New Britain. (Dairy-free options available)
Enjoy!
Shawna & Mandy
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Our ice cream parlor – THE COUNTRY CREAMERY – in Oxford, Ct. Is very popular and has a kids only seating area, a Spongebob Sundae, a tiny kiddie cone, games or puzzles on every table, trivia on every table and a party bus. Our bus, the Fabulous Traveling Sundae Bus, does children’s parties along with other events. The kids just love it! I think we are worth a stop. Visit our Facebook page to see what you are missing!! Marilyn
Thanks, Marilyn! Sounds great. We’ll have to check it out!
Definitely try Jem’s in South Windsor. Very cute setup, with not only picnic tables but an area with a pop-up cover and outdoor string lights. Also some chalk and toys for the kids to play with. Iced coffee, tea, and lemonade for the parents, as well as sandwiches. Owner was really nice. Just found this place on our way home from the pool.
Thanks so much for the suggestion! I’ll put it on my outing list for sure 🙂
We live near Jem’s and love it there! They do home made style lunch specials during the week and baked goods. I always get a smoothie or icecream with each meal.
Can’t say enough good things!
Meant to also say they are great about always having dairy free options for my daughter.
Thanks so much for the recommendation! I’ve actually had a few readers recommend this local favorite to me, so I definitely think a visit is in order this summer 🙂 Thank you again!
Love the Fish Farm! Love Shady Glen! but you missed Salem Valley Farms, just off the end of Route 11 in Salem, CT.
Hi Sarah! Thanks so much for the recommendation! We’ve actually had a few readers mention Salem Valley Farms, so I paid a visit a few weeks ago while we were down at The Dinosaur Place. I actually just put a little snipit about it in my post today {What We’re Loving Now (June 2015)}. I can see why you love it so much! Yummm!
Have you tried Buttonwoods Farm in Griswold, CT? Very rich ice cream. In July they have a big Make a Wish fundraiser. Sunflowers, hayrides, little cow train rides and pictures in the sunflower fields. I think you are more north, so wanted to share this gem if you were unaware.
http://buttonwoodfarmicecream.com
Hi Sandi! We actually do have a post about their Sunflowers for Wishes event from several years ago (https://www.outandaboutmom.com/2012/07/25/guest-post-buttonwood-farms-sunflowers-for-wishes/) but I completely forgot to include them on the ice cream list! I will get that updated. Thanks so much for the reminder! ~Shawna
I have read that post. Sorry, now I remember. Oops. Happy ice cream eating!
I’m so glad you mentioned it, Sandi! Otherwise, I would have totally forgotten to include them on this list 🙂 Thank you again!
Collins Creamery in Enfield,Ct has really yummy ice cream.One of my kids favorite.
Thanks for the recommendation, Jennifer! It’s now on my list of places to try 🙂
After visiting the USS Nautilus Submarine Museum in Groton, CT, we found a local ice cream store/farm named “Cows and Cones” Plenty of hard ice cream choices, farm animals, flowers for sale, and vegetable stand.