A Guide to Adirondack Ice Cream Shops

Few things complete a summer day in the Adirondacks like a cone in hand. After a morning on the water, a hike to a fire tower, or a stroll through a lakeside village, there's nothing like ducking into a local ice cream stand and cooling off with a scoop (or three) before the day winds down.

There's a particular kind of nostalgia baked into an Adirondack ice cream stand: the walk-up window with the same hand-painted sign it's had for decades, the line snaking past picnic tables at dusk, the soft-serve machine humming behind screen doors propped open with a brick. These are small-town fixtures where the high schooler scooping your cone might be the third generation of their family to do it, and where a sticky-fingered evening with the whole family feels less like a stop on the trip and more like the whole reason you came.

Ready to find your new favorite scoop? Here's your guide to finding the best ice cream in the Adirondacks.

Donnelly's Soft Ice Cream (Saranac Lake): A cash-only Route 86 institution since 1953, run by the fourth generation of the same family, still churning every cone on its original 1953 machine and serving exactly one flavor a day.

Mountain Mist Ice Cream (Saranac Lake): This Lake Flower-side stand has been around since 1951 and features a deck right on the water for soft serve, shakes, and sundaes between paddles.

Teddy's Ice Cream and Grill (Bloomingdale): With picnic tables and antique cars parked out front, this small roadside shack serves soft serve alongside a classic grill menu.

The Pine Cone (Ray Brook): A small, family-owned stand between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake known for generous scoops and homemade ice cream sandwiches. Stop in during a ride on the Adirondack Rail Trail or swing by in the car.

Emma's Lake Placid Creamery (Lake Placid): On Main Street, this candy-striped, 50s-themed parlor is famous for its signature Maple Creme soft serve and a gift shop full of throwback novelties.

Ben & Jerry's (Lake Placid): The familiar Vermont favorite, scooping its classic pints and cones right in the heart of the village.

Blue Line Creamery (Lake Placid): Located on Saranac Avenue, this ice cream stop serves custard soft serve and classic hard-scoop cones on the way out of town.

Whitebrook Dairy Bar (Wilmington): A classic roadside drive-in near Whiteface Mountain established in 1960, known for its snack-bar menu of burgers and dogs paired with real Adirondack maple sundaes and classic twists.

A&W Family Restaurant (Wilmington): At this classic A&W outpost, root beer is made fresh with real cane sugar and served the old-fashioned way in a frosty mug alongside a float-worthy swirl of vanilla soft serve.

Skyline Ice Cream (Tupper Lake): Since 1985, this Tupper Lake landmark has been beloved for its black raspberry-vanilla twist alongside gelato, Dole Whip, and a famous Michigan hot dog on the side.

Timberjaxx Pass (Tupper Lake): The Dukett family's lumberjack-themed mini-golf course in Tupper Lake, also runs an on-site ice cream parlor where guests can enjoy Hershey's soft serve and hard ice cream along with refreshing shave ice after their round.

Custard's Last Stand (Long Lake): At the crossroads of Routes 30 and 28N, this punnily named 1958 landmark serves ice cream rather than custard and holds an architectural preservation award to prove its staying power.

The Park (Long Lake): A coffee-burgers-and-ice cream hangout in the center of town with a play area and mini golf for the kids.

Northern Lights Creamery (Inlet): This decades-old Inlet stand right next to Arrowhead Park on the lake draws long lines for its gelato and soft serve that move faster than they look.

Speculator Creamery (Speculator): Along Route 30, this flower-lined stand with picnic tables offers a long menu of unique soft serve flavors and sundaes.

King of the Frosties (Speculator): On Route 30 in Speculator, this historic landmark offers a nostalgic atmosphere where even the “baby size” ice cream rivals a small or medium elsewhere.

Campstore! Scoops! (Lake Pleasant): A seasonal camp store that pairs its ice cream window with mini golf, gem mining, and kayak rentals for a full day by the lake.

Tort's Twist (Wells): This family-run Wells fixture has been part of the community for more than 40 years, named for the Tortorello family, and is known for generous cones and a side hoop for shooting baskets that make it the town’s neighborhood hangout.

Stone Bridge Ice Cream Stand (Pottersville): Located on Route 9, this stand features more than 40 flavors of soft serve, is attached to the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves attraction, and is a go-to spot for a cone for visitors from Schroon Lake.

Newcomb Pine Cones (Newcomb): A Route 9 stand with more than 40 flavors of soft serve run by the nearby Natural Stone Bridge and Caves attraction.

The Stand at Minerva Beach (Minerva): This town-run concession stand sits right on the sand at Minerva Lake’s beach, serving classic ice cream stand fare between swims.

WindChill Factory (Ticonderoga): Since 1996, this Route 9N landmark has been marked by a bear enjoying a soft-serve cone out front and offers a full grill menu alongside frozen yogurt and soft serve inside.

Susie's (Crown Point): A cozy roadside stop known for comfort food like the French Dip Burger and Apple Brown Betty, with simple, good ice cream to finish things off.

Avery Energy Ice Cream (Crown Point): An unlikely pairing in the best Adirondack tradition: a family-run heating fuel company that also runs the town's ice cream stand, complete with summer car cruise-ins.

Ethel's Dew Drop Inn (Willsboro): This family-run roadside stand is famous for its Michigan hot dogs and creamy soft serve, where Ethel herself still often works the window.

Essex Ice Cream Cafe (Essex): A cafe right off the Essex-Charlotte ferry dock pairing scoops with espresso and a fresh breakfast and lunch menu while you wait for the boat.

Stewart's: When you're not near a creamery, Stewart's Shops has you covered in towns across the region, including Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, Long Lake, Ticonderoga, and Schroon Lake, with hand-packed pints and a full ice cream counter made from local dairy farms.