Summer is finally upon us, which means two really important things:
- Ice cream season is back.
- Road trip season is back.
Our suggestion: Combine them both into a road trip across America to all the very best old-fashioned ice cream parlors and soda fountains. Here are our choices:
1.The Pickwick
Greenville, SC
This 1980's themed Greenville gem serves up some of the best cherry and vanilla cokes, griddle sandwiches, and of course, ice cream (over 30 different flavors!) Guests come to enjoy the 1949-era marble steel fountain with its original fittings, as well as the revamped amenities mixed with old school classics.
2. Eddie's Sweet Shop
Queens, NY
Step back in time at Eddie's Sweet Shop, the Queens time-forgotten ice cream parlor first opened in 1909. Enjoy in-house made ice cream, classic cones, thick shakes and malts, sundaes, and floats all serviced in tin cups and platters, the way they should be. The wood stools make you feel right at home, and the ice cream is unbeatable!
3.Doc's Soda Fountain
Girard, IL
Doc's is one of the best places on our list when it comes to authentic ice cream parlor memorabilia and vibe, the interior of this 1920's themed ice cream shop filled with authentic Coca-Cola trinkets. It also boasts some impressive Route 66 themed findings, the perfect combination to present their 'cow' flavors locals and guests alike love. Did we mention the bonus of the museum onsite featuring herbal remedies and medicines from the drug store's heyday?
4.Goolrick's Pharmacy
Fredericksburg, VA
Goolrick's is Fredericksburg's spot for serious ice cream delights, this no-nonsense shop servicing the basics only: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Enjoy your classics in a cone, with hot fudge, or a la mode on your favorite pie. This may be our truest old fashioned parlor on the list, with a history beginning in 1869 as a pharmacy, that pharmacy still running today. Grab an egg cream or seasonal special on the classic 1912 blue bar stools while you wait for your prescription, this place is unbeatable!
5.Leopold's Ice Cream
Savannah, GA
In Savannah Georgia, your group will find Leopold's, a Historic District staple that has been dishing out handmade ice cream since 1919. Using the original secret recipe and techniques, this shop provides guests with some of the state's best malts, milkshakes, banana splits, and black and white sodas. Be sure to try the signature flavor here, Tutti Frutti, before you go.
6.Lappert's
Honolulu, HI
For an authentic old-fashioned (and just plain delicious) ice cream stop in Hawaii during your summer vacation be sure to head to Lappert's, the local spot serving up old school, hand packed ice cream since 1983. You'll find your classic cones and sundaes here, as well as some very unique local flavors. Our suggestion? Try the Kona Lava Java or Kaukai Pie flavors, it's like a vacation in every bite. Plus, what's better than a trip to Hawaii with great ice cream to boot?
7.Highland Park Soda Fountain
Dallas, TX
While in Dallas stop at Highland Park Soda Fountain, a local favorite that just turned 104 years old! Inside you will find highly affordable 'Rockwell-based' counter diner fare, each choice incomplete without a side malt or shake in the classic metal cup. One of the more popular classics that we just can't resist is the Brownie Sundae, a great way to end a long day of traveling (or maybe even begin)!
8.Little Drug Company
New Smyrna Beach, FL
New Smyrna Beach holds two summertime classics: the Little Drug Company ice cream shop and of course, the beach! Still a drug store today, this main drag hotspot features retro furnishings such as the 50's era soda fountain, Formica countertop, and classic red leather bar stools. One unique thing about Little Drug Co. is that it only serves Hershey's ice cream, a classic choice to stick with that will undeniably always be a fan favorite!
9.Margie's Candy
Chicago, IL
Margie's in Chicago isn't only famous for its candies, it's also one of the most popular ice cream parlors in Chicago. Margie's serves decadent ice cream sundaes and classic banana splits, along with the classic cones and shakes. Sitting on the corner of Logan Square and Bucktown, this spot once served the Beatles during the 60's, though its true history reaches all the way back to 1921. The hot fudge here is a major selling point, so major that they offer jars of it for sale (which can be very dangerous).
10.St. Francis Fountain
San Francisco, CA
This soda fountain spot is the oldest in San Francisco, first opened in 1918. This originallyGreek shop served as a confectionary, ice cream parlor, and lunch counter all in one, open until 2000 then revamped to open again in 2002. The furnishings are 1950's era and the ice cream is melt in your mouth tasty (pun intended). The 2002 reopening also brought many more additions to the food menu, a now extensive selection of local diner delacacies.
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