STAY and PLAY: Eat, Drink, Be Merry

I Scream. You Scream. We All Scream for Ice Cream!!

Ice cream is great any time of year but, if you ask me, summertime is by far the best! If you are exploring a local Connecticut attraction, playing in the warm sunshine, visiting any one of our fabulous campgrounds, or hanging out at the beach, you’ll soon yearn for a cool and creamy treat to tickle your tastebuds…no matter what your age. Sure, you can go to the grocery store or mini mart for a tub, but you’re on vacation! Why not live like a local and experience ice cream at a local parlor. Take in the variety of flavors, taste samples, then pick your favorite to feast upon.

Wherever you choose to go Connecticut camping, you can count on a sweet ‘lil ice cream parlor near you.

Northwest Hills 

Arethusa Farm

Bantam • (860) 361-6600 • arethusafarm.com

In 1999, George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgaitis, the owners of Manolo Blahnik USA, bought a dairy farm located in the Litchfield Hills. They raise award winning Jersey, Holstein and Brown Swiss cows. They pride themselves in providing the highest level of care for their animals and producing quality milk products. Only five miles from the farm in a renovated brick building in the center of Bantam they have their very own dairy shop. The ice cream-making machinery is in plain sight in the rear of the store, the freshness and richness of the product is impeccable. Leave the stilettos at home and mosey on over to try the chocolate-coconut combo and marvel at its deliciously dense, almost chewy, consistency.

Also try:

Dr. Mikes Ice Cream Shop

Walnut Beach Creamery

Central River Valley 

Rich Farm

Oxford • (203) 881-1040 • richfarmicecream.com

The Rich Farm is a Connecticut Dairy Farm of Distinction. The Rich family runs an immaculate farm and their cows produce high quality milk. Dawn and Dave Rich opened the ice cream store right at the farm in 1994. Only sold locally, hundreds trek to Oxford to wait in line for the oversized award winning cones and cups. The twenty-six everyday flavors include the traditional Butter Pecan and Coffee. Slightly less traditional? You can also enjoy unique flavors such as German Chocolate Cake, Cookie Monster and Razzmanian Devil. Specialty flavors are rotated in on a regular basis with Full Moon Chocolate (double chocolate ice cream with fudge swirl) only available on days with a full moon. “Howl” about that?!?

Also try:

Timothy’s

Praline’s Ice Cream

Northeast Corner

UConn Dairy Bar

Storrs • (860) 486-2634 • dairybar.uconn.edu

Located on the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs, the Dairy Bar makes it’s own award winning ice cream according to its original recipe. Milk is produced from its herd of cows, and the students churn the ice cream in the creamery, right behind the dairy bar. There are a minimum of 24 flavors available for cones, sundaes, sandwiches, shakes, floats and more. Mascot Jonathon has his own flavors, Husky Tracks consisting of vanilla ice cream with fudge swirl and Reese’s peanut butter cups and the always popular Jonathan Supreme, featuring vanilla, peanut butter swirl and chocolate-covered peanuts. It’s an A+ way to take in the UCONN experience.

Also try:

Buttonwood Farm Ice Cream

Fish Family Farm

Southeast/Mystic 

Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream

Mystic • (860) 572-7978 • mysticdrawbridgeicecream.com

Close to the Mystic River’s iconic Bascule Bridge you’ll find the historic ice cream shop where Mr. Randall Brown, Jr. started serving his homemade ice cream in this store in the 1800’s. Throughout the years ownership has changed but the product stays consistently delicious and today they continue to serve this cool creamy treat at the same location, using pure ingredients, and making one batch at a time. There are the “Drawbridge Originals” flavors including Lemon Chocolate Kiss, Kahlua Mocha Fudge, and Mystic Turtle. Have a single scoop or go all out and try the Brownie Overload sundae, a not-so-dainty delight that’ll bring out the kid in everyone!

Also try:

Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe and Cafe

Salem Valley Farms