Technically, July is National Ice Cream Month, established by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
But since when do we need an official date to enjoy one of life’s finest culinary creations? Below, we've compiled a few favorite ice cream stops throughout the South to offer ideas on where to get your next fix.
Big Red Rumble, an ice cream flavor at Chaney's Dairy Barn in Bowling Green, Kentucky, takes a white chocolate base with red velvet cake and adds chocolate flakes and fudge swirl.
VisitBGKY
Rumbling in Bowling Green
in Bowling Green, Ky.
The bold Big Red Rumble flavor pays tribute to one of Bowling Green's most recognizable icons — Western Kentucky University’s “Big Red” mascot, a larger-than-life character receiving some recent national attention. Big Red Rumble takes a white chocolate base with red velvet cake and adds chocolate flakes and fudge swirl.
The Dr Pepper Float
in Waco, Texas
I’m both a fan of Dr Pepper and Blue Bell Ice Cream, so imagine my delight in discovering a handmade float consisting of both served at the old-fashioned ice cream fountain at the Dr Pepper Museum.
It’s a treat to tour the museum and learn that Dr Pepper was officially introduced to the rest of America at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, along with the first hamburger buns, hot dog buns and ice cream cones. Don’t miss a stop at the counter for a float.
Shakin' it up
in Jackson, Miss.
Brent’s Drugs in Jackson, Mississippi.
BY CHERÉ COEN | Contributing writer
Jackson’s Fondren neighborhood is a step back in time, much of its retro buildings used in the filming of “The Help,” set in the early 1960s. Visitors will feel they have entered the mid-20th century at Brent’s Drugs, where the soda fountain has been serving meals and ice cream concoctions since 1946.
Customers can choose from shakes, sundaes, floats and pie, but if you love the added taste of malt, the Maltdown shake combines crushed Whoppers, malt and vanilla ice cream.
Soft serve with a view
in Wytheville, Va.
At the confluence of U.S. Highways 52 and 621 (Walker Mountain Road) outside Wytheville is a 100-foot observation tower where five states can be seen on a clear day. Scale the tower and peruse the BW Country Store that hosts musicians and artists in addition to hot dogs, fudge and delicious soft-serve ice cream.
The waffle cones are hand-rolled on site at Sweet Things Ice Cream in Lexington, Virginia.
BY CHERÉ COEN | Contributing writer
Homemade ice cream in hand-rolled waffle cones
in Lexington, Va.
You’ll be hard-pressed to believe that the homemade ice cream at Sweet Things is low in sugar. It’s the high percentage of butterfat that gives the scoops such rich flavor — and boy is it good.
Chris and Patty Williams run the landmark Lexington shop that utilizes local dairies and insists on authentic ingredients — their vanilla must originate within two degrees of the equator, for instance — to make its 26 flavors. Be sure to choose the waffle cones, hand-rolled on site, which is a treat to watch.
Sweet and salty
in Gulf Shores, Ala.
Island Ice Cream in Gulf Shores serves ice cream flavors like sea salt caramel.
Island Ice Cream
When temperatures soar, nothing cools off like a dip in the Gulf and an ice cream cone — just not at the same time! It’s the perfect combination. Choose one scoop or two of Sea Salt Caramel, a Blue Bell flavor that’s a little sweet and a little salty, just like your beach vacation.
Peach please
in various locations
The Yard has numerous locations throughout the Deep South, including in Gulf Shores, Destin and Flowood, Mississippi. There's much to choose from, but if peach calls your name, try the Sprite with Blue Bell’s Peachy Peach ice cream and strawberry drizzle topped with whipped cream and more strawberry drizzle.
For something truly decadent, the Mint Brownie Mudslide features mint chocolate chip ice cream in a marshmallow-dipped Mason jar rolled in crushed Oreo cookies and topped with a brownie, whipped cream, drizzle and more crushed Oreo cookies.
Mayfield Dairy Farms created the "Smoky Mountain Fudge" ice cream flavor especially for Dollywood.
Dollywood
A Dollywood special
in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Mayfield Dairy Farms created the Smoky Mountain Fudge flavor especially for Dollywood and, much like Dollywood, it’s an ice cream that embraces fun and a touch of Smoky Mountain magic. The package design changes to reflect the latest attraction opening in the park. Right now, it’s promoting the new NightFlight Exhibition ride.
Closer to home
LolliPops Sweets Shoppe in Gonzales serves up praline pecan ice cream.
Ascension Parish Tourism Commission
in Gonzales serves up a h favorite that combines what’s great about our state: a praline pecan flavor. Try the Manning Mudslide, consisting of hazelnut praline ice cream swirled with rich fudge and brownie chunks, or the cookie butter ice cream at in Thibodaux.
鲹Ի’s , known for not only snowballs but delicious and unique sundaes, combines cookies with vanilla ice cream for its Biscoff Cookie Butter Sundae.
鲹Ի’s Central Sno serves a Biscoff Cookie Butter Sundae.
h's Cajun Bayou Tourism
There’s so many ice cream parlors in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and New Orleans that it’s impossible to name them all.
A few unique places to try are the on LSU's campus, which serves up homemade ice cream on weekdays; a variety of ice cream specialties at in downtown Lafayette, the last retail ǰ’s Ice Cream Shoppe in the world; and in New Orleans, creating the city’s indigenous Creole Cream Cheese ice cream.