Our Iowa ice cream trail starts in Des Moines and arcs west and north toward the Ice Cream Capital Of The World in Le Mars, and it will take you on an unforgettable trip that will leave your sweet tooth sated and happy for absolute ages. If you’re looking for the best ice cream in Iowa, you’re about to find it.
These five locations may not be in big towns, and they may not be ultra-fancy, but they do offer some of the most delicious ice creams in the land. All five of these locally-owned gems are worth a stop, whether you participate in our five-ice-cream day, or not. There’s no time of year better suited for ice cream than…any time of year! You can plan to hit up these Iowa classics from November to July and every month in-between.
Are you ready to find the best ice cream in Iowa? This ice cream-centric road trip is about 4 hours of drive-time. With five places to stop, it’s a great way to spend a warm Iowa day.
Google Maps
- Snookie’s Malt Shop, 1810 Beaver Ave., Des Moines
Patrick T./Yelp
Brenda L./Yelp With all of the classic and favorite flavors available and an animal cracker on top of every cone for extra cuteness, Snookie’s Malt Shop is a perfect first stop. If you have a canine companion, their puppy cone is free! If you’re looking for more information about Snookie’s, you can find it on their official Facebook page.
- Cole’s Ice Cream, 103 E 6th Avenue, Slater
Liu Y./Yelp
Crys L./Yelp All of the frozen yogurt and ice cream served at Cole’s Ice Cream is from Pickett Fence Creamery in Woodward. If you aren’t quite ready for another round of ice cream, Cole’s has award-winning hand-breaded tenderloins and a great lunch menu. It’s known as a local gem, and serves up some of the best ice cream in Iowa. Find all the up-to-the-minute info you need about Cole’s Ice Cream right here.
- The Dariette, 17 S 12th St., Fort Dodge
Dariette/Facebook
Dariette/Facebook The Dariette offers a dose of nostalgia with your ice cream. It’s been here since 1947. Crowd favorites include salted caramel ice cream and coffee ice cream. If the sun is shining, enjoy your sweet treat on their adorable patio. You can keep up with The Dariette on their official Facebook page.
- Better Day Cafe, 518 Lake Avenue, Storm Lake
Better Day Cafe/Facebook
Better Day Cafe/Facebook Sometimes, the best ice cream in Iowa deserves a bit of a spin. For an ice cream experience that’s a little different from a typical cone, try the Better Day Cafe’s root beer float. Their other specialties include espresso, fruit smoothies, malts, and shakes. Yum! You can find more information right here.
- Blue Bunny Ice Cream, The Ice Cream Capital of The World, 115 Central Ave. NW, Le Mars
Avi M./Yelp
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor/Facebook The Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor and Museum is located in the historical George E. Pew building in downtown Le Mars. This former general hardware and agricultural implements building was one of the first businesses in the state of Iowa.
Tutti S./Yelp The Parlor features a marble ice cream bar, saved from the historic M&M Bakery & Café in Nebraska. There’s a grand staircase, and a gift shop full of unique items from the Ice Cream Capital of the World®. There’s all sorts of updated information on the Blue Bunny Ice Cream official website.
Sarah C./Yelp The specialty at Blue Bunny Ice Cream is the sundae, of course. While you are there, be sure to walk around the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Museum, where you can see 100 years of photos, videos, and Blue Bunny Ice Cream Company memorabilia.
For more Iowa ice cream goodness, check out The Tiny Shop In Iowa That Serves Homemade Ice Cream To Die For.
Google Maps
Patrick T./Yelp
Brenda L./Yelp
With all of the classic and favorite flavors available and an animal cracker on top of every cone for extra cuteness, Snookie’s Malt Shop is a perfect first stop. If you have a canine companion, their puppy cone is free! If you’re looking for more information about Snookie’s, you can find it on their official Facebook page.
Liu Y./Yelp
Crys L./Yelp
All of the frozen yogurt and ice cream served at Cole’s Ice Cream is from Pickett Fence Creamery in Woodward. If you aren’t quite ready for another round of ice cream, Cole’s has award-winning hand-breaded tenderloins and a great lunch menu. It’s known as a local gem, and serves up some of the best ice cream in Iowa. Find all the up-to-the-minute info you need about Cole’s Ice Cream right here.
Dariette/Facebook
The Dariette offers a dose of nostalgia with your ice cream. It’s been here since 1947. Crowd favorites include salted caramel ice cream and coffee ice cream. If the sun is shining, enjoy your sweet treat on their adorable patio. You can keep up with The Dariette on their official Facebook page.
Better Day Cafe/Facebook
Sometimes, the best ice cream in Iowa deserves a bit of a spin. For an ice cream experience that’s a little different from a typical cone, try the Better Day Cafe’s root beer float. Their other specialties include espresso, fruit smoothies, malts, and shakes. Yum! You can find more information right here.
Avi M./Yelp
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor/Facebook
The Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor and Museum is located in the historical George E. Pew building in downtown Le Mars. This former general hardware and agricultural implements building was one of the first businesses in the state of Iowa.
Tutti S./Yelp
The Parlor features a marble ice cream bar, saved from the historic M&M Bakery & Café in Nebraska. There’s a grand staircase, and a gift shop full of unique items from the Ice Cream Capital of the World®. There’s all sorts of updated information on the Blue Bunny Ice Cream official website.
Sarah C./Yelp
The specialty at Blue Bunny Ice Cream is the sundae, of course. While you are there, be sure to walk around the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Museum, where you can see 100 years of photos, videos, and Blue Bunny Ice Cream Company memorabilia.
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Address: 1810 Beaver Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310, USAAddress: 103 E 6 Ave, Slater, IA 50244, USAAddress: 17 S 12th St, Fort Dodge, IA 50501, USAAddress: 518 Lake Ave N, Storm Lake, IA 50588, USAAddress: 115 Central Ave NW, Le Mars, IA 51031, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Ice Cream In Iowa May 08, 2020 Meghan Kraft What is the most famous ice cream shop in Iowa? It’s hard to choose the most famous ice cream shop in Iowa since there’s a number of world-famous parlors and eateries in the heart of the American Midwest. The best ice cream in Iowa is potentially found in multiple places, but most folks would claim the tip-top ice cream hot spot is Le Mars, known as the actual Ice Cream Capital of the World. Here, you’ll find the headquarters of Blue Bunny Ice Cream, and you can visit the world-famous ice cream parlor and indulge in everything from a cone to a sundae. It’s a favorite for folks of all ages. Where can I find the best desserts in Iowa? Iowa is in the heart of the American Midwest, which means comfort is of the essence and both sweet and savory treats are readily available. When there’s no sating a sweet tooth, a trip to Molly’s Cupcakes in Iowa City might help your cravings, or a pie from Cedar Rapids favorite Kathy’s Pies. Grandpa’s Homemade Ice Cream in Burlington, Iowa is known for its good old-fashioned ice cream options, and Over The Top in Pleasant Hill features more than 30 homemade ice cream flavors. Whether you’re looking for dense slices of cake or a refreshing ice cream cone, there are all sorts of options in Iowa. Can I visit any drive-thru ice cream parlors in Iowa? There aren’t many drive-thru ice cream parlors in Iowa, but there is a certain handful. Dariette in Fort Dodge, Iowa is located right in downtown and has an outdoor patio and drive-thru for folks looking to grab a soft-serve cone to-go. Viking Drive-Inn is located Ventura, and although it’s not a classic drive-thru you can drive-up and take your treats to-go. It’s the same set-up at the retro Snookies Malt Shop in Des Moines, where you can drive up, order, and indulge in your homemade shakes and malts on the go. If you’re looking for the best ice cream in Iowa, it just might be more easily available than you first thought.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Ice Cream In Iowa
May 08, 2020
Meghan Kraft
What is the most famous ice cream shop in Iowa? It’s hard to choose the most famous ice cream shop in Iowa since there’s a number of world-famous parlors and eateries in the heart of the American Midwest. The best ice cream in Iowa is potentially found in multiple places, but most folks would claim the tip-top ice cream hot spot is Le Mars, known as the actual Ice Cream Capital of the World. Here, you’ll find the headquarters of Blue Bunny Ice Cream, and you can visit the world-famous ice cream parlor and indulge in everything from a cone to a sundae. It’s a favorite for folks of all ages. Where can I find the best desserts in Iowa? Iowa is in the heart of the American Midwest, which means comfort is of the essence and both sweet and savory treats are readily available. When there’s no sating a sweet tooth, a trip to Molly’s Cupcakes in Iowa City might help your cravings, or a pie from Cedar Rapids favorite Kathy’s Pies. Grandpa’s Homemade Ice Cream in Burlington, Iowa is known for its good old-fashioned ice cream options, and Over The Top in Pleasant Hill features more than 30 homemade ice cream flavors. Whether you’re looking for dense slices of cake or a refreshing ice cream cone, there are all sorts of options in Iowa. Can I visit any drive-thru ice cream parlors in Iowa? There aren’t many drive-thru ice cream parlors in Iowa, but there is a certain handful. Dariette in Fort Dodge, Iowa is located right in downtown and has an outdoor patio and drive-thru for folks looking to grab a soft-serve cone to-go. Viking Drive-Inn is located Ventura, and although it’s not a classic drive-thru you can drive-up and take your treats to-go. It’s the same set-up at the retro Snookies Malt Shop in Des Moines, where you can drive up, order, and indulge in your homemade shakes and malts on the go. If you’re looking for the best ice cream in Iowa, it just might be more easily available than you first thought.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
It’s hard to choose the most famous ice cream shop in Iowa since there’s a number of world-famous parlors and eateries in the heart of the American Midwest. The best ice cream in Iowa is potentially found in multiple places, but most folks would claim the tip-top ice cream hot spot is Le Mars, known as the actual Ice Cream Capital of the World. Here, you’ll find the headquarters of Blue Bunny Ice Cream, and you can visit the world-famous ice cream parlor and indulge in everything from a cone to a sundae. It’s a favorite for folks of all ages.
Where can I find the best desserts in Iowa?
Iowa is in the heart of the American Midwest, which means comfort is of the essence and both sweet and savory treats are readily available. When there’s no sating a sweet tooth, a trip to Molly’s Cupcakes in Iowa City might help your cravings, or a pie from Cedar Rapids favorite Kathy’s Pies. Grandpa’s Homemade Ice Cream in Burlington, Iowa is known for its good old-fashioned ice cream options, and Over The Top in Pleasant Hill features more than 30 homemade ice cream flavors. Whether you’re looking for dense slices of cake or a refreshing ice cream cone, there are all sorts of options in Iowa.
Can I visit any drive-thru ice cream parlors in Iowa?
There aren’t many drive-thru ice cream parlors in Iowa, but there is a certain handful. Dariette in Fort Dodge, Iowa is located right in downtown and has an outdoor patio and drive-thru for folks looking to grab a soft-serve cone to-go. Viking Drive-Inn is located Ventura, and although it’s not a classic drive-thru you can drive-up and take your treats to-go. It’s the same set-up at the retro Snookies Malt Shop in Des Moines, where you can drive up, order, and indulge in your homemade shakes and malts on the go. If you’re looking for the best ice cream in Iowa, it just might be more easily available than you first thought.
