Skip to main content
Be prepared with helpful travel tips!
  • See & Do
    • See & Do
    • See all
      • See all
      • Seasons
        • See all
        • Spring
        • Summer
        • Fall
        • Winter
      • Accessibility
      • Arts
      • Attractions
      • Downtown
      • Health & Wellness
      • History
      • Live Music
      • Parks
      • Shopping
      • Stories
      • Weddings
  • Outdoors
    • Outdoors
    • See all
      • See all
      • Hiking
        • See all
        • Nature Walks
      • ADK Guides & Tours
      • Birding
      • Boating
      • Camping
      • Cross-Country Skiing
      • Cycling
      • Downhill Skiing
      • Fishing
      • Golfing
      • Ice Fishing
      • Mountain Biking
      • Paddling
      • Snowmobiling
      • Snowshoeing
  • Eat & Drink
    • Eat & Drink
    • See all
    • Cafés & Coffee Shops
    • Craft Beer & Cocktails
    • Restaurants
  • Events
    • Events
    • See all
    • Adirondack Snowshoe Fest
    • ArtWorks ArtMarkets
    • Can-Am Rugby Tournament
    • Celebrate Paddling ADK
    • First Night Saranac Lake
    • Plein Air Festival
    • Winter Carnival
    • 3rd Thursday Art Walks
  • Stay
    • Stay
    • See all
    • Cabins & Cottages
    • Camping
    • Inns, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts
    • Resorts, Hotels, Motels
    • Vacation Rentals
  • First Time Visitors
    • First Time Visitors
    • See all
      • See all
      • Accessibility
      • Downtown
      • Getting Here
      • Greater Region
      • Stories
      • Seasons
        • See all
        • Spring
        • Summer
        • Fall
        • Winter
  • Local
    • Local title-header
      • Live Here
        • See all
        • Meet the Locals
        • Real Estate
        • Town of Harrietstown
        • Town of North Elba
        • Town of St. Armand
        • Village of Saranac Lake
      • Do Business Here
        • See all
        • Chamber Job Board
        • Essex County IDA
        • Franklin County Economic Development Co.
        • Professional Services
        • Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
      • Community Initiatives
        • See all
        • Arts & Culture Master Plan
        • Downtown Revitalization Initiative
        • Saranac Lake Brand
        • Village Community Development Department
What can we help you find?
  • See & Do
      1. See & Do
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Seasons
          • See all
          • Spring
          • Summer
          • Fall
          • Winter
        3. Accessibility
        4. Arts
        5. Attractions
        6. Downtown
        7. Health & Wellness
        8. History
        9. Live Music
        10. Parks
        11. Shopping
        12. Stories
        13. Weddings
  • Outdoors
      1. Outdoors
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Hiking
          • See all
          • Nature Walks
        3. ADK Guides & Tours
        4. Birding
        5. Boating
        6. Camping
        7. Cross-Country Skiing
        8. Cycling
        9. Downhill Skiing
        10. Fishing
        11. Golfing
        12. Ice Fishing
        13. Mountain Biking
        14. Paddling
        15. Snowmobiling
        16. Snowshoeing
  • Eat & Drink
      1. Eat & Drink
      2. See all
      3. Cafés & Coffee Shops
      4. Craft Beer & Cocktails
      5. Restaurants
  • Events
      1. Events
      2. See all
      3. Adirondack Snowshoe Fest
      4. ArtWorks ArtMarkets
      5. Can-Am Rugby Tournament
      6. Celebrate Paddling ADK
      7. First Night Saranac Lake
      8. Plein Air Festival
      9. Winter Carnival
      10. 3rd Thursday Art Walks
  • Stay
      1. Stay
      2. See all
      3. Cabins & Cottages
      4. Camping
      5. Inns, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts
      6. Resorts, Hotels, Motels
      7. Vacation Rentals
  • First Time Visitors
      1. First Time Visitors
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Accessibility
        3. Downtown
        4. Getting Here
        5. Greater Region
        6. Stories
        7. Seasons
          • See all
          • Spring
          • Summer
          • Fall
          • Winter
  • Local
      1. Local
        1. Live Here
          • See all
          • Meet the Locals
          • Real Estate
          • Town of Harrietstown
          • Town of North Elba
          • Town of St. Armand
          • Village of Saranac Lake
        2. Do Business Here
          • See all
          • Chamber Job Board
          • Essex County IDA
          • Franklin County Economic Development Co.
          • Professional Services
          • Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
        3. Community Initiatives
          • See all
          • Arts & Culture Master Plan
          • Downtown Revitalization Initiative
          • Saranac Lake Brand
          • Village Community Development Department

Summer Scoop: Five ADK Ice Cream Destinations

Watch Video
Be prepared with helpful travel tips!
Sabrina Alli
July 26, 2018

Let me tell you all the reasons why summer in the Adirondacks is the best. The days are extra long and sunny. The High Peaks are prime for hiking. The many lakes and rivers are perfect for paddling. Swimming all day is a reality. All this makes me think of one thing that tops it all off. Ice cream. Every summer adventure needs to be topped with ice cream, and summer is when the local ice cream stands open shop and dazzle us with new (and traditional) flavors. Check out the list below for some suggestions on how to fulfill that perfect summer day with that perfect Adirondack cone. Each of these unique roadside stands is either right on Lake Flower or a minutes drive from it.

Donnelly’s
Saranac Lake

Everyone loves a cone from Donelly’s. The place is legendary with its 66-year-old machine still churning out mouthwatering soft serve. They change flavors on a daily basis so each day is a new twisted surprise in dairy heaven. You might find the traditional chocolate and vanilla twist, or on Thursday it will be a fruit surprise and on Monday a nut surprise. This past week you could enjoy vanilla twisted with maple walnut. The servings here are healthy (in that they are big), and you can purchase a pint to go. Their speciality is their deliciousness. Check online for the flavor-of-the-day details. 

A major roadside attraction
A major roadside attraction

Teddy’s Ice Cream and Grill
Bloomingdale

Come for ice cream and stay for dinner. Teddy’s offers a range of grill-ables including burgers, hot dogs, and the North Country classic—Michigans. If you don’t know, Michigans are a steamed hot dog smothered in a North Country specific meat sauce and wrapped in a steamed hot dog bun. This delicacy is a must-try and a local favorite. Teddy’s offers the double pleasure of Michigans and ice cream. They always have a flavor of the week, which so far has included maple, black raspberry, and chocolate peanut butter, to name a few. You can also expect your favorite more traditional flavors.  Can you imagine a more perfect combo than a Michigan and a cone of soft serve?

Make sure to try a Michigan with your ice cream
Make sure to try a Michigan with your ice cream

The Cone Cabin 
Lake Clear

This stand is minutes from Lake Clear Beach, which means you can grab a cone before and after a day of swimming and sun. The Cone Cabin also offers an extensive food menu that features burgers, chicken wings, and handcut fries. You don’t even have to plan what food to bring with you to the beach. Just stop at the Cone Cabin. The burgers here are Adirondack famous. My favorite is the bacon cheeseburger, and there’s a delicious veggie burger too. You can find a new twisted flavor of ice cream each week. I enjoyed a cone of blueberry twisted with vanilla. Oh, and try the Fiesta Fries.

Mountain Mist
Saranac Lake

With its location right on Lake Flower near the boat launch, this stand brings back all the summer memories at the lake. You can grab a scoop and some chili fries from the extensive food menu and sit back in an Adirondack chair right on the dock. They have sundaes, smoothies, and shakes just to name a few other treats. You can expect traditional soft serve flavors and some non-soft serve choices. Check online for their rotating flavors. This week I enjoyed a scoop of raspberry twisted with vanilla and dipped in rainbow sprinkles. You can’t go wrong at this stand.

The Pinecone 
Raybrook

Located right across from Tail O’ the Pup, where you can get your lobster clambake and then hop across the street for dessert. The Pinecone has several delicious options, offering both soft and non-soft serve ice cream. You can get a good old fashioned banana split or root beer float. Or, you can opt for one of their specialty sundaes that include choices like the Salty Caramel, Wet Walnut, or Hot Fudge. There are so many choices. They also have gluten free cones.

Summer is hot in Saranac Lake! Dine in our awesome downtown, then check out some live music and cap off the night in style!

 

 

A major roadside attraction
A major roadside attraction
Make sure to try a Michigan with your ice cream
Make sure to try a Michigan with your ice cream

Related Stories

Snowshoe Your Way to Winter Fun
The Taste of Community: Saranac Lake
Bar Flies and Fish Stories
Happy Campers
Sweet Indulgences - Saranac Lake's Coffee Hotspots
Five Ideas for Winter Family Fun
Saranac Lake Adventure Travel
Three Fantastic Fall Hikes in Saranac Lake
A Fall Vacation with Hot Sara
Lost Among the Rows
A Trip Around the Adirondack Carousel
Lake Kushaqua, A Beautiful Place to Rest
Perfect Paddling at the VIC
Decidedly Different Saranac Lake
Hiking Haystack
It's All Good at the Saranac Lake Skateboard Park
A Week’s Worth of Nightlife in Saranac Lake
Paddling Middle to Lower Saranac Lake
Cycling Loops in Saranac Lake
Hot Town, Summer in the Village
Finding Fun and Snowfleas at the VIC
Summer Scoop: Five ADK Ice Cream Destinations
Hiking and Birding in Bloomingdale Bog
Extreme Art: Painting Inside the Blue Line
Saranac Inn Golf and Country Club
Our Five Favorite Swimming Holes
Music on the Green 2018
Hiking an Adirondack Mountain for the First Time
Sweet Isle O' Mine - Adventures in Island Camping
Two Ways of Exploring the Natural World at the VIC
The VIC: It's Luxury Hiking!
Walking the Walk: 20 years of ArtWalks in Saranac Lake
Get down! The best low-elevation hikes in Saranac Lake
The Great Adirondack Birding Celebration!
Rejoice!! May Birding is Here!!
Adirondack Fish Hatchery Experience
Three of Saranac Lake's Best Paddling Routes
'Round the Mountain Canoe Race - An Event For All Paddlers
Family Paddling Day: Planned for You
Get away with the girls
So Much Snow! And Some Great March Skiing!
Saranac Lake's Walk of Fame
Family Ski at Dewey
Canoodlers and Lawn Chair Ladies
Woods and Waters Trail, a great ski!
A Holiday Ski!
First Skis of the Season!
Calling All Rock Hounds
Paddling Jones Pond in the Fall
A Fall Hike Up Mount Baker
The Great Adirondack Corn Maze
Fall Migration is in High Gear!
When the twenties roared
4 Go-To Paddling Destinations for Fall Foliage
An Evening Paddle on Middle Pond
Crossbills and Boreal Birds
Moose Pond: A Cool Fishing and Camping Combo
Paddling and Birding along Quebec Brook
How to pick your camping spot
McKenzie Road Bouldering
Not just a walk in the park
Rugby — A Gentleman’s Sport
Six Nations, First People
Family fun that's free
Stock up for your stay
Sprung!
To get the trout, get the gear
Three hikes to include everyone
Vroom! Daffest Derby creator shares memories
Slow paddle to Oseetah
Get out and art!
Dewey Mountain - Just Wild Enough
2016 Most Popular Blogs
We can dash through the snow
Make Holiday Memories at Moody Farm
Dia de Muertos at Pine Ridge
Don't be afraid of the kayak
The Possibilities Of Fall Birding
Ampersand: A Family Tradition Realized
Village of Boulders
So many hikes, so little time
Girls just wanna have fun
Searching for Philadelphia Vireo and other species
The coolest camping is on an island
Tri to stay dry
Puppy's first mountain climb
A Rainy Day Birding Trip in Madawaska
Coolest Places to Get Your Cone On in Saranac Lake
Coolest Adirondack Chopped Challenge!
Planting seeds
A beginner's mountain bike adventure
A Friends Weekend in the Coolest Place
Don't miss the summer's coolest events
History Is Cool: The Lab Museum
Wonderful Weddings in Cool Places
Five Fun (and obscure) Facts about Saranac Lake!
Cross-Country Skiing on the Bloomingdale Bog Trail
Yeah, we're cool - no matter what we're wearing!
Shops with personality plus
Gray Jays!
Fun with Ice: Saranac Lake Creativity
2015 Most Popular Blogs
Trotting for Turkeys
Select seven: Family hikes under four hours
Shopping without the stress
Tubing: the sport to please the masses
Timeless Tubing at Mount Pisgah
Brighton: Dusk 'til Dawn
Unleash Your Inner Picasso
Paddling and Hiking Around Little Green Pond
Camping in the Cold (Disclaimer: This is NOT a How-To Guide)
A Cool Adirondack Adventure
Fall Warblers and Other Migrants!
Enjoying Late Summer Wildflowers!
Dog Days of Summer aka Beach Time!
Lake Clear: Our Secret Paradise
Paddling and Birding Around Jones Pond
Paddling Middle Pond
Stevenson Cottage - small outside, a world inside
Paddling in the Adirondacks for the First Time!
Hiking with the Crew up Baker Mountain
Riding the Rails, Adirondack style!
Keeping It Local
July is when things heat up!
Finding Lots of Birds Just by Taking a Simple Walk
Great Birding at Intervale Lowlands - It's that Time of Year!
Great Birding and Loads of Warblers in Madawaska!
Saranac Inn, golf with a taste of Scotland
Free Water Park Ride In Our Backyard
Summer music is everywhere in Saranac Lake
Fun and Free (or almost)
A Spring Hike Up Baker Mountain
Learning to Love Every Season
In Defense of Mud Season
Skiing in April and on Easter - No Foolin'!
Winter Carnival announces Summer Ice Palace
The Joy of Spring Skiing
Newbie Skier Tackles Titus
Memorable Firsts: Carnival & Cross-Country Skis
Skiing the Fish Pond Trail
February Fun and Games in Saranac Lake
Wedding planning with the pros
Two sides of the Trifecta
Adirondack Traditions, then and now
An Evening Sleigh Ride in the Adirondacks
Four Seasons of High Points
Skiing - and Falling - in a Winter Wonderland
Fly our Adirondack skies
Where to find hot beverages
The First Ski of the Season!
Healthy Holidays, Adirondack Style
A picture's worth a thousand words - epic winter events
Birding Along Lake Colby
Saranac Lake Remembers the Great War
A Guide to the Great Indoors
Adirondack Firetower Challenge: Climbing the Fire Tower Peaks near and around Saranac Lake
New fun at Titus Mountain Ski Area
Norman Bethune, the hero, the artist
An Apt Pair: Ampersand Mountain & Follensby Clear Pond
The biggest Cure Tour of them all
History Comes Alive in Saranac Lake
Learning to Identify Fall Leaves
The Horse Knows The Way
Mount Pisgah getting ready for winter ski season
Paddling and Snorkeling Little Green Pond
A Red Phalarope at Little Clear Pond!
Searching for Fall Warblers and Other Songbirds
Boat Trip Massages: Two Roads to Wellness
Forks, Fests, and Flatwater: 3 Featured Fall events
Paddling Little Clear Pond
3 Short Paddles found in the St. Regis Canoe Area
Paddling Lake Clear Outlet
Hiking and Exploring Azure Mountain
See artists at work in the mountains
An Evening Paddle on Moose Pond
A Great Place to Break Down
A cure cottage tour, a step back in time
The Art Walk is a path to art, music, and fun!
Mid-summer events in Saranac Lake
Adirondack Paddling, Choosing the Right Paddle
Adirondack Paddling - Choosing The Right Boat
Frankenstein Lives! In the old laboratory in the village
Birding at the Spring Pond Bog
“One Particular Island” all to ourselves
Events roundup for Saranac Lake
Roughing it in style: a tour of White Pine Great Camp
The Great Adirondack Birding Celebration
Spring Paddling on Lake Colby
One Magic Canoe: The Seven Carries Canoe Route
Roadside Gems, Paddling the Saranac Lake Region
5 Hidden Gems for Hiking, Paddling & Trail Running
Art Event or Fun Party? BluSeed blurs the line
Daffest is just around the corner
Our lakes were born for boating
Top 10 Spots for Paddling in Adirondacks
Get Ready For Fishing Season
Winter Foodie Scene
Spoken Word: Poetry on Stage
Thursday Night Music Jam
Breakfast & History
Night Skiing at Mt. Pisgah
Mid-Winter Events 2014
Top Five Winter Break Activities
Best Ice Fishing Holes
Building the Ice Palace
Tubing Adventures at Mt. Pisgah
Snowshoe Shopping
Lost and Found
Short & scenic hikes
Saranac Lake Art Attraction Nov 22 - Dec 28, 2013
Muskrats!
Goodman Mountain
Saving Einstein
You Don't Paddle Into the Wind
Hiking St. Regis Mountain
Fall at the VIC
A Fall Paddle on Jones Pond
A Fall Hike Up Baker Mountain
Sparrows Along Lake Colby
Going to Church
Visitors in My Yard
Painted Landscapes, Clay Demonstrations, and Chickens...all a part of the Artist at Work Studio Tour
A Hike Up Panther Mountain
Where the leaves are on fire with color
Artist at Work Studio Tour this week
The Colors of Late Summer
Fun family events for fall foliage season
Bloomingdale Bog Birds
Fifth Annual Hobofest: Music, Food and Fun on the Tracks
Late Summer Yard Birds
Stomping out the Saranac 6 – Week 2 – St. Regis Mountain
Hobofest tops the calendar this weekend
FlavorFest at The Wild Center
Hobofest Returns to Saranac Lake
The Osgood's
Local Massage Therapist Takes It Up A Notch
Local Family Friendly Swimming Spots
A peaceful afternoon on Jones Pond
Take A Swim!
Ampersand Mountain
Entertaining events will keep you hopping this weekend
A Birding Trip to Bloomingdale Bog
Blog on Bogs
What can we help you find?
Sign up to receive more information.
Enter Email
Do•Stay•Eat•Shop•Events
Work Here•Contact Us•DEI•Media Kit•Privacy Policy
39 Main Street, Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Powered by the Regional Office of
Sustainable Tourism
THERE’S MORE TO EXPLORE
We’ve got the best ideas for things to do on your next Adirondack adventure, and we will deliver them right to your inbox! THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING! Your next adventure awaits you in your inbox! Tell us more about what interests you, and we can help you plan your next trip.
MANAGE YOUR PREFERENCES