Here's The Best Ice Cream Spots In Maryland

Nothing tastes better on a warm summer day than a sweet serving of ice cream. Maryland has plenty of great shops dishing up cones and cups of delightful dairy products. The state has a long history with ice cream, where strawberry ice cream was first served on the continent in 1744 by Gov. Thomas Bladen.

Just as important, Jacob Fussell opened the world’s first ice cream factory in Baltimore in 1853, and now the state tourism office has put together Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail featuring cow-to-cone creameries with their own dairies.

Here's a sampling of where you can indulge your sweet tooth. Tell us your favorite ice cream shop in comments.

Central Maryland
Annapolis Ice Cream Company, Annapolis (Anne Arundel County) – Located on Main Street downtown, the shop offers ice cream that's made on the premises with natural and organic ingredients. Flavors range from the standards to Raspberry Chocolate Chip, Coffee Oreo (made with real coffee) and Key Lime.

Bomboy's Home Made Ice Cream, Havre de Grace (Harford County) – Across the street from Bomboy's Home Made Candy, the ice cream shop scoops out Duck, Duck, Goose; Salty Dawg; Raspberry Truffle; and Kokamocha among its everyday selections. Seasonal flavors include Havre de Nuts, Chocolate Explosion and Cinnamonkey. Look for the black-and-white cow outside.

The Charmery, Baltimore-based, The Charmery is known for its uniquely inspired homemade flavors, bright and bold design aesthetic and a friendly customer service experience. The Hampden-based ice cream shop also has an outpost in Towson and another at their ice cream factory at the Union Collective.

Broom's Bloom Dairy, Bel Air (Harford County) – Featuring own old-fashioned ice cream, Broom's Bloom Dairy has made more than 100 flavors, with a variety of 12-18 flavors offered daily. They also serve homemade lunches, artisan cheese and pork sausage.

Hoffman's Home Made Ice Cream, Westminster (Carroll County) – The Hoffman family has been making ice cream since 1947. Ravens Ripple – available in the fall – is one of the 50 flavors made during the year. Homemade ice cream sandwiches are a favorite among regular customers.

Keyes Creamery, Aberdeen (Harford County) – Only the best milk produced by the farm's grass-fed cows is used to make Keyes Creamery specialty cheeses and premium ice cream. The creamery serves hand-dipped ice cream made weekly on site. Quarts and pints of your favorite flavors are available to take home.

Prigel Family Creamery, Glen Arm (Baltimore County) – The creamery processes milk from Bellevale Farm into fresh, nutrient-dense dairy foods from cows that graze on grass grown from organically balanced soils.

Capital Maryland

The Dairy, University of Maryland, College Park (Prince George's County) – An ice cream institution, The Dairy has made ice cream since 1924 and offers 31 flavors.

Moorenko's Ice Cream, Silver Spring (Montgomery County) – Since 2002, Moorenko’s has crafted small-batch, ultra-premium ice cream in the DC area. Their ice cream is made by hand with the highest percentage of milkfat, less sugar, and less air.

Eastern Shore

Chesapeake Bay Farms, Inc., Berlin (Worcester County) – Meet the herd that produces the milk for all of the fresh dairy products. Kids can safely milk a robotic re-circulating cow and visit with farm animals. Retail stores in Pocomoke and Berlin serve all Chesapeake Bay Farms homemade products including hand-dipped ice cream by the cup, cone or packaged to take home.

Dumser's Dairyland, Ocean City (Worcester County) – Located on the Ocean City boardwalk since 1939, Dumser's makes its own ice cream daily – serving up its creations at an ice cream parlor reminiscent of the 1940s. Dumser's also has two restaurant locations along Coastal Highway.

Durding's Store, Rock Hall (Kent County) – Established in 1872, Durding's has an old-fashioned soda fountain that offers ice cream creations and homemade baked goods.

Island Creamery, Berlin (Worster County) – Started in 1975, the Creamery uses all-natural premium butterfat mix from Lancaster County cows ensuring a rich, creamy ice cream inspired by flavors from the local fruit or from tasty concoctions made in their kitchen.

Justines, Ocean City (Worcester County) – Offering a creative assortment of ice creams, gelatos, sorbets, and frozen desserts. And, Justines is famous for offering more than 77 classic and signature milkshakes.

Kilby Cream, Rising Sun (Cecil County) – The Kilbys have been dairy farmers for more than 100 years. They offer ice cream flavors as Holstein Cream, Udderly Chocolate and Mink Mookie. The "Moo Mobile" serves ice cream at festivals and other events.

Scottish Highland Creamery, Oxford (Talbot County) – Growing up in Edinburgh, Scotland, Victor Barlow lived above an Italian ice cream shop. Today, Barlow offers 600 flavors, including Double Belgian Chocolate, Dulce de Leche, Mascarpone and Tiramisu.

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