Ice Cream

This cash-only establishment is near the Historic Mitchell Street neighborhood on Milwaukee’s south side. Along with Mexican candies and savory snacks, it offers an array of frozen treats. If you’re visiting on a hot day, we suggest picking a frozen fruit popsicle called a paleta or a sweet raspado made with fresh fruit and shaved ice.

The Daily Scoop at the Memorial Union serves ice cream made fresh from cows at the Babcock Dairy Plant. We recommend the orange custard chocolate chip. The lines are long, but it’s worth it to sit out on the terrace’s signature sunburst chairs. Street parking is limited, so it’s best to shell out for a parking garage. Better yet, you can arrive by bike or bus.

Lick-a-Dee Splitz is a nostalgic stop near Maple Lake in northern Wisconsin. Along with homemade fudge and other candies, it carries 28 flavors of ice cream from Cedar Crest and Kemps. “I tell customers, ‘You’re welcome to have as many tastes as you like. It just makes your decision harder,” said owner Elizabeth Rigby. Rigby’s husband makes the store’s homemade waffle cones. Gluten-free waffle cones are also available for an added charge. If you’re feeling ambitious, order the bidonkadonk sundae with 12 scoops of ice cream and four toppings.

Located off a small country road near Fond du Lac, the Kelley Country Creamery bills itself as the “best ice cream in the middle of nowhere.” The ice cream is made on-site, and you can take a peek at the process through the parlor’s viewing window. The best way to enjoy your cone is on the shady porch while watching farm animals graze. Season-permitting, you’ll also get a view of blooming sunflowers.

The Pearl Ice Cream Parlor is a 1930s-style gem located in a historic downtown La Crosse building, just a block or so from the Mississippi River. Kids will love the old-fashioned soda fountain and the extensive confectionery. But the real draw is the house-made ice cream. Noted ice cream connoisseur and former President Joe Biden made a stop at the Pearl in 2021.