Ten Lebanon County Spots to Celebrate National Ice Cream Day
It’s hot out there, and all we’re thinking about ways to cool down — or just finding any excuse to eat more ice cream. National Ice Cream Day is Sunday, July 18 and we’ve got the scoop for you.
Where did ice cream come from?
Our love for ice cream goes way, way back. Records show that some of history’s most famous leaders enjoyed cold treats, from Roman emperor Nero to Alexander the Great. Even King Solomon was fond of “a snow-cooled drink at harvest time,” according to some Bible translations.
Historians believe the ancient Chinese were the first to develop a cool, creamy treat that resembles what we enjoy today. In the 1500s, ice cream started to spread through Europe, though at first only aristocrats could afford it.
No one knows for sure when ice cream made its way to the United States, but at least a few Founding Fathers were fans.
Thomas Jefferson wrote down 18-step instructions, the first known ice cream recipe recorded by an American. George Washington reportedly spent $200 in a single summer.
When did the U.S. create National Ice Cream Day?
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation that declared July to be National Ice Cream Month. The third Sunday of that month officially known as National Ice Cream Day. The proclamation — No. 5219, to be exact — describes “a nutritious and wholesome food, enjoyed by over 90 percent of the people in the United States.”
In honor of National Ice Cream Day, here are some popular spots in and around Lebanon County to enjoy a dish, cone or scoop of ice cream.
Manor Café at Cornwall Manor
Well, yes! Our residents and team members don’t have to go far in order to get their frosty fix. The Manor Café features eight Turkey Hill flavors, year round. Two of the flavors are chocolate and vanilla. Ice cream can be dished or topped on a cone (or made into a milkshake) and a variety of toppings are available.
The Jigger Shop: A Mt. Gretna institution founded in 1895, the Jigger Shop offers a spectacular variety of ice cream and milkshake options. But you can’t go wrong by ordering its namesake, the Jigger — two and a half scoops of French-vanilla ice cream with your choice of chocolate or butterscotch topping, whipped marshmallow, and jigger nuts. 202 Gettysburg Ave., Mt. Gretna.
The Pretzel Hut: There’s a large food menu, two new specialty soft-serve ice cream flavors every week, hand-scooped ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes, and more, but what sets this Lebanon County gem apart is the large petting zoo located in the woods behind the restaurant. 224 Furnace Hill Road, Newmanstown
Yogey’s Miniature Golf & Ice Cream Parlor: In addition to a mini-golf course, Yogey’s has 24 flavors of premium hand-dipped Hershey’s ice cream on its menu, along with sundaes and shakes. 10 S. 22nd St., Lebanon
Patches Family Creamery: Serving up homemade, dairy-fresh ice cream and other frozen delights, Patches Family Creamery has won several “Best Ice Cream in Lebanon County” votes. 201 Founderwhite Road, Lebanon
Brandt’s Ice Cream Parlor: With more than 20 Kreider Farms Ice Cream flavors and a rotation of specialty sundaes on the menu, Brandt’s, located at the Historic Cornwall Inn on 50 Burd Coleman Road, is sure to have something to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Rainbow Snow & Ice Cream: Offering window service and curbside pickup for online and call-ahead ordering, Rainbow Snow & Ice Cream has soft-serve and hand-dipped ice cream, sundaes, milkshakes, and more. Located at 103 N. Railroad St., Palmyra
Ice Shack: A family-friendly place to get together in Myerstown, the Ice Shack has a variety of unique sundae options, Italian Ice, soft-serve and hand-scooped ice cream, and more.
Zala’s Rolled Ice Cream in downtown Lebanon brings is the first store in the region to serve “stir-fried” ice cream. The delicious treat is made-to-order right in front of your eyes, which is something you almost need to see to believe.
Though not technically an ice cream shop, it’s hard to think of frozen desserts without thinking of Sirro’s Original Italian Water Ice & Malt Shop in the Lebanon Farmers Market. The ice is homemade and always sought after by carnival-goers at summer festivals in the valley.
Just across the Lebanon-Lancaster county line is Fox Meadows Creamery that features hand-crafted ice cream made on-site with milk from our small dairy farm just across the field.
We hope you enjoy these ten places around Lebanon County to get some ice cream!
