The Best Spots To Celebrate National Ice Cream Month
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! July marks National Ice Cream Month, with the third Sunday being National Ice Cream Day. Celebrate the right way — the delicious way — with a creamy, ice-cold scoop (or two!) from one of the best ...
Best Ice Cream Shops to Visit In Canada & the Western US
Molly Moon's Ice Cream In Bellevue, WA
70 102nd Ave. NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Steps away from hip downtown Bellevue, just outside Seattle, you'll find Molly Moon's Ice Cream, a locals' favourite treat and ice cream shop. The store is Molly Moon's flagship, their "biggest and best-est." It's right next to Downtown Bellevue Park, another local hotspot that's well-known for its Inspiration Playground. Molly Moon's has a charming walk-up window, so you can quickly order your goodies while you stroll around downtown or enjoy the park.
"Always" ice cream flavours include classics such as Cookies & Cream and Strawberry alongside contemporary creations like Honey Lavender and Yeti, a sweet cream ice cream-based concoction including caramel, chocolate, and house-made yeti granola. Patrons have a couple of vegan options, as well, and there are always four seasonal flavours to choose from, created from fresh, local ingredients. Summer 2022 flavours include Matcha Strawberry and Citrus Sorbet.
Where to stay: Hotel 116 Bellevue, a pet-friendly hotel in the heart of downtown Bellevue, WA with a fitness centre, free parking, and seasonal outdoor pool.
McConnell's Fine Ice Creams In Santa Barbara, CA
728 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101
McConnell's Fine Ice Creams, affectionately referred to as McC's, is "out to produce the finest ice creams in the world, in the most responsible and sustainable way possible." It's safe to assume that's a mission statement we can all get behind! Even TIME called McConnell's the best ice cream in the world, so it's not just a baseless claim.
This beloved Santa Barbara ice cream shop makes all of its ice cream from scratch, focusing on a dense final product with a rich mouthfeel — and they've been crafting it the same way for over 70 years. No artificial ingredients are used, including fillers or stabilizers, resulting in ice cream that's simple and pure.
In addition to its Scoop Shops, McConnell's actually ships its ice cream (four-pint minimum order for shipping) and even offers a Pint of the Month Club. You'll find traditional flavours like Mint Chip and Vanilla Bean, but McC's is renowned for its unique and limited-edition flavours. Standouts include Pistachio Amaretto, Eureka Lemon & Marionberries, and Honey & Cornbread Cookies. There are also a few rotating limited-release flavours (summer 2022 variations include Vanilla Grapefruit and Earl Grey Tea & Shortbread Cookies) and a large selection of dairy-free options.
Where to stay: Nearby West Beach Inn, a Coast Hotel puts you in the heart of everything wonderful about Santa Barbara — pristine beaches, the Funk Zone neighbourhood, Stearns Wharf, walking and biking trails, including a free 2-hour bike rental coupon, and more.
Klondyke Cream & Candy In Dawson City, YT
902 Front St, Dawson City, YT Y0B 1G0, Canada
There's one go-to destination to cure that summer sweet tooth in Yukon's Dawson City: Klondyke Cream & Candy. The small candy and ice cream shop dishes up huge scoops of soft-serve ice cream during the summer months (it's open May through September) at an almost-too-good-to-be-true price point. In addition to the ice cream itself, Klondyke serves loaded sundaes, slushies, milkshakes, frozen yogurt, and smoothies. After grabbing your scoop (or scoops!), take it outside and sit on the patio to enjoy the picturesque mountain view.
Where to stay: Reminiscent of the Klondike Gold Rush era, The Downtown, a Coast Hotel, offers a convenient location in the heart of the downtown Dawson City core, pet-friendly guest rooms, an onsite restaurant, and a free airport shuttle.
Parachute Ice Cream In Victoria, BC
105-2626 Bridge St, Victoria, BC V8T 4S9
From Parachute's website: "Every problem has a solution and more often than not, that solution is ice cream. One spoonful of our carefully crafted confections triggers the ultimate release. Two will save the day. Ice cream is love and love is all you need." They said it best! Keeping true to that thought process, Parachute Ice Cream makes just about everything from scratch and onsite — not just ice cream, but fillings and toppings as well, such as brownies and fruit compotes that get folded into the ice cream flavours. There's also a large focus on partnering with other local businesses and sourcing ingredients and products locally whenever possible, with the goal of being good community members.
In addition to ice cream, Parachute is widely-known for making incredible cakes. There are three different base cakes to choose from: Chocolate Truffle and Cookies & Cream, which uses an Oreo base and is filled with Oreos; Vanilla Bean and Brown Butter Brownie, using scratch-made brownies; and Vegan Cookies & Cream and Vegan Vanilla Bean. Parachute also creates ice cream and cake concoctions together, adding cake chunks to ice cream to create indulgent treats.
Where to stay: The pet-friendly Coast Victoria Hotel & Marina by APA is located on the waterfront in the postcard-worthy Outer Harbour and boasts Victoria's only outdoor pool.
No matter where your sweet tooth brings you this summer, Coast Hotels is here to celebrate International Ice Cream Month with you at our numerous locations across Western Canada and the Western United States.