Travel Itinerary
Virginia hides some seriously amazing ice cream spots that most people walk right past without a second glance.
These humble shops might not look like much from the outside, but they’re serving up some of the most incredible frozen treats you’ll ever taste.
From family-owned parlors that have been around for decades to quirky little stands tucked away in strip malls, each one has its own special magic that keeps locals coming back for more.
1. Milwaukee Frozen Custard
Forget everything you think you know about frozen desserts because this Chantilly gem serves up authentic Wisconsin-style custard that’s creamier than your wildest dreams.
Fresh eggs make all the difference here, creating that signature dense texture that regular ice cream just can’t match. The vanilla custard tastes like happiness in a cone.
Located in a modest storefront, this family-run shop proves that the best treats often come from the most unexpected places in Northern Virginia.
2. Ruby Scoops Ice Cream & Sweets
Richmond’s sweetest secret lives in this cozy shop where every scoop feels like a warm hug from your favorite aunt who happens to make incredible ice cream.
Their rotating flavors include wild combinations that somehow work perfectly together, like lavender honey and brown butter pecan. Each batch gets made fresh daily using local ingredients whenever possible.
The owner greets everyone like old friends, making this spot feel more like visiting family than just grabbing dessert on a random Tuesday afternoon.
3. Kline’s Dairy Bar
This Harrisonburg institution has been making college students and families ridiculously happy since way before Instagram made ice cream photogenic.
Their soft serve towers so high it defies gravity, and somehow they manage to keep it from toppling over while you walk to your car. The chocolate dip coating creates the perfect crunchy shell.
Multiple locations mean you’re never too far from a Kline’s fix, though the original spot still draws crowds who remember getting treats here as kids decades ago.
4. Chaps Ice Cream
University of Virginia students stumble upon this Charlottesville treasure and suddenly understand why people write poetry about ice cream.
Hand-churned flavors rotate based on whatever strikes the owner’s fancy that week, from classic mint chip to bizarre experimental combinations that somehow taste amazing. Each scoop gets packed with more mix-ins than seems physically possible.
The tiny space means you’ll probably eat outside, but watching the sunset over your perfectly crafted sundae makes it feel like the world’s best outdoor dining experience.
5. Bev’s Homemade Ice Cream & Café
Bev doesn’t mess around when it comes to creating flavors that make grown adults do happy dances in public.
Every single batch gets made in-house using recipes that have been perfected through years of trial and error. The butter pecan contains actual chunks of buttery heaven, while the strawberry tastes like summer captured in frozen form.
This Richmond spot combines old-school ice cream making with modern creativity, resulting in treats that satisfy both nostalgia seekers and adventurous flavor hunters looking for their next favorite scoop.
6. Lolly’s Creamery
Beach vibes meet serious ice cream craftsmanship at this Virginia Beach spot where every flavor tells a delicious story.
Their sea salt caramel actually contains real sea salt from the nearby ocean, creating an authentic coastal taste that tourist trap shops can’t replicate. Creative toppings include everything from crushed cookies to fresh fruit.
Located just far enough from the main boardwalk action, this creamery attracts locals who know where to find the good stuff without fighting crowds of sunburned tourists for the perfect cone.
7. Doumar’s Cones & BBQ
Norfolk’s most wonderfully weird combination of barbecue and ice cream has been confusing and delighting customers since 1934.
Yes, you can absolutely get pulled pork and a milkshake in the same order, and somehow it works perfectly together. Their waffle cones get made fresh using original equipment that’s older than your grandparents.
This drive-in style joint proves that some of life’s best pleasures come from unexpected combinations, especially when you’re eating ice cream while sitting in your car on a warm evening.
8. Carl’s Frozen Custard
Fredericksburg locals guard this custard secret like it’s the location of buried treasure, and honestly, that’s not far from the truth.
Carl’s custard gets made fresh multiple times daily, ensuring that creamy texture that makes regular ice cream seem like a pale imitation. The concrete mixers blend toppings so thoroughly that every bite contains perfect distribution.
Don’t let the simple menu fool you because sometimes the most basic approach produces the most extraordinary results, especially when executed with this level of dedication and skill.
9. Pop’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream
Alexandria’s time machine disguised as an ice cream parlor transports customers back to simpler days when sundaes solved all problems.
Vintage equipment churns out flavors using recipes that haven’t changed in decades because perfection doesn’t need updating. Their hot fudge gets made from scratch daily and poured at exactly the right temperature to create magic.
Checkered floors and red vinyl stools complete the nostalgic atmosphere, making every visit feel like stepping into your favorite childhood memory, even if you never actually experienced the 1950s.
10. The Dairy Godmother
This Alexandria institution makes offers you literally cannot refuse, especially when their custard flavors change daily and create serious FOMO.
Their concrete stands are architectural marvels of frozen custard engineering, packed so densely with mix-ins that you need genuine arm strength to eat them. Seasonal specials showcase local ingredients in creative ways.
The name perfectly captures their approach because they really do take care of customers like family, remembering regular orders and always suggesting the perfect flavor combination for your current mood.
11. Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream
Toby’s proves that sometimes the best ice cream comes from people who treat frozen desserts like fine art instead of just cold snacks.
Every flavor gets crafted in small batches using premium ingredients that cost more than most shops want to spend. Their chocolate contains real Belgian cocoa that creates depth most ice creams never achieve.
Multiple locations in Arlington and Vienna mean serious ice cream lovers never have to travel far for their fix, though each shop maintains that personal touch that makes Toby’s feel special.
12. Woody’s Ice Cream
Fairfax families have been making Woody’s their go-to celebration destination for generations, creating traditions that span decades.
Their birthday cake flavor actually tastes like the best party you ever attended, complete with rainbow sprinkles and that indefinable happiness that comes with special occasions. Generous scoops ensure nobody leaves unsatisfied.
The staff treats every customer like they’re celebrating something important because honestly, choosing to eat great ice cream is always worth celebrating, whether it’s Tuesday or your actual birthday.
13. Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot
Hidden in Clifton like a delicious secret, Peterson’s operates out of what looks like an actual train depot from ice cream’s golden age.
Their old-fashioned soda fountain creates floats and sundaes that taste exactly like what your great-grandparents described from their childhood stories. Hand-dipped cones get made with the kind of care usually reserved for fine art.
The vintage atmosphere isn’t just decoration because everything here operates according to old-school standards where quality matters more than speed and every customer deserves the perfect scoop.
14. Blue Cow Ice Cream Co.
Virginia Beach’s quirkiest cow mascot oversees an operation that takes ice cream more seriously than most people take their careers.
Farm-fresh ingredients create flavors that taste like they came straight from pastoral dreams where cows are happy and cream is perfect. Their waffle cones get made fresh throughout the day, filling the shop with irresistible aromas.
The playful branding hides sophisticated flavor development that results in combinations you never knew you needed, like honey lavender or maple bacon that actually enhances rather than overwhelms the ice cream base.
15. Gelati Celesti
Richmond’s gelato specialists create frozen poetry using Italian techniques and local Virginia ingredients in combinations that shouldn’t work but absolutely do.
Their texture hits that perfect spot between ice cream and gelato, dense enough to satisfy but light enough to leave room for seconds. Seasonal flavors rotate based on what’s fresh and available from regional producers.
Multiple locations including Hilltop mean you’re never far from a scoop, though each shop maintains the artisanal quality that makes Gelati Celesti feel like discovering a hidden gem every single time.
16. The Sweet Spot
Virginia Beach’s premium dessert destination elevates ice cream from simple treat to culinary experience worth planning your entire evening around.
Their dessert creations combine house-made ice cream with elaborate toppings and presentations that look almost too beautiful to eat. Almost being the key word because they taste even better than they photograph.
The Sweet Spot lives up to its name by finding that perfect balance between indulgent luxury and approachable comfort, creating desserts that feel special without being pretentious or intimidating to enjoy.
17. Nathan’s Dairy Bar
Manassas keeps this neighborhood treasure busy with customers who understand that sometimes the best ice cream comes from places that look completely ordinary from the outside.
Their soft serve reaches heights that seem to defy both physics and common sense, yet somehow never falls over before you finish eating it. Classic flavors get executed with precision that makes simple seem sophisticated.
Nathan’s proves that consistency and quality trump flashiness every time, especially when you’re serving families who return week after week for treats that never disappoint or change unnecessarily.
18. Cookies And Cream
Haymarket and Gainesville’s sweetest addiction comes in the form of this shop that takes its namesake flavor seriously while offering so much more.
Their cookies and cream contains actual chunks of homemade cookies that add texture and flavor complexity you won’t find in grocery store versions. Creative sundaes transform simple scoops into elaborate dessert experiences.
The friendly atmosphere makes every visit feel like stopping by a neighbor’s house where they happen to make incredible ice cream and always have time to chat about your flavor preferences.