3 Steps To An Epic Ice Cream Crawl

One of my favorite things to do with my girls – especially during the summer – is an ice cream crawl. Several years ago, my girls and I planned our first annual ice cream crawl in our hometown of Nashville. If you’ve never heard of an ice cream crawl it consists of visiting a new local ice cream spot each day for a week in the summer and then voting on our favorite. National ice cream day is on the 3rd Sunday in July making July the perfect month to host an epic ice cream crawl – no matter where you live. Below are three easy steps so that you can add an ice cream crawl to your summer fun list! And please share your favorite ice cream spots where you live!

How to host an epic ice cream crawl:

1. Decide on timing

We like to spread our ice cream crawl out over a week but maybe you have family in town and you’d like to have your crawl in one day. Or, maybe you want to extend it to the whole summer and go to a new spot each week. I’m always tempted to go all out and try an ice cream crawl in one afternoon with friends or family (and only hit 2 or 3 shops), but a week-long crawl has hit our “sweet” spot for now, especially with young kids.

Also, we usually head out after dinner (or on a weekend afternoon) and ice cream shop lines may be longer, but since we’re doing one stop a night no one seems to mind. If you’re doing your crawl in one day, you may want to let someone get in line early and order. Also, just get one or two flavors for everyone to share. Keep in mind, the 3rd Sunday in July is National Ice Cream day, so you could also factor this into your planning and there may be ice cream deals at spots where you live!

2. Map out your spots

Do a little research on ice cream spots in your town or city. You can find chains or local spots, places within walking (or biking) distance to each other for a one-day crawl or hop in the car to drive around your city or town. Here are some of our favorite ice cream shops in Nashville:

Bobbie’s Dairy Dip (5301 Charlotte Ave.) – A family favorite in our neighborhood (Bobbie’s has been in Sylvan Park for over half a century). Bobbie’s is a “blast from the past” with great burgers and fries, but the soft-served dip cone is a must.
P.S. I ate inordinate amounts of Bobbie’s while pregnant with my girls which may explain why they’re all addicted too.

Las Paletas (2911 12th Avenue S) – These local Mexican popsicles are amazing. Las Paletas offers “cream” or “fruit” paletas and each magically tastes like their flavors – try Rose or Hibiscus and you’ll see what I mean (though I recommend you stick with the simpler flavors for the kids).

Jeni’s Ice cream (1819 21st Ave. S) – Jeni’s has popped up all over our fair city, so check out their website for the location nearest you. Jeni’s ice cream is decadent and unique – flavors like salted caramel, cayenne chocolate and goat cheese with roasted cherries. And, in the shop, you always get (at least) two flavors together – often they seem really odd and peculiar, but then you put them together and they are heaven. They also make homemade ice cream cones which are dreamy.

Pied Piper Creamery (114 South 11th St.) – This charming family-friendly shop has a great selection of ice cream flavors – all with “punny” names. It’s located in the same house as Fairytales children’s bookstore, so you can enjoy ice cream and a great book, too.

Legato Gelato (1200 Villa Place #113) – Located in Edgehill Village (next to Taco Mamacita) Legato Gelato is the closest to gelato in Italy that I’ve found in the states. All gelatos are made fresh daily with no added sweeteners or dyes – which is a bonus for the kids.

Mike’s Ice Cream (129 2nd Avenue North) – Located in downtown Nashville near Broadway. They have fun flavors and, in my opinion, perfect to grab a cone and stroll the honkey tonks (yes, with kids in tow) on a sunny afternoon.

Goo Goo Cluster Shop and Dessert Bar (116 3rd Avenue South) – Also located in downtown Nashville, the iconic Goo Goo cluster is a Nashville must! And for your ice cream crawl, take a seat at the dessert bar and indulge in an ice cream sundae with GooGoo clusters sprinkled on top. The menu includes ice cream cones, milkshakes and more. You can also sign up for chocolate classes and learn to make your very own Goo Goo Cluster.

In past years, we’ve also hit Maggie Moos, Sweet Cece’s, Elliston Place Soda Shop and even made homemade ice cream as part of the crawl. Clearly, the ice cream possibilities are endless.

3. Vote on your favorite!

We like to score each spot during and after each visit. We found these awesome scorecards online. Then, on the last day, tally the winner and celebrate…by eating ice cream, of course!

Where will you head for your ice cream crawl this summer?

A version of this post was originally shared on The Nashville Mom.