The Cumberland Valley Ice Cream Trail 2024 highlights 19 ice cream shops in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania. Once you complete the free, simple sign-up, you simply visit the listed ice cream shops, making sure that you check-in when you are at each shop. Each check-in earns you 100 points, which can be redeemed for prizes such as stickers, hats, or cinch sacks. I personally visited and reviewed every shop on the trail.
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Cornerstone Coffeehouse
Cornerstone Coffeehouse is a cute coffeehouse in Camp Hill. They serve breakfast and lunch, bakery items, and hot and cold drinks. They also offer eight flavors of hand-dipped ice cream, as well as milkshakes. On the day I visited, they had four flavors of Leiby’s ice cream and four flavors of Urban Churn ice cream. There was a price difference between the Leiby’s and Urban Churn flavors. I had a cone of Leiby’s Chocolate Chip Mint. The ice cream was just ok. It wasn’t very minty and while it had a good amount of chocolate pieces mixed in, the chocolate wasn’t the best. I really liked the layout of the Cornerstone Coffeehouse though, with ample seating both inside and out. There were a bunch of people there working on their laptops while enjoying their drinks. Their sandwiches, salads, and baked goods looked tasty. While I wouldn’t consider Cornerstone Coffeehouse a prime ice cream location, I would like to return and try their food and beverages.
Destiny Dairy Bar
Destiny Dairy Bar is a cute little ice cream stand located right on the farm where the ice cream is made. They sell ice cream, milk, and wagyu cross beef. They also offer a small children’s play area and a chance to see goats, pigs, cows, and chickens. The thing that sets Destiny Dairy Bar apart is the fact that they use A2 milk. According to their website, A2 milk isn’t suppose to cause the problems that people with lactose intolerance have when consuming dairy. Since none of us are lactose intolerant, I can’t speak to that aspect of their ice cream but I can tell you that they produce rich and tasty ice cream. They offer about 12 flavors of hand dipped ice cream, as well as sundaes and milk shakes. On our recent visit, I had orange pineapple and lemon poppyseed while Marie had black raspberry and chocolate chip mint. All four flavors were very good. Their prices are reasonable and if you have the CV Ice Cream Trail app, they offer a very generous buy one get one free coupon. Destiny Dairy Bar only has outdoor seating. For both the ice cream and the chance to watch the animals, I would recommend a visit to Destiny Dairy Bar!
Dough and Arrows
Dough and Arrows is a store in downtown Carlisle specializing in homemade edible cookie dough but they also sell Turkey Hill ice cream. Their menu includes floats, shakes, sundaes, and arrowheads which are a mix of ice cream, cookie dough, and toppings. Marie and the other person with us both opted for ice cream; Marie for Frosted Party Cake (which she didn’t like) and the other person for Cotton Candy. Since I could go to the grocery store and buy a whole carton of Turkey Hill ice cream for the price of two scoops and since they specialize in edible cookie dough, I decided to try some. I got S’mores cookie dough. I think that I am just too old to enjoy eating a cup of raw cookie dough. I didn’t like it so Marie ended up eating most of it, since she liked it better than her ice cream. There was lots of indoor seating and each table had a game such as checkers or Chinese checkers. Dough and Arrows was one of my least favorite spots on the CV ice cream trail.
Exquisite Chocolates of Carlisle
Exquisite Chocolates is a specialty chocolate store in Carlisle. They sell Neuhaus Belgium chocolate, other specialty chocolate from around the world, macaroons, and gelato. Gelato is made with more milk, whereas ice cream uses more cream. Gelato is also churned slower than ice cream, which means less air is incorporated, resulting in a denser, more flavor packed product. Gelato serving sizes tend to be smaller and it is eaten with a flat spatula, called a spade. I tried Strawberry gelato and Coconut gelato while Marie had Mixed Berry sorbetto and Sea Salt Caramel gelato. Sorbetto is dairy free so it is less creamy and more icy. While she liked the sorbetto flavor she thought some of the fruit pieces were a bit sour. All of the gelato flavors were very tasty! The coconut had flakes of coconut and the strawberry had pieces of strawberries. The small spade forces you to take small bites, allowing you to savor the robust flavor. There are a handful of tables inside but no outdoor seating. Because their main focus is chocolate, they are not open in the evenings, which I feel is the time that more people would be apt to be going out for ice cream. In our culture of super-sizing everything, you might be surprised at the serving size but I think that the rich flavors and silky texture make gelato from Exquisite Chocolates worth trying.
Hanna’s Ice Cream Shoppe
Hanna’s Ice Cream Shoppe is a cute 50’s themed ice cream shop in New Cumberland. They sell Hershey’s and Leiby’s ice creams. On our recent visit I got Peanut Butter Caramel Cookie Dough (Leiby’s) and Milky Way (Hershey’s). Milky Way is chocolate malt ice cream with chocolaty chips and butterscotch swirls. The ice cream was nice and creamy but I didn’t think that it had much chocolate flavor. It did have a lot of butterscotch swirls but they overpowered the other flavors. The Peanut Butter Caramel Cookie Dough had a mild peanut butter flavor and a good amount of cookie dough but once again, I thought the caramel was a bit overpowering. Michael got Cashew and Raspberry (Leiby’s) and Brown Butter Burbon Truffle (Hershey’s). He didn’t think that there was anything special about either flavor. Hanna’s has lots of indoor but no outdoor seating. The decent ice cream, generous serving sizes, and 50’s décor and retro booths make Hanna’s Ice Cream Shoppe worth a stop.
Inside Scoop
Inside Scoop is a relatively new ice cream stand in Shippensburg. They sell Windy Knoll, Hershey’s, and Ritchey’s ice cream. In addition to hand-dipped ice cream, they sell milkshakes, floats, and sundaes. On our recent visit Michael got a cotton candy milkshake. He was disappointed in it because the only straws they have are too skinny to easily suck up a thick milkshake. I was glad that the workers are knowledgeable about the ice cream they sell, since I wanted to choose Ritchey’s flavors. I had only had them once before and thought that their ice cream was very good. I got Blueberry Cheesecake and Grapenut. Both flavors were rich and creamy and quite enjoyable. There is a small parking lot but plenty of on-street parking is available. Behind the ice cream stand there are plenty of wrought iron tables and chairs surrounded by a rocky hillside. They have lights strung around and music playing. There is no inside seating. We enjoyed our visit to the Inside Scoop, although next time Michael might bring his own straw.
Joey Jak’s
Joey Jak’s is a new ice cream shop in Camp Hill that serves New Zealand real fruit ice cream. Joey Jak’s mixes Penn State Berkey Creamery vanilla ice cream with a scoop of frozen fruit in a special machine which blends them and dispenses the mixture with the look of soft-serve ice cream. The resulting product is firmer than typical soft serve. Joey Jak’s offers three fruit options daily. I chose to try red raspberry. I enjoy red raspberry ice cream except when you mix whole red raspberries into ice cream you get a nice flavor but a lot of seeds. I like the idea of a premium fruit flavored ice cream but just was not impressed. There is one small table inside and five chairs outside so if they were busy seating would be a problem. If you enjoy trying new foods then give Joey Jak’s a whirl but with their limited flavors and lack of seating, this will not be a place that I will visit frequently.
Kings Gap General Store
Kings Gap General Store is a small old-time general store located at the entrance to Kings Gap Environmental Education Center. Although I have been to Kings Gap EEC often, I had never stopped at the Kings Gap General Store. They are a new participant to the CV Ice Cream Trail so I decided to stop in. I was greeted by Deb, the very friendly owner of the store. The store sells some staples, as well as many local products. They also have a food counter and ice cream. Deb told me that they make all their food from scratch. While I didn’t try any of their food, I definitely plan to go back at some point to try some. They used to sell Hershey’s ice cream but in an effort to support local businesses, they now source their ice cream from Mr. G’s Ice Cream in Gettysburg. In addition to their selection of about 8 hand-dipped flavors, they also offer pints and homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches. I don’t know why I never heard of Mr. G’s before because their ice cream is exceptional. I had a dish of Death By Chocolate, a rich, smooth, and creamy chocolate ice cream with chocolate swirl and pieces of brownie in it. Marie had Salted Caramel, which was salted caramel ice cream mixed with chocolate bites filled with salted caramel. She said it was one of the best ice creams that she has ever had. Only outdoor seating is available. If you mention the CV Ice Cream Trail, Deb will give you $0.50 off each ice cream you buy. Kings Gap General Store is worth the visit to eat some very reasonably priced but extremely tasty ice cream.
Kristy’s Whistle Stop
Kristy’s Whistle Stop is an iconic grill and ice cream stop in Enola. They offer hard and soft ice cream, as well as food items from the grill. The night we went they were offering 19 homemade hard ice cream flavors; 6 soft ice cream flavors; and about 20 hard ice cream flavors made by Turkey Hill, Hershey’s, and Leiby’s. They also make shakes and sundaes. Michael enjoyed a graham slam milkshake, while Marie had a raspberry soft serve. I thought the raspberry soft serve was just OK. I had Peanut Butter Explosion and Andes Candies. The Peanut Butter Explosion was peanut butter ice cream with Reese’s pieces and peanut butter cups. I really enjoyed it. Andes Candies was chocolate mint ice cream with pieces of Andes candies. I thought it had very nice flavor but a slightly grainy texture. The others with us that evening got butter pecan hard ice cream and ice cream nachos. Ice cream nachos are a scoop of hard ice cream, cookie pieces, and marshmallow dipping sauce. The servings are very generous and you can choose two flavors in a small. There are a few booths inside and a covered patio with lots of picnic tables. Even so, it can be difficult to find a seat (or a parking spot in their small lot) because it is often very busy. With a large selection of items to tempt your taste buds, Kristy’s Whistle Stop is sure to have something to please each person in your party.
Leo’s Homemade Ice Cream
Leo’s Homemade Ice Cream is an ice cream shop located in Carlisle, PA. As their name indicates, they make all their ice cream in-house, with fresh, local ingredients. They offer traditional flavors as well as more unique ones. On our recent visit, I got Almond Joy and Smores, while Marie enjoyed a Root Beer Float. Almond Joy is coconut ice cream with chocolate chips, coconut, and almonds. It was nice and creamy and quite tasty. Smores is vanilla ice cream with graham crackers, chocolate chips, and marshmallow swirl. I don’t know if the Almond Joy ice cream that was on top ended up overpowering it or if it just didn’t have that much flavor. The float consisted of a generous serving of vanilla ice cream in a cup and a can of Mug root beer. Marie enjoyed her refreshing float on a hot summer evening. In addition to hand dipped ice cream, they offer pints and ice cream pies. In 2013 Tripadvisor named Leo’s one of the top 10 independent ice cream shops in America. Leo’s offers plenty of indoor seating, as well as a nice outdoor seating area. One important thing to note about Leo’s is that they are CASH ONLY, although there is an in-store ATM in case you forget to bring cash. With a large selection of flavors, generous seating, and rich and creamy ice cream, I would recommend a trip to Leo’s Homemade Ice Cream.
Macris Chocolates
Macris Chocolates is a family-owned chocolate shop with locations in Mechanicsburg and Lemoyne. Only the Lemoyne location is on the CV ice cream trail. They offer eight flavors of hand dipped ice cream. Most of their flavors are made by Penn State Berkey Creamery, although they also collaborate with Urban Churn on several flavors exclusive to Macris Chocolates. On my recent visit I had Bittersweet Mint and WPSU Coffee Break. The mint was flavorful and creamy, with lots of chocolate flakes. WPSU coffee break is coffee ice cream with chocolate chips. I am not a coffee drinker but usually like coffee ice cream as long as it has chocolate in it however the coffee flavor of WPSU coffee break was too strong for me. The others with me got Peachy Paterno and Peanut Butter Swirl. They both enjoyed their flavors. All the flavors we got were Penn State Berkey Creamery flavors. They also have a freezer case of pints, where there is a much larger flavor selection. Because they are mainly a chocolate shop they only offer ice cream, no sundaes or milkshakes. Also, they only have one two-seater table in the store and no outdoor seating. Macris Chocolates offers good quality ice cream but lacks the ambiance associated with many of the other stops along the CV ice cream trail.
Massey’s Frozen Custard
Massey’s Frozen Custard, located in Carlisle, sells soft and hard frozen custard. Custard differs from ice cream in that it includes egg yolks. It also has very little air mixed into it during the churning process. These two factors account for the richer, denser taste and texture of custard. On our recent visit we enjoyed hard frozen custard. I got Peach and Cinnamon Donut while Marie got Raspberry and Cinnamon Donut. I thought the Peach could have been more flavorful but I thought Marie’s Raspberry was very good, although she found it a little strong for her liking. The Cinnamon Donut was good. It had just the right amount of cinnamon flavor, not too mild but not overwhelming either. I don’t know how they did it but the pieces of donut in it had the texture of a donut and were not at all mushy from being mixed into it. The other two people with us each got Raspberry and Chocolate, and they enjoyed both. There is no indoor seating available but there are several covered benches out front and a few small tables in the back. Make sure to check their Facebook page before you go as their flavors change daily. They also have one of the most generous discounts on the CV Ice Cream Trail with 20% off your entire purchase. If you are in the Carlisle area, you should give Massey’s Frozen Custard a try.
Paulus Farm Market
Paulus Farm Market is a farm store and park in Mechanicsburg. They also have an ice cream stand that sells Hershey’s hard ice cream and Turkey Hill soft serve, as well as milkshakes, sundaes, and floats. It was SO hot the day that we went that Marie opted for a pink lemonade slushie, I got soft serve vanilla, and the other person with us chose mint chocolate chip. There was nothing outstanding about anything we got but it sure hit the spot on a super-hot day. The ice cream booth has a service window on the front and the back so you can order from the parking lot or from inside the FarmPark. If you are inside the FarmPark, there is a sink available for washing hands before enjoying your treat, as well as several picnic tables to sit at. I would not go out of my way to get ice cream at Paulus Farm Market but it is a nice treat if you are already there for the farm store or the FarmPark.
Oak Grove Farms
Oak Grove Farms is a farm market and greenhouse in Mechanicsburg. They have a wide variety of produce and baked goods for sale. They also have an ice cream counter. They do not make their own but carry Turkey Hill and Windy Knoll ice cream. They also offer milkshakes and about 10 flavors of soft serve. If I am going to spend money at an ice cream stand, I prefer to get ice cream that I can’t pick up at the local grocery store. Windy Knoll is produced locally and I think that they make a good tasting, rich and creamy ice cream. On our recent visit to Oak Grove Farms, I got Black Raspberry Extreme and Summer Berry (both Windy Knoll flavors). I really enjoyed the Black Raspberry Extreme. It was a creamy and flavorful black raspberry ice cream with little dark chocolate cups that had black raspberry filling. I was slightly disappointed in the Summer Berry. It was a vanilla ice cream with fruit flavored swirls in it. I would have liked it better if it had real berries in it. One of the kids got a blue raspberry and strawberry swirl soft serve. Not my favorite but she really enjoyed it. If you choose soft serve, you can get up to three flavors swirled together. The other person with me got a fresh strawberry milkshake. It was made with strawberry soft serve and a fresh strawberry puree. It was very tasty! There is no indoor seating at Oak Grove Farms but there is ample outdoor seating. While not at the top of my list, Oak Grove Farms ice cream offerings are tasty and they offer a good variety of choices.
Rakestraw’s
Rakestraw’s is a long-time ice cream shop in Mechanicsburg. Many years ago they made their own ice cream but now they sell mainly Galliker’s ice cream, with a few Hershey’s flavors. They offer hard and soft serve ice cream, as well as sundaes, floats, milkshakes, and avalanches. On our recent visit I got Coconut Almond Delight and Lemon Berry Crunch, while Marie got Orange Sherbet. The others with us got Cookies and Cream and Cotton Candy. All the flavors were just typical grocery store quality. Rakestraw’s has very limited outdoor seating so most people end up standing in the parking lot around their cars. The problem with this is that the parking lot is very small and it is difficult to drive through with all the people milling about. Rakestraw’s is a long-time fixture in Mechanicsburg but I prefer other stops along the ice cream trail that have both better ice cream and better ambience.
Shirley Rae’s
Shirely Rae’s is a small ice cream and sandwich / panini shop in Mechanicsburg. They offer cones, milkshakes, and sundaes. They sell about 16 flavors of Leiby’s ice cream. Leiby’s has been producing tasty ice cream using locally sourced milk since 1928. On our recent visit to Shirley Rae’s my son, Michael, and I each got Cappuccino Chunk, although I got a cone and Michael got a milkshake. Cappuccino Chunk is a cappuccino flavored ice cream with chocolaty coffee chunks. The ice cream was tasty but the cappuccino flavor could have been a little stronger. There is limited indoor and outdoor seating at Shirley Rae’s. I was a bit disappointed that they informed me that they are not honoring the 10% off coupon that appears on the CV Ice Cream Trail app. Shirley Rae’s is good but doesn’t stand out in any way.
The Twirly Top
The Twirly Top is an iconic ice cream and burger drive-in located near Pine Grove Furnace State Park. They offer hard and soft ice cream, sundaes, milk shakes, floats, and twisters (ice cream mixed with add-ins). After an afternoon in the sun at Pine Grove Furnace, Marie and I decided to cool off with two soft-serve cones, vanilla and vanilla and chocolate twist. The ice cream was yummy and hit the spot on a hot afternoon. The Twirly Top has a walk-up window and limited outdoor seating. They are reasonably priced. While a bit out of the way compared with some of the other stops on the CV Ice Cream Trail, The Twirly Top is a good way to end a day of adventure at Pine Grove Furnace State Park.
Urban Churn Carlisle
Urban Churn is known for their homemade ice cream and innovative flavors. Their grass-fed milk ice cream is all natural so they don’t use artificial colors or flavors. They have 3 locations. Recently I visited their Carlisle, PA location. Although I often enjoy trying all the unique flavors at Urban Churn, on this trip I went a more traditional route and had Mint Chip. The green color is not as vibrant as most mint ice creams because they do not use artificial colors but the flavor was excellent. It was a nice minty ice cream studded with little pieces of chocolate. Marie enjoyed Watermelon Sorbet, which she said tasted just like eating a watermelon. The other person in our party had Birthday Cake and Chocolate Ron Swanson, a chocolate ice cream with bacon. There is a good amount of indoor seating but no outdoor seating at Urban Churn Carlisle. Each month Urban Churn has 5 flavors of the month. Urban Churn will delight everyone in your party, from the traditionalist to the adventurist.
Urban Churn Mechanicsburg
Urban Churn is known for their homemade ice cream and innovative flavors. Their grass-fed milk ice cream is all natural so they don’t use artificial colors or flavors. They have 3 locations. Recently I visited their Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg location. I enjoyed Truly Strawberry and Peach Cobbler. The others with me tried Salted Tequila Lime, Thai Tea, and Chocolate Cherry Brownie. As always, the ice cream was rich and creamy. The Peach Cobbler tasted like homemade peach cobbler mixed with peach ice cream. The chunks of peaches and the cobbler topping added great flavor and texture to the ice cream. The Truly Strawberry was a nice strawberry flavor but I think the addition of chunks of strawberry would have been nice. The Chocolate Cherry Brownie was a chocolate ice cream with pieces of brownie and chocolate covered cherries. It was very chocolatey and tasty. The Salted Tequila Lime was a favorite. The Thai Tea was a subtle flavor, whereas most of their tea flavors are stronger so that one wasn’t a favorite. There is limited indoor and outdoor seating at Urban Churn. Each month Urban Churn has 5 flavors of the month. Although they are one of the more expensive stops on the CV Ice Cream Trail, with their constantly changing menu of rich and creamy ice cream with new and innovative flavors you can visit Urban Churn again and again and your taste buds can enjoy a new experience each time.
My Takeaway
I enjoyed exploring the Cumberland Valley area of Pennsylvania by participating in the Cumberland Valley Ice Cream Trail 2024. There is something for everyone on the trail, whether you like hand dipped or soft ice cream, milkshakes or sundaes, custard or gelato. It’s fun to travel around and enjoy old favorites and explore new places. I do wish that more of the places either made their own ice cream or sourced from smaller, local dairies. When I spend the money to go out for ice cream, I much prefer to get something that I can’t buy at the local grocery store. The quality of the ice cream is also higher when it is homemade or sourced from local dairies. In my opinion, Inside Scoop and Leo’s provide the best ambiance but the winner for my favorite ice cream is Urban Churn. Not only do they produce high-quality, delicious ice cream but the fact that they produce five new flavors each month ensures that every time you go, you can enjoy a new flavor. Overall, I had a great time completing the Cumberland Valley Ice Cream Trail and would highly recommend that you sign up and start checking out the many ice cream shops in the Cumberland Valley.