Must-Try Ice Cream in the Hudson Valley

Get fresh, locally made ice cream in the Lower Hudson Valley. Photo courtesy Canva
Get fresh, locally made ice cream in the Lower Hudson Valley. Photo courtesy Canva
7/12/24 - By Lisa Johnston

Even though ice cream stands, shops, and chains are plentiful throughout the lower Hudson Valley, there are a few local spots that stand out. 

All of our picks below are destination-worthy, using handmade or locally sourced ice cream for creative concoctions and traditional favorites–perfect if you're like me and my kids, who don't need much of an excuse to indulge in ice cream on a hot summer day!

For more frozen treats, be sure to check out our top picks for local ice cream shops in Westchester County!

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Bellvale Creamery – Warwick

Featured on our list of 25 Things to Do in Warwick, Bellvale's ice cream is homemade thanks to the dairy farm’s cows. There are over a dozen flavors offered each day, along with ice cream cake, pie, and ice cream sandwiches to buy. Don't miss the homemade waffle cones, either. The lines can get pretty long, especially on extra-hot days, but you can take in the breathtaking valley views while you’re waiting. Like many of the stands on this list, Bellvale opens in the spring and closes up shop sometime in October.

Zoghby's Blueberry Mountain – Middletown

All of Blueberry Mountain’s ice cream is homemade — and we think adults and kids alike will love the homemade waffle cones. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, but the indoor seats are extremely limited. This spot is open seasonally and doesn't close until 9pm on weekends, which may even have you postponing bedtime. 

Weir’s Ice Cream – Salisbury Mills

Weir’s is an Orange County mainstay, first opened in 1956. The stand, which has outdoor seating only, offers an array of choices: hard ice cream, soft serve, ices, sherbet, cyclones, and more. Kids will love all the hard ice cream flavor options, like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Chocolate Rice Krispie Treat, and Kookie Monster—and no doubt adults will be drawn to some of the more nostalgic flavors and toppings, like Choco Taco or the Cocoa Pebble Shake. Keep an eye on the shop's Facebook page before you visit to see if any specials are running, too. Weir’s is open from April through Labor Day.

The Dairy O – Westtown

Family-owned and operated, the Dairy O serves over 35 flavors of homemade ice cream as well as everything from milkshakes to ice cream sandwiches made with homemade cookies. Kids will love flavors like Charlie Brownie and Confetti Cake, while adults should try the throwback root beer float or go for a dairy-free option. And everyone will likely want in on the ice cream sandwich box, with macrons and mini ice cream sandwiches.  

Chester Ice Cream - Chester 

First opened in 1958, this ice cream spot in Chester has a long list of great ice cream flavors, with both longstanding classics, like cookie dough and mint chip, and seasonal options that kids will no doubt want to try, like blueberry pie. There are also Italian ices and soft serve. A boon for adults when it comes to party planning: The shop can make custom ice cream cakes

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