I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
Summer rolls in on scoops of frozen, brightly colored, creamy ice cream. San Diego heats up to a nice sizzle, and taking the kids out for ice cream is a time-tested way of cooling everyone down. Whether you want a banana split, frosty, smoothie, triple-decker cone, sprinkles, or gelato, we’ve got all that and more covered in this list. Many of these spots offer more than just your regular ice creamery offerings. Look out for triple-decker creations of cream and cookies, frozen pops, and more!
A trip to the ice cream shop also has the added benefit of being a super cheap way for parents, babysitters, or nannies to get everyone out of the house and in a great mood. It’s kind of a summer no-fail, so take a look at this awesome list of where to go the next time a craving hits for peanut butter, banana, chocolate drizzle!
Moo Time Creamery
Address: 1025 Orange Ave., Coronado, CA 92118
Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Phone: 619-435-2422
The first thing you’ll notice at Moo Time Creamery is the giant black and white cow standing in front of the store. Moo Time Creamery is set up like a 1950s ice cream shop — a happy, friendly environment to spend a hot summer hour while eating a delicious cone. Moo Time hand-rolls their crispy, sugary cones every day — the perfect holder for their creamy ice cream. Moo Time has granite countertops on which they crunch, crush, and roll whatever toppings your heart desires into a large scoop of your favorite ice cream. Their ice cream is also unusually and deliciously rich.
Moo Time has the benefit of being in gorgeous Coronado, so it’s the perfect way to end a day at the Coronado beach and drive some satisfied, exhausted kids home for an early bedtime.
Lapperts Ice Cream & Coffee Lounge
Address: 12265 Scripps Poway Parkway, Poway, CA 92064
Hours: Open daily, 11:30 a.m – 9:30 p.m.
Phone: 858-577-0015
A little bit of this, a little bit of that: Lapperts is the perfect, upscale place to take your kids for ice cream while you indulge in a cappuccino or espresso. Walter Lappert owned a small ice cream shop in Sausalito, California, and he wanted to expand. Two generations later, Lapperts is home to some of the most unusual and delicious ice cream flavors you’ll find. Try their Costa Rican Plantain Cajeta, Mexican Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl, or Philippine Macapuno Peach Sorbet. Of course, for picky kiddos, there are still the delicious basics of chocolate, vanilla, and more.
Lapperts actually calls themselves a “new American restaurant,” as they also serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner in their ultra-modern interior with indoor and outdoor eating. They even make amazing cakes! Lapperts also provides delivery and catering for a truly original experience in ice cream and coffee.
Mariposa Ice Cream
Address: 3450 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA 92116
Hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 1 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Sunday, 2 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Phone: 619-284-5197
Opened by a family with origins as Dutch dairy farmers, this ice cream is pure. Mariposa Ice Cream uses a hand-cranked ice cream maker that is an exact replica of the 1923 White Mountain version and creates dreamily good scoops of frozen ice cream. Their ice cream contains no eggs, and their sherbet has no dairy, making it friendly for the lactose intolerant among you.
After 17 years in their Normal Heights location, Mariposa has won many best ice cream awards for their simple and mouth-watering ice cream recipes, scooped to your liking, and especially great for kids who just love the basics. For those with an expansive palette, try the coconut or Mexican chocolate. This is a great place to relax with the kids in a friendly, artsy neighborhood.
Sub-Zero Ice Cream
Address: 201 Oak Ave., Carlsbad, CA, 92008
Hours: Open daily, noon – 11 p.m.
Phone: 760-453-7246
A national chain in North County, Sub-Zero utilizes liquid nitrogen to freeze the sugary cream there in the store, giving the ice cream an addictive extra-creamy zing. Sub-Zero makes a variety of delicious, crazy concoctions they call “Sensations” — something kids love because they can come up with some zany ideas. (They also offer lactose-free milk base for the lactose intolerant.)
In addition to this, Sub-Zero offers creamy cakes and pies and shakes for all your confectionary delight dreams to come true. Adults and kids will love this experience, and the liquid nitrogen freeze offers a great opportunity for some science lessons!
Treet Ice Cream Sandwich
Address: 3960 W. Point Loma Blvd., San Diego, CA 92110
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, noon – 9 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, noon – 10 p.m.
Phone: 619-501-5320
Treet was named by the owner’s daughter, who as a little girl couldn’t get the spelling of “treat” just right. This place is an absolute dream for anyone who salivates at the idea of an ice cream sandwich. When you arrive, you first choose a doughnut, brownie, or cookie. After choosing your ice cream flavor(s), Treet mixes the ice cream and uses your carb of choice to create a beautiful masterpiece that will melt in your mouth.
Treet bakes their cookies in-house every day and prides themselves on their more unusual mixes of ice cream and cookie (or doughnut/brownie), such as the organic cinnamon ice cream with a warm apple fritter, or the sweet cream peanut butter ice cream on a warm chocolate bar… dreamy.
The location in Point Loma makes it a perfect trip to visit the famous San Diego points of interest in Point Loma, including the Cabrillo Monument.
Lighthouse Ice Cream
Address: 5059 Newport Ave., Ste. 102., San Diego, CA 92107
Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 619-222-8600
For a different kind of ice cream experience, stop by the Ocean Beach Lighthouse Ice Cream stand, where they are famous for delicious handmade waffle cones. Lighthouse offers tons of flavors, toppings, and different kinds of cones to make everyone happy. Their waffle ice cream sandwich has a reputation as being one of the best desserts San Diego has to offer, so you might want to be sure someone from your group tries it out.
The prices are low and the beach is only one block away, so take the kids and spend a few hours in the sun before grabbing a scoop or a sandwich.
ICMonster
Address: 8945 Mira Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92126
Hours: Open daily, noon – 11 p.m.
Phone: 858-860-5998
If you are near Mira Mesa, swing by with the kids to this whimsical ice cream shop, inspired by a popular Asian street fad. ICMonster specializes in rolled ice cream placed in a cup or alternatively served with a doughnut or Hong Kong egg waffle. The rolled ice cream is made by pouring a flavored milk base onto an icy cold griddle. Then, your choice of toppings are stirred in and the ice cream is flattened into a thin layer and rolled into sections.
This is a new store, and the owner has plans to open six more locations across San Diego, so take the kids and be among the first to try this delicious frozen trend.
Creamistry
Address: 7420 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., #108, San Diego, CA 92111
Hours: Open daily, noon – 11 p.m.
Phone: 858-874-6407
Creamistry uses nitrogen-frozen ice cream to ensure a fresh, incredibly creamy experience, but they also use GMO free, organic ingredients, which we as parents love to know!
Creamistry offers 40 different ice cream flavors, as well as various toppings and cones. In addition to vegan and dairy-free options, they also have some adult-focused creations. The affogato is espresso, ice cream, and whipped cream, for a “wake up, delicious!” kind of vibe. Creamistry has a few San Diego locations, so if this one isn’t the best fit, click here to find another address that works better for your family.
Nekter Juice Bar
Address: 3435 Del Mar Heights Road, San Diego, CA 92130
Hours: Open daily, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Phone: 858-925-4517
Families with kids who have food intolerances, or who are just looking to try a healthier alternative to the normally sugar- and calorie-laden ice cream, should try Nekter.
Nekter makes batches of cashew milk-based ice cream with plant-based ingredients and are dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free. Some of their more fun flavors are Tahitian and bourbon vanilla, and chocolate bliss with cocoa, honey, coconut sugar, and a sprinkle of sea salt. Nekter also offers natural juices, acai bowls, and smoothies. You can even order Nekter online! Nekter also has a shop in Carmel Mountain and San Marcos if those locations work better for your family.
The Baked Bear
Address: 11640 Carmel Mountain Road, Ste. 120, San Diego, CA 92128
Hours: Open daily, noon – 9:30 p.m.
Phone: 858-451-2253
This open, light-filled store has a super-friendly vibe that makes it fun to stay and hang out while you eat. And their sandwiches are becoming legendary… ice cream sandwiches, of course!
The flavors are ridiculously mouthwatering for young and old. Try the Mexican Chocolate ice cream sandwich, or the lemon — two hot lemon cookies with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream in between. With an enormous array of toppings and flavors to choose from, everyone in the family will find something they love here!
