You’ve spent a long, rewarding day visiting Gettysburg’s historic battlefields and touring its quaint downtown. The perfect ending to the perfect day? A cool, refreshing cup or cone of ice cream, of course.
I ventured out to six ice cream shops in town and tasted everything from Georgia peach to maple walnut. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed.
Although quite a few of these places are close to each other, you’ll find that location doesn’t matter. Each shop is unique in its flavors and offerings.
Stop 1: Mr. G’s
I waltzed in to Mr. G’s right on the corner of Baltimore Street, passing a large group of people sitting outside, utilizing the benches and playing games of “Ring on the String” to pass the time on a beautiful, sunny weekday.
The smell of ice cream hit me as I walked through the door and into the shop. Bright colored walls and hard wooden floors set the scene. I went up to the cooler and browsed the 12 different homemade ice creams: orange pineapple, cotton candy, salted caramel and French vanilla were just some of the flavors.
I noticed sundaes and ice cream floats were also available and that I could choose from a variety of toppings such as nuts and marshmallows. But if ice cream isn’t your scoop of the day, Mr. G’s also offers shaved ice with flavors like strawberry and blue raspberry.
With all that ice cream staring at me, I really wanted to combine them all to say that I’d tasted each one. But reality took hold and I went with my favorite, mint chocolate chip. No complaints: the scoop was fresh and smooth, with the perfect amount of chips. It had a thick texture and extreme flavor. 404 Baltimore St., (717) 334-7600
Stop 2: Treat Yo’ Self
Just steps up the road from Mr. G’s, I came across a building with bright yellow window trimmings and a sign that said “Treat Yo’Self.”
First of all, how can anyone ignore that sign?
My next ice cream stop was this frozen yogurt gem, which also sells homemade donuts and cupcakes. It’s the whole package.
You can choose from 12 different frozen yogurts, or “FroYo” as it’s called. Each yogurt is separated in its own section and you pull a lever to release it into your dish. Feeling adventurous? Pull the middle lever and it’ll mix the two end flavors for a crazy combination!
Try cookies and cream, pistachio, cake batter or the seasonal mango sorbet. What’s more, after you’re finished filling your cup with the amount of FroYo you want, you can make your way to the toppings bar and dress your dish with cookies, sprinkles or fruit.
I had the cheesecake yogurt and it was as if I took a bite of an actual cheesecake. It was so smooth and creamy, and the sweet aftertaste left me wanting another bite.
My second taste (because I couldn’t leave with just one) was the mango sorbet. It was a perfectly refreshing and fruity blend of cream and ice. 430 Baltimore St., (717) 420-2914
Stop 3: Cone Sweet Cone
Across the street from Treat Yo’Self is Cone Sweet Cone, a more recent addition to the Gettysburg ice cream scene.
People sat on the outside deck and enjoyed their bowls of sweet treats under the shade. I walked through the open door to find a small shop that’s definitely a diamond in the rough.
Everything is homemade: ice cream, Italian ice, gelato and cream ice (a delightful combination of Italian ice and vanilla ice cream).
I browsed the available flavors and was excited when I saw gelato options including German chocolate cake and cannoli. Flavors of regular ice cream included peanut butter crunch and Mounds of Joy, which is made of coconut, dark chocolate and almonds.
I tasted the lemon cream, a flavor from the cream ice category. Clear in color, the spoonful I was given was extremely smooth and light. A tart lemon flavor came through but did not overpower its refreshing trait.
Next I tried Fruity de Bosco, a mixed berry gelato. It was a little thicker in texture and held a purple color. I got a delicate crunch of berries here and there and it reminded me of how fresh it was.
For such a small shop, Cone Sweet Cone sure knows exactly how to create some of the freshest, most intriguing flavors. 433 Baltimore St., (717) 420-0058
Stop 4: Sunset Ice Cream Parlor
After already tasting quite a few flavors, I was geared up and ready for my next visit, this one on Steinwehr Avenue. Sunset Ice Cream Parlor is hard to miss with its bright orange fence and vibrant building structure.
Walking in, I stepped on a black and white checkered floor and was greeted by red walls.
All the ice cream is homemade with over 50 different flavors. Sherbet and yogurt are also available, as well as sundaes, milkshakes and waffle cones.
I read a sign that said “Indulge, eat and drink” on the wall while receiving the most popular ice cream flavor recommendations.
I’m not a huge fan of nuts in my ice cream, but I went ahead and tried the maple walnut. I immediately smelled the maple and its sweetness before I took a bite. The nutty mix offers a bit of a crunch but it’s not obnoxious by any means and I sensed a bit of spice as well.
I also tried the cherry vanilla. Do you want to know the best part? An actual cherry was on my spoon because the ice cream is made with real cherries. And the pink color also made it really fun to eat. 33 Steinwehr Ave., (717) 337-3125
Stop 5: Kilwins Chocolates
Right next to Sunset Ice Cream Parlor is Kilwins Chocolates, where you can satisfy just about any kind of sweet tooth you might have.
As I walked in, chocolates greeted me to my left and my right, and hand-dipped caramel apples and chocolate-covered treats caught my eye.
To the back of the store is the real gem: ice cream.
Over 48 flavors exist in Kilwins inventory, which rotates every season. Also of note: Kilwins makes its own marshmallow. Fancy, right?
Being a peanut butter lover, I went right for the chocolate peanut butter ice cream. It was extremely dark in color and very rich, but so worth it. The chocolate was swirled perfectly with peanut butter flakes so you taste an equal combination in every bite.
For my next flavor I went with something a bit lighter—Georgia peach. It was whiter in color with a hint of light orange and I felt myself refreshed after the first bite. Real peach slices are swirled throughout the ice cream, and when I bit down on one it was an extra burst of yummy flavor. 37 Steinwehr Ave., (717) 337-2252
Stop 6: Half Pint Creamery
By this point, I was feeling the ice cream, but I knew I had to make one more stop. I’m sure glad I did.
I parked in Half Pint’s spacious lot with benches situated on the vast green surrounding the building. Only outside seating is available, which makes for a peaceful environment for enjoying your cone or cup.
The shop offers over 140 flavors, but only 36 are out at a time. Flavors are switched every day, and new ice creams are made daily.
Some of the flavors I noticed were Nutella, raspberry cheesecake, blueberry muffin, orange cream and banana.
The ice cream I tried was called Dunkaroo, which hearkened back to my childhood and one of my favorite snacks, which consisted of cookies and a delicious icing dip.
To my delight, the ice cream tasted just like the icing I remembered. Chocolate chip teddy grahams were scattered throughout, funfetti was used for the hints of color and the smooth texture made for a great experience.
Next I tried peppermint patty, which mimicked the flavor of the candy to a T. Chocolate swirls topped the white mint ice cream and mini chocolate chips were placed throughout.
What I loved most was the use of real toppings on the ice creams: for example, cookies on the cookie dough, marshmallows on the rocky road and Lucky Charms cereal pieces on the (no, I’m not lying) Lucky Charms flavor.
If you see a type of ice cream you want to taste while you’re there, don’t hesitate to try it. You may not see it again until it rotates back in! 1101 Biglerville Rd., (717) 420-2110
***
Now that I’ve given you a quick rundown of what to expect at six different ice cream shops in Gettysburg, it’s your job to decide which one resonates with you best. My only advice: if you go with a group, it’s worth everyone getting different flavors. That way you can taste all of the yumminess!
- Half Pint Creamery photo: Casey Martin Photography
- Kilwins Ice Cream photo: Jeremy Hess
- Remaining photos: Davin Jurgensen
