Scoop, There It Is!
By mid-July, Tennessee is fully in summer mode, making National Ice Cream Day on July 19 the perfect excuse to celebrate. Falling during National Ice Cream Month, the occasion sends Tennesseans toward locally owned ice cream shops, where small-batch makers transform fresh dairy and local ingredients into road trip-worthy treats.
A Scoop Worth the Drive
East Tennessee offers plenty of reasons to start with dessert. Apple Creek Creamery in Jonesborough handcrafts gourmet small-batch ice cream alongside Italian ice, creating a menu that changes often enough to keep regulars guessing. Over in Oliver Springs, Devaney's Eats & Treats combines Hershey's ice cream with old-school diner favorites, thick milkshakes, and the kind of casual atmosphere that makes lingering feel like part of the experience. In nearby Oak Ridge, family-owned Razzleberrys Ice Cream makes every batch in-house, proving that homemade still carries plenty of weight when it comes to frozen treats.
Middle Tennessee has its own loyal following. Golly G's Ice Cream in Pleasant View and Clarksville builds its award-winning homemade recipes with cream sourced from Middle Tennessee dairies, keeping local agriculture in the mix while serving everything from classic favorites to rotating seasonal creations. Just down the road, Hattie Jane's Creamery in Nashville leans into Tennessee milk for its handcrafted ice cream while making sure vegan customers aren't left staring through the display case. That attention to quality ingredients has helped make both shops regular stops for locals and visitors alike.
Then there's Memphis, where Kaye's Pints & Scoops takes the local approach even further by crafting small-batch ice cream with all-natural ingredients sourced through Mid-South farmers and flavor partners. Every scoop tells a story about the region, whether it comes from seasonal fruit, local honey, or another nearby producer.
The beauty of National Ice Cream Day is that there's no wrong way to celebrate. Grab a single scoop after exploring a small town, split a towering milkshake with friends, or make an entire weekend out of visiting a few of Tennessee's standout creameries. Summer has a habit of disappearing faster than expected, but fortunately, brain freeze is one tradition that never seems to go out of style, and these desserts will have you coming back for more.
Hungry for more? Check out https://www.guidetotennessee.com/ice-cream-parlors for more sweet treats all across the state!
