The Great Ice Cream Road Trip (Or, Why You Probably Shouldn’t Eat Ice Cream All Day)
Exploring Michigan’s best ice cream shops — lessons from a too-sweet road trip.
A decade ago, my sister-in-law and I tossed our collective kids (plus a teen’s girlfriend — who, I’m delighted to report, is now part of the family!) into the car and took off on a grand day-trip adventure: to eat ice cream.
I’ve read that travel is influenced heavily by social media, and this was certainly true for us. Our inspiration? A list much like this recent one from Awesome Mitten of the best ice cream shops in Michigan.
Of course we felt like the cool moms: Let’s road trip and eat ice cream all day!
What could go wrong?
The Reality of the "All Ice Cream, All Day" Itinerary
If you’ve ever removed the guardrails from ice cream for a day, you may appreciate that our ambitious 300+ mile itinerary — from Ann Arbor to Whitehall — didn’t quite go as planned.
I say this as a gal who has eaten ice cream for breakfast a time or two.
The reality of our trip? By stop #3, most of the crew had bowed out of the tasting.
We definitely opted out of anymore ice cream that day.
Lesson learned: Don’t build an entire day trip solely around eating ice cream. Even the most enthusiastic ice cream lovers have their limits.
Sweet Moments Along the Way
That said, it was a day full of wonderful moments:
Mooville in Nashville offered a chance to visit cows and play outside.
Jersey Junction in Grand Rapids ice cream shop - a historical landmark in the area — was a delight for the senses. Plus we learned the owners son wrote and illustrated The Polar Express!
Pekadills in Whitehall fed most of us food vs ice cream. It was charming and perfect. Bonus was my SIL was posting our adventures and a friend met us here having learned on social we were in the area!
We made an impromptu stop at Lake Michigan, where two brave kids plunged into the chilly water.
And while our ice cream enthusiasm waned temporarily, recovery was swift. Clearly. Because we’re about to do it again; at least - I am with the two youngest. The teens from the trip 10 years ago are now adults with busy lives (so glad we have this memory!)
The Comeback Tour: Ice Cream Adventures, Part 2
Recently, a list of the best ice cream shops by state crowned Blank Slate Creamery in Ann Arbor as Michigan’s top spot.
I’m embarrassed to admit that, even as a local, I’ve never been.
But that’s about to change.
This summer, we’re reviving the concept — a little older, a little wiser — and focusing our ice cream adventures closer to home - and not all in a day. Ha.
We’ll play tourist in our own town and visit all the charming ice cream shops around Ann Arbor.
We’re also close to completing our long-standing goal: visiting every ice cream shop along the Standish to East Tawas route — we’ve checked off all but one! This goal is part of our joy when we travel to our cottage in East Tawas, which available to rent and start your own ice cream adventure! (I’ll send you the list if you want, so you can check those spots off too!)
Why We Keep Coming Back
That road trip years ago may have temporarily cooled our enthusiasm for ice cream, but the joy of the experience stuck with us.
Because in Michigan, summer is about so much more than the destination:
It’s about the drive.
It’s about the small town stops.
It’s about the cold, creamy treat enjoyed on a sunny afternoon — whether at the start, middle, or end of your journey.
So here’s to another season of stories, stays, and ice cream along the way.
I’ll be sure to report back — in moderation, of course.
Here’s to an ice-cream filled summer in Michigan! Whether its trying a place you haven’t been close by, a day trip, or an adventure on your vacation - may the ice cream be delicious and the moments spent with loved ones memorable.
