Grab a spoon and hop on our Dayton Ice Cream Trail
It is the stickiest trail and the tastiest trail.
Let us introduce the unofficial “Dayton Ice Cream Trail.”
We rounded up a list of our favorite go-to ice cream stops to set you up for sweet adventures.
A good trail consists of some tried-and-true shops, as well as a couple under-theradar stops to keep things fresh and surprising.
It’s up to you if you want to do it all one day or treat it as a bucket list to be conquered one stop at a time.
If you go with Plan A, don’t tell your dentist!
Young’s Jersey Dairy
6880 Springfield Xenia Road, Yellow Springs
A Dayton-area ice cream trail must include a stop at Young’s Jersey Dairy in Yellow Springs.
It’s part of Ohio’s ice cream trail and it’s the reigning champ for Best Ice Cream in the Best of Dayton readers choice contest.
Young’s offers a lot more than just great ice cream in a bowl, a waffle cone, in a sundae or in a milkshake. A fully functioning dairy farm, batting cages and even a yearround restaurant also operate on the property, making it a go-to destination for locals and visitors alike.
Not only will the goats and cows greet you at this “udderly” fun family farm, but more than 50 flavors of homemade-on-location ice cream. Prepare to be overwhelmed by delicious choices.
Jet Freeze
4014 E. Patterson Blvd., Beavercreek
Next stop is Jet Freeze ice cream in Beavercreek. This shop is an easy choice for an under-the-radar classic.
A quick peek at the Facebook reviews will show you most patrons have been visiting this ice cream shop since they were kids, so you know it must be good. Their soft serve is an absolute musttry, with unique flavors like blueberry and classics like chocolate.
If you’re in the mood for a cold treat other than ice cream may we recommend the Jet Freeze peanut butter malt?!
Jubie’s Creamery
471 W. Dayton-Yellow Springs Road, Fairborn Jubie’s Creamery was an obvious choice for the Dayton ice cream trail for a few reasons. It’s one of the area’s newest shops at just one year old, but already has a very loyal following. The Fairborn shop serves both handdipped and soft-serve ice cream all made in-house.
The homemade waffle cones are delicious, and the flavors are scrumptious. Try the strawberry cheesecake parfait or the chocolate peanut butter. You can also create your own soft custard parfaits or purchase by the pint to go.
Ducky’s Snowballs & Ice Cream
100 W. Market St., Troy
Since 2015, Ducky’s has been a summertime destination in Troy, serving up Hershey’s ice cream, soft serve, milkshakes and malts and snowballs (flavored shaved ice). Looking for something super sweet and out of the ordinary? Ducky’s also has Stuffed Snowballs, which blend flavored shaved ice with soft serve ice cream for one of the most unique ice cream treats around Dayton. Oh, they also have Jim’s Donuts filled with ice cream. Yes, beloved Vandalia-made donuts with Ducky’s ice cream in the middle.
The atmosphere is also quirky and fun. Once a service station, Ducky’s now offers tables, chairs and games.
Sweet Retreat
2613 S. Smithville Road
The Sweet Retreat opened in 2018 in the former Dairy Queen space on Smithville Road in Dayton’s Belmont neighborhood. It specializes in sweets like ice cream, sundaes, slushies, milkshakes and ice cream cakes.
Bonus: it also serves food including chili cheese dogs and jalapeno poppers and has a new food truck to take those yummy treats to festivals and special events.
The Village Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant
22 S. Broadway St., Lebanon
For a vintage experience, stop in for an old-fashioned float or a double-dip fancy sundae. The classic parlor has been visited by multiple Ohio governors and celebrities since its opening in 1969.
Ice cream sodas such as Blackcow Rootbeer and Old Fashioned Nectar are made in frosted soda glasses and topped off with whipped cream. The Lebanon Sundae is a throwback to the town’s early ice cream parlors, with vanilla and chocolate ice cream, topped with marshmallow and Spanish peanuts.
Ritter’s Frozen Custard
2531 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek | 2226 Wilmington Pike, Kettering
Ritter’s Frozen Custard whips up classics like Worms N Dirt, Monkey In The Middle and Glaciers. If these sound like strange concoctions to you, it’s time to make a trip to the third-place finisher in the most recent Best of Dayton contest.
JD’s Old Fashioned Frozen Custard
322 Union Blvd., Englewood
This old-school ice cream stand has been around for more than 20 years and offers almost that many different specialty sundaes. With flavors ranging from Buckeye Delight, Strawberry Sensation and Kentucky Bourbon Toffee Sundae, you’re sure to be able to find an indulgent treat that’s one-of-a-kind. JD’s also offers Ice Cream Pizza with homemade brownie crust, vanilla custard as the “sauce,” and mixed candies drizzled in syrup and hardening chocolate.
Can’t decide on just one flavor? They recently added ice cream flights to the menu, so you can try three “taster” scoops of either custard or Italian ices.
Graeter’s
2412 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood | 2330 N. Fairfield Road, Beavercreek | 2 N. Main St., Centerville
Graeter’s is a longtime local and Ohio favorite that is always staying ahead of the curve with delightful and unique new flavors for fans to try. Graeter’s also took second place for Best Ice Cream in our most recent Best of Dayton contest.
Formed in Cincinnati in 1870, Graeter’s has made its way to Dayton and has become just as much of a staple around the Gem City as the Queen City.
Can’t decide what to try? You can’t go wrong with the Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip.
The Root Beer Stande
1727 Woodman Drive, Dayton
At this point, you might be in the mood for something other than traditional ice cream and The Root Beer Stande is the perfect stop. While it lives up to its namesake by making a tasty float with its house-made root beer, it also serves driveup style food like foot-long hot dogs.
You can also opt for ice cream as well. A delicious cone or cup of chocolate, vanilla or swirl ice cream is just $1.99. Then, customers can dip their treat in chocolate, cherry or butterscotch for $1 more. Refreshing and affordable!