Let me first apologize to all the lactose intolerant people reading this; God bless you, I could never do it. Ice cream is practically a way of life for me, whether it is straight from the carton or freshly scooped at one of my local faves. Yes, DQ and Friendly's have good ice cream, but nothing compares to these next eight places on the South Shore that you MUST try.

1. Peaceful Meadows

Ahhh, the taste of creamy homemade ice cream. My favorite is a chocolate frappe (it is the best you'll ever have trust me), but then again any of their flavors would happily satisfy me. With all of their ice cream made on sight at the Whitman shop/farm, you seriously can not go wrong! Visit them at one of their three locations;

60 Bedford St Whitman, Massachusetts / 109 W Grove St Middleborough, Massachusetts /170 Water St Plymouth, Massachusetts

2. Heidi's Hollow

This hidden gem definitely fought with Peaceful Meadows for a first place spot. With over 30 unique and classic flavors and hundreds of possible combos, Heidi's has something for everyone. Heidi's is a charming, old fashioned ice cream shop owned by the couple who lives in the adjoining home. The huge portion sizes and reasonable prices are also a plus! Located at 165 Liberty St Hanson, Massachusetts.

3. Dairy Twist

This place is just such a classic. Unlike #1 and #2 on the list, Dairy Twist also has soft serve ice cream (the orange creamsicle twist is heavenly). They have hundreds of options from hard serve, to soft serve, to sundaes and even ice cream for your furry friend. Big portions for cheap prices, but the only downfall is it is always packed. Definitely 100% worth the wait though! Located at 580 Washington St Pembroke, Massachusetts.

4. Hornstra Farm

Although I myself just recently discovered this adorable little hole in the wall, I can't get enough of it. Seriously, I went three times in one week (don't judge until you try it). Although a little bit pricier than some other places, it is delicious and obviously fresh. There's also a great country store with fresh milk, eggs and bread and it all sits on a massive farm. Located at 246 Prospect St Norwell, Massachusetts.

5. Crescent Ridge Dairy Bar

All I can say is wow. This place scoops a damn good sized ice cream. A kiddie is easily the size of a medium anywhere else, and they put jimmies on top of the ice cream AND on the bottom of the cup (finally someone who understands the struggle!!) They also sell fresh milk and juices along with all of their flavors in take-home half gallon cartons. Located at 355 Bay Rd Sharon, Massachusetts.

6. Nona's Homemade Ice Cream

With over 100 different flavors of ice cream, sherbets and sorbets this place has to be on your list. Homemade and wicked creamy, Nona's ice cream is basically perfect. The two locations are perfect as well. One is located on gorgeous Scituate harbor and the original is located in historic and quaint downtown Hingham. Check them out online for full menu and flavor list! Locations are 19 Main St Hingham, Massachusetts / 1 MillWharf Plaza Scituate Massachusetts

7. Joy's Dairy

Joy's Dairy is just that; a joy. They have tons of unique flavors, along with soft serve, and it is purely delicious. The great thing about this place is they are always having new promos, all it takes is to follow their Facebook page to see what's going on that day/week. Unfortunately, Joy's does close down during the winter season, but that just means you'll have to take advantage of it during the summer! Located at 269 Pembroke St Kingston, Massachusetts.

8. Sundae School

The one and only reason Sundae School is #8 on this list is because of its location, Cape Cod. If this place ever came to the South Shore I, and many others, would be in big trouble with a cherry on top. 36 flavors and endless sundae options always leaves me with something new to try and what more can you ask from an ice cream shop? If you're ever hungry and looking for an adventure, you've got to visit one of these three locations

606 Main St Harwichport, Massachusetts / 381 Lower Country Rd Dennisport, Massachusetts / 201 Main St East Orleans, Massachusetts

In my opinion, that is everything you need to know about the best ice cream on the South Shore, Massachusetts. Now dig in and enjoy!