We're caught in the middle of summer, and unless you're vegan or severely lactose intolerant, the ice cream addiction is starting to set in. Whether you've loved these places since you were a little kid or you're just searching for a new place to try, you can't miss these landmarks. As I think back in order to write about all of these wonderful treasures, I realize, as I think many others will, that most of my fondest childhood and teenage memories involve trips to iconic ice cream shops like these. From cones bigger than your head to a location next to a farm or a roller skating rink, these are the perfect destinations to get your next cone. In no particular order, of course.
1. Snowman - Troy, NY
This is one of Troy's hidden gems, a tiny ice cream shop with some of the friendliest owners anywhere. Memories of Snowman are accompanied by rides on the highway to Troy in the middle of a sunset with the windows down, listening to Led Zeppelin for the first time. And it's right near the absolute best Italian restaurant anywhere besides Italy, DeFazio's Pizzeria. Snowman has over 30 flavors of homemade ice cream as well as their own yogurts and sherbets, and they have been in business ever since the early 1950s. And they make ice cream pies. It makes you wish the Snowman on the sign would come to life so you can give it a big hug.
2. Martha's Dandee Creme - Queensbury, NY
If you've ever been to The Great Escape, you probably have consequently held one of these insanely enormous cones. It's right across from the theme park and just minutes away from Lake George, making it the perfect addition to an amazing summer day. The consistency of the ice cream is super thick and they give you more than any other place, so you're getting more than your money's worth. Best cotton candy ice cream ever. They also sell other food ranging from deliciously healthy salads to onion rings that have ice cream in their batter. Craziness.
3. Samascott Orchards Garden Market - Kinderhook, NY
I love Samascott wholeheartedly. The actual orchard is by far the best farm I have ever been to, and it has grown countless memories of apple and pumpkin picking as well as the best cider donuts anywhere. The Garden Market's homemade hard ice cream, though, is the creamiest I've ever had and with the most diverse selection of over 100 flavors, including lemon basil, apple peanut butter, maple bacon, and blueberry. And it's available year-round. 
4. Guptill's Coney Express - Cohoes, NY
The roller skate rink itself has far too many sentimental memories for me, as I'm sure it does for everyone else who grew up going to Guptill's and "Secrets" on a Friday or Saturday night after a stressful week of middle school. But the Coney Express earns its title on this list for an extremely special reason: blue goo cotton candy FlavorBurst. Childhood memories of eagerly choosing from the extensive FlavorBurst list come flooding back, and you realize that this might very well be the purest, most magical, best flavor, at least if only for soft-serve, that you will ever experience.
5. TollGate Ice Cream - Slingerlands, NY
I had just purchased my dreamlike dress for senior prom, and it was hanging on the hook by the car window, blowing gently in the wind, when we decided to stop here for a treat. So along with that iridescent vision, what comes to mind when I think of this quaint little ice cream place is an aged building with vines growing on the side, getting sandwiches on cool fall nights after freshman year soccer games far away, and peanut butter and jelly ice cream. To this day, I've never tasted anything like it.
6. Stewart's - Colonie, NY
My mom honked the car horn when I saw my elementary (and middle) school crush walking his dog outside this one, and I thought with ~73% certainty that I saw him again just a few weeks ago. Stewart's is a corner landmark in Colonie, and the first Stewart's shop opened in 1945, but it technically existed under different names and ownerships by the Dake family dairy farm since 1917. You can make a quick stop to get the best extra-thick vanilla milkshake on a hot summer day, make your own sundae, or try their Fireworks ice cream with pop-rocks in it. Either way, you win.
Behold, my top favorites. Now, there are...some others...that many people wholeheartedly adore. But beware; some not mentioned here are highly overrated. If you find yourself on the great pursuit of the perfect cone, I assure you, these are the best options for you. They're rare little gems that have their own character. Any and all of your cravings will be satisfied, and perhaps an annual (or weekly) summer ice cream tradition will ensue.
