Feeling like a road trip? Check out these ice cream shops in Central and Southern Alberta so you can add some delicious ice cream to your itinerary. You may also be interested in my list of awesome ice cream shops in Calgary.
Heading West from Calgary
1. MacKay’s Ice Cream – Cochrane
220- 1st St West, Cochrane, Alberta http://www.mackaysicecream.com/
The MacKay family has been making and selling ice cream in Cochrane since 1948. MacKay’s ice cream is richer creamier than many as they start with a cream base with a higher percentage of butterfat. Their flavours include old stand bys like chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, flavors that remind me of my childhood like cotton candy and tiger and more unusual options like baklava, durian and avocado.
Special diet options: 1% dairy sorbet, gluten free cones
2. Frontier Candy and Ice Cream – Bragg Creek
10 Balsam Avenue Unit #111, Bragg Creek
A favorite day trip destination, Bragg Creek’s Frontier Candy and Ice Cream offers up lots of flavor options and tons of candy too.
3. Old School Bus Ice Cream – Canmore
10 Main Street, Canmore, AB – Old School Bus Ice Cream Facebook Page
Serving ice cream out of an old school bus in downtown Canmore. More than 20 flavours of hard ice cream and 10 flavours of shaved ice. You can also get floats and milkshakes.
Open seasonally mid-May to the end of September.
Special diet options: Dairy free sorbet and shaved ice. Gluten and nut free sealed ice cream cups.
4. COWS – Banff
134 Banff Ave, Banff, AB https://www.cows.ca
Cows is a small chain based in PEI. It’s Banff Avenue shop is it’s only Alberta location. They offer dense, high butterfat ice cream.
Heading North
5. Little Ice Cream & Soda Shoppe – Red Deer
4030 50 St, Red Deer, AB
The Little Ice Cream & Soda Shoppe does not seem to have a web presence. I couldn’t even find anything about their hours at the shop. If it does happen to be open while you are there though, you can treat yourself to some handmade hard ice cream made on site. Their portions are huge. You can get a single scoop with two flavours but really it’s as big as two scoops most other places. They have an entire section devoted to different chocolate ice cream variations. No debit. Open seasonally.
Special diet options: dairy free ices
6. The Big Moo and More Moo – Sylvan Lake
4603 Lakeshore Drive, Sylvan Lake, AB https://www.facebook.com/BigMooIceCream/
60 flavours of Foothills Creamery hard ice cream, soft ice cream and sundaes. Gluten free and dairy-free options available.
7. The Cone – Lacombe
5230 45St, Lacombe, AB https://www.facebook.com/The-Cone-Lacombe-1717737315139657/
Serving over 40 flavours of Foothills Creamery hard ice cream.
Gluten free cones and non-dairy sorbet available.
8. Asteroid – Drumheller
163 Centre St, Rosedale, AB
Located in Rosedale just outside of Drumheller, Asteroid offers around a dozen flavours of hard ice cream in addition to a full menu of burgers and other hot items.
Special diet options: Frozen yogurt, no sugar added and dairy free options
Heading South
9. Big Dipper Ice Cream Shoppe – Okotoks
67 McRae Street, Okotoks, AB http://www.bigdipper.ca/
Big Dipper Ice Cream Shoppe has over 35 flavors of Foothills Creamery ice cream as well as Fisasco Gelato and Evelyn’s Memory Lane. They offer milkshakes, sundaes, floats and gelato sandwiches. (open seasonally April-Oct)
Special diet options: No sugar added and dairy free ice cream
10. Nanton Ice Cream
2129 Main Street, Nanton, AB http://www.nantoncandy.com/collectibles/
Located in the Nanton Candy store, Nanton Ice Cream offers 35 flavours of hard ice cream dipped cones, and fresh made waffle cones.
Now open year round.
Special diet options: dairy free, frozen yogurt, and no sugar added options
11. Igloo Drive-in
569 24 St, Fort MacLeod, AB
Igloo Drive-in offers a large variety of soft serve ice cream as well as other items like burgers and fries.
12. Swirls Ice Cream – Lethbridge
Address: 1701 Mayor Magrath Drive South https://www.facebook.com/SwirlsLethbridge/
Swirls started in Medicine hat and now have expanded to Lethbridge. Serving hard ice cream, soft ice cream and ice cream treats. Open year round, reduced hours in the winter.
13. Swirls Ice Cream – Medicine Hat
Corner of division Ave and 4th St, Medicine Hat http://www.swirlsicecream.ca/
Swirls has been serving ice cream in Medicine Hat for over 30 years. They offer both hard ice cream as well as soft serve and novelty treats. Open seasonally. Cash only.
Special diet options: $1 dairy free popsicles.
