This contest is closed.
Congratulations to our winner, Jamie K!! Enjoy your time at the zoo, and let us know about your fun experience!
Sometimes working for the grkids family is just so rough.
Why?
Because I have the hardest blogging assignment in the world: I need to write a guide about area ice cream shops. Rough assignment, I know.
We All Scream for Ice Cream!
I think this is the one time my boys have asked me to work MORE and do MORE research.
But this is also your blog. If you read this blog, it also belongs to you.
So, here’s your opportunity to be a part of my research.
And just to encourage you to help me research local ice cream shops, I’m going to make it fun! I have a 4-pack of John Ball Zoo passes to give away to one of you who leaves a comment on this post.
Tell me your favorite ice cream place and why you love it so much.
That’s it.
The lucky winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday, June 29. The ice cream guide will be up on Friday, July 1. And I will be forever grateful for you saving me from lots and lots of ice cream headaches and empty calories.
My favorite ice cream place is Captain Sundae in Holland! I love their variety – everyone can find something they enjoy and they have seating to keep people (especially small children) away from the busy road they are on.
Even though I haven’t been there in years, I like Jersey Junction in East Grand Rapids. Captain Sundae in Holland is also yummy!
Hmm… What ice cream place s not a favorite? It is all about the menu and service! From the Dairy Ranch in Dorr to Jone’s in Baldwin… But, we love our local favorite: Jersey Junction in East Grand Rapids!! It is a quaint little place in the heart of Gaslight Village, and is SUPER family friendly. During the summer months, local Police Officers ride their bikes through neighborhoods and reward kids wearing bike helmets with a FREE cone of their choice! How cool is that?
So many come to mind….Sundae’s at the Cottage, TCBY, Hershey’s (on 52nd), Java Cone, Macy’s, Dairy Queen, Cold Stone, Maggie Moo’s…..
I’ve got to admit it…I love Cold Stone! Just being able to take my kids there and let them pick out their own toppings is as if they were literally making the ice cream themselves….they don’t have to go with any of the traditional flavors…they can mix many up and create their own ice cream flavor…I also love the fact that Cold Stone inserts coupons in the Sunday Press every so often…
Ours is definitely Rocky’s in Rockford. You can get a junior soft serve flavorburst for $1.00 and it’s a decent size even for an adult. Then, you have to go and walk by the dam…..there are always people walking and biking and often music playing (live blues on Tuesday nights). It’s a wonderful area to be!!! So, check out Rocky’s and take a walk….you won’t be disappointed!
Definitely Captain Sundae in Holland. That place has so many options, and its close to the beach! (they also have a second location on the south side of Holland.)
My favorite ice cream shop is Houseman’s in Byron Center. They have a wonderful selection and lots of unique creations. They also sponsor a classic car show every Saturday in the summer.
We love Sundaes in the Heights. They have great prices and are very family friendly. Every Tuesday night they have a night where kids can come hear a story and get free ice cream.
You HAVE to go to Hershey’s on 52nd Street just west of East Paris….it’s WONDERFUL!!
Jersey Junction in East GR or the General Store in Holland on Ottawa Beach Road. Jersey Junction is just a great location and we love the train that goes around the top of the wall. The General Store holds happy memories of beach visits and cottage rentals.
The Ice Cream Garage on Lake Michigan Drive in Standale. Great variety, large, open yet still covered seating area, amazing Cars themed grafitti on the walls that my boys always pose with for pictures.
Jersey Junction in Gaslight Village has been my favorite since I was a little kid. Now that I live up in Sparta, we frequently visit Sundaes in the Park.
Come On !! Is there a bad ice cream shop ? We wouldn’t say no to going to any of them. We do love Cold Stone, Dairy Queen, Java Cone and have different favorites at each. We also love Culvers, but they say that is “frozen custard” so not sure if it qualifies as ice cream.
MaggieMoo’s 6155 Kalamazoo in Gaines Twp – The best ice cream in the city. U can mix in your favorite add in or just eat it straight. Mark and his team have great customer service – We want ice cream fast and with a smile – MaggieMoo’s delivers!
Sugar n Spice on Belding Rd in Rockford. The owners are awesome and its a great shop! They also have yummy food and coffee!
I love that place too! Maybe i’ll run into you there!
the Dairy Delight in Fruitport, Mi. the ice cream there is HUGE!!! you definately get your money’s worth!!!!!!! on a hot day make sure you get a cup with your ice cream…its so much you won’t be able to keep ahead of the drips down your arm!!!!!!!
Dairy dog in jension. Its close, the people are super nice to my 3 year old and they have ice cream for your dogs too
My fav ice cream place is the Ice Cream Garage in Standale. They have a huge variety and it’s fun for the kids to look at the murals on the walls. And you get to eat in a garage! It’s a fun place.
Jersey Junction is a 5 minute walk from our house and it’s a fixture in East GR, but I also LOVE Sherman’s Dairy in South Haven!
Burlingame Dairy Dip in Wyoming…. Great prices and great staff……
We like Scooper’s in Ada. It has a family friendly and small-town atmosphere and plunty of seating. We also like the General Store in Holland. So many choices there and close to the beach!
Ice Cream Junction on Plainfield, near Northland Drive! Amazingly creamy soft serve, HUGE servings, and even a doggie sundae for your favorite four-legged friend!
Porter St Ice Cream in Wyoming. Great Ice Cream and Prices. You definately get your moneys worth and the staff is great very friendly.
THe Best Ice Cream Shop ever is BULRINGAME DAIRY DIP IN WYOMING. 36th st and Burlingame ave..Its been a staple in the community for over 30 yrs..They serve the best ice cream at reasonable prices..The owners are awesome too, Mr and Mrs DeMaagd..
oops so excited to write about it and spelled Burlingame wrong…
We love The Swan Inn ice cream shop–it’s close to our house and they have all of our favorite flavors!!
oops! It’s on the corner of Alpine & 6 Mile in Comstock Park!
Sundaes in the Heights in Alger Heights. It’s within walking distance, everyone is friendly, cute atmosphere, reasonable prices, they do story nights and family friendly activities, and the Barkley (vanilla soft serve with a Milkbone) is my pup’s favorite summertime treat (she even knows the way to Sundaes in the Heights).
I have to second Sugar and Spice on Belding rd! Great people, great place!
Houseman’s Ice Cream in Byron Center. They have great prices, friendly staff and even better ice cream! Love it there
Sports Cafe in grandville at 56th and Wilson has their ice cream shop open with the restaurant. Really nice owners, great variety, and the only local place right here that isn’t in or at rivertown, so you can actually take a walk to get there without traffic.
Burlingame dairy dip! Owner is amazing! Great ice cream! Great service!
I agree about Porter Street Ice cream — they have really great prices and the ice cream is great!
Sundae’s in the Heights in the Alger Heights neighborhood of GR. But my all-time favorite is Moomer’s in Traverse City.
I love Traverse City!
This is really bad, but I dont’ know the name of it! It’s got Cone in the title and it’s on the corner of 44th and Kalamazoo behind Sheldon’s cleaners. We live close enough to walk, we love the variety and they give our dog a free doggie cone.
The summer also wouldn’t be the same without at least one trip to Sherman’s in South Haven.
Cone City.
Jersey Junction for Boston Coolers or Sundaes on the Heights because we can walk
there!
Balls ice cream in Lowell! Affordable, cute and very friendly on top of awesome ice cream!
Our favorite place for Ice Cream is in Grandhaven on the pier to the lighthouse. Its so relaxing to be by the water, listening to the boats and they sometimes have live music and fireworks at night.
I may be a little biased….but I think that Get the Scoop in Allendale is the best! There is so much to offer…not only Kemps ice cream and all the fixins for sundaes, flurries, malts, and more, but also gourmet coffees, and new this year, a ton of food! A large covered deck and of course, service with a smile!
Why are you biased? Is this your shop?
Custard on the Dam! I love downtown Rockford, you can enjoy a cone while walking on the dam. My childrens favorite thing to do!!
You should check out Sugar ‘n’ Spice Creamery too! It’s open all year, on Belding Road by Lake Bella Vista
Captain sundae! In holland and in zeeland now too!
Burlingame dairy dip! It’s been there for 30 years! They have the best No Bake Cookie flurry!
porter’s street ice cream is good on a hot day!!!!!
Sundaes in the Heights (in Alger Heights) is our favorite!
Jersey Junction!! Hudsonville Ice cream, great atmosphere and the owners are great people!
Donia- where is porter’s street ice cream at?
well we like 31 ice cream standdale lot ice cream lok like old ice cream shop they got car movis on wall diffent bussness each car but place we as kid was cheesechires plainfield bust ice creams in world 5 diffent icecreams 6 topings cream nuts mmmmmmm
Captain Sundae is the best in Holland!! On your trip home from the beach, or they have a southside location and a place in Zeeland, too! YUM! Tommy Turtle!!
all in one bowl wish find place still do this lot ice cream
Dairy delight in comstock park! They have been around since I was a kid… Great prices and great workers! It’s a sweet memory for me to go there and now bring my kids.
in wyoming on porter st
Cherry Hill Market on Cherry Street… Old fashioned parlor feel and lots of hard scooped ice cream flavors to choose from as well as friendly service.
2265 Porter St. is the address to Porter st Ice cream
2265 porter
you should check out Fort Frosty in Coopersville! It just opened last year, but they have a lot of great ideas!
I love the General Store in Holland, off Ottawa Beach road. Took the kids there and they had such a hard time deciding which flavor to choose! Tons of choices and great prices! YUMMM!!
We love captain sundae in Holland. A day at the beach and a stop at captain sundae makes for the perfect summer day!
We love the Front Porch in Spring Lake!
Definitely Rocky’s in Rockford! Awesome prices, great portions and then you can stroll around Rockford’s Dam
Nothing like enjoying a delishous treat on a gorgeous day!
I live around Rockford, and by the far, the best ice cream shop anywhere near me is, Sugar ‘n’ Spice Creamery!! It’s a year round ice cream shop that is also a coffee and sandwich shop!! It’s awesome! It’s got free wi-fi, and a cozy sitting area with outdoor sitting area too! You got to check it out!!
Frosty Treat in Jenison!!!! Its a great place to go to and has the best ice cream there is. They have so much ice cream choices I can never choose. Lastly, they are friendly and has quick service! I could go there everyday!
YUM
We love Sugar and Spice on Lake Bella Vista, in Rockford! Super friendly staff and $1 kid’s scoops–can’t beat that!!!
CUstard by the Damn in Rockford! So GOOD!!!
My favorite is definitely the Burlingame Dairy Dip in Wyoming! Huge portions, delicious flavors and amazing specialties! Yumm!
Jersey Junction and Sundaes in the Heights. Both are super family-friendly and reasonable prices in fun areas to either sit and enjoy your ice cream or to be able to walk around and enjoy the neighborhood.
It has to be Sugar n Spice on Belding Rd in Rockford, You name it they have it. Everyone in your family will be happy with the selection. 28 excellent flavors of Hudsonville Ice Cream, Gourmet Coffee, and the Sandwiches are awesome. The Staff at Sugar n Spice is excellent and the owners are there to make your visit awesome. They have a porch to sit out side and they have seating in air conditioning is needed or a chance to be out of the elements. You gotta go and check them out. Oh, I must say they are so great at community support. Their recent blood drive was a success and they love the school systems. Great Job.
The Cone Shop located right by D&W gas station on Breton by Breton Village Mall. This is a family owned shop and has great soft-serve and hard ice creams, not to mention the variety of malts, shakes, etc. you can also have. It’s also great that you can purchase a “baby” cone for your young one or pet – these are extremely small, but always made our 1 year olds feel “big” with their own cone.
Sundaes at the Cottage in Cascade! Nice place to sit and cool off or walk across to Tassel Park along the river/dam.
Custard on the Dam in downtown Rockford is the best. It’s our family favorite, they have a great selection and the best part is you can go walk out to the Dam while enjoying you icecream!! Love Rockford!!
I would have to say Sugar N Spice in Rockford. Very friendly staff, and lots of variety of icecram and they also have great coffee!! Open year round too!!
My favorite is Woody’s Cone Stop in Grand Rapids, MI. Its so close for my daughter and I to walk to, but most important they have fast service and the ice cream is soooo wonderful. I love the hot fudge sundaes because they dont just put a little bit of fudge, they put a LOT, and I love it! They have a nice sitting area as well.
The Caboose in Alto! Great if your kids love trains like mine do, and if you’re lucky a train will roll through while you’re there!
Another vote for Houseman’s in Byron Center.
Great atmosphere, convenient to the Kent Trails (so you can ride your bike there and burn off some of the ice cream calories!), and the best tasting ice cream around. =)
We love Custard by the Dam in Rockford. We ride our bikes on the White Pine Trail from Cedar Springs, stop for ice cream and walk around the dam, and then bike home again. Makes for some great family time!
KC’s Kones and Coney’s in Cedar Springs. It’s close to home and affordable! And of course, it tastes great!
I have lived all over GR but the BEST ice cream comes from the Burlingame Dairy Dip. They have the greatest flurries and customize to your liking without extra charge. My favorite it the cheesecake flurry with real cheesecake pieces, and I add a fruit or mix in of my choice. The prices are outstanding. It’s family owned and operated and they have a strong commitment to their customers. Selection, price, and friendly service, all consistently provided, are why I keep going back!
I love to go to The Back Porch for ice cream It is attached to the The Swan Inn on the corner of Alpine & 6 mile. Their homemade ice cream is to die for. There are lots of hard scooped ice cream flavors to choose from. Delicious flurries, shakes, soft serve, and my favorite chocolate dip cones just to name a few. If you and your family are in the area you got to try it!
Balls Softee Cream in Lowell!! fantastic ice cream choices and a beautiful serene garden to enjoy your treats in. gorgeous! click on my site and you will see a post I did on Balls last summer. Thanks!
Balls Ice Cream in Lowell is the best Ice Cream place around!! They have twinkle coat and if you don’t know what that is you should definately check it out!! It is really yummy!!! It is a very small town ice cream feel and if you live in Lowell you always see someone you know!!! The Caboose in Alto is also great they have a lot of different soft serve ice cream flavors and a train that my daughter loves!!! The location isn’t great but it is yummy enough to drive too!!
MAGGIE MOO’S in Kentwood!!!!!!!!!! At 60th and Kalamzoo. HOMEMADE ice cream with mix-ins… like Coldstone- but OH SO MUCH BETTER!!!!! Captain Sundae in Holland IS pretty spectacular too. And I’ll also cast my vote for Houseman’s in Byron Center.
Coldstone Creamery all the way!! Why? Because, “I like it, I love it, I want some more of it” . . . (Tim McGraw), My favorite is, cheesecake ice cream with sprinkles and Heath bar! Yumo!!
my favorite Ice Cream place would have to be Jones in Balwin. My family has a cottage in Baldwin and it is always a treat to go to Jones Ice Cream Shop when we are up north. They have delicious ice cream, the atmosphere brings you right back to childhood with red leather seats and water in real glasses
Even when the line is far out the door and you wait a while (shows I’m not the only one who LOVES that place) the yummy treats are totally worth the wait! Can’t wait to go there this summer with my kiddos! On a more local note, and probably my daughters vote, Get the Scoop In Allendale is a great family owed Ice Cream shop that is a great place to go and they have a very nice variety on the menu.
We lvoe Housemann’s in Byron Center and Captain Sundae in Holland! Yum yum! Housemann’s is right near the end of the Kent Trails and is a great little treat after a nice bike ride on the trails!
My family cannot get enough of Bailey’s Grove Coffee and Creamery’s Hershey’s ice cream. Friendly staff, lots of new flavors to choose from, and they even have yummy hot dogs for a quick lunch. (Located in Kentwood off of 52nd Street)
Sundaes at the cottage has the best shaved ice in town!! My kids love to go there. Afterwards we walk across the street to let them rinse off in the sprinkler fountains. Also jersey junction in east grand rapids is an iconic fixture. They also have an old fashioned candy shoppe. Some mcdonalds have a small mixer on the dollar menu. When you have four kids, that is a cheaper option. I grab them thru the drive through and head to a park. It is all about the experience and creating memories that last for a lifetime:)
Ice cream, I dont think there is a bad ice cream shop. Cone Shop on Michigan is a great place to get ice cream. There are plenty of picnic tables to sit at and enjoy your cream!!
The best place for ice cream is Jersey Junction in Eastown! The Best!!!
Custard’s by the Dam in Rockford!
Marilyn’s Malts and More in Ada Mi is great. Serves Hershey’s Ice Cream, Coffee, Lattes, and sandwiches. Decorated with Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. Cheerfully decorated! Real cups for coffee, not paper! Has a nice seating area or an area with tables. My husband and I discovered this and can’t wait to take our kids back. Worth checking out. Great menu for ice cream and sandwiches are awesome!
I love Jersey Junction in EGR! They have a lot of outdoor seating, the inside is filled with all sorts of different types of candy (which makes my kids totally forget that we went there for ICE CREAM and not candy
), the workers are friendly and it’s within walking distance to Reeds Lake … an excellent spot to eat a cone in the summer! Plus, Starbucks is right around the corner. What could be better?! 
Ball’s Softee Creme is hands down the best. It has been around so long that it has become a four-generation family tradition. The owner, Jim Ball, is exceptionally friendly and chooses the best local teens to work for him. He also cares about his customers and only uses the best of ingredients- no knock-off peanut butter cups here. They are also very generous with their portions and active in the community. I have eaten ice cream all over the country and will always choose Ball’s over anyone else. The only drawback is they only accept cash, but I don’t mind stopping at an ATM to experience this family favorite.
My Favorite is Housmans in Byron Center. They have the best Banana Split Flurries.
Coldstone is great, but in the summer, I choose Ball’s Softee Cream in Lowell and enjoy all the flowers!