It’s June… Baseball has ended, the school year is officially over, and our move is complete!! To celebrate, we checked out some well known, long standing ice cream places in the area. Read on to explore our local favorites!
Gracies’s Water Ice & Ice Cream Parlor
Gracie’s Water Ice and Ice Cream Parlor in Haddonfield has been family owned since 2002.
It’s centrally located in town, within King’s Court, making it a destination for kids after school, families after events, or an after-dinner treat for diners in one of the many nearby restaurants.
There is indoor seating, but most people order at the walk-up window and sit in the courtyard and talk with friends who may be walking through downtown.
Gracies has delicious homemade water ice and serves Bassett’s Ice Cream from Philadelphia.
Mister Softee
Did you know that Mister Softee is one of the largest soft ice cream franchises in the US and its headquarters are in Runnemede, NJ? They have over 600 trucks in 18 states.
Mister Softee was founded in 1956 by the Conway family and only charged 10 cents a cone when it opened!! 66 years later, the Conway family still runs the business.
There are two variations – a higher fat, lower sugar ice cream, and another recipe that is lower in fat but higher in sugar. The recipe varies depending on where you live geographically.
The music played by the Mister Softee trucks is owned by the company and actually has lyrics!
Maple Shade Custard Stand
Did you know the difference between ice cream and custard is that custard has egg yolks in it, while ice cream does not?
Maple Shade Custard Stand has been open since 1953, and was originally called Maple Drive-In. It was opened by father and son, Thomas and John T. Murphy after WWII but ownership has changed since then.
Maple Shade Custard Stand is easy to spot with its red roof and walk up windows. They use fresh ingredients and are open year round.
As a child, we frequented the Maple Shade Custard Stand! This is still a fan favorite amongst my family!
Leo’s Ice Cream Company
Leo’s Ice Cream Company is the oldest cream store we visited this month – it opened in 1936!
Original owner, Giovanni Leo was born in Bari, Italy and moved to the US in 1912. He and his wife opened a manufacturing company that created Yum Yum.
Yum Yum is described as, “like Italian Water Ice, but it isn’t. It’s like sherbet, but it isn’t. It is kind of like real Italian Gelato, but not really.” Street vendors would buy Leo’s Yum Yum that came packed in wooden barrels surrounded by ice and salt, and sell it to passerbys. It lasted 14 hours packed that way!
The company is still family owned and sells Yum Yum along with homemade ice cream and gelato!
Extra Iconic Ice Cream Places
Hilltop Creamery (Blackwood)
Cherry’s Ice Cream & Water Ice (Cherry Hill)
Ice Cream Parlour (Cherry Hill)
The Beet Creamery – Vegan – (Haddon Township)
Royal Crown (Hammonton)
Dippy’s (Mantua Township)
Vincent’s Ice Cream Shop (Mt. Holly)
Arctic Scoop (Philly)
Bassett’s Ice Cream (Philly)
The Franklin Fountain (Philly)
Alaura Kitchen (Pitman)
Evergreen Dairy Bar – (Southampton Township)
White Dotte Dairy Bar – (Southampton Township)
Latteria (Swedesboro)
Verona Custard – (Vineland)
Sundaes (West Berlin)
It’s National Zoo & Aquarium Month!
We have been highlighting lots of fun places in our area over the past few months and are adding some more potential summer fun… June is National Zoo & Aquarium Month! Read below to learn more about the Philadelphia Zoo, Adventure Aquarium, Cape May Zoo, and The Wetlands Institute.
If you want to check out some other fun local things to do, make sure to check out our previous blogs!
Philadelphia Zoo
Did you know that the Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest zoo in the US and the opening was delayed 15 years due to the Civil War?? The doors officially opened on July 1st, 1875.
It’s a zoo with many firsts: It’s the first zoo in the US to have successful chimpanzee and orangutan births and to have a zoo just for kids. It’s the first zoo in the WORLD that built an animal care center facility on the premises as well as the first to have treetop trails throughout the zoo that animals can access.
There are over 1700 rare and endangered animals at the zoo! Click here for tickets.
*Photo taken from: https://philadelphiazoo.org/about-the-zoo/
Adventure Aquarium
Did you know that the Adventure Aquarium in Camden is the only aquarium in the world with hippos??
The Adventure Aquarium is located along the riverfront in Camden giving visitors a breathtaking view of Philadelphia. When it initially opened in 1992, it was originally home to aquatic animals that were native to New Jersey.
Over the years it has expanded to include animals from all over the world and now has over 15,000 animals! Visitors can enjoy walking over the largest collection of sharks in the northeast, observe 2 different species of penguins, or watch giant hippos glide effortlessly through the water.
There are so many things to do around the aquarium too! Make a day of it and check out Camden Children’s Garden, go for a ride on the River Link Ferry, visit the Battleship NJ, or even walk across the Ben Franklin Bridge.
Click here for tickets to the Adventure Aquarium!
Cape May Zoo
Did you know that the Cape May Zoo has a connection with Michael Jackson??
At the opening of the Cape May Zoo in 1978, it was home to an African lion, spider monkeys, barnyard animals, and native New Jersey wildlife. It quickly expanded to include more exotic animals like black bears, bison, primates, and antelope.
In 1986, thanks to an influx of donations, the zoo had a major reconstruction which added new exhibits, a medical building, and a complete perimeter fence. In the 90’s, a 57-acre African Savannah was constructed that is home to giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and ostriches.
In 2007, the zoo received 13 flamingos from Michael Jackson’t Neverland Ranch!
When you visit, you might even see some peacocks walking around!
Click here for tickets!
The Wetlands Institute
Did you know that only 6% of the Earth is made up of wetlands and we have some close by in Stone Harbor?!
The mission of The Wetlands Institute is to “To promote appreciation, understanding & stewardship of wetlands and coastal ecosystems through our programs in research, conservation, and education.”
Founded in the late 1960’s by Herbert Mills. Mills grew up loving birds and nature and eventually became the Executive Director of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). During his time as Executive Director, the WWF was able to purchase 6,000 acres of salt marsh in South Jersey – 34 of those acres became the Wetlands Institute.
The Institute is mainly supported by private donations.
Check out the classes and programs that the Institute offers!