Minnesota Seasonal Ice Cream Shops

You know Spring is on its way when Minnesota Seasonal Ice Cream Shops start to open for the year! 

Do you eat ice cream all year round or is it more of a seasonal food? One of our daughters seems to think ice cream just might be one of the food groups.

Unfortunately, some of our favorite ice cream spots aren’t open year-round. It’s a bit of a bummer, but it does make us excited when they do finally open for the season.

Although we are highlighting just a few (plus an an additional list with a few more below), there are many more hidden gems around the state. If you share your favorites with us we can add them to the list.

Afton: 

Selma’s – Opening Day March 13th, 2026

If you’ve never heard of Selma’s, put it on your list for a day trip.  Offering over 30 different flavors, there’s sure to be something for you to enjoy!  

Selma’s is Minnesota’s oldest ice cream shop, dishing out ice cream since the early 1900s when the shop was established in a building used for ammunition storage during the Civil War. Much has changed over the years, but the tradition of Selma’s remains the same.

Bloomington

Scoops Ice Cream & More —Opening Day March 14th, 2026

Scoops is located on the west side of Bloomington not too far from 169 and with mini golf across the street you could make it an extra fun time.  Plus they carry a few Sebastian Joe’s Flavors which means it’s a little closer for me and others in the South metro to get those. 

Champlin

Cullens Ice Cream, — Now Open

Cullens has been going strong for 12 years and all the more reason to add it to your list if you haven’t tried it yet.  Not only do they have ice cream, but there’s a great selection of candy and snacks too. 

Elysian

Scoops –2026 Opening Day TBD

This small town ice cream place is not just about ice cream.  Not only do they offer kayak, paddle board and bike rental, in the past they’ve had live music each Saturday evening. 

Stillwater 

Nelson’s Ice Cream – Opening Day March 28th, 2026

Nelson’s might be the most well known on our list, located in Stillwater and we like to make a day of it when we visit Teddy Bear Park.  They probably have the largest portion sizes ever! They may be bigger than your head – – or very close to it! The portion sizes make for an interesting treat on a hot summer day so be prepared. 

St Paul

Conny’s Creamy Cone — Opening Day March 21st, 2026

Conny’s Creamy Cone is another one that has been a staple to their neighborhood.  It’s not a big place but they sure make up for it with some fun flavors.  Follow their FB page to see their daily or weekly dip specials. 

White Bear Lake 

Cup and Cone – Opening Day March 20th, 2026

If you live in or near White Bear Lake you probably already know about this local favorite! Cup and Cone has been around over 50 years.

They have a have a special daily flavor that you can find on their calendar and they are offering 5% discount if you pay with cash.  Plus for those that search for it, they have Dole Whip. 

More Minnesota Seasonal Ice Cream Shops:

These are listed alphabetically by city.

Green Lagoon (Chisago City) — Now Open. 

Peppermint Twist (Delano) – Opening Day TBD

PortLand Malt Shoppe (Duluth) – Opens May 1st, 2026

Adele’s Frozen Custard (Excelsior) – Opened in March 2026

Licks Unlimited (Excelsior) – Opening Day 2026 TBD

Dairy Freeze (Fairmont) – Opening Day 2026 TBD

Chill Ice Cream Studio (Farmington) – Opening Day March 14th, 2026

Dairyland (Fergus Falls) – Opening Day April 15th, 2026

Oak Station Coffee & Cone (Freeport) – Opening Day TBD

Flamingos Ice Cream & Treats (Fridley) – Now Open

Schoolhouse Scoop (Hastings) — Now Open

Another Time Ice Cream Parlor (Lanesboro) – Opening Day April 15th, 2026

Mom & Pop’s (Mankato) – Opened in January 2026

Nita Mae’s Scoop (Marine on St. Croix) – Opening April 2026

Grand Old Creamery (Minneapolis Location) – Now Open

Moorhead Dairy Queen (Moorhead) – Now Open

Silo Ice Cream (Motley) – Opening Day 2026 TBD

The Chocolate Ox (Nisswa) – Now Open

Blast (Northfield) — Opening Day March 27th, 2026

Blast Softserve (Owatonna) – Opening Day March 26th, 2026

The MinneSoda Fountain (Park Rapids) – Opening April 2026

Cone Brothers (Richfield) – Opening Day TBD

Mr. Twisty (St. Cloud, Sartell) – Opening Day TBD

Pier 77 (Tower) – Opening Day TBD

The Social Ice Cream Parlor (Victoria) – Opening Day TBD

Ginny’s Drive In (West Concord) — Opening Day TBD

Penguin Zesto (Winona) – Opening Day March 21st, 2026

If you love ice cream, frequently wander, and enjoy having adventures, put these on your list for a treat.  I wish they were open all year round but that just means we have something to look forward to.