Every Minnesotan knows the feeling of driving past a favorite walk-up window in November and seeing the lights off and the sign flipped to see you next spring. These eight seasonal ice cream stands, from St. Paul and White Bear Lake to Osakis, Moorhead, and Redwood Falls, are the kind of places that make a summer night feel complete, with twist cones, frozen custard, malts, and a few burger baskets on the side.
Some have been scooping for decades, and one sits inside one of the oldest Dairy Queens in the country. Save this list, grab a friend, and get your last cone of the season in before the cold wins.
1. Conny’s Creamy Cone, St Paul, MN
Thirty-two flavors of soft serve is not a typo. Conny’s Creamy Cone on Dale Street North keeps a lineup that includes pistachio, lemon, and tutti frutti, which is a lot more range than most window-serve stands bother with.
The setup is classic Minnesota summer. You order at the window, grab your treat, and figure out whether you are eating in the car or at home before it starts dripping.
Sundaes lean nostalgic here. The menu features a Banana Split, a Brownie Delight, a Strawberry Shortcake, and a German Chocolate option for anyone who wants cake flavors in ice cream form.
I like this stop because it doubles as a dinner run. Burgers, chili dogs, cheese curds, onion rings, French fries, and mac and cheese wedges round out the menu, so the whole family can eat before dessert.
Lines can stretch on warm evenings, but they tend to keep moving. Plan on a quick visit, since there is no restroom on site.
Dogs are welcome outside, and free parking is available nearby. Current hours run 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily, but seasonal stands can shift as fall arrives, so a quick call to 651-488-4150 saves a wasted trip.
2. Cup and Cone, White Bear Lake, MN
Here is a trick worth knowing. If you are a slow eater at Cup and Cone, ask them to flip your cone upside down into a cup and hand you a spoon.
That little move says a lot about this White Bear Lake staple. It has been serving old-school cones and sundaes since 1973, and it still knows its crowd.
Twist cones are the easy order. Malts and shakes are a big part of the menu too, along with a spread of candy and toppings you can mix in, plus sundaes and Dole Whip for anyone who wants something fruity.
The savory side is more hoagie shop than burger stand. Six-inch hoagies, a Kiddy Sub, hot dogs, and brats share the menu with a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich.
On hot days, expect a line. It moves fast, which is part of the reason people keep coming back on busy summer nights.
Prices stay reasonable, and the portions are generous. Dogs are allowed both inside and outside, which is a nice perk for anyone walking a pup around downtown.
You will find it at 2126 4th St, with hours listed as 10:45 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily while the season lasts.
3. Adele’s Frozen Custard, Excelsior, MN
Soft serve has its fans, but frozen custard is a different animal. It is denser and richer, and Adele’s Frozen Custard in Excelsior builds its entire menu around it.
Concretes, sundaes, and rotating specialty flavors are the heart of the operation. The Tin Roof pairs vanilla with caramel, fudge, and peanuts, while the Banana Royale stacks vanilla, fudge, and bananas.
Pie fans get their own lane. A slice of Turtle or Truffle Pie is on the menu, and there is a kid-size cone or dish for smaller appetites.
Adele’s also serves sandwiches, so it works as a quick late lunch after a stroll around the Lake Minnetonka town.
Outdoor seating is a strong point. The patio and picnic tables give you room to sit for a few minutes instead of eating in the parking lot, and there is on-site parking at 800 Excelsior Blvd.
Timing matters here. Saturday afternoons and Sunday evenings are the busiest stretches, while weekdays tend to be much calmer.
Hours are currently 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day. I would save this one for a weekday visit in early fall, when the lake traffic thins out and the custard line is shorter.
4. Dairy Queen (Treat), Moorhead, MN
A Dairy Queen on a road trip list might sound like a stretch. This one in downtown Moorhead is not your average DQ, and it is widely known as one of the oldest Dairy Queen locations still operating in the country.
The walk-up window and retro look set the tone right away. Outside, a giant Dilly Bar statue makes the stop easy to spot and hard to skip for a photo.
The menu is where it really stands apart. This location keeps an old-school lineup with hot dogs and BBQs, plus heritage drinks and old-fashioned ice cream sodas you will not find at most modern DQs.
There is even a shake or malt with a sundae on top. If there is a DQ treat you remember from years ago, this is the place to ask about it.
Portions run big here, and prices tend to come in lower than at other locations. Weekly specials keep regulars checking back.
Spacious outdoor seating makes it easy to linger, and there is a drive-through if you are passing through Fargo-Moorhead in a hurry. Dogs are welcome outside.
You will find it at 24 8th St S. Since hours are not posted in a fixed schedule, call 218-233-3221 before heading over late in the season.
5. Tip Top Dairy Bar, Osakis, MN
Lake weekends in west central Minnesota have a rhythm. Swim, fish, eat, and at some point, somebody suggests a run to Tip Top Dairy Bar.
This laid-back Osakis shop keeps things simple and fun. Soft serve cones, malts, and banana shakes lead the dessert side, and there are plenty of different ways to get your ice cream dressed up.
Toppings are applied with a generous hand. That alone makes it a favorite stop for folks who think a sundae should have more than a light dusting of anything.
Burgers and hot dogs cover the savory side, so it works for a quick lunch between lake activities.
Unlike a lot of stands on this list, Tip Top has both indoor and outdoor seating, plus a restroom. That makes it an easier pick for families with little ones or anyone on a longer drive.
It is often busy, but the crew keeps the line moving at a good clip.
Stop in at 22 W Nokomis St, with hours listed as 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. It is an easy detour if you are heading along I-94 toward Alexandria.
6. Dairy Delite, Lakeville, MN
Mark your calendar, because Dairy Delite runs on a tight window. The shop in historic downtown Lakeville opens Memorial Day weekend and wraps up Labor Day weekend.
That short season makes every visit count. It also makes this the stand on the list you most need to prioritize if you want one more scoop.
Dairy Delite gives you a choice many stands do not. You can go with soft serve treats or pick Chocolate Shoppe Super Premium scooped ice cream in several flavors.
Floats are on the menu too. For dinner, there are burgers, hot dogs, and onion rings.
Families have a bonus here. A playground and outdoor seating give kids somewhere to burn off the sugar while parents finish their cones.
Staff are friendly and willing to help with special requests, so it is worth asking about options if someone in your group has food allergies.
Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and noon to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Sunday evenings draw the biggest crowds, while weekday afternoons are usually quieter.
Find it at 20885 Holyoke Ave, with free parking in a lot and on the street.
7. Dari King, Redwood Falls, MN
Bring cash. That is the first thing to know about Dari King, a long-standing burger and ice cream stand on East Bridge Street in Redwood Falls.
Look for the yellow banners. They mark a seasonal stand with a menu that is far bigger than you might expect from the outside.
Burgers and pizza burgers are the headliners on the savory side. Grilled chicken sandwiches, mushrooms, and tater tots with a solid crunch also earn plenty of orders.
Then there are the malts and ice cream treats, which lean inventive. It is a true mom-and-pop setup, and the dessert menu shows it.
A kids’ menu makes it easy for families, and coffee is available too. Expect to spend roughly 10 to 20 dollars per person for a full meal.
There is outdoor seating and usually plenty of free parking. Reservations are not accepted, and there is no restroom on site.
Weekend afternoons and evenings tend to be busiest. Hours are listed as 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at 711 E Bridge St.
If your fall plans include a drive through the Minnesota River Valley, this makes a satisfying lunch stop with dessert built in.
8. Mr. Twisty, St Cloud, MN
Your dog gets a treat here too. Mr. Twisty in St. Cloud serves pup cups, so four-legged passengers do not have to watch from the back seat.
For humans, the menu is a full walk-up lineup. Twisties, shakes, sundaes, floats, and cones cover the classics, and prices stay friendly.
Non-dairy fans have an option as well. The Italian Ice Cup in Pomango is a fruity pick that skips the cream.
Themed treats pop up during the season. A red, white, and blue cone has made an appearance around the Fourth of July.
Burgers and fries handle the dinner side, and the fries are a popular add-on.
The setup is easygoing. Picnic tables with umbrellas give you plenty of places to sit outside, and dogs are welcome in that area.
Mr. Twisty is locally owned, and service tends to be quick. Find it at 5821 Ridgewood Rd, with hours listed as noon to 9 p.m. daily.
This is the kind of place I would visit on one of those surprise warm days in September, before the picnic tables get packed away for the year.
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