Plenty of ice cream stands lock up after Labor Day, but some Pennsylvania dairies never got that memo. These are farm creameries and dairy stores that keep the dipping cabinets full while the trees go bare and the jackets come out.
Many make their ice cream with milk from their own cows, and a few even serve up fall flavors like pumpkin. Save this list for the next chilly afternoon when a cone still sounds like a good idea.
1. Fox Meadows Creamery – Ephrata, Ephrata, PA
Honeyed Lavender. Forged Pine and Rosemary.
The flavor board at Fox Meadows reads more like a garden catalog than a typical scoop shop, and that is part of the fun.
The ice cream is made in-house with milk from the farm’s own dairy cows. Classic fans are covered too, with Brown Butter Almond, butter pecan loaded with whole nuts, Nutella, and Cookie Doughlicious in the case.
Fall brings a real reason to stop. The Baked Fox pairs ice cream with a pumpkin roll, and another version uses an oatmeal cream pie cookie with vanilla.
Coffee drinkers get espresso, an affogato, and a Roasted Milkshake made with coffee ice cream. The shop also sells locally sourced specialty foods.
Hours run 11 AM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday and until 9:30 PM Friday and Saturday. It is closed Sundays, so plan around that.
2. Penn State Berkey Creamery, University Park, PA
Penn State has been making dairy products on campus since around 1889, which gives the Berkey Creamery serious bragging rights. It is a working university creamery that serves students, alumni, and anyone passing through State College.
The portions are famously big and the prices stay reasonable. Look for Tin Roof Sundae, Strawberry, classic Chocolate, and the vegan Arboretum Breeze.
Breakfast is an option here too. Doors open at 7:30 AM on weekdays, with hot breakfast sandwiches, Grilled Stickies, salads, and cold lunch fare alongside the ice cream case.
I would save this one for a football weekend or a fall campus visit. Saturday afternoons get busy, so weekday mornings are calmer.
Paid garage and lot parking are nearby. Hours stretch to 10 PM on Friday and Saturday and 9 PM the rest of the week.
3. Manning Farm Dairy, Dalton, PA
Out in the hills north of Scranton, Manning Farm Dairy keeps things refreshingly simple. It is a family-run dairy farm selling its own milk and homemade ice cream.
No flashy gimmicks here. You come for farm-fresh dairy from the people who raise the cows.
The schedule is a big plus once summer crowds disappear. Manning’s posts hours of 10 AM to 8 PM every day of the week.
A free parking lot makes it an easy pull-off on a fall foliage drive through Lackawanna County. Grab a cone and a jug of milk for home while you are there.
4. Kerber’s Dairy, Irwin, PA
Mini golf and pumpkin ice cream in the same stop is a pretty strong fall combo. Kerber’s Dairy near Irwin is a family-owned dairy that leans hard into family fun.
Inside, the convenience store carries a large homemade ice cream selection with generous scoops. Seasonal pumpkin shows up in autumn, and it happens to be vegan.
Hot lunches are on offer for those who want real food first. Coffee is available too.
Outside, kids can burn off sugar on the mini golf course, small playground, and Alpine slide. Weekday visits tend to be quieter than Sunday afternoons.
The store opens daily from 9 AM to 6 PM. Cones are served all day, so a morning scoop is fair game.
5. Perrydell Farm and Dairy, York, PA
Ask around York County about chocolate milk and Perrydell tends to come up fast. The family-owned dairy farm is known for it, along with homemade ice cream and other dairy products.
That makes this a two-for-one stop. Get a cone for the road and a bottle of chocolate milk for later.
Early birds will like the schedule. The farm store opens at 7 AM Monday through Saturday and runs until 7 PM, with Sunday hours from 11 AM to 6 PM.
Dogs are allowed inside, which is a nice touch for road trippers. Free parking is available on site.
6. Way-Har Farm Market, Bernville, PA
Peanut butter Tandy cake with mini chocolate chips, as an ice cream flavor, is reason enough to point the car toward Bernville. Way-Har Farm Market turns a classic Pennsylvania snack cake into a scoop.
The shop has a country-style setup with a large lineup of homemade flavors. Fresh baked goods, jams, jellies, milk, and other dairy products fill out the market.
Country-themed gifts are part of the mix as well. It is an easy place to grab something sweet and a hostess gift in one trip.
Way-Har stays open year-round, from 7 AM to 7 PM Monday through Saturday and 8 AM to 7 PM on Sunday. Weekend afternoons draw the biggest crowds, while Monday and Tuesday mornings are quiet.
7. Lapp Valley Farm, New Holland, PA
Where else can you pet a calf before ordering a waffle cone? Lapp Valley Farm is an authentic Lancaster County dairy farm where the ice cream starts with milk from the family’s Jersey cows.
Visitors can watch the cows being milked and meet the calves. A playground keeps younger kids busy.
The flavors stick to well-loved classics like Butter Pecan, Coconut, Vanilla, and Butter Brickle. Waffle cones are made fresh, and prices stay affordable.
There is even a drive-through window for chilly days. Dogs are welcome both inside and out.
Hours are 8 AM to 7 PM weekdays and 8 AM to 6 PM Saturday. The farm is closed Sundays.
From Ephrata to State College, these dairies prove the cone season does not have to end with summer. Pick one, grab a sweater, and go.
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