I follow Sandra Boynton on Facebook. If you don’t, do yourself a favor and follow. She is the amazing author of some of our favorite classic books like: Blue Hat, Green Hat, But Not the Hippopotamus, Birthday Monsters!, Belly Button Book! and our all time fave The Going to Bed Book. This may be the only complete book series we own. Yes, they are board books and they are precious! Lots of cute little animals with catchy little songs and sayings. Our oldest reads them to the baby. MOMMY MELT!!! I digress. Typically, Sandra Boynton will post a cute meme of her book characters celebrating a national day. It turns out National Ice Cream Day was on July 15, so we went on a quest to celebrate. This delicious treat deserves more than one day, but I don’t think it is getting overlooked!
Since summer is in full swing with endless hot days, we all need a cool treat! Ice cream lovers rejoice when they find their go-to ice cream spot. Whether it is from an ice cream shop, the grocery or homemade, you’ve probably got your favorite. I’ve gotta tell you, I’m more a milkshake fan. I feel like it’s less work than ice cream. All that extra spoon to mouth motion! I like my ice cream blended up and served in a cup. My kiddos are the opposite. In fact, my middle child hasn’t met a sweet treat he doesn’t like. Sugar is his first love!
There are lots of different options around the Coast for “ice cream” type desserts. Here are a few local options that seem to be a big hit.
Edd’s Drive-In
3834 Market Street, Pascagoula
There is an ice cream cone on the sign. So you know they know what they are doing! Edd’s has been a Pascagoula staple for over 65 years. They keep things relatively simple with their ice cream. Vanilla or chocolate soft serve ice cream with a variety of toppings. You can even get a fresh banana split with pineapple, chocolate and strawberries. Growing up in Pascagoula, I always remember the dipped cones. This is simply a sugar cone filled with vanilla soft serve dipped in liquid chocolate. It’s so pretty you don’t want to eat it! It’s definitely worth a trip to Pascagoula! Edd’s is open Monday-Saturday from 10am-9pm. There is also a location on Highway 63 in Hurley that is open 7 days a week.
Ice Cream & More
726 Highway 90 Suite A, Gautier
If you grew up in Jackson County, you probably visited the Singing River Mall a time or two back in the day. I was a teenager in the 90s and totally remember Mary Ann’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Bars. If memory serves me right, it was right next to the big fountain in the middle beside McRae’s and right down from the movies. Y’all. It is sad that I distantly remember the layout of a mall from 20 years ago. If you remember Mary Ann’s, you will hopefully be as ecstatic as I was to learn that they are now operating as Ice Cream & More in Gautier. Not only do they have the best dipped ice cream bars (in chocolate or rainbow sprinkles), they also have other sweet creamy concoctions to enjoy! Their Facebook profile states, “Ice Cream & More sells 24 flavors of Blue Bell Ice Cream, New Orleans Style Snowballs, Milkshakes, Malts, Lattes, Espressos, Hot Dogs, Nachos, and more.” My kids loved it and I loved sharing a little bit of my childhood with them! Ice Cream & More is open Monday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday and Saturday from 12pm-10pm and Sundays from 1pm-8pm.
Quakes Ice Creamery
1922 Bienville Blvd./Hwy 90, Ocean Springs
This is a great stop in Ocean Springs. If you are looking for some earth shattering custard, this is your place! Locals love the flavor of homemade custard and the friendly staff. This is not just an ice cream shop, it is a business that gives back to it’s community. They are actively involved with several organizations and support local charitable events. Custard and a kind business model? Win-win! Quakes is open Monday-Thursday 12pm-9pm, Friday and Saturday 12pm-10pm and Sundays from 1pm-5pm.
Fahrenheit Cafe
1408 Bienville Blvd. Unit E, Ocean Springs
I discovered Farenheit Cafe on Facebook. One of my friends posted they were giving away $4 scoops all week to anyone named Andrew. Since we have an Andrew that was a super score! From their Facebook page, Fahrenheit serves rolled ice cream (it’s amazing!), scooped ice cream, milkshakes, edible cookie dough, pizza, Hawaiian shave ice, coffees, homemade cake, cookies and cake pops. Fahrenheit will do just about any variety of flavor your are wanting. They are open from 2pm-9pm Sunday-Thursday and 12pm-10pm Friday and Saturday.
There are so many more spots on the Coast our family hasn’t tried out yet. What are your local favorites? Comment below or on the Gulf Coast Moms Blog Facebook page to share your fave ice cream spots!
