The Best Ice Cream North of Boston

Find the best Ice Cream Shop on the North Shore of Boston, Massachusetts!

'Ice-cream is exquisite - what a pity it isn't illegal.' ~Voltaire.  As the temperatures climb, the region's ice cream shops are opening their doors for the summer season. Check out our picks for the top ice cream locales around.

Amesbury

Hodgie's Ice Cream

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Andover

Main Line Creamery

Beverly

Captain Dusty's

Dairy Queen of Beverly

Dick & June's Ice Cream

Boxford

Benson Ice Cream

Danvers

Brigham's Inc

Cherry Farm Creamery

Goodies Ice Cream Parlor

Orange Julius

Porter Farm Ice Cream

Putnam Pantry Candy, Ice Cream & Cafe

Richardson's Ice Cream

Essex

Down River Ice Cream

Georgetown

Henborgs Ice Cream

Gloucester

Rocky Neck Ice Cream

Friendly Ice Cream Shop

Gloucester Ice Cream Company

Harbor's Point Ice Cream

Joe Popcorn's Famous Slush

Long Beach Dairy Maid

Perfect Scoop

Hamilton

Taylor Made Sweets

Haverhill

Ari's Subs & Ice Cream

Burkes Old Fashion Ice Cream

Carter's Ice Cream

Daly Dogs & Daly Scoop Ice Cream Parlor‎

England's MicroCreamery

Ipswich

Dairy Queen of Ipswich

White Farms Homemade Ice Cream & Pizza

Zumi's Coffee and Ice Cream Cafe

Lawrence

Findeisen's Ice Cream

Lynn

Wyoma Dairy Twirl‎

Manchester

Captain Dusty's

Marblehead

Coffey Ice Cream

Terry's Old Fashion Ice Cream

Methuen

Dolce Freddo Gelato

Findeisen's Ice Cream

Jay Gee's Ice Cream & Fun Center

Middleton

Richardson's Ice Cream

Newburyport

Dolce Freddo Gelato

England's MicroCreamery

Gram's Ice Cream & Desserts

Haley's Ice Cream

Simply Sweet

North Andover

Mad Maggie's Ice Cream

Treadwell's Ice Cream

Peabody

Artie's Place

Scoops N More

Reading

Gregory's Ice Cream and Deli

Richardson's Ice Cream

Rockport

Dairy Train

Ellen's Cookies N' Cream

Salem

Captain Dusty's

E. W. Hobbes

Puleo's Dairy and Ice Cream

Salisbury

Foote's Ice Cream

Hodgies Too Ice Cream

Saugus

Kell's Kreme

Swampscott

Kell's Kreme

Wenham

Canaan Farms

West Boxford

Benson Ice Cream

Appleton Farms offers great farm-based Vacation Week Programs for kids ages 5-11

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
7:00 am to 9:00 pm

Maple Sugaring at Breakheart Reservation

Come to Breakheart Reservation Saugus Massachusetts to learn about maple sugaring - the process of making syrup..
Come to Breakheart Reservation for this FUN annual event! Experience the process of maple sugarin’ from tapping a tree to sampling real maple syrup.
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

2nd Saturday at Lynn Museum

Lynn Museum in Massachusetts offers free admission on the second Saturday of each month.
Come to the Lynn Museum and Historical Society for FREE family fun. Join us on the second and fourth Saturday of each month for FREE admission to the Museum from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.! You can view our latest exhibitions, purchase Lynn-themed goods in our shop, check out books in our free library, and...
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Discover Saturdays at Cape Ann Museum

Discover Saturdays for Families at Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts
Enjoy a FREE guided activity (ages 4+) in the gallery. Learn about Cape Ann’s Granite Industry, try a fun art making activity, and join in gallery tour designed for kids and their caregivers, led by a CAM Educator. Afterwards grab a scavenger hunt to explore the property and enjoy the lawn.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Maple Sugaring Saturday at IRWS

Sugaring Off tours are a fun and tasty way to learn about maple sugaring at IRWS
Experience the age-old tradition of maple sugaring at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary! The warm days of late winter awaken the flow of sap in the maples resulting in sweet-smelling, billowing clouds of steam rising from the sugarhouse. On a naturalist-guided walk, learn how to identify a sugar...
10:30 am to 3:30 pm

Sunday, March 15

Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
7:00 am to 9:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Wonderful Winter Birding

Beginning winter birding is held on the 3rd Sunday of each Winter month at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts
Halibut Point State Park, along the Atlantic migratory path, is an excellent locale for winter birding species you rarely see anywhere else.Winter brings birds and ducks from frozen ponds up north to our seashore. See Harlequin ducks and loons among the winter visitors at this rocky coastal water’s...
8:00 am to 10:00 am

CraneOutdoors: Family Winter Wildlife Walk

Come explore the dunes on Castle Neck and Crane Beach in Ipswich Massachusetts to learn about winter wildlife.
A CraneOutdoors Family Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about the plants and animals that call this special place home. You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much...
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum

Visit Peabody MA, NorthShore, North Shore Children's Museum
Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please...
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Boston Children's Chorus at Shalin Liu

Boston Children's Chorus will perform live at the Shalin Liu Center for the Performing Arts in Rockport Massachusetts
This season, Boston Children’s Chorus honors the unheralded voices who shaped history from the shadows. Their courage fueled the fires of justice. Through powerful music and storytelling, our singers shine a light on local and national activists, who stood for dignity, equality, and hope. Their...
3:00 pm

Monday, March 16

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Tuesday, March 17

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Wednesday, March 18

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Stargazing at Mendel Observatory

Mendel Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night
The Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night (weather permitting) starting at dusk or 7:30 pm, whichever is later.  When special astronomical events of interest occur (total lunar eclipses, etc.) the Obs
7:00 pm