Ice cream stands in the Buffalo area

Seasonal ice cream stands have opened throughout the region.

From long lists of Perry’s ice cream flavors to nostalgic ice cream floats, candy-mixed milkshakes and dairy-free options, the choices are plentiful. There will always be room for tradition (who doesn’t love a vanilla ice cream sundae?), but many ice cream stands are also evolving with the times, accommodating more dietary restrictions and adding new flavors .

Visit one of the following seasonal ice cream stands before Labor Day, when they often begin to hibernate for the winter.

3041 Amsdell Road, Hamburg

For the past decade, Amsdell Ice Cream has been serving polar vortexes, ice cream mixed with candy or cookies and offering many varieties of ice cream. Amsdell offers a range of ice cream producers including Akron-based Perry’s, Upstate Farm soft serve, Ashby’s, Byrne Dairy, Galliker’s, Purity, Turkey Hill and dairy-free Dole Whip. Relax under the spacious gazebo or pose for a photo by an oversized Adirondack chair.

6251 Goodrich Road, Clarence Center

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Big Sings is known for its Sno Ball, a hybrid snow cone and ice cream dish, where flavored shaved ice hides a soft serve center. Sno Balls come in a few dozen flavors, like Loganberry, Key Lime Pie, and Blue Raspberry. Big Sings also offers regular soft serve ice cream, dairy-free Raspberry Dole Whip, milkshakes, sundaes and candy ice cream avalanches. Its location right next to the Clarence Bike Path makes it a popular stop for recreation enthusiasts.

8715 Niagara Falls Boulevard, Niagara Falls

Quaint ice cream stand with red awnings and lots of cow designs, De Dee’s Dairy offers generous servings of more than 65 flavors of Perry’s ice cream. There are new flavors, such as Bee Sting (vanilla pudding ice cream with graham crackers and warm honey swirl), as well as dairy-free ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet and no sugar added flavors. Bring cash though, as De Dee’s only accepts cash. There is an ATM on site.

3411 South Park Avenue, Blasdell

Fran-Ceil is back for his 73rd season. Expect the usual rotating soft serve flavors (pistachio is particularly popular), Perry’s Ice Cream, sundaes, dairy-free Dole Whip ice cream, and vegan oat-based soft serve by Temptation.

1016, routes 5 and 20, Irving

Frosty Treat, a cash-only roadside ice cream stand with a penguin mascot, makes special sundaes from its flavors of the week, like a Sesame Street-themed green sundae with soft-serve ice cream. pistachio, Oreo topping and hot fudge. Soft serve ice cream is also available in flavors such as Banana Lime, slushes, dairy-free Dole Whip soft serve ice cream and smoothies. Dive into Frosty Treat’s 50-year history and opt for a nostalgic ice cream soda.

Great Lakes Resort Ice Cream – The Caboose

3 North America Drive, West Seneca

The ice cream is served in a crimson red wagon at Caboose where you can even drive up to place your order. The menu includes Perry’s ice cream, sundaes, ice cream sandwiches on freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream truck favorites like SpongeBob Popsicles. Milkshake fans should stop by Milkshake Mondays when they can save $1. Play a game of cornhole after finishing your ice cream sundae, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Green Acres serves Upstate Farm soft serve with the option to top it with nine flavors of dip or sprinkles. Far from being the only option, Green Acres also offers 31 flavors of Perry’s Ice Cream, Rosati Italian Ice, Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, Smoothies, Frozen Drinks and Dairy-Free Dole Whip. Milkshakes are made with hard or soft ice cream in more than 80 flavors, which can be combined and mixed with various toppings. Green Acres hosts summer movies and is right next to the Broadway Driving Range and miniature golf.

Hanna’s Frosty Treats keeps the sweet serve simple, with chocolate, vanilla or a touch of both, which you can order in a cone, waffle cone or waffle dish. Beyond soft serve, the menu includes specialty sundaes, house-made Italian ices, sodas and ice cream floats, a handful of Perry’s flavors, screamers (a milkshake with mixed toppings), bananas chocolate covered hazelnut bars and “IttiBitz” ice cream balls. There are also offbeat milkshake flavors, like kiwi, apple, and mint.

Harris Farm Market offers a long list of Perry’s ice cream flavors, including new additions such as Fruit Scoops (a pink fruity cereal ice cream with cereal swirls) and a soft serve with a weekly rotating special flavor. Harris Farm also makes sundaes, milkshakes and floats. Picnic tables overlook the farm fields, and an adjoining greenhouse is often filled with colorful hanging flower baskets for an ice cream digesting stroll.

Besides being smooth and creamy, Lake Effect Ice Cream’s made-from-scratch ice cream flavors are original. Some hits include a purplish gray “London Fog” Earl Gray and Caramel flavor and a sweet and nutty “Black Sesame” flavor, alongside local classics like Loganberry and Paula’s Glazed Donut. Savor them under an umbrella on Lake Effect’s spacious Hertel patio. Or if you’re in Lockport, where Lake Effect remains open year-round, take a stroll along the Erie Canal Towpath with your cone.

Main Street Ice Cream also makes its own ice cream, which provides the opportunity to rotate new special flavors on a monthly basis. Main flavors include Peanut Butter Heaven filled with a Peanut Butter Cup and Swirl, Oreo Cloud stuffed with Oreo Cookies, and Cinnamon Firecracker, mixed with Hot Cinnamon Candies. Bring the ice cream cone for a stroll through the village streets and Memorial Park.

Nick Charlap’s has been around for over 50 years and now has five stores and a new seasonal stand near the Canalside Promenade (44 Prime St.). Nick Charlap’s offers its own flavors of hard and soft serve ice cream, sometimes twisted together to create dynamic combinations, as well as dairy-free Dole Whip flavors. Many of Nick Charlap’s locations are within walking distance, but the new Canalside stand may have the best view.