Kimball's in Carlisle, MA is the winner. I am going to print all the good places mentioned and if ever I am in these areas, I will give them a try.
Carlisle is Northwest of Boston(appx 25 miles) and worth the trip if you are visiting - especially those heading for the Lexington/Bedford/Concord areas.

There is also Bedford Farms in Bedford which would be a close second to Kimballs locations. Microwave the ice - cream? I would rather wait the few minutes. Of course I shouldn't knock it until I try it.

Sometimes you just can't wait. For those times there is microwaving. The trick is to nuke at a very low power..maybe 2 or 3. You are trying to soften ..not kill..the ice cream.

Just found these 2 places on a recent trip - in Annapolis at the city dock area it's Aromi D'Italia which has amazing gelato that they make there and tastes as good as what you find in Italy. Also Island Creamery on Chincoteague, VA.

Although I haven't been there in a few years (I live more than 600 miles away)I've got to vote for Carvel in NJ.

Dick--my son and I always nuke our ice cream--just a little to soften it up as you say.

Best ice cream in eastern Oklahoma--Braums.
Best ice cream in Kansas--Maggie Moo's

If you ever travel through Missouri's capitol city, Jefferson City, Central Dairy is the place to go. Really small place, but excellent ice cream served in very large portions for very small prices. Central Dairy also offers the Moose Tracks, along with Bear Claw, Caramel Caribou, and The Mother Lode. These flavors are referred to as the Alaskan Classics here. A banana split can be purchased here for $3, including tax. Most people I know have to share their banana splits.... too much for one. My favorite is the Rock-n-Roll, also a two-person treat, with any four flavors of ice cream (choose from close to 50 flavors), banana, marshmallow, pineapple, strawberry and nuts, for $3.50. Central Dairy products are made locally in their own plant, from locally produced milk.

Hey there, Sandi@hotmail and other icecream-a-holics like myself!
Dan: we have an apple pie supermarket flavor called TurkeyHill- could that be the brand? It's relatively inexpensive (compared to Haagen Daz), but they make unusual flavors I also like, like "lemon crunch" and apple pie, with the crust in it! Delicious! But my favorite concoction is also that lychee thing in Honolulu! And being reminded of summer's fun, and being from NJ, off I go to Carvel right now!

Cherry Custard at Richman's Dairy in Woodstown, NJ.

Does anyone else feel that while not truly comparable to ice cream, Rice Dream and Tofutti are good dairy-free subsitiutes?

Even though most of these have been said already, I was born and raised in the Boston area, where (so I've read) more ice cream is consumed per capita than anywhere else in the world (and that's just in winter), so I feel compelled to offer my opinions: Berthillon is the best ever, regardless of size or price. Ted Drew's is amazing also. When in the Boston area (unfortunately, now I live in New York City where ice cream is not the priority it should be) I try to visit as many of the following as possible: Kimballs, if it's the one I'm thinking of, with the little petting zoo out back; Emack & Bolios; Herrells; Toscaninis and my personal Boston-area favorite, Rancatore's in Belmont. Now I have to go print this out and start planning my next vacation - a tour of the best ice cream in the U.S.

Hi, yourself, Sandi@xxx!!!

I don't know too many Sandi's, other than myself, spelled with an I. Glad to know you, even if it is only on the Fodor's Forum. Are you addicted to this site, too? I am, but I have neglected to answer the thread specifically asking for comments from Fodor's addicts. I need to do that.

This ice cream thread was a fun one to read and participate in.

So long,

Sandi

Rebecca: do you know what's happened to the Emack & Bolio's on Mass. Ave. in Cambridge? I was horrified not to be able to find it this past weekend...

Audrey, I don't know what to tell you. I spent a large part of my childhood eating ice cream and playing Pac Man there, but I haven't lived in Cambridge for a while. Last time I was in Boston I went to the Newbury Street location. I also just found one in New York, I think on 7th Ave. and 14th. And speaking of New York, I was a little harsh before - there is some good ice cream here, specifically the MMMM MMMM sundae at Serendipity (anyone bringing a child to NYC should have at least one meal there) and Ciao Bella (although my friend discounts them because they use preservatives). Also, a friend just mentioned Peter's on Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn, and I'm going to check it out soon.

Sorry-I should have organized my thoughts before posting, but I get carried away. I forgot the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, on Bayard between Mott and Elizabeth. Fabulous flavor selection including lychee, for you Bubbies of Honolulu fans.

Although it wasn't the best ice cream I've had, my fondest ice cream memories are of Hubert Green's Hand-Dipped stand at the end of Sand lake in Westport, Ontario (Canada). He was an enormous fellow who quite obviously enjoyed sampling his own goods regularly. The Neilson's ice cream they served wasn't the best I've ever had but there was an unusual (and surprisingly good) flavor: Tiger Tail - a swirled mix of orange sherbet, vanilla and black licorice ice cream. Very wild looking combination and worth trying (it's much better than it sounds).

Great question! I have two favorites:
1) Mr. G's Flavor Freeze in Gettysburg, PA. All homemade. He makes a fabulous Butter Pecan.
2) Meyer's Dairy in State College, PA. I prefer this to The Creamery because the cows are out back and you can get a milkshake in any flavor- try chocolate toasted almond! Mmmm!

It probably wasn't the best but my fondest ice cream memories are from vacations as a youth. We stayed near Westport, Ontario (Canada) and enjoyed stopping at Hubert Green's Hand-Dipped Ice Cream. The favorite flavor was "Tiger Tail" - a swirled blend of vanilla ice cream, orange sherbet and black licorice ice cream... yes it sounds bizare but it was fun to look at and very tasty!

I used to go the National Gallery of Art in DC for the paintings, but now I go for the ice cream. They've set up a gelato stand in the underground area between the East & West Buildings (in front of the cafeteria and across from the waterfall) that's magnificent. Their chef d'ouvre is the pistachio.

I was visiting a friend in Aurora Il.(45 minutes s.w. of Chicago) and he took me to a place called Oberweiss (spell?) Dairy. It was the best icecream I ever had and they only get milk from farmers that pledge not to use additives or hormones.

I think there are a number of Oberweis's around...I know of one in South Holland or Lansing (on Torrence).

We're headed for NYC next month -- I can't wait to hit Serendipity!

Also, I should have mentioned the Frango Mint flavor offered at Marshall Field's....

Wouldn't that be the dream-trip though -- to just map out all the recommendations on this thread and then hop in the car and hit the road!