By President Ronald Reagan’s 1984 Presidential Proclamation, the third Sunday of July is National Ice Cream Day! This year, the holiday to celebrate the treat enjoyed by over 90% of Americans falls on the 17th.  

To beat the heat and celebrate the day, we’ve compiled a list of ten of the best, must-taste ice cream destinations worldwide – five in the U.S. and five outside of the U.S. Ice cream is nearly impossible to rank (it all tastes so good!), so these sugary parlors are listed in no particular order. They are all wonderful places to stop by when you want to sweeten your travels.

Top 5 Ice Cream Joints in the U.S.

Churn – Phoenix, Arizona, USA

If you’re looking for freshly churned, no-nonsense ice cream with a nostalgic atmosphere, stop by Churn while you’re in Phoenix! The old-timey style ice cream parlor boasts natural ingredients and classic flavors, but delicious ice cream isn’t the only treat lining the shelves. Vintage toys, candies, and cookies are also sold in this adorable store and are the cherry on top of the sentimental experience.

The Creole Creamery – New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

The Creole Creamery is a Louisiana favorite is the perfect place to try if you’re looking for exciting local flavors. Lavender honey, creole cream cheese, petit four, king cake, and magnolia flower are just a few exciting tastes the Uptown ice cream parlor offers. There are so many flavors it’s almost hard to choose! Luckily, you can order a sampler of four different flavors to get the most out of the experience. Or, if you’re feeling confident, you can order the Tchoupitoulas – an insane sundae consisting of 8scoops of ice cream and 8 toppings of your choice!

Clementine’s Creamery – St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Bringing their own exciting twist to ice cream, Clementine’s Creamery offers both “naughty” and “nice” ice cream. Their “naughty” flavors are infused with alcohol and tempt you with flavors like “Boozy Banana Rum” and “Mango Tequila Lime.” Their “nice” flavors are alcohol-free but equally as delicious. All of their treats are made by hand in small batches, so every scoop is guaranteed to be creamy, delicious, and attentively made. Try the “Gooey Buttercake” (it’s a St. Louis staple)!

Fat Cat Creamery – Houston, Texas, USA

Not only does Fat Cat Creamery have possibly the best ice cream in Texas, with handcrafted deserts focused on using ingredients that are in season, but they also make a great effort to be sustainable! Their containers are compostable, their spoons are made of cornstarch, they sell their leftover egg whites (so nothing goes to waste), and nearly all of their ingredients come from local farms. If you’re looking for delicious ice cream and want to support a good cause, this parlor is the place for you.

Frankie and Jo’s – Seattle, Washington, USA

If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant and have been desperately scanning this blog for mentions of sorbet or dairy-free alternatives, look no further! Sure, you can get some delicious sorbet from Frankie and Jo’s, but you can also get any of their entirely plant-based ice creams. Their mouthwatering treats are made with coconut milk and gluten-free oat milk, so anyone can enjoy their creamy ice cream. While accessible to more people, this parlor is also committed to showing it is possible to move away from animal-dependent diets without giving up yummy food.

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Top 5 Ice Cream Joints Outside the U.S.

Vaffelbageriet – Copenhagen, Denmark

This beautiful little ice cream shop/bakery is hidden within an even more beautiful amusement park in Copenhagen’s center. Tivoli is a spectacular garden that just so happens to be filled with some of the most fun roller coasters and rides in the world. It’s easy to see how someone could build up an appetite while walking around all the beautiful flowers and screaming their lungs out on Rutschebanen (one of the oldest operating wooden rollercoasters). Luckily, Vaffelbageriet offers a delightful atmosphere, delicious ice cream, refreshing tea and coffee, and a variety of baked goods (including the tasty waffles for which they are named).

Creamery Boutique Ice Creams – Bangkok, Thailand

What’s the only thing better than ice cream? Ice cream and a cookie! The Creamery Boutique, conveniently located close to many Bangkok attractions and shops, offers a variety of delicious ice cream flavors, but what really sets it apart from other ice cream shops is its ice-cream-cookie combos. The warm and ultra-gooey cookies come in flavors like Volcano, Mokka, and Strawberry Pie and pair perfectly with a scoop of cold homemade ice cream. Stop by while you’re on your way to the Temple of the Golden Buddha or any of the several nearby parks!

Moro Gelato – Cape Town, South Africa

According to many reviews, this ice cream shop is good enough to rival Italy! This opinion seems controversial, but their gelato is so authentic, delicious, and varied that it might just be true. More than delectable ice cream, Moro Gelato has been praised for its kind and supportive team that will help you choose the right flavor from their 40+ options. If you’re in Cape Town, stop in to say hi to the two enthusiastic owners and try tastes like Halva, Salty Caramel Popcorn, and Hertzoggie Cookies.

Fatamorgana Gelato – Rome, Italy

It is impossible to talk about ice cream without mentioning Italy, home of some of the tastiest gelato in the world. Of all the wonderful gelato shops in the country, Fatamorgana is quite possibly the best – a significant accomplishment. They have creative combinations of flavors (like “Kentucky Chocolate,” infused with Kentucky Tobacco), but they’ve also worked hard to nail the basics, evident in their 16 flavors of chocolate. They even make gelato that looks like sushi!  

Carousel Creamery – Manila, Philippines

If you’re looking for crazy and creative flavors, you must try Carousel Creamery. They have 101 flavors (Baskin Robbin’s must be jealous)and out of all of them, the shop is most well-known for its Beer & Chicharon ice cream. They also have hot dogs, ramen, onion rings, and more if you want a sweet and salty combination. Try the “Conundrum” – it comes with ten scoops of ice cream!

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So, there you have it – our recommendations for the top ice cream places on the planet. If you’ve ever visited one of these, drop us a line and let us know what you think of our list. Did we overlook an ice cream retreat you think is deserving of a place on his list? Let us know that too. Either way, treat yourself. You’ve earned it.

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Contributed by: Anna Hansen, Intern at Insured Nomads.

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About Insured Nomads   

Insured Nomads is the first to take an integrated traveltech, fintech and insurtech solution to the world for remote workers, globally distributed teams, expats, and travelers. Their purpose is to make travel as safe and smart as staying at home. They do this by providing health insurance with exceptional medical benefits in tandem with wellbeing, safety, security, and advanced tech-enabled solutions for ease of payment for healthcare, emergency response and evacuation. Insured Nomads is available through affinity relationships, direct, embedded and through select brokers and partners for groups and individuals. 

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Information on integration, collaboration and partnership contact Brett Estep: brett@insurednomads.com

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