As spring arrives, Blackstone Valley ice cream shops are open or opening soon.  Here is just a sampling of some that we have visited!

Lincoln Creamery is already open from 1 – 9 pm.  This family-run creamery boasts of over 50 ice cream flavors to choose from for every kind of sweet tooth. The kids will probably love the “Cookie Monster,” blue vanilla ice cream with chocolate cookie pieces.  They also have a “Coffee Oreo” flavor made with Autocrat coffee milk ice cream, a true Blackstone Valley treat!

Josie’s Ice Cream, opening May 1, is located on High Street in Cumberland just south of the Monastery hiking trails & Cumberland Library. It is the perfect treat after a hike through the Monastery.  We tried one of their homemade specialties, the Chocolate Nutella, a smooth chocolate ice cream with a hint of hazelnut, in a cone. What a treat! Plus, the music playing from their sound system added to the relaxing ambience. Check out their video HERE.

Head to Powder Mill Creamery in Greenville (a village of Smithfield) for ice cream with a view.  They will reopen in mid-April. When we last visited, we opted for their homemade sugar-free Maple Walnut in a sugar cone (it was not one of their homemade cones, though those may be available when they reopen). They offer plenty of seating in a shaded picnic grove, and we sat by the pond just opposite Waterman Lake. So relaxing and so tasty!

Before we let you go, we would be remiss if we did not mention Wright’s Dairy & Bakery and The Wright Scoop in North Smithfield. Ice cream by the pint is available year-round at Wright’s Dairy & Bakery, and the Wright Scoop opens May 1 (soft opening coming soon) in its streamline trailer serving from “cow to cone.”  Specialty flavor for spring is a creamy Lemon Meringue, a lemon curd ice cream with meringue swirl. Hmm! sounds refreshing.

Written by: Patti McAlpine;
Photo credit: The Wright Scoop