Donnelly's Soft Ice Cream

Kelly P Bristol

2023-05

A must-visit if you’re in the Lake Placid region. Located on a farm, this roadside ice cream shop has been a local favorite for decades, serving generations of families. Each day features one flavor that is served as a twist with vanilla. Check their Facebook account for the flavor of the day. Sometimes there’s a line, but it’s worth the wait and a true local treat. IYKYK

Natalie

2023-08

Incredible ice cream! So soft and delicious. There is one flavor available each day which you can get on its own or twisted with vanilla. There is a paper hung up there with the flavors available each day of the week. When I went, the daily flavor for Tuesday was raspberry, which was just amazing. They also have tubs of different flavors there like vanilla, banana, chocolate, and a few others for sale if you’d like to take some with you or if the daily flavor doesn’t suit your favor. As many others have noted, bring cash as the place is cash only. Will certainly return!UPDATE: I returned for a second time and the day’s flavor was chocolate. Can’t decide if I like the chocolate or raspberry more.

James M

2023-07

Simply the best ice cream on the planet. Although they change the flavor around each day I don’t care what it is you’ll love it. I hate pistachios and lemon but love the heck out of it when it’s their ice cream. So soft and creamy, it’s the best ever

Kristi

2023-05

Absolutely, positively the best ice cream amd worth the 25 minute drive from the campground to get it--at least once! Made our annual visit last week (maybe a couple times) and it was as good as it always is. I have been coming here since I was a little kid and my parents were going when it was still Crystal Springs Dairy. Fantastic product, wonderful history, and great charm. It's cash only, 1 flavor per day and twisted with vanilla (except sometimes on Saturday). This is not a picky eater place and no frills so expect your choices to be size and cone or dish. Enjoy! Oh, did I mention the amazing view?!

Mark Hamilton

2017-05

Best soft-serve on the planet! And I challenge you to find a more breathtakingly beautiful setting for an Ice Cream stand anywhere on earth. When we're visiting the area, this is a daily (sometimes twice a day) destination! People who are looking for variety may be disappointed, as there's only one flavor per day, always twisted with vanilla--but that's part of the charm of this must-see location. Can't wait to come back!

Michael Kolanko

2020-05

Best ice cream ever. I have never had a flavor I did not like. A friend told me to check this place out a few years ago and have been hooked ever since. If your ever near Saranac Lake, go! They make one flavor a day which they post on their fb page. On top of amazing ice cream the view while eating it is wonderful. So go and see why they have been a landmark since 1953 and have a treat from the same machine they opened with way back when!

Colleen Tomlinson

2022-05

I really enjoyed our stop to Donnelly's. You can purchase farm fresh milk, eggs and soft serve ice cream. Each day there is one ice cream flavor of the day. Great news for the indecisive! 🤣I really enjoyed seeing the machine that they use for the soft serve. Simple and old-school.(Flavor pictured: strawberry and vanilla)

Michael Rabideau

2023-12

I have been coming to this ice cream stand for over 4 decades. At the time the farm was still operational and the product was fresh. Now, just go to your local grocer, leave the ice cream in your freezer for a couple of months and you can enjoy the same granular, fake flavor that you will get here. The "main ingredient" comes in gallon milk carton containers and are poured into the machine. Bam! Give me $5 for that serving. Tourist suckers.....

Michael Pomarico

2023-08

North country ice cream at its best. I would literally drive 200 miles to experience this!Back again! Three years later.Still epic, and at the top of the charts.Donnelly’s was a stop on our NY ice cream challenge tour, from Coney Island to the Canadian border. We are rating Donnelly’s tied for number one in New York State.Todays flavor! Honey Cinnamon Vanilla twist! Fantastic.This is a true roadside America ice cream experience not to be missed. From the scenic views of the high peaks of the Adirondacks to the vintage soft serve machine all covered in frost, you just can’t possibly have a better ice cream tasting.

Katie Moring

2018-05

Great ice cream. They only serve one flavor a day, and it changes every day. The flavor of the day is almost always twisted with vanilla. Always soft serve. The building is quite small, with no place to sit or stand inside. There's a grassy area you can sit in next to the building (just sitting on the ground, no tables) or stand in the parking lot area. Cash only.

Megan Thayer

2021-05

I arrived around 7:30 on a Friday and it was not nearly as busy as I expected!This place only accepts cash. So, thankfully some nice people in line let me venmo them money so I could have icecream! (Seriously, how nice of them).The flavor today was strawberry with vanilla. It was quite delicious! Their concept of 1 flavor a day is neat. And makes it easier, as you don't have to decide between dozens of flavors!There was also plenty of parking. Definitely will return to try the other unique flavors they have!

Jacob Skar

2023-08

Come here regularly amazing love the variety of flavors and all of my family enjoys it. Love the vibes there and the view from outside. Always a line but that just shows how amazing it is

Angus Davidson

2023-12

…More

Colleen O'Connell

2023-10

Cash only. One flavor twist per day. Deliciously creamy and unlike any soft serve I've ever had! I was visiting ADK for 5 days and went there twice. I got to try strawberry/vanilla and cherry/vanilla. They have packaged pints/half gallon containers from previous flavors to purchase as well.

Jason Zahn

2021-05

Tourist in town and tried both here and Mountain Mist (Pine Cone was always closed with no posted hours). Mountain Mist has the best location right on the water in downtown Saranac Lake, but this place has a great view of the mountains, some lawn you can sit on, and a nice farmy vibe. They have a tiny little shack and no options other than the flavor of the day on a cone. Your only choice is size, honestly given the LONG lines we stood in (probably 50 people deep every time), I wish they wouldn't even offer a size choice (listening to people debate the sizes inside was torture). The soft serve is $3-$4 per cone depending on size. We went multiple times as this place was by far the creamiest and most tasty soft serve we had ever had. I mean I don't totally get this place - in the summer you can get $1 soft serve at McDonalds so these are incredibly expensive, but I guess you are paying for local and high quality. The incredible thing is they closed mid-week while we were there for the rest of they year, in spite of the 50+ never ending line every day. I don't know about you but if I could charge this price for my cones and my only overhead was high school kids hourly salary and some of my local cream, I would keep this thing open a lot longer. Anyhow, if you want the best, this is the place.

ken p

2020-05

Gotta come here when your in the area. It's simple soft serve ice cream in three different sizes, make sure to bring cash they dont take credit cards. Each day has a different flavor twist to vanilla. Gotta try it each day

Brad Paradis

2021-05

The ice cream is incredible.If you have a picky eater with you this isn’t the place for you. Unless you get lucky that is. There’s only one flavor available each day and it changes.Parking is extremely dangerous and difficult as it is not a ton of spots and you’re backing out on a busy highway. There’s no place to sit inside or outside. It’s one of those little gems that has an incredible product so you put up without everything else.Oh and cash only.

Rodd Riesenberger

2022-05

Donnelly’s is a must visit when in the Adirondacks! This little ice cream shop is straight out of the 1950’s with all the nostalgia that comes with it. Well worth the potential line for the delicious treat awaiting. There is only one flavor on the day you visit and only open in the summer, so keep an eye on their social media page for details. Highly recommended!

Daniel

2023-08

Awesome ice cream, I love the 'you get what you get' business model. One flavor a day, I personally enjoyed the chocolate vanilla swirl. Cones are a good size and it's cash only. Enjoy the mountain view while you wait in line

Kris Lindstrom

2023-09

We’ve eaten ice cream in 45 states, 24 countries and 5 continents. Donnelly’s remains the best ice cream anywhere.

Peter Nekos

2023-10

Great experience at Donnelly’s. The soft ice cream was very good, I had gotten a raspberry vanilla twist and it was incredible. Would highly recommend if you are passing by this hidden gem of a ice cream shop.

Tammy

2023-09

BEST ice cream in all of NY state and possibly the world! It is so light it is like eating a cloud! So get the large cause you are going to wish you did. The flavors even if you think you are not going to like it blow your socks off. I always try to camp at campgrounds near Donnelly's because it is that amazing!

Samantha

2021-05

This place surprised us being a tiny little building with a HUGE line of people waiting to get in! They have one flavor each day and you pick what size. The ice cream was the creamiest we've ever had! It was worth the wait!

Nyle Landas

2023-07

Twist and they pick the daily flavor, you pick the size. It doesn't matter, this is THE BEST ICE CREAM in NYS. I've had flavors that I don't normally enjoy and loved them. Fresh flavor and an old fashioned soft serve machine. Well worth the trip out and then hit the 1892 restaurant for an amazing chef made meal.

Brett P

2023-06

I wasn't a believer until I tried it. I couldn't understand how an ice cream shop that serves one flavor a day could be so popular and then I happened to try it. I forget what the flavor was the first time we went, maybe pineapple something? Either way I wasn't even expecting to like it and after that first bite I was hooked. It's delicious soft serve and all their flavors are great, even the classic chocolate vanilla twist is really good. I definitely recommend trying it if you're in the area. Lines can get long but usually move pretty well. Also the view along that road is beautiful. Well worth the trip there if you're not nearby.

Kyle Clark

2022-05

The ice cream is AMAZING!! Some of the best I've ever had, so creamy! The peanut butter twisted with chocolate is the perfect flavor mix!!

Phillip Payne

2023-08

We had heard about this place on the 46 of 46 podcast and decided to give it a try. Small. One flavor a day but it is a good soft serve . Cool place. Friendly. If you are in the area worth getting. I will say that I'm not normally a soft serve guy. I told my wife that this might be the best soft serve I've had.

Michael Glenn

2023-08

I always have to stop at Donnelly's when I am nearby as it's the best soft ice cream ever. There's one flavor each day and they have been using the same equipment since the 50s, which is a testament to their consistency and dedication. Great view of the high peaks of NYS from the stand and easy to get to.

Julia Anderson

2023-09

Best soft serve. The raspberry and vanilla is a favorite of mine. They only have one flavor a day but sell tubs of their other flavors, so there is plenty to choose from.

Alex Rodriguez

2018-05

Incredible ice cream. They unfortunately only have one flavor a day but they'll keep you wanting to come back. Highly recommended