An Ice Cream a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

As a college student, one of my favorite ways to de-stress is to head into town for an ice cream. Everything looks better when you are eating ice cream. In this blog post, I will take you with me on an adventure exploring the local ice cream possibilities in Greater Lafayette.

Purdue University Student, Ben Morgan, shares this blog. This blog is part of a series of articles submitted to Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette through a cooperation with a 400-level travel writing class at Purdue University.

Budges Drive In – Banana Split

The first destination I went to was Budges Drive In on 1102 North 14th Street in Lafayette. The first thing I noticed as I was walking up to order was the retro style of the ice cream shop. That made sense as Budges Drive In has been serving the community since 1942. I ordered the banana split, and it was incredible. I would recommend bringing a friend along to share it with because it was too big for me to finish alone.

McCord Candies – Chocolate Ice Cream Float

What is a candy shop doing on an ice cream list? Walking into McCord Candies at 536 Main Street in downtown Lafayette was a pleasant surprise. I ordered a chocolate ice cream float, a spinoff of the classic root beer float. They had a variety of ice cream flavors on their menu, too, including mint and strawberry. I would recommend coming here if you are in the mood for a float, because they get the ratio of ice cream to soda spot on!

Silver Dipper – Ice Cream Sundae

The strawberry sundae that I ordered from Silver Dipper truly hit the spot. It was just what I needed during a very busy day of class. Of course, I had to add whip cream and nuts, but they were only complementary to the true star of the show. This ice cream location is a solid choice if you are looking for outdoor seating.

Cold Stone Creamery – Waffle Cone

The waffle cone from Cold Stone Creamery is a standout choice if you are looking for an ice cream classic. One thing that made this ice cream location stand out from the other ones I visited was the smell. Walking inside, you immediately get a marvelous aroma of ice cream cones being freshly made. This definitely enhanced my overall experience.

Insomnia Cookies – The Cookie’wich

The final ice cream shop that I visited really took ice cream sandwiches to the next level. Insomnia Cookies is very close to Purdue’s campus, a five-minute walk from my dorm at Cary. I ordered the “Cookie’wich” with cookie dough ice cream. I liked how this location had an innovative menu with a lot of variety. The presentation is top notch – you get a fancy box to go with your ice cream sandwich!

My ice cream adventure melted away my stress with each blissful bite! Lafayette-West Lafayette has some gems to offer in the world of ice cream specialties. From local family-owned shops such as McCord Candies to the trendy Insomnia Cookies, there are so many options to explore. One thing in common from all five of these locations was the friendliness and warmth that I felt from the people working behind the counter. To see more of this community, visit the Home of Purdue Blog.