Let’s face it, Carolina Beach has a lot of options when it comes snagging a cold summer scoop. If you’re cruising for ice cream in Carolina Beach or Kure Beach, these are the top spots to grab a scoop, shake, or sundae when you’re not on the boardwalk.
Best Off-Boardwalk Ice Cream Spots
Fun Time
Located off Lake Park Blvd near Tennessee Ave, Fun Time in Carolina Beach is accessible to those driving down the main road or walking home from the beach. You’ll find soft serve ice cream, floats, sundaes, milkshakes, funnel cake, shaved ice, hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries. There is no indoor seating at Fun Time so plan to eat on a bench or take your order to go.
Celtic Creamery
Celtic Creamery sits on the corner of Harper Ave and Lake Park Blvd in Carolina Beach. The menu offers hot mini donuts, 14 flavors of house-made Irish ice cream, cinnamon glazed nuts, coffee, sundaes, milkshakes, and floats. As a bonus, the ice cream shop features a well-stocked gift boutique called Seaside Shenanigans.
My favorite thing to order? The Surfer’s Special: four hot mini donuts, two scoops of From the Sea and Bee ice cream, hot chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings.
Squigley's
For years, Squigley’s Ice Cream and Treats has been serving visitors their namesake dessert. The Squigley® combines vanilla ice cream with 2 – 3 candies, fruits, cereals, nuts, or baked goods of your choosing. With the toppings on hand, Squigley’s in Carolina Beach can create over 4050+ different flavor combinations. The shop also offers dipped ice cream, unique sundaes, house-made waffle cones, a pet friendly porch, a gift gallery located above the ice cream shop.
For the Kids: When you order a Squigley®, you get a famous “you’ve been Squiggled” sticker to proudly wear around town.
Kure Beach Fishing Pier
You won’t find it advertised as an ice cream shop, but inside the pier house at the Kure Beach Fishing Pier you’ll find a family friendly space featuring a small arcade, souvenir shop, bait and tackle, and hand-scooped ice cream. Visitors young and old will enjoy walking the 711 foot pier with their ice cream in hand on a summer evening. Benches are available along the pier, offering a seat over the ocean waves.
Did you Know? A resident Pelican spends his days on the Kure Beach Pier railing. He’ll usually stay while you snap a selfie, and the locals call him George.
The Veggie Wagon
The Veggie Wagon, located near Carolina Beach Lake, offers a little bit of everything. When it comes to ice cream they delight their customers with handspun milkshakes and custom-made ice cream sandwiches. Their ice cream sandwich menu allows you to individually choose your top and bottom freshly baked cookie with your choice of ice cream in the middle. Dark chocolate brownie on top, vanilla basil ice cream in the middle, and ginger molasses cookie on the bottom? No problem.
Vegan or Gluten Free? The Veggie Wagon’s milkshakes can be made with vegan ice cream, and they offer gluten free brownies for their ice cream sandwiches.
What’s your favorite?
No matter where you choose to get a scoop, Pleasure Island has plenty of ice cream shops to satisfy your sweet tooth. Looking to grab lunch or dinner while you’re out? Check out my Pleasure Island Restaurant Guide for a complete list of restaurants in Carolina Beach and Kure Beach.
