One Scoop or Two?: 6 Can't-Miss Ice Cream Spots in the U.S.

Whether you're a traditionalist or a lover of innovation, chances are that you feel strongly about your ice cream. Whatever your flavor, you'll scream for these six can't miss ice cream spots from across the country. 

Gray's Ice Cream, Tiverton, Rhode Island

History is on the menu at Gray's Ice Cream, which opened in 1923. Patrons today can still find some of the original standards, like Grapenut, on the menu, but there are plenty of fresh flavors available as well. Try a Gray's classic like Frozen Pudding, made with rum-based ice cream dotted with raisins and apricots. You'll be hard-pressed to find something like it anywhere else.

Blue Bell Creamery, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Located near Tulsa in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Blue Bell Creamery focuses on old-fashioned hand-cranked flavor. This shop scoops year-round favorites like Banana Split and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, along with rotating seasonal varieties like Spiced Pumpkin Pecan and Southern Hospitality. Visitors to Blue Bell receive a tour of the creamery along with a scoop of the sweet stuff.

Lick Ice Creams, Austin, Texas

When you have a hankering for savory ice cream, Lick Ice Cream in Austin, Texas is the place to visit. Rather than sugaring up their recipes, Lick takes a different approach. Instead of the standard menu items, here you'll find Goat Cheese with Thyme and Honey or Roasted Beets with Fresh Mint. Lick also sources its cream responsibly from grass-fed cows at nearby Mill-King Market & Creamery. 

Salt & Straw, Portland, Oregon 

This ice cream shop in Portland, Oregon boasts some of the creamiest scoops, thanks to its main ingredient: cream with 17 percent butterfat. The source of this impressive figure is truly scientific, as Salt & Straw's methods come courtesy of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center. Flavors at this hip shop are impossibly rich and range from meaty Smoky Ham to cheesy Pear with Blue Cheese to super sweet Berry Jam Donut. 

Bi-Rite Creamery & Bakeshop, San Francisco, California

One of the best-loved shops on the west coast, this creamery serves up icy treats made with organic cream from a local farm. Ingredients at this shop in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood are kept to a minimum in order to celebrate the properties of each one. Enjoy tangy Balsamic Strawberries when the fruit is in season or the iconic Salted Caramel year round. Try mixing and matching your flavors to create something really special, and come prepared to stand in line outside this popular spot.

Coolhaus, Culver City, California

This cool spot specializes in ice cream sandwiches, each with frosty cookies and one or more generous scoops of ice cream. Get architectural and build your sandwich as tall as you can handle. Try the Honeycomb ice cream, flavored with Los Angeles-area honey, sandwiched between olive oil and rosemary cookies. If you like your ice cream on wheels, you'll love Coolhaus's food trucks in Los Angeles, New York, Austin, and Dallas.

Whether you prefer old-fashioned, hand-cranked ice cream or newfangled organic flavors, there's an ice cream out there for you. Start with these six spots and seek out your perfect flavor.