Your Cape Cod vacation just isn’t complete without enjoying some ice cream after a long day spent soaking up the sun. Luckily, there are plenty of ice cream shops found all over the Cape, and Harwich is no exception. A walk through the heart of Harwich will bring you to a few different locations from which to choose, so whether you’d like to grab a cone while you wander down Main Street or sit in a restaurant for an after-dinner dessert, you’ve got options.

Here are Harwich’s top five ice cream shops.

1) Sundae School

Just northwest of Wychmere Harbor in Harwich Port is Sundae School, a trendy shop serving homemade ice cream in dozens of different flavors. You can enjoy your treat in a waffle cone, dish, or cup, depending on where you want to eat it, or you can go all out with a sundae, banana split, or float.

It’s not only Cape Cod that loves Sundae School, as the USA Today’s 10Best website named it the fifth-best ice cream shop in the country. The website officially listed the Dennis Port location, but they both have the same products, so we’ll count it here. Either way, that’s some pretty hefty praise for a small local ice cream parlor.

Since Sundae School is incredibly popular, it can be a bit of a wait if you arrive during peak hours. It’ll all be worth it, however, once you taste the outstanding quality that is available here.

2) Schoolhouse Ice Cream

You’ll find Schoolhouse Ice Cream just to the east of Wychmere Harbor, and it has a very similar story to Sundae School. For starters, they make all of their ice cream and frozen yogurt on-site, ensuring that you have access to the freshest treats in the area. You’ll also see that they offer dozens of flavors, some of which are highly unique menu items that you don’t find anywhere else. Schoolhouse is creative, and that’s one of the things that makes this such a great shop.

The store is on Main Street, and keep in mind that they only accept cash and check as forms of payment. You can order a sundae, banana splits, waffle cones, chocolate-dipped cones, and malts here, as well. Have a look at their menu and see what stands out.

3) Dairy Queen

While you might not be into a chain restaurant when searching for the best ice cream shops on Cape Cod, there’s something to be said for familiarity and ease of access, and Dairy Queen provides both. You won’t find unique flavors or a local atmosphere here, but we all know that DQ has excellent soft-serve cones, sundaes, and frozen treats.

There are two main benefits to choosing the Dairy Queen in Harwich. First, this particular restaurant is in a historic building, so at least the exterior has some individuality. Next, there is a drive-thru, so if you’re in a hurry or the kids are acting up, you can swing by for a quick dessert without waiting in line at a local shop.

The Dairy Queen sits in a convenient position on Main Street, just northeast of Allen Harbor.

4) A&W

Yes, it’s another chain restaurant, but A&W has seriously stepped up its dessert game in recent years. Growing up, you probably remember A&W having chocolate, vanilla, and, maybe, swirl soft-serve ice cream, but today they have a lot more available.

Currently, A&W has root beer floats, sundaes, polar swirls, freezes, and milkshakes for dessert, so you’ll have a lot more selection than ever before. And, just like the Dairy Queen, you won’t have to spend 20 minutes in line waiting for your dessert because it’s less busy than the local shops.

Keep in mind, however, that this restaurant doesn’t have a drive-thru and is only open seasonally. The Harwich A&W is on Main Street, right across the street from the Trampoline Center.

5) The Weatherdeck Restaurant

Finally, we have another local ice cream shop to visit. Well, not exactly. The Weatherdeck Restaurant isn’t exactly an ice cream parlor, but it is a popular local eatery that has some delicious desserts. The Weatherdeck is actually known, first and foremost, for its seafood, but locals appreciate that its hamburgers and ice cream are also worth trying.

In fact, you can play a round of mini-golf here during the day, and follow it up with a couple of scoops of hard ice cream, which you can take to-go or sit down to enjoy. Adults love The Weatherdeck, too, because they serve beer and wine, in addition to local favorites like lobster rolls and seafood pails.

You’ll Love That Ice Cream

With so many excellent ice cream parlors on Cape Cod, choosing one or two to visit can be challenging. But, hey, you’ll be in Harwich for a week or longer, giving you plenty of time to sample all the local favorites.

Don’t miss out on checking out Harwich’s ice cream scene because it’s sure to be one of the best aspects of your vacation to the Cape.