Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory

Waterbury, Vermont

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is one of the most famous ice cream brands in the world, and the creative flavors like Cherry Garcia, Phish Food, Half Baked, and Chunky Monkey have been synonymous with quality ice cream for more than 35 years.

Childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield opened their first shop in a renovated former gas station in Burlington, Vermont in 1978, and began distributing to small grocery stores within two years.

Ben & Jerry’s ice cream has enjoyed huge amounts of success over the years, yet they still refuse to use any dairy products produced with artificial growth hormones and have been outspoken in their support of Fair Trade efforts.

Despite their massive success, the owners remain loyal to their home in Northern Vermont. Their factory is located in Waterbury, near Burlington, and guests are welcome to tour the factory to see firsthand how the ice cream is made.

Also keeping with tradition: Free Cone Day. Ben and Jerry initially decided to celebrate their first anniversary in 1979 with a free scoop of ice cream for anyone who showed up. Free Cone Day has fallen between March and May every year since.

Check out other ice cream shops around the country that you can visit for National Ice Cream Month.

By Jessica Hobbs for PeterGreenberg.com

Image Credit: Ben & Jerry’s Instagram @benandjerrys