Video Archive: Book chronicles Rehoboth Beach’s Funland, Fasnacht family
This video, originally produced in 2019, highlighted how Al Fasnacht continued to work every summer day at Rehoboth Beach’s iconic amusement park Funland.
Summer is right around the corner, which means it’s time to indulge in some of the best treats the season has to offer.
Ice cream, especially when made locally and fresh, never disappoints in the hot summer months.
Peach? Red raspberry? Old-school vanilla, chocolate and strawberry? Something more exotic … ? Do yourself a favor and plan your next few trips ahead of time with some of the best that Delaware has to offer.
By no means an exhaustive list, here are some of the must-visit ice cream spots in Delaware.
UDairy
535 S. College Ave., Newark, 302-831-2486 and 83 E. Main St., Newark, 302-831-6804; udel.edu/creamery
Named the best ice cream shop in Delaware by Reader’s Digest in June 2024, the creamery is run by University of Delaware students and the delicious flavors are made with help from the cows that live on the university’s agriculture school campus.
The ice cream is then processed in New Jersey and shipped back to UD to be flavored, frozen and packaged at the storefront.
Hours:
- College Avenue location: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day
- Main Street location: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day
Woodside Farm Creamery
378 N. Star Road, North Star; 302-239-9847; woodsidefarmcreamery.com
Arguably the most popular dairy farm and creamery above the canal, Woodside Farm Creamery is back for the season with dozens of flavors and regular events happening all summer long – including regular telescope viewings and concerts right on the lawn.
Flavors range from the classic chocolate and vanilla to the more unusual bacon flavor (vanilla ice cream with bacon bits, apparently very popular with dogs). Staff members also recommend the Turtle ice cream flavor, made of chocolate ice cream with caramel and pecans.
If you feel overwhelmed by the number of choices, no need to worry. There’s a wheel hanging from the ceiling with all of the flavors, relieving customers from the burden of choosing a flavor.
Hours:
- Noon until 9 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day
Hopkins Farm Creamery
18186 Dairy Farm Road, Lewes; 302-645-7163; hopkinsfarmcreamery.com
Since 2008, Hopkins Farm Creamery has been making its own ice cream and serving new flavors to the community every summer, and this year it was nominated for one of the “Coolest Things Made in Delaware.”
Located on Green Acres Farm just off Route 9 near Lewes, Hopkins has over 30 ice cream flavors made on-site ready to be served in cups, cones, milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream sandwiches and more.
This past year, Hopkins’ apple pie ice cream was in the top 16 nominees for the Coolest Things Made in Delaware 2025 competition, no pun intended.
Hours:
- Open 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. until Labor Day
Dairy Palace
2 Jay Drive, New Castle; 302-328-9740
Another historic Delaware operation, Dairy Palace has been in operation under the Parker Family since 1956, when the Parkers bought the former Dairy Queen New Castle location.
History and tradition are what make Dairy Palace so beloved by locals. Its specialty soft serves and wide range of flavor options don’t hurt it either. If you’re ever feeling overwhelmed at their extensive menu, Dairy Palace’s social media pages consistently post menu recommendations.
New flavors will be displayed on the shop’s signs as they come in. Staff members recommend trying out the raspberry and banana shakes, made with real fruit.
Hours
- Open 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day
Vanderwende’s Farm Fresh Ice Cream
The Vanderwende family has owned their Bridgeville farmland since 1954, turning six cows and $35 to a 4,000-acre dairy farm and five creamery locations around the region.
Vanderwende’s year-round location is in Bridgeville, but in the summer, its Greenwood, Dewey Beach and Fenwick Island locations open up as well.
There are over 35 flavors to choose from.
Locations:
- 4003 Seashore Highway, Bridgeville; Open 11 to 7 p.m. daily, until Labor Day 302-349-5110
- 8374 Hickman Road, Greenwood, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., until Labor Day; 302-349-5160
- 23 Bellevue St., Dewey Beach, call for hours, until Labor Day; 302-349-5110
- 300 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, call for hours, until Labor Day; 302-519-2509
(This story was updated to add a photo gallery.)
