Want a prize for eating ice cream? This Pennsylvania tourism challenge might be for you
When the evenings are long and the sweltering summer heat is in full force, nothing hits the spot quite like fresh-churned ice cream.
This summer, Pennsylvania’s tourism agency, VisitPA, is once again rewarding those who visit some of the Keystone State’s best ice cream shops and creameries. To participate in the summer-long challenge, all you need to do is visit a few of the dozens of participating establishments, log your progress online and wait for your prize in the mail.
If you’re screaming for ice cream with an itch to travel in Pennsylvania this summer, here’s how you can get rewarded.
What is Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail?
VisitPA of the Pennsylvania Tourism Office officially titles its ice cream challenge “Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail.” Now in its sixth year, the summer promotion encourages the public to visit some of the dozens of participating creameries and shops spread throughout the commonwealth.
Those who complete the challenge will receive an engraved ice cream scoop while supplies last, VisitPA says.
Where are the participating creameries and shops?
More than 40 locations throughout Pennsylvania are participating in this summer’s ice cream trail, and a few are near Centre County.
Centre County’s only representative on the 2023 trail is Penn State’s Berkey Creamery, located along Curtin Road on the flagship University Park campus. Though the creamery is famous for (almost) never allowing flavor-mixing, its rotating menu offers a handful of original flavors to choose from including Peachy Paterno, Alumni Swirl and Grilled Stickies.
A few other locations are peppered throughout several nearby counties. Those in the Centre County area might consider visiting Stocks Dairy Delight in Martinsburg, Vale Wood Farms in Loretto or Hall’s Ice Cream in Millerstown to get in on the action.
In total, 42 creameries and shops are participating in Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail this summer. You’ll find most of the locations in the eastern half of Pennsylvania, specifically up near Scranton and between Harrisburg and Philadelphia.
You can visit visitpa.com/trip-itinerary/scooped-ice-cream-trail to learn more about each shop participating in this summer’s ice cream trail.
How can I join Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail?
Participating in this summer’s ice cream trail is free, but you’ll need to buy some treats at each shop you visit.
To get started, sign up online at visitpa.com/trip/scooped-ice-cream-trail. You’ll then receive access to your digital passport, which will log your visited locations, show nearby trail stops and track your progress throughout the challenge. Once you’re properly registered, it’s up to you to get out there and start eating.
Each visited shop is worth 100 points, according to the challenge’s rules. You’ll need 600 total points — or registered visits at six locations — to net enough points to receive your prize in the mail. After making a purchase at a participating shop, you should receive a unique PIN number you’ll need to enter in your digital passport to officially register your visit.
Summer 2023’s ice cream trail challenge stretches between June 1 and Sept. 9. Participating players are subject to each individual creamery and shop’s own hours, rules and regulations.
Prizes must be redeemed by Sept. 16, VisitPA says. The engraved ice cream scoops, which are available while supplies last, are limited to one per household.
