Moore County Mom: July 2020

ice, ice baby - where to find delightfully cold treats - updated 6.7.2022

Ben's Ice Cream

1515 NC Hwy. 211 | Eagle Springs

Ben's Ice Cream | 910.673.5996 | Email

Hours: Monday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. (summer hours)

Directions: Ben's Ice Cream

Need to know: Delicious homemade ice cream. Personal favorite: peach. Closed on the 4th of July.

Cold Stone Creamery

11088 US Hwy. 15/501 | Aberdeen

Cold Stone Creamery | 910.692.9440

Hours: Monday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. | Friday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Sunday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Directions: Cold Stone Creamery

Need to know: Decadent handmade ice cream just waiting for you to add your favorite mix ins to create the perfect treat. Also home to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (with my personal favorite caramel apples) and cakes galore.

Cookout

11000 US 15/501 Hwy. | Southern Pines

Cookout | 910.692.2668

Hours: Sunday - Thursday 10:30 - 3 a.m. | Friday - Saturday 10:30 - 4 a.m.

Directions: Cook Out

Need to know: I have a personal weakness for their Reese's Cup milkshake.

Dairy Queen

1035 S. Knoll Road | Southern Pines

Dairy Queen | 910.695.1994

Hours: Sunday - Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Directions: Dairy Queen

Need to know: Cold treats and food make this an ideal snack place. Personal favorite: chocolate dip cone.

Highlanders Farm

5784 NC-22 | Carthage

Highlanders Farm | 910.947.5831

Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Directions: Highlanders Farm

Need to know: Newest ice cream flavor is coffee.

Ice Breakers Snoball of Aberdeen

504 N. Sandhills Blvd. | Aberdeen

Ice Breakers Snoball of Aberdeen | 910.757.0163

Hours: Monday - Saturday 12 - 8 p.m. | Sunday 1 - 8 p.m.

Directions: Ice Breakers Snoball of Aberdeen

Notes: The hottest new cold treat in town.

Ice Cream Parlor

176 NW Broad St. | Southern Pines

Ice Cream Parlor | 910.692.7273 | Email

Hours: Monday - Saturday 12 - 8 p.m. | Sunday 1 - 8 p.m.

Directions: Ice Cream Parlor

Need to know: Local delight for a sweet treat or a quick bite. Personal favorite: orange sherbet. The kids love their crazy vanilla. Vanilla flavored ice cream that looks like a rainbow.

Purple Penguin

15 Brucewood Road | Southern Pines

Purple Penguin | 910.246.0229 | Email

Hours: Monday - Thursday 12 - 8:30 p.m. | Friday - Saturday 12 - 9 p.m. | Sunday 12:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Directions: Purple Penguin

Need to know: If fro yo is your thing and you adore mix-ins this place is for you. The fruit caviar is a must try.

Scrollicious

211 Central Park Ave., Suite G | Pinehurst

Scrollicious | 910.420.8036

Hours: Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday 12 -8:30 p.m. | Friday - Saturday 12 - 9 p.m.

Directions: Scrollicious

Need to know:

Sonic Drive - In

11067 US 15/501 Hwy. | Aberdeen

Sonic Drive In | 910.695.7225

Hours: Monday - Thursday 12 - 8 p.m. | Friday - Saturday 12 - 9 p.m.

Directions: Sonic Drive In

Need to know: Their Slushes are the best. Happy Hour half price drinks from 2 - 4 p.m. every day.

Sweet Carolina

108 Main W. St. | Aberdeen

Sweet Carolina | 910.637.0185 | Email

Hours: Monday - Wednesday 12 - 9 p.m. | Thursday - Saturday 12 - 10 p.m. Sunday 12 - 6 p.m.

Directions: Sweet Carolina

Need to know: Take out options for over 20 ice cream flavors. They also offer sorbet, soft serve, sherbet, malts, floats and more.

Spotlight - NC Zoo

Welcome Back to the Zoo!

NC Zoo

4401 NC Zoo Parkway | Asheboro

NC Zoo | 800.488.0444

Cost: FREE - $15.00 | November - March 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | April - October 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Food: A small snack and a refillable water bottle per person can be taken inside. Food venues are open, but only those with outdoor seating. Water fountains are closed, but water refill stations are located throughout the park and you can ask for a complimentary water bottle refill at any food venue.

Directions: NC Zoo

Drive time: about an hour

Things You Need to Know before You Go

Tickets must be purchased in advance for a specific time. You can purchase tickets online here.
The total number of visitors to the zoo per day is limited.
Masks are required at the zoo entrance and any time you cannot maintain a 6 foot distance from those who are NOT in your party or you are indoors.
The Africa entrance and parking lot are closed.
The Zoo has a one way route - you can view the map here.
Statues, viewing devices at habitats and high touch areas have been covered up/closed or marked.
Food venues with indoor seating are currently closed.
Playgrounds are closed.
Indoor habitats and some viewing areas are currently closed. Keeper talks are currently
The Junction Plaza tram is open, but only goes one way from Junction Plaza to the North American entrance for zoo exit.
Only umbrella strollers that can fit in your seat area are allowed, they can not accommodate large strollers.
Once you exit the zoo you can not reenter.
For more things you need to know check out NC Zoo re-imagined guest experience page here.

What to Expect

Upon arrival at the gate locate your ticket on the convenient signs and queue up in the correct line. There are restrooms available before entry on the left side of the zoo gate and directly after entry on the left.
Look for the signs and arrows marking the correct pathways. There are distance dots on the ground at viewing areas and indoors. The maximum number of occupants inside a building was listed at the entrance to each building. Staff were available to answer questions and help with any confusion.
Viewing areas were sometimes crowded and in order to keep our distance it was a short wait to see the main attraction, but that's no different from a normal visit to the zoo.
Our trip was not a in and out visit. We arrived at 9 and gave up at 1:30 or so when we reached the gorillas. The munchkins (and mom) were ready to call it a day. We sped through Africa stopping to see the giraffes, zebras and red river hogs.
We purchased lunch at the zoo. As 12 p.m. arrived we realized our best laid plans were foiled and we would not make it back out before our 1 p.m. goal. Food was essential.
Once you finish Africa you can truck it back to Junction Plaza and take a (welcome) ride back to North America to exit or start all over if you're feeling crazy.

Summary

Over all our trip was enjoyable. It was hot and some of the animals were chilling or hiding, but that's a normal thing on hot days at the zoo. The crowds were manageable and people were respectful. The most difficult thing for me was having to go in one entrance and being restricted to one way routes and tram rides. Because my kids are so little it's helpful to be able to tackle half of the zoo at a time and that's difficult to nearly impossible with the current layout. Will I go again? Totally, I'm planning a trip over the next month and you should too.