This summer-only stand serves luscious artisanal ice cream made with local ingredients like fireweed, blueberries, and cranberries. Near the university, it's a favorite of locals—it can take a few minutes before you get your scoop, but the fun ambience makes the time go fast.

Along with pizza and coffee, Alaskans consume a surprising amount of ice cream each year. It’s therefore no surprise that Fairbanks has a number of great ice cream shops, and they do a roaring trade both for summer visitors and in the colder months with locals. Hot Licks is the must-go spot if you want great ice cream with local ingredients; while they can’t source enough dairy in Alaska to handle the volume of their production, they make up for it with a variety of other local ingredients in both traditional flavors (Alaskan blueberry and Alaskan cranberry) as well as the occasional small-batch.

Hot Licks Homemade Ice Cream, at 3453 College Rd. (tel. 907/479-7813; www.hotlicks.net), has all the standard flavors, plus some of their own, including blueberry and cranberry made in season with local wild berries. If you have children, their joy will be completed by a visit to the playground behind the Radio Shack next door. Right across from Hot Licks on College Road, summer only, a travel trailer in the parking lot of a sporting goods store contains a bakery called Bun on the Run, which turns out fantastic cinnamon rolls and other baked treats, as well as hearty sandwiches.

Homegrown small businesses turn Alaska produce into for-sale items such as Alaskan jam, honey, seasonings, mustards, vinegars and baked goods. Hot Licks Homemade Ice Cream parlor creates super premium ice cream using just picked wild blueberries, and Fairbanks has three wonderful coffee roasters, including the artsy and welcoming McCafferty’s, A Coffee House, Etc.; the award-winning Alaska Coffee Roasting Co.; and the North Pole Coffee Roasting Company.

Sure when you think Alaska you think freezing weather, but here’s a fun fact: Alsaka eats more ice cream per capita than any other state in the country!. Hands down the best place to get ice cream in town is Hot Licks, which was evident by the line wrapping around the front on this extremely warm night (it was around 10 pm and the sun was still shining brightly!).

Geoffrey and Dorothée Wool drove to Alaska from Massachusetts in 1980 to work as a teacher and a nurse. In 1986 they started Hot Licks Homemade Ice Cream along with Geoff’s brother, Adam. Having come from the East Coast they were accustomed to high quality ice cream and since there was not any in Fairbanks they decided to open a homemade ice cream shop.

Before this trip, I never pictured myself craving ice cream in Alaska!. We had such amazing weather on our trip I could have eaten ice cream every day!. When we asked for recommendations, we heard the same place over and over again – the best ice cream in Fairbanks is Hot Licks!.

Hot Licks Homemade Ice Cream has a cult following and shockingly large menu. They make sundaes, sodas, floats, etc., and have three different kinds of cones. Their operation is small and the ice cream is really good so there’s usually a line but it moved quickly when I went.

[ College]If you choose to embark on a journey to USA, fear not and delight in your stay completely. A calming and snug vibe with fantastic tunes and fresh people to uncover, it is no big secret that Hot Licks Ice Cream Fairbanks remains a gay vacation spot over many years.

History and Significance: Hot Licks has been serving homemade ice cream in Anchorage since 1986. The shop is known for its creative flavors and commitment to using fresh, local ingredients.

If you are looking for a cool desert while taking in a sunny evening, keep this place in mind. Hot Licks is open in the summer. Their award-winning ice cream is phenomenal.

Hot licks: Alaskans love ice cream and hot licks is amazing. They have plenty of flavors with local ingredients like blueberries.