11 Best Ice Cream Shops in Fort Walton Beach

Craving a sweet treat on a hot Florida day? Fort Walton Beach goes above and beyond with cold and creamy offerings from custard style cones to Mexican influenced flavors.

These ice cream destinations each bring something a little different to the table and are easily accessible from our scenic beachfront vacation rentals in the Fort Walton Beach area.

Here are our top picks for the best ice cream shops and frozen desserts in and around FWB.

1. Frutas Locas

Photo Credit: Elena Veselova
  • 400 Eglin Pkwy NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL
  • facebook.com/FrutasLocasFWB
  • $
  • Family-owned and operated ice cream shack specializing in Latino-influenced fruity concoctions.

Milkshakes, shaved ice, strawberries and crema, and a delicious ‘mangonada’ are the fruit-forward desserts you can expect from Frutas Locas. While this is far from your average “ice cream shop,” it’s the perfect place for dairy-sensitive diners or those who want to try something a little outside their wheelhouse. The punchy Latin flavors, for the most part, are dairy-free and drink more like a smoothie than a typical ice cream.

2. Rolls and Boba Hand Rolled Ice Cream & Bubble Tea

  • 331 Harbor Blvd, Destin, FL
  • $
  • Rolled ice cream food truck for ice cream on a budget.

Looking for a budget-friendly ice cream option? Or maybe you’re a big fan of the super firm, tightly rolled tubes of ice cream that originated in Southeast Asia. Either way, this shop is the perfect place to give it a try and sip down a boba tea while you’re at it.

3. TJ’s Chillin Treats

Photo Credit: Julia-Bogdanova

TJ’s is the only shop on this list scooping alcoholic ice cream cones. Their “adult’s only” ice cream flavors have a small amount of alcohol frozen into the cream— but the delicious flavors like Bananas Foster and Bordeaux Wine Sorbet hide your indulgence perfectly.

The ice cream here is known to be firm and well-churned but in a satisfying way – no soupy melty scoops here! They have vegan and dairy-free flavors as well to accommodate all their potential guests.

4. Windy City Italian Ice

Photo Credit: stockcreations

This bright orange food-truck-style shop in the heart of Fort Walton Beach serves one item and one item only…Italian Ices. There is, perhaps, no better way to cool off on a hot, humid Florida day. Offering classic and original flavors like Pina colada, Citrus punch, Mimosa Pineberry, Pineapple, Lemon, and even Pickle for the adventurous drinkers among you. Made simply from Sugar, water, and juice, you might even be able to get away with calling this a healthy beach treat.

5. Pino Gelato Cafe at the Beach

Photo Credit: frantic00
  • 1450 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE C, Fort Walton Beach, FL
  • pinogelatocafe.com
  • $$
  • Iconic Boardwalk ice cream stop.

Located on the Okaloosa Island Pier, Pino Gelato is scooping out smooth domes of freshly made gelato in a variety of flavors. Peach Cobbler and Salted Caramel are the local favorites. Typically eaten as takeout on the go, the scoops are piled into a sugar cone, waffle cone, cake cone, or bowl for a late-night treat.

Their menu doesn’t stop at traditional Italian Gelato; they also have sandwiches, velvety espresso (try an affogato to combine dessert and energy), and authentic New Orleans Muffaletta sandwiches all ready to enjoy along the Fort Walton Beach Boardwalk.

6. Yogo Mogos

  • 1306 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL
  • yogomogos.com
  • $
  • Locally-owned self-service frozen yogurt bar.

Yogo Mogos is available at two different locations in town: a standalone shop and inside the Wild Willy Adventure Zone. This makes them the perfect stop if you’re looking for a family-friendly ice cream shop.

You can find nonfat, low-sugar options here and some dairy-free varieties. While the Fro-Yo flavors themselves (and our smoothies) are delicious, customers go bananas over our topping bar. Load up with fruit, oreo cookies, and candies, or throw the creamy confection into an edible waffle bowl.

7. Culvers

Photo Credit: Dave Hensley via Flickr CC 2.0

This mid-western cult favorite is, technically speaking, a burger chain. But Culver’s is so much more than that. Rich and creamy shakes and chocolate turtle sundaes topped with pecans tempt customers from their gut-busting menu. If you’re looking for the perfect road trip treat or an on-the-go frozen treat, this is the stop for you.

8. Okaloosa National Mini Golf & Ice Cream

Looking for an event where the ice cream isn’t the main attraction? Look no further. The Okaloosa Island mini-golf course offers two full 18-hole mini-golf courses perfect for the whole family, as well as 23 unique ice cream flavors to fuel your adventures. Feel free to just stop in for a quick bite (or lick) if mini-golf isn’t your thing!

9. Pink Coyote Dessert Co

Pink Coyote is the end-all-be-all for delicious desserts in Destin. Overlooking Crab Island, this trendy shop specializes in sustainable baking. Keeping the tradition of dessert alive with hand-made desserts like cookies and donuts as well as exceptionally velvety ice cream in a wide variety of flavors. You can also purchase their hand-crafted ice creams by the pint at Dewey Destin’s Seafood Navarre.

10. Ice Cream Shoppe of Destin

Pickle-flavored cotton candy, Brown Butter Brownie Batter scoops, and cookie dough-flavored soda. This is not your average ice cream shop. Gone are the days when you were resigned to a choice between boring old Chocolate and Vanilla.

This pastel-pink innovative shop certainly delivers on the sugar high. Offering a variety of delicious flavors, some more classic and crowd-pleasing than others, The Ice Cream Shop of Destin actually has two different locations within the city and is the number one rated ice cream destination in the greater Fort Walton Beach area.

11. Shake’s Frozen Custard

This is not your shop if you’re looking for a double scoop in a cone. The slow-churned-style of Shake’s Custard is much more suited to a milkshake, sundae, or one of their iconic concretes— a little thicker than a traditional milkshake.

You’ll find floats, freezes, and a wide variety of drinkable desserts, but perhaps none more delicious than the Leroy Brown— a fudge brownie concrete with a dollop of peanut butter on top.

The Best Place to Stay on the Emerald Coast!

Now that you know the best places to get a sweet treat for you and the family in FWB and Destin, Florida, let’s talk about the best place to stay. With luxurious rooms offering panoramic views of the sugar-white sand and turquoise waters of the bay, our rentals cannot be beaten.

Our vacation homes are designed with you in mind, and even better, they are conveniently located so you can walk to most of the iconic Fort Walton Beach attractions.