UDairy Creamery
Ice cream made on site by UD students from the university's own cows — a cheap, joyful Newark stop.
535 S College Avenue, Newark, DE 19716 · ~15-20 min from Wilmington
Hours
8:30 AM – 9 PM
Show the week Hide the week
| Fri | 8:30 AM – 9 PM |
|---|---|
| Sat | 8:30 AM – 9 PM |
| Sun | 8:30 AM – 9 PM |
| Mon | 8:30 AM – 9 PM |
| Tue | 8:30 AM – 9 PM |
| Wed | 8:30 AM – 9 PM |
| Thu | 8:30 AM – 9 PM |
Last checked 2026-10-19
- Cost
- Free
- Best for
- All ages
- Indoor / outdoor
- Indoor
- Typical visit
- 30-45 minutes
Back in the flagship on South College Ave, open daily 8:30 AM–9 PM; the UD farm and the botanic gardens are next door.
The Quick Version
- • The University of Delaware's student-run creamery — over 34 ice cream flavors made on site from milk from UD's own dairy herd.
- • Free to visit; you just pay for ice cream. The flagship sits next to the College of Agriculture's dairy farm, so you can walk over and see the cows.
- • The flagship at 535 S College Ave has reopened after its 2026 renovation. Both it and the UDairy Creamery Cafe on Main Street are open 8:30 AM–9 PM, Monday–Sunday.
- • A quick, cheap, joyful stop — 30-45 minutes, easy with any age.
- • Parking is the one thing to plan: four 15-minute Creamery spots, otherwise the paid Fred Rust Ice Arena lot.
What's New
The renovated flagship is open
- • The 535 S College Ave flagship closed in late May 2026 for a renovation and has reopened.
- • The renovation reorganized the space to showcase cheese, honey, and farm products — order at the window or go inside.
- • The new Townsend East Lawn and Garden next door connects the creamery to the farm; it will add a comfort station with family restrooms.
- • Both the flagship and the Main Street cafe are open 8:30 AM–9 PM, Monday–Sunday.
Best Ages
All ages
Plan For
30-45 minutes
Adults
Free to visit (pay for ice cream)
Kids
Free to visit
What to Expect
UDairy Creamery is a small, genuinely delightful Newark institution: the University of Delaware's own creamery, where students make the ice cream on site using milk from UD's dairy herd. The College of Agriculture's dairy farm is right next door, part of its 350-acre farm, so you can order a cone and walk through the new Townsend East Lawn and Garden to go see the cows that (more or less) made it — a 'cow to the cone' story kids actually get. It launched in 2011 as a student-run, hands-on learning enterprise, and it shows: the rotating roster runs over 34 flavors, and the people scooping are often the students who churned it.
It's free to walk up, cheap by the cone, and quick — 30 to 45 minutes, the kind of stop you tack onto the end of any Newark outing. There's no ticket, no agenda, just good ice cream with a real local story.
The flagship at 535 S College Avenue reopened after a 2026 renovation that reorganized the space to better show off the cheese, honey, and farm products; order at the walk-up window or go inside. Both the flagship and the separate UDairy Creamery Cafe on Main Street are open 8:30 AM–9 PM, Monday–Sunday. The garden next door is still being finished this fall, so expect some construction.
Who It's Best For
Ice cream is a universal win — there's no age this doesn't work for. Toddlers love a cone and (at the flagship) the cows across the road; bigger kids appreciate the rotating flavors and the 'made right here by students from our own cows' story. It's a stop, not a destination, so it slots onto the end of any Newark outing for every age.
Highlights
Made on site from UD's own cows
All agesStudents make the ice cream right there using milk from the University's dairy herd — a real 'cow to the cone' operation, not a story on a label.
Over 34 flavors, always rotating
All agesA big year-round flavor list with seasonal specials worth following on social before you go.
The cows next door
Ages 1-8The College of Agriculture's dairy farm is next door, part of its 350-acre farm — order a cone and walk through the Townsend East Lawn and Garden to go see the source.
Student-run since 2011
All agesLaunched in 2011 as a discovery-learning enterprise — the students are involved from the cow to the cone, and you can taste the pride.
What to Skip with Little Ones
- • Treating it as a full outing on its own — it's a 30-45 minute stop, best paired with a Newark walk or park.
- • Going on a hot weekend evening if you're short on patience — the line is part of the deal.
Logistics
Admission
Adults
Free to visit (pay for ice cream)
Kids
Free to visit
Under
Free
No admission — you pay only for what you order, at the walk-up window or inside.
Membership tip: Not a membership venue. Follow UDairy on social for the rotating flavor list and seasonal specials.
Getting There
Parking
At the flagship: four 15-minute Creamery spots directly across from the Creamery patio. Every other space is in UD's Fred Rust Ice Arena lot, paid through the Passport Parking app. (The old spots by the walk-up window are now garden space.) The Main Street cafe, inside the UD Bookstore, sits in front of Newark Municipal Lot #6: two 15-minute spots, otherwise pay through the Passport app.
Grab one of the four 15-minute Creamery spots for a quick cone; for a longer visit (or a walk to see the cows), set up the Passport app before you go and park in the Fred Rust Ice Arena lot.
Entrance
Order at the walk-up window, or go inside to the renovated shop to see the other farm products and merchandise for sale.
Parent Logistics
It's an ice cream stop — easy with a stroller. The walk-up window, the shop and the outdoor seating are stroller-friendly.
A new comfort station with restrooms for individuals and families is being built in the Townsend East Lawn and Garden next to the flagship.
Changing tables come with the new comfort station, starting in November 2026. Until then, plan ahead with a baby.
Outdoor seating has some shade; bring sun cover for a hot afternoon in line.
Food & Snacks
Ice cream is the show — over 34 flavors year-round, made on site. Inside, the renovated shop also sells cheese, honey, and other UD farm products and merchandise. The Main Street cafe serves additional items.
Snack strategy: This IS the snack. Pair it with a Newark outing — a Main Street walk, a campus stroll, or a park nearby — and let the cones be the finale.
Pro Tips
- ✓ Follow UDairy on social for the rotating flavor list and seasonal specials.
- ✓ The four 15-minute Creamery spots across from the patio are the quick option; for anything longer, have the Passport Parking app ready for the ice arena lot.
- ✓ Pair it with a Newark Main Street walk or a nearby park so the cones are the grand finale, not the whole trip.
- ✓ They sell cheese and honey too — a nice local gift or pantry pickup while you're there.
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Warm-weather afternoons and evenings are the classic time (and busiest). A weekday or an off-peak hour means a shorter line. Both the flagship and the Main Street cafe are open 8:30 AM–9 PM, Monday–Sunday.
Seasonal Notes
Ice cream is served year-round (over 34 flavors), but it's busiest in the warm months. The flagship creamery at 535 S College Ave reopened after a 2026 renovation. Both the flagship and the UDairy Creamery Cafe on Main Street (inside the UD Bookstore) are open 8:30 AM–9 PM, Monday–Sunday. The Townsend East Lawn and Garden next to the flagship is still under construction this fall, so expect some fencing.
Rainy Day?
It's an ice cream stop — a quick treat in any weather, and the renovated flagship has an indoor shop. Not a rainy-day destination on its own.
While You're in the Area
Pair it with a walk on Newark's Main Street, the University of Delaware campus, or a nearby park. White Clay Creek State Park and the Newark Reservoir are close for a longer outdoor day before the cones.
Upcoming Events
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