Summer Road Trip: Hand-Crank Your Own Ice Cream on a Maine Island

As the temperatures warm up, often times so does the desire to do something a little different. Summer road trips are always a thing, whether its partaking in a new hike, checking out a new beach, or visiting an amusement park. Another summer favorite in Maine is enjoying some delicious ice cream. Seasonal ice cream shops have already started opening up across the state to gleeful crowds. So what if you could combine the two in one perfect combination of adventure plus ice cream? You can, if you're up for a boat ride and a little sweat equity.

Featured as an experience on Airbnb, on Monhegan Island off the coast of downeast Maine, you can visit a host that will help you learn the old-fashioned technique of hand-cranking ice cream before you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Somehow, the thought of making your own ice cream surrounded by pristine Maine ocean will instantly make it taste better.

Speaking of taste, you'll also get to choose your own flavor while you're cranking away. The house specialty is a Girl Scouts-inspired Thin Mints flavor. If that's not your jam, you can try your hand at fresh strawberry, pistachio, of butter pecan. The host for this experience is currently developing a specific flavor that will be a signature for Monhegan Island.

Hand-cranking ice cream experiences on Monhegan Island start on Sunday, May 1st. You have plenty of time to hit the gym and then hop a boat for a perfect summertime adventure.