Miss Sue Ellen is an absolute treasure. Yummy ice cream too for just a dollar too!! read more

Sorry for writing this so late. It's Juneteenth so we spent the day rolling up to Brenham to tour this fine facility. We found the artifacts and history behind the start of Blue Bell to be impressive with it expanding to where it is now. The tour also includes viewing the factory workers processing the ice cream itself (no photos/cameras allowed for that). Something you have to see for yourself. And of course, the ice cream itself! $1 per scoop? Sign me up! With 16 flavors available, the four of us sampled just about everything. Cookies N Cream still remain my favorite although the Strawberry Cheesecake could give it a run for it's money. This is a must visit wherever you're staying in Texas and worth the day trip. I plan to take my family up here whenever they visit. Salud Blue Bell! read more

See all

What a treat it was to visit the main Blue Bell facility! They were founded in Brenham in 1907 and have been going strong ever since. You can tour the grounds and observation deck (no cameras on the deck, it's where you view the production process) free of charge. We started in the visitors center that was loaded with historical information and tools from early on. We made our way to the ice cream parlor where it's just $1 for a very generous one-scoop. We each had flavors that were exclusive to the parlor. Take a look at my pics, can you guess the flavors we had? I like Blue Bell ice cream but wow did it taste so much better getting it right there! Of course we checked out the gift shop which had cute stuff but didn't buy anything. Just a short drive from Austin (1.5 hours) and you're in a world of sugary goodness! read more

See all

I was part of a group tour with my grandsons school trip. We were part of the observation tour, seeing and learning about the equipment. They were working on a secret new flavor for the summer. I enjoyed a dip of the peachy peach that included big chunks of the fruit; it was delicious. Lots of photo opportunities inside and out. The staff was friendly and helpful. Lots of parking available. read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

See all

Swooped in 30 minutes before closing and hit up the ice cream parlor and the gift shop. Didn't make it to the visitors center but really appreciated the $1 ice cream scoop. We were told parking was bad but we got a spot in the main lot and saw groups of people walking towards the alternate parking lot (shuttle available) about a block away. Great place and well kept. Super clean. Love the parlor only flavor and found some favorites. read more

Began in 1907 as the Brenham Creamery Company, Blue Bell Creameries began to make ice cream in 1911, and became one of the biggest makers of ice cream in the U.S., far out reaching beyond its origin in Texas. It now has 3 main production facilities, with the original location in Brenham hosting a visitor center, tours, and ice cream shoppe. My nephew and I stopped in before it closed at 5, and really enjoyed the various premium ice cream flavors, sold as generous scoops in their shop. The company is named after the blue bell flowers found throughout the American south. They are different than blue bonnets, which is the Texas state flower, and part of my family's collective memory when visiting Texas when my daughter was young. I thought they were one and the same, until I did some reading for this write-up. The visitor centre shares the same large parking lot with the facilities, and strategic cones and signs tell you were to park. Even though we came close to an hour before close, the parking lot was still pretty crowded. The only thing significant that was open when we arrived was the ice cream shoppe. It is designed to handle a lot of people at once, and we were able to be served immediately. Both of us chose two flavors (each in individual dishes...they don't create two scoopers), and it was more than enough ice cream. Each scoop is $1, and no tax is charged. My nephew stayed with the classics and got a scoop of vanilla and scoop of strawberry. I got to try a wee taste, and both were very good. I tried a scoop of mango and a scoop of Mocha almond fudge for my choices. I really liked the latter (with a good chocolate coffee flavor with plenty of almonds) but didn't like the mango (it had real mango chunks, but just didn't taste right to me). There are 12 other flavors, for a total of 16. One can't beat a dollar a scoop for premium ice cream, in this day and age. And at that price, one can try different flavors without risk of wasting too much money. It's a great deal. read more

See all

Had thee best time here today! So happy I came across the informational TikTok about this place. Saw it yesterday and decided to check it out today. While the creamery is open until 5, the observation deck closes at 2. The ladies in the observation deck were so helpful in answering all of our questions. I genuinely learned a lot. The highlight of our visit was the $1 scoops of ice cream and Sue Ellen! She was the absolute sweetest! If management happens to read this, please tell Ms. Sue Ellen that her Florida friends said thank you for making our experience the best ever! read more

See all

Reviews are reminders to myself. Excellent ice cream. Fruit ones are especially good. 1 dollar per scoop Cherry vanilla - my favorite I've tried so far, merricino cherries mixed in with a light vanilla, light merricino cherry flavor throughout with chunks of cherry Mango - chunks of mango throughout without overwhelming the ice cream itself Triple chocolate - none of that artificial, chaulky texture of chocolate found in many chocolate ice creams Very clean restrooms. Thick paper towels. Gentle hand soap read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

Headed home from HTX to SAT we decided to stop at blue bell creamery. The grounds are beautiful! Very Instagramable! It's a small place to check out. One building with the history. The other with the ice cream and observation deck to view the ice cream production. The creamery is only open M-F and the observation deck is only available until 2p. We got there at 3p. Booooo! So we ate our emotions with ice cream! The dark cherry was THEEEE BEST one!!! read more

See all

Fun trip down memory lane. We came here a few times when we lived in Katy. Took a short detour from our drive from Arizona to College Station to get our Blue Bell fix. Ended up spending time in their gift shop before indulging in a few $1 scoops. Scoops are large... read more

See all

First off, let me say how amazing this ice cream was! It was only a dollar per scoop. It was so creamy and the flavors were perfect. I had the blackberry cobbler. 10 out of 10 recommend. The butter pecan was really good too. You can tell this building has been around for a long time. You can feel the history there. It was a cute little day outing. They had a lot of teenagers serving the ice cream and they were very pleasant. Unfortunately, we came on the weekend so we didn't get to do the tour or see the factory side of it. I enjoyed learning about the history. I did not know it was a butter company before. There was plenty of free parking and a lot of seating. read more

See all

Ice cream ice cream who wants ice cream The different selections and tasting options is unbeatable The $1 per scoop cannot compare to any creamery that we have visited The tour of the factory puts the icing on the ice cream read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

Finally crossed something off my Texas bucket list! I had fun stopping in, but was a little disappointed. I thought there would be more to the tour or the factory than the welcome center and the observation deck. The creamery was a hit. I think there was about 10 different types of ice cream, and each scoop was $1.00. The gift store was I credibly overpriced. But the cutest thing was they use ice cream cartons to wrap small items that you bought so they didn't break. I'm glad I didn't drive into town just to visit this, because I would have been disappointed but I was glad I stopped by while we were there. read more

See all

Had a great time visiting in Bluebell creamery. That was lotta fun. I've heard about this place as we were driving on our way to Houston and back last week. We were a little late in the day for any given tour. We did however get to visit the ice cream parlor and gift shop. I'm a big fan of really good ice cream and being here to Texas. This visit turned out to be a nice little field trip. The tasting room and gift shop was immaculate and clean. It smelled clean. It also smelled of ice cream and sweets. A nice big layout with many tables spread across the cafeteria floor. One would think that I would want to taste all the ice creams, but I ended up tasting one which was the mint chocolate chip. I wanted the black cherry ice cream, which wasn't available. I would have paid more to try it, but I guess I will have to wait and call ahead next time. read more

See all

As long as you have realistic expectations, this is the jackpot of family friendly stops. First off: $1 scoops of the freshest, most delicious ice creams with flavors that are only available here at the Creamery. Go back again and again if you want more. The gift shop is small (single room, 900 sq ft?) but adorable with products for all ages attractively displayed and neatly maintained. The ice cream packaging process is open for observation so while not a full factory tour, still gives your group some insight into how it's made. Crowds can be large which is a testament to the attraction of the visit but the wait is never long with about a dozen staff scooping and ringing your ice cream. AM visits recommended for pre-schoolers: no one is having fun when you miss nap time. Definitely add it to your list! read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Strawberry Cheesecake (only available at the Creamery) - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

$1 per cup. +1 Window seats! +1 Taste +1 American flag ice cream art. +1 I had a good time. +1 read more

Blue Bell Creameries - My sister, just a pic I got of her. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

See all

We love coming out to blue bell creameries. They allow you onto the observation deck while they are making the ice cream. They also have someone sitting there who answers questions. The best part though is their ice cream parlor where you can get $1 tax included scoops of ice cream and they even have some flavors that are not available in stores. It's super cute and themed like an old time ice cream parlor. The perfect spot for a summer day. read more

$1 per scoop of ice cream...and pretty massive scoops at that...what else is there to say. If you're on a road trip and will can add Brenham as a detour on your trip, you should 100% add this spot. As the founding location of Blue Bell, my ice cream expectations were absolutely met. This place really rewards you for stopping by with a super awesome ice cream parlor, and also a great introduction to their business! Ice Cream (10/10) - Again, it's $1 for a massive scoop. I think I ate 3 scoops. They have unique flavors that you can only get there. Might as well try them all! Facilities - Get an overhead look at their production line. Very cool! Although it's kinda only a glimpse, it's a nice touch that they offer to people visiting. They also have some small exhibits detailing their history. Not the largest exhibit in the world, but it's free and very enjoyable with the ice cream! Overall, this is a must-stop if you have some extra time/detour on your drive. Very enjoyable! Thanks Blue Bell! read more

Blue Bell Creameries - $1 ICE CREAM - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

I'm sure Texas doesn't corner the market on premium ice cream. However,they do make one of the best vanilla on the planet. Since 1969 Blue Bell vanilla has been making mouths water in Texas Long available only inside state lines,Blue Bell flavors can now be found in other states. While vanilla is still my perineal fave due to its versatility, Strawberry isn't far behind as it reminds me of my childhood and grandmother making homemade fresh strawberry in the Hand cranked maker. I bought 2 one half gallons today because it's on sale for the giveaway price of $5.57 each! Get you some! read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Exceptional ice cream at any price - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

This is a really CUTE place! I love that it is short, sweet, and simple. You can be in and out in a timely manner. This little pit stop does not require you to spend hours to look at everything, which is great. The best part is that it is also FREE!! I really enjoyed learning about the history of Blue Bell while wearing the little white paper hats. (: They also set up several cute photo ops inside the building to make the experience more memorable. There also have really cute galleries, murals, and statues here and there, which makes even walking up the stairs and down the hallways a nice experience. There are even some cool things to look at outside. The free self-tour was meh. All you do is watch the employees make ice cream from above through a window. It's really not that exciting and the volunteers don't really know too much or have any cool facts to tell you. It's more of an in-and-out visual. Of course, the MAIN ATTRACTION is the ice cream itself. Once you finish taking all the cute photos and see how the ice cream is made, you MUST get yourself a scoop of ice cream! They are only $1 flat (no tax!!) and the scoops are very generous; it is basically about 2.5 scoops. You can also try the flavors. (: I think this is a great place to just stop for ice cream in general. If we ever pass by Brenham, we will definitely make a pit stop here! read more

See all

Insufficient parking. I mean, we had to circle their lots repeatedly before finding a space. Once inside, there was one observation area, that only showed machines placing lids containers. Also no guided or self guided tour. The ice cream that we purchased tasted okay, but not amazing. read more

There's a good reason why Blue Bell is a Southern food group and Texas staple at this point. If you can make it out to the Ice Cream Parlor, go ahead and bring a $20 bill with you. You will want to try every single flavor imaginable. read more

Ugh yes ! Go ! It's amazing cool place for kids or adults . Highly recommend- friendly , clean , well organized, plenty of parking , lots of flavors to try & limited editions ones that you can't at regular stores . read more

Busy and delicious, it's the best way to describe it. The do have plenty of personnel available at the counters. So many choices of ice and most important so cheap! We eat so much ice cream. Can't beat free parking. Overall we had a great experience visiting. Plenty of seating area and an elevator for people with disabilities, everyone had a grand time. read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Ice cream scoops - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

See all

I finally made it to the Blue Bell Factory! I was so excited to experience this! The observatory was closed when I went. I was so happy to explore and see that all scoops were only $1! How awesome was that!! They give very generous scoops too!! I had the best time exploring and can't wait to keep coming back to try more flavors!! read more

See all

1000% come visit if you can!!! We stopped on the way home from Houston. It's a quick self guided tour, with a few picture opportunities, to learn about the history of blue Bell. Then we headed to the observation deck. There's a small tx baseball museum on the 1st floor, below the observation deck. When you make your way up, you'll get to the cafe 1st where they offer giant scoops for $1!! You can watch blue Bell getting packaged then make your way to the gift shop for an ice cream koozy. read more

We came early and the parking lot was vacant. The environment was extremely clean and well kept. The facility was bright and inviting. We sampled all types of ice creams then purchased a scoop for a dollar each. The selection to choose from is limited based on the amount of varied ice cream types. The tour is self guided and you can remain as long as you wish. We got here at 8:00AM that's when they open for the public. The associates are friendly and highly helpful. They had volunteers today so there was a super amount of helpers. Surely worth the visit. read more

See all

Ice cream was delicious!! So exciting to try kinds not currently in stores!! Such a treat!!

Super fun and affordable tasting menu via $1 ice cream scoops. Would have given it a 5-star review but the hours for the remaining facility attraction are really odd and impossible to meet read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

FYI RE: HOURS: They are not open on weekends! Their hours are M-F, 8am-5pm. Also, the observation deck closes at 2pm. So if you're coming in for the weekend, you have to get there early on Friday. Sadly, we got there after 3pm and were not able to see the how the ice cream is made. Also, try to get there early to beat the crowds. The parlor was very crowded when we came (and there were lines for the ice cream). FYI RE: PARKING: The parking area fills up! The parking area to the right of the building will likely be full if you come at a busy time but if you keep driving past the building, there is additional parking on the left side. To be honest, I just came here because it was the prime destination in Brenham. However, I ended up really enjoying my visit and would love to return. First of all, the ice cream parlor is a must. Giant scoops of ice cream for $1 each can't be beat. They have lots of great flavors. I tried the Southern Blackberry Cobbler and it was excellent. I also ordered a Strawberry (a safe flavor for my toddler to try) and it ended up being fantastic! Strong flavor without tasting artificial or having any mushy chunks. I don't recall if I've ever had Blue Bell ice cream before but I absolutely loved the creamy texture of it. The visitor center museum is small and has some history, if you're interested. The outdoor area is nice and has some cute photo opportunities (by the statues). Great stop for children and adults! read more

We had so much fun stopping here for ice cream, learning the history of Blue Bell and getting to watch the employees stuff ice cream to individual boxes for shipment. There were 15 flavors to choose from and we only chose 10 flavors to try. My favorite was the strawberry cheesecake and my least favorite is the cotton candy. There is also a gift shop you can purchase souvenirs to take home. read more

See all

A little disappointed that they don't do tours, but totally worth the stop. Julissa was very helpful and informative when we asked questions. $1 for a scoop of fresh ice cream, can't beat it. read more

See all

Fun family favorite!! I enjoyed this little day frip from San Antonio. We got here at about 10 am and used very clean and large restrooms to refresh us from the drive. Next was the Visitor Center. There is a history of Blue Bell to explore and read. There were very sweet people behind the Information booth who answered any questions that we had. The history was reading, it would have been nice to have some interactive things where we could push a button for it to read to us. I have a child who is dyslexic child, but I would read it to myself and them summarize for her. We did take some fun pics in the 2 areas where pics were available. We loved the paper hats to wear! We then took some pictures at the first delivery car and then the cow statue. After thar, we looked through the baseball coach hall of fame. Finally, we went upstairs to the observation deck!! Watching the workers package my favorite ice cream was super cool! Adding the oreo cookie pieces to the cookies and cream was super cool to see. They were also packing the big packages of strawberry for ice cream shops. The last thing I saw them packing was the single serve cups of chocolate ice cream. Seeing them measuring and packing the cartons was so cool! We then went shopping in the store and found some really cute items to take home. My favorite part was getting ice cream! $1.00 per cup. We tried the peach, Krazy Kookie, Lemon Pie, Dr. Pepper float. They were all super tasty and enjoyable. This will probably be another fun thing to come to just to see what kind of ice cream they have changed the items to. I would love to come back. read more

4/24/24 : "something sweet for the h0es" We took a girls trip to blue bell in order to leave the big city for the day and catch up on some much needed gossip. The drive from the city was a little over an hour, but with good company it felt like 20 minutes. When you arrive to the factory you are greeted by a cute vegetable garden and some statues with the history of the company. We walked into the visitor center and I was ready to drop whatever money I needed to in order to get a tour of the factory. It turned out that there was no paid tour. It's a free self guided tour in the museum. We got to watch old commercials, saw some of the original factory equipment, and met some very friendly employees. The observation deck was a little underwhelming as you only got to see the packaging portion of the ice cream process. I kept saying "I wanna see where the listeria was hiding". It was a lot of fun learning the history of the brand and going to the store to buy merchandise and then the ice cream parlor to try some exclusive flavors. The staff had a huge group, but they made it look easy. I am also happy to announce they do in fact have $1 scoops. They are massive and we couldn't even eat 2 each. This is a great spot for kids and adults alike. I had a blast taking photos and being "a tourist". They are only open Monday through Friday!!! read more

See all

This is an interesting landmark for both adults and children. Welcoming entrance on the ground level. On the second level is where you can get $1 ice cream, gift shop for all ages, and get to the observation deck to watch how Blue Bell ice cream is packaged. There are ample seating for large groups to sit down and enjoy the ice cream. There are exclusive flavors like triple chocolate, salted caramel truffle, and lemon pie. All the flavors were very good. Staff behind the ice cream counters were efficient. There were almost no waiting time despite a large group present. Thumbs up! Head to the Visitor Center to learn about the history of Blue Bell after having one or two cups of ice cream. Highly recommend it! read more

See all

We have been anticipating visiting the blue bell factory and when I took off a mental health day, my hubby suggested this day trip. The best thing there is the big scoop of ice cream for $1. They had flavors that you don't typically see in the store. The observation area and the museum were ok. I guess I had hoped to see more than you are allowed to see. They had a good video in the seating area that showed the part of the factory I'd hope to see though. Be prepared to run into a lot of little kids. They love this place! Overall it was good to share a day together and get a cheap treat! read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Dr Pepper float - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

This rightly seemed like a meme trip at first but it was actually quite delightful, there is not a single bad thing I can say about the experience here. The teen boy scooping the ice cream on the second floor was very polite and courteous, and offered free samples like a normal person does, rather than the attitude you can catch from some people over FREE samples before you make a purchase. There were two absolutely bonkers flavours I wanted to try and rule out on lining before I placed my order for what was obviously going to be delightful without needing a sample to to first confirm. That was a very nice Texas welcome to a place like this, that makes Texas seem warm and welcoming, rather than the parts of Texas that feel far more menacing to people who have been other-ized. Since they don't allow photos in the special part of the building where they have signs not to take photos of anything I now know what goes on in that place, but have no photos to prove it. I liked seeing how the ice cream I purchase at the ballpark in festive novelty hats was made/packages, months before I purchase it, or perhaps longer; they didn't have that section in the building educating you how long ice cream keeps under peak freezer conditions at the ballpark. I liked the little history room at the edge of the parking lot since the growth of the company from scratch to today mirrors the growth and prosperity of most (but not all) parts of the state. Very unique day trip for some history, seeing how it is made/packages, and sampling outstanding flavours unique to the factory that you cannot purchase in stores. Why are you still reading? Get in car and start driving to the ice cream factory. read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Oatmeal cookie, she is a beaut. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

What a cool experience!! My parents brought us here is an outing since we are visiting from out of state. There were a few school group tours on site. There is a visitors center with some history of the company and photo ops. The main attraction is the observation deck for the ice cream factory. No pics allowed. There were a variety of flavors in production. Seasonal, regional and classic flavors in different sizes. When you finish there is an ice cream counter offering a plethora of their flavors for $1 cups. Similar to a medium size at a regular ice cream shop. I tried a few flavors and ended up getting the brownie sea salt caramel. The ice cream is very rich and creamy. In fact both of my children would not eat theirs cause it was so rich. Overall we loved our visit to the creameries. read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Snack menu - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

See all

Great place to pit stop in if you're in the Brenham area or driving to Austin. Take a factory tour (the factory to see them making ice cream is only one small area, but it's still exciting to see people on the conveyor lines packing the Blue Bell ice cream - or even mixing cherries into the ice cream! They do have a nice gift shop next to the area where you can get ice cream to eat. $1 a cup and they do have special flavors that's not sold in stores you can try. There's a building full of history and couple places you can take pictures outside. They had multiple groups doing field trips both times I've went so it can get packed at times. Definitely recommend! read more

See all

We were in the general area in August and decided that it would be worth the extra 30-40 minute drive to visit Blue Bell Creameries. In hindsight, we were lucky to find a parking spot near the country store. The entry is an elevator/stairwell lobby. The ice cream parlor and country store are on the second floor, and the area--while very large--was absolutely packed. We literally were bumping elbows to make our way to the observation deck, which had closed 5 minutes earlier. The country store was too crowded for us to try to make our way in, but we really were there for the ice cream. Luckily, it seemed like most of the people there already ordered their ice cream. As a result, we were served quickly by two pleasant teenagers. My partner chose orange swirl, and I chose salted caramel. The serving sizes were large and only $1. Both flavors were very tasty. Since no tables/chairs were available, we ate it in our car. We noted that the visitor center was still open, but decided that maybe we'd try that on a week day while school is in session (i.e., not so busy)! I'm not sure it was worth the extra drive on this particular day, but we will try again on a week day when we're back in this area. read more

Blue Bell Creameries - Orange swirl $1 per scoop - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Brenham, Texas

See all