Hot Spots, Cool Treats in Missouri

With the sun working full time and the temperatures rising, clearly summer has arrived in Missouri. It's so hot I saw a squirrel picking up acorns with potholders. No need to sweat the heat, stay cool with your favorite Show-Me State frozen sweet treat.

A delectable hybrid of soft-serve and pineapple sorbet, Pineapple Whip is a Springfield staple. Each of the three convenient locations offers the famous pineapple flavor and a second weekly rotating flavor. Cool down with the refreshing mango-peach, strawberry-kiwi, grape, orange, and banana-pomegranate (aka NanaGranate). Look for the famous hula girl: she dances when Pineapple Whip is open!

Central Dairy in Jefferson City has been making creamy, delicious ice cream with the same ingredients and formulas for the past 80 years. With 50 flavors of ice cream including black walnut, cookies-and-cream and strawberry, four frozen yogurts, and six sherbets, it might be hard to choose just one.

Lilo's Shaved Ice in Kansas City offers both regular and stuffed shaved ice (which involves a scoop of ice cream) with a selection of more than 30 different made-from-scratch syrup flavors. Try one of the specialty sodas, such as the Root Beer Delight made with root beer, vanilla, coconut and coconut ice cream.

St. Louis's only micro-creamery, Clementine's Naughty and Nice Creamery serves both "naughty" (i.e. boozy) ice creams such as maple bourbon with candied pecans and banana rum with salted caramel swirl, and "nice" selections such as Manchego with truffles and honey, and chocolate Mexican mole. They also offer vegan options, catering and delivery.

Enjoy the sweeping patio views while sipping a refreshing wine slushie at Canterbury Hill Winery in Holts Summit. Order a Red Dragon with Royal Ruby red wine, a blend of Concord and other Missouri varietals, plus rum, peach schnapps, strawberry purée, pineapple juice, orange juice and lemon-lime soda. The Blue Dragon is similar, featuring Blue Mist white wine with blue curaçao, blue raspberry vodka, lemonade, orange and pineapple juice and lemon-lime soda.

Don't be a squirrel with burned paws. Get out and enjoy Missouri's hot spots with cool treats.  Don't forget to tag your pics #MissouriAdventure!