How do you spur tourism in Delco? An ‘ice cream passport’ offers one sweet answer.
A 16-stop mobile “passport” created by Delaware County's tourism agency encourages participants to try out local ice cream shops, collecting points along the way that can be redeemed for prizes.
Delaware County’s tourism agency wants to reward you for eating ice cream this summer. Really.
Visit Delco, Delaware County’s tourism promotion agency, launched the Delco Ice Cream Trail Pass in May, a 16-stop mobile “passport” that encourages participants to try out local ice cream and water ice shops, collecting points along the way that can be redeemed for prizes. The Ice Cream Trail takes participants across Delaware County, from Just Homemade Ice Cream in Aston up to The Vanilla Bean in Wayne, and back around to CJ’s Waterice & Ice Cream in Collingdale. It was borne out of a desire to get Delco residents into their communities, and local economies, through a treat that cuts across all age groups, neighborhoods, and walks of life.
“We just wanted to create a fun and accessible experience for the summer that encourages people to explore Delco,” said Amy Bohr, Visit Delco’s marketing director.
Participants on the trail, which runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, can sign up online and save the “passport” on their phones before visiting the ice cream shops, earning points at each location. Points can be applied toward rewards, including a baseball hat-shaped bowl, an ice cream scoop, or a bucket hat. Prizes can be collected at the Visit Delco office in Rose Tree Park.
So far, 1,500 people have signed up for the pass, and 450 have “checked in” at one or more ice cream shops, according to Visit Delco.
Visit Delco’s goal is largely to encourage non-residents to visit, and spend money, in the suburban county. The agency helps connect visitors with places to stay, restaurants to patronize, and attractions to see, like the Delaware County Symphony or the Media Theatre. The agency also provides grants to local municipalities and organizations to help boost tourism and spur economic activity.
However getting locals out into Delaware County is also key for the agency, and for the economic health of the county’s many municipalities, Bohr said. The Ice Cream Trail, along with Trails and Tails, another “passport” program for dog-friendly trails and parks, are formulas to help encourage locals to visit a part of the county they might otherwise skip.
“When residents visit a new ice cream shop, or explore a town or a Main Street where that shop’s located, they spend a day in the community, perhaps they haven’t done it in a long time, and everyone benefits,” Bohr said.
Locals are Delco’s “best ambassadors,” she said, often recommending favorite spots to family and friends and coming back again to shop or dine.
Kyle Lefkof, owner of Scooped Ice Cream in Media and Chester Springs, said regulars and newcomers alike have stopped by to check a box on the Ice Cream Trail and enjoy a sweet treat.
“I think this is bringing in new business and giving the existing customers something fun to do,” he said.
Scooped opened in Chester Springs in 2009 and Media in 2017. Lefkof took over the business from his aunt and uncle in 2023, and has been running it since. Scooped serves “super premium, gourmet ice cream” with 14% butterfat and “top-shelf ingredients,” Lefkof said.
Ice cream is often “the highlight of people’s days,” he said. “It’s really nice to be a part of that.”
Delaware County’s Ice Cream Trail runs through Labor Day. Participants can download the pass and see all 16 stops here.
Inquirer Greater Media
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