The Hug Life sandwich cookie. Photo courtesy of Hug Life.

Just in time for the peak of summer, Aug. 2 marks National Ice Cream Sandwich Day. And, who doesn’t love an ice cream sandwich?

Check out these five local places to get the best ice cream sandwiches in Long Beach.

Ample Hills Creamery

The buzz of the summer has been the discontinuation of the Choco Taco, that ice cream treat that isn’t a cone, and isn’t a sandwich, but is rather ice cream wrapped in a waffle formed into the shape of a hard-shelled taco that’s been dipped in chocolate.  The discontinuation has spurred a nostalgic frenzy of people seeking the ice cream truck favorite of their childhood, and Ample Hills Creamery at 2nd & PCH has you covered.

For $7, select any ice cream you’d like and you can have it taco’d, dipped and sprinkled with whatever colorful toppings they have on hand.

amplehills.com – Insta: @amplehills – 6400 Pacific Coast Highway, suite 140 

Ice cream taco at Ample Hills Creamery. Photo courtesy of Ample Hills Creamery.
Afters

If you’re a fan of ice cream sandwiches and you’ve never tried Afters, then you’re in need of ice cream sandwich recalibration. The Afters  “milky bun” ($6.95) is a warmed sweet bun that you have filled with a single scoop of your favorite ice cream (the “cookie monster,” neon blue cookie dough ice cream, is the best seller). The bun is sealed closed so you have a warm bite on the outside, and a melting cold bite inside. Have your sandwich glazed, and topped with everything from basic sprinkles to Cap’n Crunch cereal for an extra charge of sweetness.

aftericecream.com – Insta: @aftersicecream – 5708 Seventh St.

Afters’ “cookie monster” ice cream sandwich. Photo courtesy of Afters.
Hug Life

Grab an anti-dairy ice cream sandwich at Hug Life ($7.95) by selecting your choice of vegan ice cream from their wide assortment of flavors including Earl Great, Green Goblin, Thai Tea, Vietnamese Coffee and Yuzu Creamsicle, then have it smashed between two vegan chocolate chip cookies.

huglifeicecream.com – Insta: @huglifeicecream – 2707 E. Fourth St.

The Hug Life sandwich cookie. Photo courtesy of Hug Life.
Handel’s

This is the closest you’re going to find on this list to the Good Humor ice cream sandwich that might first pop into your head when you think about a cold bite of summer. It’s a single scoop of your basic flavors—vanilla, chocolate or mint chip—between two giant Oreo cookies ($4.95). Now how can you not crave that on a hot summer night?

handelsicecream.com – Insta: handelslongbeach – 4201 McGowen St. at LBX

Handel’s Oreo cookie ice cream sandwich. Photo courtesy of Handel’s.
Long Beach Creamery

To round out this top-five list, we turn to Long Beach Creamery for their Moon Pie-inspired ice cream sandwich. Strait from the freezer, the pre-made sandwiches ($7) consist of a scoop of vanilla ice cream between dense chocolate cake buns.

longbeachcreamery.com – Insta: longbeachcreamery – 4141 Long Beach Blvd., or 222 E. Broadway

Long Beach Creamery ice cream sandwich. Photo courtesy of Long Beach Creamery.