Mourn the Loss of Your Favorite Ice Cream at a Bittersweet Graveyard
At some point, every one of us has experienced the agony of taking a trip to the grocery store, only to learn that our favorite sweet treat has been discontinued. Vermont-based ice cream makers Ben & Jerry want the public to know that they feel our pain. In 1997, Ben & Jerry created a Flavor Graveyard on a peaceful hill near their Waterbury, Vermont factory so that ice cream lovers could pay their respects to dearly departed—or, as they say in the sweet treat business, de-pinted—flavors that have been laid to rest.
Each ice cream epitaph features a poem which memorializes the unique properties of ice cream flavors that are no longer with us. Wavy Gravy was a lively, interesting man but perhaps naming an ice cream flavor after a savory dish may have been a questionable choice. Vanilla and caramel-flavored Turtle Soup is another oddball name that saw an early grave. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough never fails to draw a vocal crowd of mourners.
trucked from Georgia
Tasted great but couldn’t last
‘Cuz Georgia’s quite a-ways away
& trucks don’t go that fast.
A delightful mash,
This flavor we remember
For the stock market crash
On the sixth of November.
It swirled in our heads,
It danced in our dreams,
It proved not to be though,
The best of ice creams.
So now we know: our dough Fro Yo
Just wasn’t as great as expected.
Folks who love Dough as well as Fro Yo
Love ’em separate, not interconnected.
The good news is that ice cream lovers can successfully petition Ben & Jerry’s to resurrect certain flavors. In 2022, Dublin Mudslide—which uses a dash of an alcoholic drink produced by Wheyward Spirit in every batch—was reincarnated in a slightly modified form. Ben & Jerry’s is a famously people-centered brand that is highly receptive to customer feedback. Your favorite flavor may not have to languish in the Flavor Graveyard for long.
The Ben & Jerry’s factory also features a Scoop Shop with a delectable tasting menu which allows visitors to sample some of Ben & Jerry’s most popular flavors. Visitors can order ice cream served in a freshly baked waffle cone adorned with sprinkles. Ben & Jerry assure us that sprinkles will never be buried in the Flavor Graveyard. Nor will Ben & Jerry’s luscious milkshakes, which are another Scoop Shop delight.
Address:
1281 Waterbury Stowe Road
Waterbury, Vermont, 05676
United States
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Ben & Jerry’s Waterbury factory visitor grounds, 1281 Waterbury-Stowe Road, Waterbury, Vermont, USA
- Coordinates
- 44.35301, -72.74013
- Access
- The seasonal Flavor Graveyard is on the Waterbury factory grounds in the upper parking area beyond the playground. The operator welcomes visitors to stop by its seasonal graveyard and outside grounds without taking the guided tour. It closes during winter because of hazardous terrain; check current conditions before traveling.
- Admission
- No separate graveyard admission is listed; the operator says visitors may stop by the seasonal outdoor graveyard without taking the tour. The optional Factory Experience tour is $6 adults, $5 seniors 65+, and $1 ages 2–12, plus service fee; those prices are for the tour, not graveyard entry.
- Time needed
- About 1–1¼ hours for the full factory visit according to the operator; a graveyard-only stop can be shorter.
- Best season
- Outside the winter closure, when the seasonal graveyard is open; operator currently lists fall hours from August 9, 2026.
- Opening hours
- Current fall 2026 factory grounds/shop hours listed as 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; last guided tour at 6 p.m. Guided tours are unavailable Oct 3–4 and Oct 9–12, 2026, although mezzanine production viewing is scheduled. Graveyard is closed in winter. Check the operator page for current hours before visiting.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-29
- Facts checked
- 2026-09-29
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