As summer ramps up for another trip around the sun, we all want to start it off with every little bit of it we can find to begin with. Next time you get a little time on the water and want to find a little bit of summer, visiting one of these shops and sitting on their benches with a cold goodie will help you out. The joy of an ice cream cone on a bench in the sun captures the season’s delight and bliss.

1.            Justine's Ice Cream Parlour, St Micheals, MD – On a summer day, you’ll find a line out the door and onto the historic street. The ice cream is well worth the wait and the experience is completed by the benches out front to sit on and eat you sweet treat.

2.            Get the Scoop, RockHall, MD – A little stroll up Main Street will bring you to a collection on brightly colored buildings. They have tons of flavors and a nice grassy lawn with a gazebo to enjoy it in.

3.            Beanie's Ice Cream-Candy Parlor, Dundalk, MD – This long-established neighborhood ice cream shop has plenty yummy flavors and variety of treats. Their storefront, conveniently enough, faces north, so there’s always a shady spot to enjoy you treat on their red bench’s out front.

4.            Bomboy's Homemade Ice Cream, HavreDeGrace, MD – The ice cream is delightful and delectable. And a big porch and old time soda shop feel to the dining area are certainly part of the draw here.

5.            Boxcar Avenue Ice Cream, Perryville, MD – Along a train line, a few blocks inland, you’ll find this shop serving some of the best ice cream for miles around. Its well worth the journey, however you get there. This shop boasts a family tradition and a great location in historic downtown Perryville.

6.            Scottish Highland Creamery, Oxford, MD – Their handcrafted ice cream wins a variety of awards and their location, right out on the end of the dock, provides a view across the harbor that can’t be beat. If you dock up here you won’t have far to walk to get this great stuff.

7.            Scoops Ice Cream & Café, Portsmouth, VA – If you are cruising south from the bay, pull into the free docks in Portsmouth and take a little walk for some ice cream. Near the Children’s Museum, you can cover all the bases for an amazing day out for the kids.

8.            Brown Dog Ice Cream, Cape Charles, VA – They present handcrafted ice cream using locally sourced ingredients and they do it all in this hidden gem of an Eastern shore town. The have a shop that perfectly sets up the hot summer ice cream shop experience.

9.            Scoops Ice Cream Shop, Onancock, VA – The nice folks will get you a hand dipped or soft serve treat. And they’re patio is decked out in colorful flowers and umbrellaed tables.

10.         JohnnySweets, Crisfield, MD – They do lots of amazing sweets here, not the least of which in the great ice cream. You can stop in for ice cream and take home some baked goods too. It’s right along the main drag and an easy stroll from the marina.

11.         Spanky's Place, Tangier Island, VA – Tangier Island is a not-to-be-missed destination for a wide variety of reasons, not the least of which is this yummy ice cream shop. They do ice cream sandwiches made with two homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Sitting on a porch bench, eating ice cream is a rite of summer. This year, when my kids and I were partaking in this seasonal sacrament, we found one can do this in some amazing places around the bay, all just a short walk from a marina. These stores have the ice cream and the atmosphere to capture the relaxing feel you're looking for.