HOLLAND, Mich — This summer Elliot Grandia and Janice Allen are getting the scoop on the best ice cream shops around West Michigan.
Stop number one: Captain Sundae
This ice cream shop near Holland State Park has been serving up frozen treats for generations — and one sundae even caught the attention of a former U.S. president.
"Captain Sundae is one of our favorite places to come in the summer. It's kind of a family tradition," longtime customer Mary Topp said. "It's wonderful, wonderful ice cream, really good."
The shop is a true family business. Matt Vandam has been part of it since childhood.
"I think when I was about 3 years old, my parents purchased this location," Vandam said.
Since then, Vandam has helped the shop expand beyond the classics, continuing to develop new favorites for customers.
But one sundae stands above the rest — the Tommy Turtle.
The glowing reviews gave us a serious hankering, so Janice and Elliot decided to scoop up the opportunity to make one ourselves. VanDam walked us through the recipe.
"What goes into the Tommy Turtle? Yeah, so it has vanilla soft serve... hot fudge, hot caramel, buttered and salted pecans with whipped cream and a cherry," VanDam said.
The Tommy Turtle's fan base extends all the way to the White House. Former president George W. Bush made a campaign stop specifically for the sundae — which is now known as the "Presidential Choice."
Whether you're into milkshakes, sundaes, scoops or slushies, don't let summer melt away before making the trip to Holland for a frozen treat.
Captain Sundae has three locations:
Holland North
365 Douglas Avenue
Holland, Michigan 49424
Holland South
247 West 40th Street
Holland, Michigan 49423
Zeeland
537 West Main Avenue
Zeeland, Michigan 49464
Where should Elliot and Janice head next? Let us know your favorite ice cream shops! Email us at mornings@fox17online.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Read more stories from the FOX 17 Morning News team
Do you have an idea for the Morning News team or maybe an idea for a guest segment or something for the gang to come out and try? Send them an email at mornings@fox17online.com or call 616-447-5252 and leave a message.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
