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Looking for a cold treat to beat the rising temperatures? These ice cream trails across America offer more than just one frozen treat. Take a drive and you'll find the best scoops the country has to offer. If you don't have trail nearby, visit one of these ice cream festivals. From cake batter to cotton candy, these shops and festivals are sure to give you a brain freeze.

1. Maryland's Ice Cream Trailblazer: Print your ice cream passport and have it stamped at each location for your chance to win a "Dishing Up Maryland" cookbook or DVD. From cowconut at Kilby Cream to monkey butter at South Mountain Creamery, this sounds like a trip worth taking.

2. Connecticut's Sundae Drives: This ice cream guide has over 60 choices for ice cold refreshment. Organized by ice cream type, you can choose from hard, soft-serve, gelato or sorbet. Try beer ice cream at Ice Cream Shoppe or Blossom's Delight at the Brown Cow Cafe made with butter pecan ice cream, butterscotch chips and vanilla cake crunch.

3. New Hampshire's Dairy Trail: Over 32 creameries are offered on the New Hampshire Dairy Trail. Salted caramel pretzel at M 'n M Scoops and Bishop's banana cream pie are the flavors we're drooling over.

4. Chicago's Ice Cream & Gelato Festival: Fifteen creameries offer a grand tasting of some of the best cool treats. Vote for the finalists and taste the winners of "The Great Chicago Brain Freeze" contest.

5. Austin Ice Cream Festival: Compete in the "Homemade Ice Cream Making Contest" or the "Ice Cream Making Contest." Kids under 8 get in free and adults are $10.