There is no better way to cool down and escape than by going to your favorite ice cream stand. But what makes a good ice cream stand?

Location, atmosphere, places for seating, a view, good company, friendly service and most importantly, great ice cream.

"I have to say that Midges in Limington and Beals in Gorham are awesome!" said Serene Gosbee of Buxton. "A good ice cream stand has to be somewhere a little out of the way so it isn’t a huge tourist attraction. Nice people behind the counter are definitely a plus, as well as a large range of hard- and soft-serve ice cream."Then there are ice cream stands with a definite personality and a view, such as Toots in North Yarmouth, housed on an old railroad car on a cattle farm.

"They have tables to sit at, but many people sit in their cars facing the road, which gives you another view of a horse farm across the road," said Marilyn Glavin of Yarmouth. "They allow people to tour their barns, and one barn in particular has lots of animals."

For Marilyn Zanca of Old Orchard Beach, service with a smile is very important.

"My favorite ice cream stand in Maine is Martels in Saco," Zanca said. "What appeals to me at an ice cream stand is the cleanliness of the establishment and the quality of the food, and the attitude of the one waiting on me. A smile goes a long way."

Gloria Hodgdon of Portland gives Shain’s of Maine in Sanford high marks along with Beal’s in Gorham."Now that I live in Portland, I don’t get to Sanford very often, so not being far away from an ice cream stand is important," Hodgdon said.

While ice cream in the summer is refreshing, it should not be a seasonal event.

"Why only in the summer? Ice cream was not meant just for summer. I like ice cream any time of year," said Hodgdon. "In fact, you can tell who the true Mainers are. They are the ones outdoors standing in line to the ice cream window when the rain is pouring and they are shivering in the cold." Cathy Genthner is a freelance writer who lives in Gorham.