Fitchburg, September 3, 2025
News Summary
Hill City Mini-Golf & Ice Cream has opened in Fitchburg, blending mini-golf and a beer garden with an impressive ice cream selection. Family-friendly hours cater to both casual players and dessert lovers, offering flavors like Zanzibar Chocolate and Apple Cider Donut. The venue aims to be a local hangout until late October, where golf enthusiasts and families can enjoy a unique recreational experience.
Fitchburg — New mini-golf spot and ice cream scene stir up local buzz
A fresh, family-friendly entertainment spot has opened in Fitchburg, and it’s serving up a curious mix of putts, pints and seriously dense ice cream. Hill City Mini-Golf & Ice Cream arrived in late May and sets out to be a neighborhood hangout with a clear battle cry: Eat, Drink, and Putt.
What Hill City brings to the green
Run by Rob and Courtney Lamoureaux, Hill City blends a compact mini-golf course with a beer garden, homemade sandwiches, free cornhole, and a standout ice cream program. The course is sized for casual play and family competition — exactly the sort of place a golf nut can enjoy without spending a whole day on 18 holes. Think short-game practice for parents while kids chase putts and sugar highs.
The food and drink side aims to be as relaxed as the putting. There are made-to-order sandwiches and a beer selection for adults, but the real headline-grabber is the ice cream. The Lamoureauxs shopped around extensively and settled on a creamery in Wisconsin to manufacture Hill City’s dense, flavorful product. The result is an ice cream that’s noticeably heavier and richer than your average supermarket pint.
Ice cream worth a second look
Hill City offers almost two dozen flavors, from classic staples to signature creations. Among the standouts are Zanzibar Chocolate, Cookie Dough, and a bold mix called This Just Got Serious that combines salted caramel, sea salt fudge and salted cashews. Seasonal twists show up too — the current special is Apple Cider Donut, which mixes apple cider ice cream with donut pieces and a cinnamon sugar swirl. For the parents who need a pick-me-up, there’s Exhausted Parent, a bourbon-spiked espresso ice cream loaded with bittersweet chocolate chunks.
Ice cream density is more than bragging rights here. A “kiddie” Hill City cone is described as noticeably heavy for its size. Three gallons of Hill City ice cream weigh about 25 pounds, which contrasts with lighter, airier supermarket offerings. For anyone who measures ice cream in mouthfuls of decadence, that detail matters.
Hours, address, season
Hill City is located at 299 Lunenburg St., Fitchburg. The venue hours are set to suit after-work play and weekend families:
- Monday–Thursday: 4–8 p.m.
- Friday: 4–9 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.
The mini-golf and ice cream operation will stay open through late October, giving a long stretch for summer evenings and fall foliage rounds.
How the ice cream scene fits into New England
Around the region, flavor preferences take on local character. Popular choices by state include Mystic Mud in Connecticut, Blueberry in Maine, Coffee in Massachusetts, Brickley’s Coffee Oreo in Rhode Island, Pumpkin in New Hampshire and the ever-popular Maple Creemee in Vermont. The Maple Creemee has its own craft approach: producers blend syrups of different grades to dial in the maple intensity. One producer, Palmer Lane Maple of Jericho, Vermont, evolved from making maple candy to a Creemee-focused operation and is well known for a signature maple soft-serve.
Other newcomers to watch
Fitchburg’s food-and-dessert scene also grew earlier in the year with a taco-and-ice-cream hybrid that opened on March 7, 2025. El Gran Taco Gato mixes a taco food truck vibe with scoops served in a cat-themed, colorful shop. Owned by Arcelia Araiza, that place currently sources ice cream off-site but plans to bring production in-house down the line. You can find El Gran Taco Gato at 5266 Williamsburg Way, open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Putting it in perspective for golf lovers
For the golf enthusiast, Hill City is a short-game dessert: it’s not a course to log serious handicap work, but it’s a perfectly tuned place to sharpen lob shots with the family cheering on. The layout encourages creative holes-in-one attempts and offers a social putting experience that blends skill practice with play. Between rounds, the dense ice cream gives players a rich reward — a sweet contrast to the clean feel of a well-hit putt.
FAQ
Is Hill City good for kids and families?
Yes. The mini-golf course, free cornhole and a wide selection of ice cream flavors make it a family-friendly destination.
Where is Hill City located and when is it open?
Hill City sits at 299 Lunenburg St., Fitchburg. Hours are Monday–Thursday 4–8 p.m., Friday 4–9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–9 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.–8 p.m. The venue remains open through late October.
How dense is the ice cream and where is it made?
The ice cream is notably dense and flavorful, manufactured at a Wisconsin creamery selected after extensive research. Three gallons weigh about 25 lbs, highlighting its high-density profile compared with typical supermarket products.
What are some must-try flavors?
Options include Zanzibar Chocolate, Cookie Dough, This Just Got Serious (salted caramel with sea salt fudge & salted cashews), Apple Cider Donut (seasonal), and Exhausted Parent (bourbon-spiked espresso with bittersweet chocolate chunks).
Are there other new spots in Fitchburg related to ice cream?
Yes. El Gran Taco Gato opened in March and blends tacos with ice cream in a colorful, cat-themed shop at 5266 Williamsburg Way. It currently uses off-site ice cream but plans in-house production later.
Quick Reference Table
| Venue | Address | Hours | Highlights | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill City Mini-Golf & Ice Cream | 299 Lunenburg St., Fitchburg | Mon–Thu 4–8 p.m.; Fri 4–9 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m.–8 p.m. | Mini-golf course, beer garden, sandwiches, free cornhole, ~2 dozen dense ice cream flavors | Open through late October |
| El Gran Taco Gato | 5266 Williamsburg Way, Fitchburg | Tue–Sun 11 a.m.–9 p.m. | Tacos + ice cream, colorful cat-themed interior; ice cream currently off-site, future in-house plans | Year-round (check local hours) |
For golf fans who like their golf talk sprinkled with dessert, Hill City offers a tidy combo: short-course strategy, social play and ice cream that’s practically a workout to scoop. Keep an eye on seasonal flavors and midweek specials — this is the kind of spot where a perfect putt and a perfect scoop make for an ideal local evening.
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Additional Resources
- Lowell Sun: Family Recipe Box – Hill City Hits the Spot
- Madison365: El Gran Taco Gato Officially Opens in Fitchburg
- Channel3000: Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Fundraiser for ALCS Families
- Patch: Shortage of Salt for Ice Melt in Massachusetts
- Worcester Magazine: Next Draft River Styx Blurs Line Between Beer and Dessert
- Wikipedia: Ice Cream
- Google Search: Ice Cream in New England
- Google Scholar: Mini-Golf Businesses
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Mini-Golf
- Google News: Fitchburg Food Scene
Author: STAFF HERE BOSTON WRITER
BOSTON STAFF WRITER The BOSTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREBoston.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Boston, Suffolk County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Boston Marathon, Head of the Charles Regatta, and Boston Harborfest. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Massachusetts, plus leading businesses in finance, biotech, and insurance that power the local economy such as Fidelity Investments, Biogen, and Liberty Mutual Insurance. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Massachusetts's dynamic landscape.
