Best Places to Beat the Heat
In case you weren't aware – summer is quickly approaching. In honor of this week's heat wave, Chelsea Bengier gives us seven places to cool off.
Venetian Pool, Coral Gables, FL
Jade green water, stone buildings and postcard-perfect bridges bring to mind images of Venice. But you don't have to travel that far for a slice of Italy. Twenty minutes south of Miami, the spring water-fed Venetian Pool is bordered by intricate grottoes that would make Michelangelo proud. (Is it any wonder, the site is on National Register of Historic Places?) A set of waterfalls — one of which soars at 25 feet — decorates one corner of the eight-foot-deep swimming hole, and there's even a small spiaggia for sunbathers to sprawl out in the sand.
Timberline Ski Area, Mt. Hood, Oregon
Where else can you go snowboarding in the morning and boating in the afternoon? Strap on your skis and schuss down the powdery Timberline slopes at Palmer Snowfield, the only mountain in the country with a year round lift, then trade in the snowsuit for a swimsuit and head to the Columbia River for a kayak or dip in the water.
Crown Fountain, Chicago
When it's hot in Chi-town, this is the place for a quick cool down. The gateway to the 24-acre Millennium Park, Crown Fountain is part art installation, part water playground, with two 50-foot glass block towers that sprout water at each end of the shallow reflecting pool and project video images of peoples' faces.
Barton Springs Pool, Austin
Sweltering humidity plus a landlocked city in the heart of Texas can only mean one thing: it’s hotter than hell outside. Go for a dip in the 1,000-foot-long Barton Springs Pool or kick back on a grassy patch underneath shady oak and pecan trees in Zilker Metropolitan Park.
Ice Bar, Los Angeles
The ice bar concept is nothing new, but the Silo Freezer in sunny LA has perfected it to a science. The owners keep the space a chilly 28 degrees — a prime temp for vodka-tasting. And if you happen to leave your winter attire at home, no worries. Coats and hats are available at the door.
Glacier National Park, Montana
At the northwest tip of Montana, the cool and craggy Glacier National Park encompasses one million acres of wild terrain. Explore more than 700 miles of hiking trails, then put your feet up by the firepit at one of the area's luxe mountain chalets. We love the Glacier Guides Lodge, tucked away in a forest canyon.
Liberty Mountain Snowflex, Virginia
Roughly a three-hour drive south of DC, this epic year-round terrain park is right on the Liberty University campus. Here, you'll see college kids in short sleeves doing 180s off six-foot jumps, rails and a quarter pipe. For non-skiers who want an early taste of winter, there's also a 500-foot tubing park that runs year-round.
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