Cool things to do in a D.C. heat wave
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The Omni Shoreham pool. Photo: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Stay cool during the hottest days of summer at these D.C. attractions including museums, public pools, and ice cream shops — plus air-conditioned play spaces for pets.
Why it matters: When it's triple digits, you need a chill plan.
🏊🏽 Go swimming: D.C. runs more than 20 public pools and 30+ splash/spray parks. Feeling fancy? Here's our guide to accessing private pools at hotels and clubs.
🛥️ Go boating: Sure, docks are hot, but once those river breezes hit, it's smooth sailing. And there are more rentals/charters than ever.
🌱 Chill in a courtyard: D.C.'s gorgeous museum courtyards and atriums bring the outdoors in (with A/C).
- Some favorites: The Kogod Courtyard shared by the American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery of Art's West Building atrium, and the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory.
🛼 Get active: Don't let the temps slow you down. Fun indoor sporting options include Kraken Kourts, a huge pickleball and rollerskating complex in Edgewood, and Swingers mini-golf (Navy Yard and Dupont Circle). Plus you can let your inner child out at these adult playgrounds and sports complexes.
🎨 Hit museums and libraries: New options include the revamped Folger Shakespeare Library, which reopens Friday with the world's largest Shakespeare collection on display. There's also a new exhibit at the Library of Congress, revealing hidden treasures for the first time.
- There's also Southwest D.C.'s Rubell Museum, Air and Space Museum's revamped west wing, and the new Capital Jewish Museum. And you can never go wrong with the classics (check out these viral TikTok recs).
🍻 Drink in the dark: Hot take, basement bars are cooler than rooftop bars (no matter the temperature).
🍦 Eat ice cream: If you hadn't heard, D.C. is an ice cream boomtown with new shops opening often (though folks still love classics like Dolcezza). There's even ice cream with booze! And ice cream for dogs.
🐶 Stay cool with your pup: Keep tails wagging at play spots with A/C like Arlington's indoor dog bar Snouts & Stouts, Alexandria's canine sports club Frolick Dogs, and Potomac's K9 Aquatic Center, where water-loving doggos can take a dip one of the center's five pools.
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