Five great ways to beat the heat in Utah County
Cate Cosgrave, 4, lies near the water's edge at the Veteran's Memorial swimming pool playground.
Benson Butler, 2, looks up at his mother while eating a cup of shaved ice at Snoasis in Alpine in this file photo from 2015.
Kids play on July 14, 2016, at the recreational splash pad built by the city at Pioneer Park in Provo.
Natalie and Cameron Egbert, with their son, Jonah, 3, enjoy an outdoor movie at Rock Canyon Park as part of Provo's Movies in the Park series.
Ellee Payne, 7, plays in a sprinkler outside her home in Provo on Tuesday, May 27, 2014.
Deena Peterson rides down the slide with her daughter Jade at the Lehi Outdoor Pool on June 2, 2015.
Torie Walker lifts her niece Peyton Walker, 4, into the air while playing at Spanish Oaks Reservoir on April 24, 2012.
If you’ve been spending parts of your summer in front of a fan with a cold drink in your hand, you’re not alone. This summer in Utah County has been one for the records, with temperatures consistently soaring through the 80s and 90s up to triple digits.
But hiding away with your air conditioning until winter arrives isn’t the only way to beat the heat in Utah County. Consider checking out a few of these options as well:
Head to a splash pad
Most cities in Utah County have them: ample helpings of pavement with assorted jets and fountains blasting out astonishingly cold water. Vineyard Grove Park in Vineyard, now dubbed a Sports and Splash Park, is one of the newest to the splash pad ranks, and includes a massive outdoor area with climbing toys, slides and several areas of water entertainment, including slides, buckets and jets.
Catch a flick
Whether heading indoors for one of the many inexpensive summer matinee programs at local theaters or grabbing a camp chair and a blanket for a night under the stars at a community movie in the park, there are an impressive number of places to go to catch a film for less or even free. As a bonus, you’ll be treated to an air-conditioned theater during the day, or a much less sweltering summer evening with the showings at dusk.
Get a cool drink or treat
Cool off from the inside out with a tasty drink or treat as the temperature climbs. Booths serving snow cones and shaved ice dot the corners of Utah County cities, with places such as Rita’s, Rockwell Ice Cream and Penguin Brothers offering an indoor option. Sonic also offers discount drinks and slushes before 10 a.m. and from 2-4 p.m., with half-price shakes, cream slushes and floats after 8 p.m. through the summer.
Take a dip in a pool
From local recreation centers to community pools, there are plenty of places to get wet and cool off across the county.
Many boast children’s areas, lazy rivers and waterslides, while places like Provo Beach Resort even offer a Flowrider — your chance to go surfing without hitting the beach.
Enjoy nature
Being outside may not sound like a great way to beat the heat, but whether you hook up a sprinkler at your house to cool down, or pick a more natural option — there’s actually plenty to do outdoors to stay cool. Fishing in the shade at Utah Lake, enjoying the water at Highland Glen Park or tubing down the Provo River are just a few more options.
