Patch Picks: Five Places to Cool Off

According to NBC Philadelphia, we have just survived the in Pennsylvania’s recorded history by suffering through the horrendous heat waves of this past July.

And while some may breathe a sigh of relief that summer is more than halfway over, the heat isn’t done with us yet. There will still be plenty of summer sun throughout August, which is typically the hottest month of the year.

This morning may have started off dreary, but the clouds are expected to part, the sun is supposed to make an appearance, and temperatures are forcasted to reach a high of 83 -- ick! 

So, to try to cool things down a bit, here are a few suggestions for those who want to get out of the house and keep from melting at the same time.

1. The Community Pool -- Almost every township and borough has one of these! They’re relatively inexpensive to visit for a day, and most offer season passes that can ease the pain on your wallet if it becomes a regular summer activity for the kids or family.

The community pool at the is open daily and features a waterslide and a shallow kids’ pool. Summer rates are $6 for weekdays and $7 for weekends.

2. The Grocery Store – For nine months out of the year, I hate grocery shopping. But in June, July and August, I look forward to pushing my cart through the air-conditioned store. Particularly through the frozen food and dairy aisles, where I slow down to a crawl and enjoy the cold blasts of air, often sticking my head into the vegetable cases to “get a better look.”

While you’re there, treat yourself to some ice cream or frozen yogurt for later, because you know you’re going to need some relief once you leave the store and have to get back into the sweltering car.

And we have plenty of grocery stores around the Nazareth, what with , and -- even has a freezer full of frozen goodies!

3. The Mall -- Who doesn’t enjoy shopping? Allow me to rephrase: who doesn’t enjoy shopping in an air-conditioned mall with an ice cream place in it?

At the nearby Palmer Park Mall, you can shop for clothes, movies, toys, books, video games and a whole lot more. When you've finally worked up an appetite after purusing and/or buying all that your wallet allows, you can grab a pretzel and even a Blizzard -- the editor is stepping in to recommend the Brownie Batter Blizzard -- from Dairy Queen. Sounds like a good indoor afternoon to me.

4. The Community Center -- All of the local community centers are air-conditioned, and most feature basketball courts with open gym times, fitness centers and plenty of other amenities.

The on S. Main Street in downtown Nazareth even has an indoor pool, so the family can enjoy a day of swimming without the risk of heat stroke or sunburn.

5. The Movie Theater -- One of the all-time best ways to pass a hot, sunny afternoon is to sit in a darkened room with a bunch of strangers and enjoy a movie.

And a hot afternoon is the perfect excuse to pay the matinee price at  at the Northampton Crossings plaza. The theater has a whopping 14 screens that play any and all of Hollywood's newest releases.