Beat the Summer Heat in Laguna Beach
The sunshine is out and the temperatures are rising along the Southern Orange County coast. You’ve curled up at the window of your air conditioned vacation rental and read every book set in a snow laden landscape trying to think cool, but the ocean and city are calling you out into the summer sun. What can you do to beat the heat during your summer vacation?
Here are 7 ways to help you cool off…
1. Stay Hydrated and Wear Loose Shoes. Whether you’re walking about town or lounging on the beach, its important to drink water to replenish your fluids lost from sweating. Keep internally cool by wearing sandals instead of trapping in heat with sneakers. Get a new pair of Rainbow Sandals online or at a local surf shop.
2. Eat Light but Try Spicy Foods. Too much food can leave you feeling sluggish in high heat. Go for salads, fruits and vegetables which are watery and will help keep you hydrated. And its well known that people in hot climates like Mexico or India, eat spicy foods to cool them down. Chili peppers will stimulate perspiration for brief relief from the heat. La Sirena Grill, Eva’s Caribbean Kitchen and Laguna Thai by the Sea are our top picks.
3. Go get Gelato. This is not your mother’s ice cream, it’s an Italian frozen dream. Gelato comes in a wide variety of fruity and exotic flavors like Passion Fruit or Coconut, so have a decadent cold treat on a hot day. And feel free to indulge, because unlike ice cream, gelato typically has less fat per serving. Check out Gelato Paradiso near the Retreat in Laguna or Dolce Gelato downtown.
4. Get in the Water at the Beach or in a Pool. Play in the waves, surf or paddle-board at any of Laguna Beaches sandy coves. Take the kids to the community pool at Laguna Beach High and dive into the deep end. Or for some extreme aquatic fun, head up to Wild Rivers in Irvine for a day of water slides or floating on a lazy river.
5. Visit the Downtown Laguna Beach Art Galleries. On the First Thursday of the month there is an Art Walk through member galleries. Join in one of these organized events or check out their site for a map of galleries. Duck in and out of these well air conditioned and temperature regulated environments allowing you to keep cool and shop for a unique piece of art at the same time.
6. Cool off with Jazz Wednesdays. Sit back and relax with a glass of white wine and cool jazz in the Rose Garden of the Laguna Hotel. This summer jazz concert series runs every Wednesday evening thru September.
7. See a Summer Blockbuster. If you just can’t take the heat but don’t want to sit in your vacation villa any longer, head to the movie theatre. There are films for the family, romantic comedies for couples on a date and art films for cultured film critics. In Downtown Laguna, there is a quaint Regency Theater with popular movies and foreign/art films screened monthly. Or head to Aliso Viejo or the Irvine Spectrum for a variety of major releases and IMAX films.
