By Marissa Willman
Triple digit weather might be here to stay but you don’t need to look beyond the Coachella Valley for ways to beat the heat. CV Weekly has rounded up the best local options to stay cool in the desert this summer.
Desert Ice Castle
Grab your skates and head to the rink to cool off this summer. Desert Ice Castle in Cathedral City offers the coolest fun in the desert with public skating, ice hockey clinics and figure skating sessions. Through Aug. 3, Desert Ice Castle also offers a “Learn to Skate Camp” for children ages 6 and up. For $75/day or $250/week, kids can learn to skate with instructors, play games like broomball on the ice and participate in arts and crafts. Visit DesertIceCastle.com or call (760) 324-0400 for more information.
Palm Desert Aquatics Center
Make a splash this summer with wave pools, water slides and recreational swimming at the Palm Desert Aquatics Center. The state-of-the-art facility also offers classes such as water aerobics and all ages swim instruction. Lap swimming, water polo and competitive swimming are also offered. For more information, call (760) 565-7467.
The Living Desert
Head to The Living Desert in Palm Desert to enjoy “90 Wild Days of Summer.” Visitors can enjoy the zoo daily from 8 a.m. to1:30 pm. Kids can enjoy special behind-the-scenes peeks of the zoo through The Living Desert’s ZooCamp 2012. For more information, visit TheLivingDesert.org or call (760) 346-5694.
Robin Hood Archery
Learn to handle a bow and arrow this summer at Robin Hood Archery’s fully air-conditioned facility in Indio. New to the sport? Try a Saturday Special Shoot, held for beginners at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. If you’re a pro, try your luck Thursday nights at RBA’s Hot Shot Night, where a $5 buy-in gives you a shot to take home half the pot. To learn more, visit RobinHoodArchery.com or call (760) 347-8828.
Westfield Palm Desert
Head to the desert’s premiere indoor shopping mall in Palm Desert to cool off with plenty of shopping, dining and entertainment options. For more information, visit Westfield.com/PalmDesert or Facebook.com/WestfieldPalmDesert.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Take an aerial escape to cooler temperatures with the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Summer passes are $70/adult and $35/child, and offer unlimited rides through Aug. 31. Volunteers offer guided nature walks each weekend through Labor Day, and 54 miles of hiking trails offer plenty to see. For more information, visit PSTramway.com or call (760) 325-1391.
Palm Springs Art Museum
Cool off with modern and contemporary art at PSaM. Current exhibitions include “Pop Goes the Humor” and “Between Abstract and Figurative.” Visitors can enjoy a free foreign film during the Global Film Series every Thursday night at the Annenberg Theater this summer. Admission is free Thursday evenings during Villagefest and on the second Sundays of each month. For more information, visit PSMuseum.org or call (760) 322-4800.
Knott’s Soak City
The desert’s waterpark offers plenty of wet ways to beat the heat this summer. Knott’s Soak City in Palm Springs is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and season passes are still available. Celebrate Christmas in July this weekend as Soak City teams up with the US Marine Corps to offer discounted admission with toy donations. Families, bring the kids for a poolside movie screening on Aug. 3 and 17. For more information, visit SoakCityPS.com.
Forever Marilyn Outdoor Movie Screenings
Pack the popcorn and lawn chairs to enjoy some of Marilyn Monroe’s big screen hits next to the Forever Marilyn statue in Palm Springs this summer. “How to Marry a Millionaire” will be screened on July 27 and “The Seven Year Itch” on Aug. 3. Screenings start at 8:30 p.m. For more information, call (760) 275-0963.
