I've just returned to Texas after a wonderful week at the beach in relatively cool La Jolla, California. Austin, Texas is sweltering, as it usually is in July. But as a 7th-generation Texan and native Austinite, I've learned a thing or two about beating the heat! Here are some of my family's strategies:
1. Explore your city/town's public pools – my kids have their favorites, and we try to go in the morning or the evening, since mid-day is often too hot and sunny even at the pool!
2. Exercise in the morning before it gets too hot (and before you get distracted with work and everything else). Find a place to swim laps if you can – wonderful exercise and you don't have to sweat!
3. Stay well hydrated. Carry a water bottle (a hydroflask works well to keep water cold even in Texas!). Also, get creative: make herbal iced tea, flavor water with different kinds of fruit, make smoothies with frozen fruits, or create spritzers with sparkling water and a little juice or lime. Here are some fun ideas to inspire you:
https://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/non-alcoholic-drinks#lime-fizz-soda-recipe
4. Wear airy, light-colored clothes. But be sure to bring a sweater for over-air-conditioned buildings. (And don't forget the sun-screen!)
5. Find fun in-door activities when you have free time: an afternoon outing to a movie, a local museum, the library, or the bowling alley can be a lot of fun when it's too hot to go outside.
Add more tips below!