Make a Day of it: Beat the Las Vegas Heat

Oh Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Las Vegas. We get some pretty amazing falls, winters and springs, but--boy--do we pay for it in the summer. This one’s been a little up and down, thankfully. June was incredibly hot, but July hasn’t been too unbearable--anything under 100 feels like 75 after you’ve lived here for a few years. I even ate dinner outside last night (ah, the little things in life). One of the things I love most about this city, though, is that there’s always something to do, regardless of weather. So, today I wanted to bring you a few of fan-favorite ways to beat the Vegas heat.

Playing Tourist: From the Mob Museum to the Minus 5 Ice Bar at Mandalay Bay, Vegas has a ton of air-conditioned attractions. My latest favorite happens to be the Brooklyn Bowl, a fried-chicken-serving, bourbon-milkshake-bearing, bowling alley and concert venue. (You read that right: Bourbon. Milkshake. Enough said.) Even if you’re not into the act playing on a certain night (or if there happens to be no one playing at all), it’s a great place to enjoy some Blue Ribbon chicken and bowling (and air conditioning).

A Day-trip to Mount Charleston: About 25 miles northwest of us, Mount Charleston is usually about 20-40 degrees cooler than the Valley, which makes it a great spot for those of us who get sick of being cooped up. I have two big dogs who have a ton of energy (read: a freakish amount of energy), and Mount Charleston is a great place to take them to run around for a few hours. If you’re an avid outdoors-enthusiast, it also offers some pretty great day hikes.

Indoor Adventures: This one is for all of you adrenaline junkees (which I am definitely not--unless you count the rush I get when a client closes on a home). But I hear--from my highly trusted adrenaline-junkee sources--that Vegas has some pretty cool indoor adventure spots. Indoor skydiving is a crowd favorite, as is indoor karting (we’re not talking your average go karts, either. These guys are capable of going up to 45 mph). Skyzone, an indoor trampoline park, is also a favorite amongst parents with antsy summer-breakin’ kiddos.

That’s what I’ve rounded up for you today--a few of my favorite ways to forget about the Vegas heat. (Though, I caution against forgetting about it completely--if you’ve ever accidentally left chapstick in your car or touched the steering wheel too soon after a parking-lot stint, you know what I mean). Are there any other local favorites I missed?