Keep It Cool This Summer

OK, you're right.

Throughout most of the country July is the perfect month for National Park and Recreation Month, but in Florida it's pretty darn hot. Spending a full day on athletic fields or courts under that Florida sun can be draining.

Fortunately, District parks offer plenty of features to help keep the Boca Raton community cool on those bright July days.

Start with the Boca Raton Swim Center. Located on St. Andrew's Blvd., the jewel of the Swim Center is a 25-yard, six-lane pool that's perfect for swimming, splashing, and general cooling fun. The Swim Center offers swimming lessons and some toys for aquatic fun.

Younger children enjoy the splash pad, adjacent to the pool. It's actually one of three cooling splash pads located within District parks.

Patch Reef Park's Pirates Cove splash pad lets youngsters pretend to be pirates, shooting water cannons at each other and enjoying a refreshing spray of water.

Sugar Sand Park's Science Playground splash pad cools children as they play outside, and maybe helps them learn a little something during the summer months.

If a dip in the ocean is more your chill, the District helps fund Red Reef Park, located east of A1A just north of Palmetto Park Rd.

Looking to stay cool and dry? Patch Reef, Sugar Sand and Ocean Strand parks all have nature trails, much of which are shaded. And there are plenty of shaded benches where walkers can sit for a moment and enjoy the summer breezes.

Not all the cool park activities happen outside. Sugar Sand Park's Science Explorium, located inside the air-conditioned community center, provides activities and exhibits for youngsters. The Willow Theatre resides within the same building. It's a great place to enjoy live shows in cool comfort. Plays in the summer schedule include “Old MacDonald's Sing Along Farm” (Aug. 5) and “Sherlock Holmes and the Opera Mystery” (Sept. 10).

A few steps from the Community Center, the Sugar Sand Field House is the indoor home of basketball courts that also convert to volleyball and pickleball courts.

So remember, when looking to stay cool this summer, the District provides plenty of options. It's a cool walk in the park.