Well, it’s officially HOT! And what better way to cool down than to be in or near the water. Sadly, not all of us have an awesome boat we can go riding around on in the lake, so I’ve come up with some additional fun ways to stay cool and have fun this weekend!

1. Sea Lion Sound opens this Saturday, June 30th at the St. Louis Zoo. So technically you’re not in the water, but you’re indoors watching sea lions swim around in the water, which is just as fun! This brand new exhibit is 10,400 sq ft and visitors walk through an underground tunnel and see the sea lions swimming all around them. There will also be a shallow outdoor pool and beach area where they can sunbathe. Lastly, a brand new Lichtenstein Sea Lion Arena has replaced the old arena, where you can buy tickets to view the sea lions doing fun stuff like front flipper walks, hurdle jumps and Frisbee throws (and get splashed) starting on June 30th…and tickets are only $4!

2. Six Flags has opened Hurricane Harbor waterpark, which is always a good time. Not to mention Cobra Starship is performing at Six Flags this Friday, June 29th at 7pm so you can play in the water all day then rock out to some ‘Good Girls Go Bad’ starting at 7pm. Tickets to see the show are free with your park admission or if you only want to see the show, you can buy tickets online in advance for $10.

3. Chesterfield Family Aquatic Center was my home away from home last Summer. While it’s a drive for those who live in the downtown/Soulard area, it is well worth the $6. First, there were always plenty of chairs to lounge in, even on the weekends. Second, they have a snack bar in case you get hungry (and didn’t bring your own food because you don’t like carrying all that extra stuff). And last, it has a little bit of everything: a kids fun play area, slides, a big pool with two diving boards and a lazy river, all for only $6!

4. Take a float trip on the Meramec River. Not all float trips have to involve camping and staying all weekend. You can drive out to the river in the morning, rent a float or canoe and make a day trip of it and as they say on the Forest 44 Canoe Rental website “be home in time for dinner”.

5. If you’re a St. Louis City resident, you have access to several free outdoor and indoor city pools:

• Chambers Park pool near Midtown is open 7 days a week from 12pm to 6pm
• Fairground pool at 3801 Natural Bridge (near Grand and Natural Bridge Ave) is also open 7 days a week from 12pm to 6pm
• Marquette pool at 4025 Minnesota is also open 7 days a week from 12pm to 7pm
• For the list of free indoor pools, check the stlouis-mo.gov website

Hopefully that gave you enough ideas to stay cool without staying home. Stay cool this weekend St. Louis and drink lots of water!

 

Brought to you by Mills Properties

Photo courtesy of thelostogle.com