Hello all!

If you’re living in a place like I am (in the swamp of DC – literally, it’s built on a swamp with extreme humidity and tons of mosquitoes in the summer), August can be a rough month.  You really want to be outside and enjoy the sunny summer days, but being in high levels of heat and humidity are uncomfortable and can cause health problems.  I unfortunately get dehydrated very easily, so when it hits 90 or above for a few days in a row, I get so drained and can develop heat headaches.  Thankfully, there are tons of indoor activities you can do either by yourself or with friends that take advantage of fun summer events and allow you to get out of your precious AC’d home!

I’ve curated a list of fun things I’ve done so far this summer along with other activities that I’m excited to do to have fun and be active while staying out of the heat.

• Bowling – This is such a fun activity at any time of the day!  You can have anything from a two-person date night to a small gathering to a full-blown party at a bowling alley and have a blast! (For my DC followers, Pinstripes in Georgetown is on my list.)
• Museums – This is my go-to option regardless of the time of year, but I especially love relaxing in a cool museum surrounded by art.  It allows me to learn new things and keep my mind active without feeling rushed.  Also, a lot of museums have really fun, interactive exhibits happening during the summer months since kids are out of school.  The pics in this post were taken from the National Building Museum‘s Funhouse exhibit that runs through this September! After all, what better time to tap into your inner child than in the summertime??
• Cat Cafe – There’s a Crumbs and Whiskers right near me that I NEED to go to!  Unfortunately it gets booked up fairly quickly, but what better way to spend an afternoon than cuddling a bunch of cute kittens in air conditioning??  There are variations on cat and dog cafes in major cities across the US, so definitely see which options are closest to you!
• Escape Room – This is great for puzzle solvers and anyone who enjoys a challenge.  Your team of 6-10 people chooses their plot (when I went my friends and I picked Ghostbusters) and has a full hour to solve riddles and complete your mission.  Trust me, it can get dicey at times but you are constantly having a blast.
• Indoor Sports – Whether it’s indoor rock climbing, trampolining, or going to a dance class, this option gets your heart rate up without succumbing to heat exhaustion.  You can go solo on a whim or plan out a whole day with friends and grab drinks and dinner afterwards.  It’s a great way to try new things and challenge yourself! And although I’ve never been, but I’ve heard that axe-throwing is becoming quite popular nowadays? That counts as an indoor sport, right?
• Indulging in Books/Movies – there’s nothing that relaxes me quite like curling up in the AC with a good book or heading to a cool, dark movie theater to see a fun movie.  My recommendation for this summer is to read the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy (or at least the first book in the series) and see the film.  It’s such a fun beach read that transports you around the world and is filled with hilarious scenarios and heartwarming romance!  I binge-read the series last year in under two weeks and am absolutely hooked!
• Treat yourself – a stay-at home spa day either by yourself or with some friends can be so much fun!  Paint your nails, give yourselves hair and face masks, light your favorite scented candle, and just devote hours to pampering and self care.
• Try out a new recipe – I’m not saying you have to turn on the oven and sweat away in the kitchen, but creating a new dish or testing out unusual food combinations is a fun way to stimulate your creativity.  If you’re really not feeling the heat, opt for a cool watermelon salad recipe or summery cocktail concoction.  It’s also an incredibly useful way to have an easy meal for the future or a go-to dish if you’re invited to a cookout!
• Indoor Gardening – why not cultivate a mini succulent garden or re-pot that flower that’s outgrowing it’s current home?  Grab some basil or oregano plants from your local grocery store, put them in adorable pots (or paint your own), and create your own personal herb garden!  Or, if you’re more dedicated, you can also try to cultivate an edible indoor garden.
• Theater – in a similar vein to the books and movies idea, why not go to a matinee of your favorite Shakespeare play, try out a new ballet, or hit up comedy night at a local bar?  There are so many affordable options for catching different performances and it offers you a more social option than being in a movie theater if you want to laugh and cry with your friends.
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I hope these ideas have been useful for you all! If you couldn’t tell from these pictures, I had an absolute blast staying cool at this Funhouse museum exhibit!  Just spending time with my friends at cool activities exploring around my home is so much fun.

Let me know if you have any favorite indoor activities or tips to keep cool and still have fun during the hot summer months. I’m always on the search for more things to do!

xoxo

Parisa