In the expressive words of pop-rock wordsmith Rob Thomas, “Man, it’s a hot one.” Yes, summer in Southern California often means heat waves, but Friday and Saturday’s likely record-setting temperatures are the first real scorchers of the season. With that, we thought we’d provide—with some help from our Tastemakers, as well—a few practical and fun tips to stay safe and cool as L.A.’s temperatures top 110 degrees.
Go to Malibu
On most hot days, you could hit up any one of L.A.’s best beaches for some sweet relief. But even Santa Monica is expected to flirt with 100 degrees on Friday. If you really want cooler temperatures, head farther west to Malibu, where Friday’s high is expected to reach 87 and Saturday a comfortable 80 degrees.
Photograph: Courtesy Gerson Repreza
Visit an indoor museum
We love the outdoors so much in L.A., that even many of our museums have partially outside campuses. The Marciano and MOCA are both solely indoors, and the Natural History Museum has enough air-conditioned galleries to occupy hours of your time. LACMA and the Hammer Museum both have outdoor courtyards between some galleries, but we’ll make an exception since they’re both such short walks in the sun. Do think twice about the Broad, though—as much as we love “A Journey That Wasn’t,” today is not the day to queue in the standby line.
Go to the library
Though we often espouse the online benefits of your library card, this weekend might be a great time to read a good ol’ hardcover book. It’s the perfect excuse to check out L.A.’s most beautiful libraries. Also, both city-run and county-run libraries double as official cooling centers—which more or less means you’re welcome to laze there during operating hours.
Take a dip in a pool
We’ll be honest: The city’s public pools are likely to be packed, but they’re still a viable option if you’re alright sacrificing some elbow room (the same goes for hotel pool bars).
Photograph: Courtesy JuanCarlos Chan/L.A. Dept. Rec and Parks
Treat yourself to a scoop of ice cream
Will it melt the second you step into the sun? Probably. But will it make you feel better? Absolutely. Ice cream and classic frozen desserts are certainly in order today.
“Ice cream! Salt & Straw and Creamistry are always a great option.”—Bryan Chabrow
Have an açai bowl for lunch
Like ice cream, this one may be more of a mental remedy, but we just can’t stomach the idea of anything warm or meaty for lunch this weekend. Instead, stick to a an açai bowl of frozen juice piled with fresh fruit.
“Grab an açaí bowl and head to El Porto and catch the ocean breeze. Also load up on nitro cold brew at cafes across town!”—Devi Ohira
See all of the summer movies
Put outdoor movie season on pause for a day or two and instead hole up at L.A.’s best movie theaters. Make a whole day of it if you’re really craving that sweet, sweet air-conditioning and catch a couple of this summer’s biggest movies in the same day—sorry, MoviePass subscribers.
“See a movie!”—Jen Matichuk