Escape Artists

I get the hell out of Texas!
Mary Hallman
Austin, Texas

Move north. I may suffer through the snow and ice of a nasty winter, but the temperature in the summer rarely passes 90. Blue skies and picture-perfect days in July and August balance out the wintry mess.
Virginia Peck
Phelps, New York

Frozen Wonders

Two words: Popsicles and ponytails.
Pamela Vissing
Cincinnati, Ohio

I love my city, but as most New Yorkers know, waiting for a subway in sweltering underground heat can take a toll on anyone. I put grapes in my freezer the night before I head out and pop them in my bag in the morning. If waiting for the train gets unbearable, I have frozen snacks to keep me cool.
Shahnaz Mohammed
Bronx, New York

We celebrate Christmas in July. When it’s stifling hot, my family turns up the A/C, puts on the Frosty the Snowman video, makes hot chocolate with marshmallows, and cuts out paper snowflakes to decorate the windows. It’s a fun change of pace, and suddenly it doesn’t feel so hot outside after all.
Jill Hoagland
Little Rock, Arkansas

I figure skate. Most local rinks are open year-round. When I get up at 5 a.m. and it’s already hot and humid, spending an hour in a cold ice rink is a real treat.
Erin Westphal
Grayslake, Illinois

There’s nothing better on a steamy summer day than placing sheets in the freezer for 10 minutes before putting them on the bed. It’s like a cool breeze all over your body.
Carrie Metz
Waldorf, Maryland

I beat the summer heat by indulging in a red, white, and blue rocket Popsicle. I’m instantly transported back to my childhood as I savor every melting drop of goodness. And who cares if I get sticky? Popsicles make me just as happy now, at age 41, as they did when I was a little kid.
Jennie Susi
Miami Lakes, Florida

Heat Seekers

If you can’t beat it, join it! I get dressed up and look my hottest for a sizzling night out with my husband.
Erin Sciame
Charlotte, North Carolina

I grew up in Minnesota and endured winters that lasted six months or more, so I look forward to summer. Even on the hottest days, I just put on sunscreen and flip-flops and suck it up. A hot day in Minnesota beats 10 degrees below zero anytime.
Jill Ellingson
Woodbury, Minnesota

I love everything about summer: the heat, the humidity, even the thunderstorms.
Elaine Patafio
Long Beach, New York

I live in the Northeast and can’t understand why people gripe in the winter about the layers of clothes and the cost to heat their homes, yet as soon as the temperature hits 75, the air conditioners are turned on. Open windows, fresh air, hours on the beach, time in the garden — the list goes on. Summer heat has so much to offer. I just embrace it.
Beth Driscoll
Newport, Rhode Island

Cheers!

There’s nothing better than a front-porch swing, a dear friend, and a homemade mojito (with homegrown mint) to beat the summer heat. Something about that combination makes you forget all your troubles.
Meleah Henson
Arlington, Tennessee

An icy, spicy Bloody Mary at my favorite (air-conditioned) café, just down the street.
Brooke Weeber
Brooklyn, New York

Salsa music, a lawn chair, and a margarita.
Chris Leep
Byron Center, Michigan

Your Turn

How do you beat the summer heat? Share your best keep-cool tips here — and read what others have said.