Here are 13 suggestions on how to stay cool when it's really hot in Las Vegas.
1. Go ice skating or watch people skate
A great way to keep cool is to strap on a pair of skates and hit the ice. There are a couple of places to ice skate in Las Vegas, including the ice rink at the Fiesta hotel-casino and the Las Vegas Ice Center. If you would rather just watch people skate, grab a window seat at Brooksys's Bar & Grill, which is located right next door to the Las Vegas Ice Center. We've heard that the food is pretty good there too.
2. Go to a movie
Movie theaters are notorious for being a bit chilly. Many of us have to grab a sweater or put on a long-sleeve shirt before enjoying the latest movie on a giant screen. It's a great way to kill at least a couple of hours during the heat of the day. Many of the local theaters have special deals. For example, you can see any movie at any time for just $5 on Mondays at the Brenden Theatres at the Palms hotel-casino. On Tuesdays, you can get 2 tickets, 2 medium drinks and 1 medium popcorn for $22. You can also see movies for $5 on Tuesdays at the theaters at the Orleans hotel-casino and Santa Fe Station. Certain restrictions apply, of course.
3. Visit the produce section at Costco or beer cooler at a store
Here are two places you may not have thought of to hang out in when it gets really hot outside -- the produce section at Costco and the beer/beverage cooler at your local grocery or convenience store. Both places are guaranteed to cool you down, but the store management might not like it if you linger too long without buying something. Definitely don't stay so long that you start eating the produce or drinking the beer.
4. Cool off while playing keno or bingo and maybe win some money
Casinos are generally a good place to keep cool during the summer months and almost all of them (at least off the Strip) have bingo and keno rooms. Both games are inexpensive and fun and you can easily kill a few hours and you may even win enough money to help pay your air conditioning costs at home. An added perk is the free drinks (with tip, of course). If you are a sports fan, you might want to try and grab a seat in one of the sports books. Just don't attempt to take up space (without gambling) during a big game. Sometimes there will also be cheap beer and hot dogs during a big sporting event.
5. Get chilly at local ice bar
There are two Minus5 Ice Bars in Las Vegas. One is located at the Monte Carlo hotel-casino and the other is at Mandalay Bay. The ice bars bill themselves as the coolest experiences in Las Vegas and they aren't kidding. You have to put on a (fake) fur coat and gloves just to go inside and you can only stay inside for so long. Everything inside the bar is made of ice -- the bar, the walls, the seats and even the glasses that you drink out of. The ice bars feature themed rooms and a variety of ice sculptures. The ice bars offer 3 different packages priced from $19 to $75.
6. Check out local library programs
Libraries are great places to chill for a couple of hours. Our local libraries offer a wide variety of programs for children, teens and adults. There are story and play times for younger kids; workshops on how to be a disc jockey, make a bath bomb or belly dance for teens and adults; book signings; free afternoon movies; musical performances; and more. Or, you can simply browse the numerous book racks and pick up something that looks interesting to read or entertain yourself on one of the library's computers that is available for public usage.
7. Hide in a computer server room
If you are stuck in the office and it is a bit warm in your cubicle, maybe you can sneak away to a computer server room. Most server rooms are kept between 50 and 82 degrees Farenheit with the ideal temperature usually somewhere between 68 and 71 degrees for most equipment. Just keep your hands to yourself and don't forget to close the door on the way in and out.
8. Cool off and learn your history
We have several fabulous museums in the Las Vegas area. They include the Mob Museum and DISCOVERY Children's Museum in downtown Las Vegas, Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Marjorie Barrick Museum on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, National Atomic Testing Museum, the Bellagio Fine Art Museum, and Nevada State Museum. Not only will you stay cool, you are also guaranteed to learn more about the city of Las Vegas and the state of Nevada. If cars is more your thing, check out The Auto Collections, featuring a rotating display of more than 300 classic cars, at The LINQ. It will definitely take you a couple of hours to check out that many cars. The collection features racing cars, muscle cars, touring roadsters and many others.
9. Head to nearest body of water
If you don't have a pool at your home, head to one of our great water parks, conveniently located on opposite sides of the valley. Cowabunga Bay is located in Henderson and Wet'n'Wild is in the southwest area of the valley off Fort Apache Road. Both water parks features numerous attractions and water slides. It's fun for the whole family and a great way to spend a hot summer day. There are also plenty of public pools in the Las Vegas area. Click here for a list of county pools.
10. Turn into a mall rat
You can easily spend all day at the mall. There are plenty of places to browse, food courts with relatively inexpensive food, and seating areas. Most malls also have free WiFi and host special events for both adults and children. If you are down on the Strip, the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace is a great place for people watching and they have a really fun fountain show with moving statues and fire. Click here for more information on local malls and other places to shop or at least pretend like it.
11. Get to the bottom of Hoover Dam
Sign up for the one-hour guided tour of Hoover Dam and you will travel 530 feet down through the rock wall of Black Canyon to begin the tour of dam's power plant. You will also get the chance to check out the dam's 30-foot-diameter pipes that can transport nearly 90,000 gallons of water each second from Lake Mead to the dam's hydroelectric generators. Next, you will get a panoramic view of the 650-foot-long Nevada wing of the powerplant and 8 of the dam's 17 huge generators. From there, visitors will navigate through tunnels to explore rarely-seen areas of the dam. Air vents provide a nice little breeze for tour participants. Finally, you can easily spend another hour or two checking out the numerous audio, visual and interactive exhibits in the exhibit gallery after the tour.
12. Pretend you are a fish
If you can't get into water yourself, maybe watching some little (and big) fish swim around will cool you off. The Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay is always fun for the whole family and if you want to watch some fish for free, head over to the Silverton. Their 117,000-gallon aquarium has 4,000-plus exotic fish and a couple of mermaids who swim among the fish and do everything from blowing bubbles to interacting with kids watching outside the aquarium. If you still aren't ready to head out into the desert eat, check out the Bass Pro Shops, which is connected to the Silverton. The 165,000-square-foot, two-story store also has an aquarium. It is 40,000 gallons and features fish that any fisherman would like to see on his hook. There is also an indoor archery range and live duck habitat. Bass Prop Shops also hosts a variety of events for the whole family.
13. Get the heck out of town
If you can't hop on a plane and head to Alaska, you can at least head to our local mountain. It is usually a good 20 to 30 degrees cooler on the top of Mount Charleston and it's less than an hour away. About halfway up is the Mount Charleston Hotel and Spa. It has a lovely dining room and a cozy bar and lounge with a pool table, juke box, flat-screen television, comfy chairs, and a full bar. At the top of the mountain is Mount Charleston Lodge, with a dining room, bar, outdoor seating, and a Christmas shop. Mount Charleston is Nevada's 8th highest peak and offers many trails from beginner to expert. Also, be sure to check out the Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort.
