The best ways to cool down in Miami when it’s just too dang hot outside

North Beach is pretty special. It’s way more lowkey than South Beach, way less snooty than Mid-Beach, and never too crowded to find a spot. The sand hill at 81st Street has great views and a great breeze. We love coming in the early evening, when the crowds are thin and people are posted up to relax and watch the sky change colors.

Before it was a pool, it was a limestone mound that was excavated and used to build Coral Gables’ earliest iconic structures. The pit left behind was filled with spring water from an underground aquifer, and it was opened for business as the Venetian Casino. Today, it’s no longer a casino, but you can still swim in the frigid, grotto-like pools surrounded by the lush Gables foliage and cool down under the cascading waterfalls. 

This is your typical neighborhood pool in the best way possible. If you want to really feel like part of the community, come here on a sunny afternoon, claim a beach chair, and try to stay dry while neighborhood kids do cannonballs and play Marco Polo a few feet away. The place never seems to be too packed and there are plenty of seats with shade — and plenty without, for those trying to get their tan on. It’s even got lanes set up if you want to do laps when it’s just way too hot to do any other kind of exercise outdoors. There are lights at night, so it’s open for nighttime swimmers too.

If you were ever a kid in Hialeah, then you’ve spent plenty of hot Miami summer days at Bucky Dent. This public pool and all around bad ass water park nestled in the middle of Hialeah is perfect for bringing your kids, your little cousins, or friends visiting from out of town. It’s a water park for all ages but without the annoying tourists, overpriced snacks and super long lines. There’s no need to travel to Rapids Water Park when Hialeah is right there.

*Reader’s suggestion

The Miami Beach Cinematheque feels like your most indie, hipster friend’s living room. Housed in the historic city hall building, the theater often screens obscure national and international films in its single 20-something seat auditorium. It’s the kind of theater where it’s totally normal to go and watch a movie by yourself — it’s actually what most people do. There’s also a small bookstore and cafe inside, if you want to get there a little early and awkwardly linger. Like all good movie theaters, they’ve got candy and popcorn for your viewing pleasure.

Tucked into a courtyard behind the Centro Cultural Español, between Biscayne and N.E. 2nd Ave., MicroTheater Miami offers a unique theater-going experience. From Wednesday through Sunday, the eclectic theater opens up and hosts five to seven 15-minute plays in repurposed shipping containers. Tickets are just $5 dollars a play, and when you finish one, you can pop into the next container for another intimate performance. Wednesday and Thursday are for English-speakers, while the rest of the week, plays are performed completely in Spanish.
(Photo Courtesy of The Knight Foundation/Flickr Creative Commons)

Maybe you’ve always hate-envied New York’s love affair with picturesque ice skating or maybe you’re the Michelle Kwan/Chazz Michael Michaels student looking to test your moves. The good news: there’s a place to live out your fantasies and its open year-round. For Miami Beach residents, access is just $3 and skate rentals are $2. If you live elsewhere, it’s $9 to get in and $4 for skates—still some of the cheapest prices you’ll find at an ice rink, thanks to the good folks at the Miami Beach Parks & Recreation Department. Public skating sessions are available, plus freestyle sessions for experienced skaters, group classes for kids and adults, private lessons from local experts, and ice hockey courses.

Of all the O Cinemas, this may be our favorite. It may not have the “artsy” vibe of the flagship location in Wynwood, but its warm, quaint ambiance more than makes up for it. There’s none of that griminess you get at franchise theaters, it’s hardly ever crowded, the film selections are always on point, and in spite of its grand size, you feel still like you’re watching the movie in your PJs at home. You can even catch a cool performance here from time to time. Oh, and they serve “doubles” of wine. This is our kind of art house cinema.

Located just across from our beloved Books & Books is the Coral Gables Art Cinema. If you are a fan of foreign, classic, and independent film, this beautiful art house is without equal. The films are carefully selected and you can usually catch the newest indie films here. The seating is cozy and the snack and beverage variety is excellent too. We especially love their after-hours showings, which feature late-night cult classics like Fight Club and Monty Python.