Too Hot? Here Are 18 Great Ways to Beat the Heat This Summer in DC and Beyond.

Splash Around

These cooling, aquatic destinations are especially fun.

NOVA Parks Water Parks

Get wet and wild at a water park without going far: NOVA Parks has five across the region, from the slides, squirters, and falls at Ocean Dunes Waterpark in Arlington to the wave pool at Great Waves Waterpark in Alexandria.

Beaver Dam Swimming Club

Pools are great, but there’s a nostalgic novelty to swimming in a lake. This 40-foot-deep freshwater quarry in Cockeysville, Maryland—a 75-minute drive from DC—has a rope swing.

Belle Haven Marina

For a variety of boating options, head to the launch near Old Town Alexandria, where you can rent kayaks, canoes, standup paddleboards, and sailboats small and large. Once you’re aboard, paddle or point the tiller toward Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve and catch a cool breeze on the water.

Check In to Cool Down

Retreat to a nearby hotel to indulge in someone else’s AC or access cooling activities. There are plenty of places to do that around DC, but here are a few favorites.

Pendry DC

Take advantage of the convenience and fun of the bustling Wharf location, plus several onsite dining options, room service, a top-notch spa, and a posh pool lined with cabanas and plush lounges.

Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center

Just outside DC, the National Harbor property is home to a spacious spa; an indoor pool that opens onto a sun deck with a splash pad and pool bar; plus other entertainment, including a nightly light show in the atrium, a virtual safari, an interactive sports bar, a rooftop cocktail lounge, and more.

Four Seasons DC

For a different vibe, this hotel in Georgetown is one of the best destinations in the city to do less. There are sceney onsite restaurants (such as Bourbon Steak) and one of the area’s top spas, but what appeals to us the most for a hiding-from-the-heat staycation is the cool sateen-cotton sheets and 24-hour room service.

Hotel Zena

Across town, for those willing to venture into the sun, this pet-friendly, female-­empowerment-themed hotel on 14th Street has a coveted rooftop pool. It’s small, but you can get a spot by reserving a cabana (half off for overnight guests). The hotel also offers free towels and water—plus, new this summer, “dive-in” movies (tickets required).

Lansdowne Resort

This property in Leesburg has three outdoor pools, with cabanas and a poolside bar and grill, plus an indoor pool and group fitness classes.

Chill Out at Kid-Friendly Resorts

These resorts within easy driving distance of the city offer endless ways for little ones to cool down.

Hotel Hershey

The biggest kid-centric draw of this historic, high-end hotel in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is its proximity to Hersheypark and Hershey’s Chocolate World, but the property is a destination in itself. Amenities include an indoor pool with a small splash pad; an outdoor pool with two big slides; a family-friendly 18-hole putting course; shady hiking trails; an arcade; and chocolate-themed bingo. While you’re in town, we also recommend checking out who’s playing at nearby Giant Center.

Omni Homestead

The Omni Homestead Resort & Spa—about four hours from DC in Hot Springs, Virginia—has plenty for the whole family to enjoy. In addition to its spa and two 18-hole golf courses, there’s an arcade and family game room, a room for doing puzzles, a space for chess, nightly kids’ movies in the theater (and a later showing for adults), plus an indoor pool and a two-acre outdoor water park with two slides, a lazy river, and more.

Great Wolf Lodge

For a more casual stay, you could easily spend all your time splashing in the wave pools and water slides at this chain of indoor water parks, where more than just aquatics will keep you busy: There’s duckpin bowling, a ropes course, an arcade, mini-golf, and more. Family-­friendly suites include options with whimsical themes and space to spread out. The resorts in Perryville, the Poconos, and Williamsburg are all easy drives from Washington. Attractions vary slightly at each—for example, the ropes course is indoors at Perryville. Tip: Perryville is the closest, newest, and biggest, while we hear Williamsburg tends to feel the least crowded.

Get Artsy in Air Conditioning

Channel a hot day at summer camp at these arts-and-crafts spots.

Shop Made in DC

This business stocked with local products also hosts art workshops in Georgetown and Union Market. Try embroidery, screenprinting, soap-making, and more. There are also weekly watercolor and crafting sessions. Prices vary.

Amazing Art Studio

Paint your own pottery at this Gaithersburg space, where mugs, bowls, figurines, and more are your canvas. Beyond the kiln-fired works, you can try your hand at mosaics. Prices depend on what you’re painting, and the studio accepts both walk-ins and reservations.

Relume

Besides offering quirky goods to buy, this Capitol Hill store hosts crafts sessions. Make charm bracelets and necklaces (starting at $25), picking from a selection of cool baubles, or customize your own soy candle ($25), choosing the scent and vessel. While appointments are not required, they’re highly recommended to ensure a space.

Play Sports Indoors

Whether you want to get athletic or fuel your competitive side, here are four ideas for a day of play.

St. James Hitting House

For baseball, the mega-gym in Springfield has Hitting House, a turf space with six pitching and batting areas. Half-hour reservations start at $35, or $40 if you want to use the pitching machine. Balls, helmets, and bats are provided. The gym also features an indoor water park and obstacle course.

Sportrock Climbing

Reach new heights at this bouldering and climbing gym with three area locations: a 50,000-square-foot facility in Gaithersburg, a recently renovated flagship in Alexandria, and a Sterling spot that just completed some upgrades. A day pass costs $26 in Alexandria and Gaithersburg, $24 in Sterling.

Pickleball Club of Tysons

This club in Vienna is a place to practice your dinking on air-conditioned courts. Book a $20 two-hour open-play session, with an opportunity to schedule game play by level.

F1 Arcade

Car racing isn’t a traditional break-a-sweat sport, but you can still channel pro athletes in the cockpit at this virtual racing space in Union Market. Pretend you’re Lewis Hamilton and face off against fellow drivers in immersive simulations. Each race package starts at $22 a person.

This article appears in the June 2025 issue of Washingtonian.

Daniella Byck

Lifestyle Editor

Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Takoma.

Amy Moeller

Fashion & Weddings Editor

Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.