Philadelphians get an even sample of each season. During the summer months, the temperature can really heat up, especially for locals and tourists spending the day outside. Here are five simple ways to avoid the heat this summer in Philly.
Go Early, Go Late
The sun is at its brightest and hottest around noon. If you’d like to avoid increased sunburn risk and stifling heat, head out to the tourist destinations early. Philadelphia’s rush hour is nothing like that of New York City, so you’ll still have plenty of room to walk around in the morning.
While many of the historic attractions are closed in the evening, Philadelphia comes to life at night. The early evening hours are the perfect time to look for restaurant specials or to take a stroll along Penn’s Landing.
Plan Ahead
Planning your day ahead can keep you out of the heat. Plan physical and outdoor destinations for cooler hours. When noon hits, plan to eat lunch indoors-most restaurants in the Old City area (near the Revolutionary War attractions) have amazing lunch specials. If you’re planning to visit the National Constitution Center, go during the middle of the day. You might get more crowds, but you’ll be in a modern, air-conditioned building and the staff are accustomed to dealing with large numbers of people.
Follow the Motion
Tours aren’t just given on buses. In Philadelphia, you can get a tour in a horse-drawn carriage, on a Segway through iGlide or on an amphibious duck boat at Ride the Ducks. These tours can really help you cool down as you’ll get a breeze. In the case of the ducks, you might even get splashed a bit, too.
Indoor Attractions
Even in historic Philadelphia, the most popular attractions are located indoors an in an air-conditioned environment. Popular sites like the Philadelphia Museum of Art are indoors and cool and adult evening destinations such as Lucy Strike (upscale bowling club) are indoors, too.
Stay Hydrated
No matter where you are, it’s imperative that you remain hydrated during your day out in the sun. Near the tourist destinations, bottled water prices are often expensive, but public buildings like the Independence Visitor Center offer water fountains. Philadelphia also has many Starbucks stores-Starbucks will give you free, cold, triple-filtered water as long as you make a purchase.
Philadelphia also includes many destinations with shade and water. These areas can give you a reprieve from the heat without forcing you indoors on a sunny day.
