Leave the car and the cares behind as you find fun in (or out of) the sun

By Tricia White | Managing Editor

01 | Make a splash
Some days, nothing less than a refreshing swim will do. If a 1,000-gallon dump bucket doesn’t cool you down, nothing will. Hawaiian Falls Garland has got one, plus a lot more: a lazy river, a fortress with rope ladders and a giant water slide. Get to 12 acres of summertime fun by taking Bus Route 566 from Downtown Garland Station.

Heights Family Aquatic Center in Richardson is also DARTable. Slides, splash features and a tot pool are all a short ride on Bus Route 361 from Arapaho Center Station.

02 | Soak up the cinema  
There’s no better retreat from the heat than a darkened movie theater. The region’s latest Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Las Colinas is near Irving Convention Center Station on the Orange Line. Located in the Toyota Music Factory, it features great sightlines and sound and even a second-story lounge with a patio.

There is also the Angelika Film Center & Café in Dallas. Located along DART’s Red, Orange and Blue lines at Mockingbird Station, this stylish venue features independent and specialty films in state-of-the-art theaters.

03 | Sip ice-cold brews and cool craft cocktails
Summer makes you thirsty. Baylor University Medical Center Station, serving Deep Ellum, puts you in walking distance of lots of refreshing options. You can’t go wrong at a place called the Cold Beer Company, where the beer is ice-cold, the atmosphere is chill and a great patio beckons.

Bankhead Brewing, located a block from Downtown Rowlett Station, is the perfect spot for craft beer enthusiasts. The brewpub offers numerous house-made selections and serves delicious food from wood-burning ovens.

Addison Circle is a good bet for craft cocktails. Union Park offers creations like the “Crown Berry Crisp” and “Croc Berry Cosmo” that’ll cool you down in a jiffy. Numerous bus routes to Addison Transit Center serve the area.