10 Ways to Beat the Heat in Plano

In the next month or so, the weather outside will be downright frightful – in an extremely hot, why-did-I-ever-move-to-Texas kinda way. When temperatures begin rising, everyone starts to lose their cool. How can anyone be positive with sweat dripping down the back, hair frizzing up and scorching cars to get into every day? When the weather is hotter than Channing Tatum’s abs, beat the heat by visiting one of these refreshing spots in Plano. Your body – and sanity – will thank you.

Jack Carter Pool

Jack Carter Pool // photo courtesy City of Plano

Dive off a cliff into a nice, invigorating pool this summer at Jack Carter Pool. This family-friendly waterpark debuted in Plano last summer to packed crowds daily. It features a dual rider tube slide, a body slide, a lazy river, a leisure pool, a deep-water pool, wet deck areas, a toddler area and a surfing simulator.

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Plano Aquatic Center

Plano Aquatic Center // photo courtesy of Instagram User @rebadoll

Avoid sunburns by swimming indoors at the Plano Aquatic Center, where you will find a lap pool with diving boards, and a leisurely swimming pool with a shallow section for young kids. Or take the kids outside to play in the splash ground. They will love running around and getting soaked by fountains and sprayers.

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Tom Meuhlenbeck Center

Tom Muehlenbeck Center // photo courtesy City of Plano

Work out or relax in one of the pools at the Tom Meuhlenbeck Center. Inside is an eight-lane lap pool and family pool with a lazy river, water slide and children’s play area. Outside, enjoy a large family pool with a volleyball net and seating around a fountain, a shallow pool with a splash pad for kids, multiple water slides and shaded seating areas.

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The Texas Pool

The Texas Pool // photo Jennifer Shertzer

Looking for some Texas-sized fun? Jump into the Texas Pool, a 168,000-gallon saltwater pool shaped like the Lone Star State. Swim across Texas and enjoy the diving board, two water slides and an island with a shallow wading area for kids. Folks can also enjoy a picnic lunch or a game of water or beach volleyball. This is the coolest Texas has ever been!

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FlowRider at Aqua Shop

FlowRider at Aqua Shop // photo courtesy Jennifer Shertzer

Shop for a new swimsuit at the Aqua Shop and test it before leaving the store! A FlowRider indoor surfing simulator produces endless volumes of water inside a big glass enclosure. Ride the waves lying down or standing up on a FlowBoard. The mix of air conditioning and water sports is a surefire way to stay cool this season.

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Bahama Buck’s

Bahama Buck’s frozen treats // photo courtesy Bahama Buck’s

A tropical experience awaits you at Bahama Buck’s, whose shaved ice creations are called Sno and come in 91 original gourmet flavors. Start with any favorite – like bubblegum, muffin, Princess, Tutti Frutti, cherry coke or sugar cookie – then add a delicious topping like ice cream, sprinkles, sour sand, chocolate crème, sour patch and more. Bahama Buck’s also offers the rare treat of Sno 2 Throw, snowballs you can take home for a refreshing snowball fight in the middle of summer (available in packs of 24 or 60).

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Sugar Mountain

Sugar Mountain // photo courtesy Sugar Mountain

Indulging in frozen sugar is one of the best ways to stay cool. Sugar Mountain does not disappoint, as it offers more than 40 flavors of shaved ice, smoothies, snowshakes and rotating sweets. Try an unusual shaved ice flavor like cherry cheesecake, cinnamon, love potion, mango margarita, pickle juice, red velvet, river water and vampire venom. Your precious puppy pal can cool off too with Sugar Mountain’s banana peanut butter Frosty Dog shaved ice in a bowl!

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TC Shaved Ice

TC Shaved Ice

TC Shaved Ice may be just a small hut in a parking lot, but its original recipes will have folks coming back all summer. Family owned for more than 25 years, this shaved ice company serves more than 30 flavors of shaved ice, gourmet ice cream and fruit cocktails. Try the Knockout, a treat that includes one’s choice of flavored shaved ice stuffed between homemade ice cream.

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Dr Pepper Starcenter

Dr Pepper Starcenter // photo courtesy Dr Pepper Starcenter

Train for the next Winter Olympics – or just enjoy the really cold temperatures – at Dr Pepper Starcenter. This arena offers two full-size ice rinks where adults and children can skate during daily public skate times, or sign up for hockey and ice-skating lessons. Not exactly Wayne Gretzsky? No biggie. Book a party to play Broomball (sans skates) on the ice.

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32 Degrees Rooftop Ice Bar

32 Degrees Rooftop Bar at Urban Crust // photo courtesy Urban Crust

Make your way up to the third floor of Urban Crust to cool off at the 32 Degrees Rooftop Ice Bar. Named after the constant 32-degree temperature of the draft beers, this icy bar (literally, a strip of ice sits in the bar) keeps drinks and customers from getting hot. Liquor taps containing Patron, Fireball and Craft on Draft Moscow Mule kept at -5 degrees are also available. It’s a cool end to every adult’s summer day.

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