Keep Your Cool

Beat the Heat - Stay Cool and Safe in Seattle Southside

While Pacific Northwest weather is usually mild, sometimes the heat can sneak up on you! Here are our tips on how to stay cool and comfortable even when the temperature is high.

Because our temperatures tend to stay away from the extremes, many homes and businesses in the area do not have air conditioning. This can leave locals and visitors alike sweating it out while they wonder where they can go to cool off. Thankfully, there are plenty of spots where you can go to chill out.

Get to a Cooling Center

Chill Out with Cold Treats

Be Safe in the Sun

Get to a Cooling Center

Staying in a climate-controlled space may be your best bet for safety when it's hot out, especially if your home does not have air conditioning. Cooling Centers are public spaces designated for people to cool off by King County Public Health, and are activated whenever there is a dangerous heat wave. While the exact shelters can vary based on the heat wave, there are a few standouts in the area that are always available.

Westfield Southcenter Mall is air-conditioned and is a designated cooling space during operating hours. Plus, there’s lots of fun shopping, places to eat, and things to do in the mall to keep you entertained. Most libraries in the King County Library System are air-conditioned and available as cooling centers, if you’d like a more educational diversion while you cool off.

In need of more stimulation while you stay cool? While it isn't free, the Museum of Flight is air-conditioned and a great place to learn about the history of the aerospace industry. Going to the movies is another great way to pass the time while staying in air-conditioned comfort.

King County Health has a hot weather preparedness page that will update with information on additional cooling centers as needed.

Chill Out with Cold Treats

There's nothing like cooling off with a sweet, cold treat when it's hot out. Thankfully there are tons of scweet, icy treats in the area to satisfy your sweet tooth and get you some relief from the heat. Kakigori Dessert Cafe, for example, elevates their Korean-style shaved ice (called bingsoo) to a whole other Instagrammable level with their flavors and decorations, like cute (and fully edible!) frozen animals that top their treats. And if you'd rather get something warm, dessert waffles are also on offer topped with all kinds of deliciousness. At SomiSomi, a rotating menu of soft serve flavors are served up in a fish-shaped waffle cone (called ah-boong in Korean), or in a cup if you want to skip the cone. And if you want something a bit warmer, their taiyaki (fish-shaped waffles) come filled with sweet fillings (like custard, red bean or nutella) or cheese if you want something savory.

Want something a bit more south of the border? Sweet D'licias in Des Moines specializes in nieves de garrafa, a Mexican sorbet, and raspados, or shaved ice. Whether you go with the expected, like strawberry, or the more exotic tamarind flavor, you'll be cooled off and refreshed. Hooyo's Ice Cream and Cafe has an incredible strawberry cheesecake flavor that'll blow your mind. Plus, you can get ice-cream topped waffles, brownies, and more. And there's more filling fare, like chicken and waffles, on the menu if you have room for dinner after your dessert!

Halo halo is a many-layered dessert from the Philippines that features ice cream, shaved ice, fruit jelly, pudding, and other toppings to make a cool, sweet, textural sensation, and there are a few different places in Seattle Southside you can go to enjoy this Pinoy delight. Max's Restaurant serves their halo halo along with their Filipino classics like sisig, crispy pata, and of course their famous fried chicken at their full service restaurant. For a quick-service experience in Westfield Southcenter Mall, Jollibee's halo halo and fried chicken offerings are a delight, but expect to wait in line - this location is always popular, since it's one of only two locations of the popular Filipino chain in the state of Washington! ChowKing Chinese, also in the mall, has their own halo halo if you're not up for the wait at Jollibee's. Spice Bridge Global Food Hall has rotating options with different restaurants serving out of their space in Tukwila, and when Jolorene's Kitchen is serving, they serve up a halo halo that they call "Mahalo-halo" (Mahalo is hawaiian for "thank you").

Fun for kids of all ages at the Angle Lake Spray Park

Be Safe in the Sun

If you wish to cool off while enjoying the sunshine – and who can blame you! – there’s lots of options around Seattle Southside, but make sure to take the proper precautions. Drink plenty of water, stay in the shade when you can, and don’t forget the sunscreen! Check out our guide to beaches in the Seattle area to find a beach that’s the right fit for your family. There’s also the option of going to a splash park, such as the splash park at Angle Lake or the Tukwila Splash & Spray Park. Angle Lake also has a sizable swimming area, with a free life vest loaner program available to help keep swimmers, especially children, safe this summer.

No matter where you’re going to beat the heat, be sure to keep an eye on yourself and your loved ones for signs of heat exhaustion, which can include dizziness, headache, muscle cramps, and nausea. If you see these symptoms, move the person having them to a cooler spot, have them sip a cool beverage, and make sure they’re resting with their feet up. Also watch for signs of potentially deadly heat stroke, which can come on if heat exhaustion is not treated quickly. These include a fever above 103, reddened and dry skin, rapid pulse, nausea, and confusion or unconsciousness. If someone shows these symptoms, call 911 and move them to a cooler location right away. Learn more about these signs and what to do if you see them on the King County Public Health website.

Be safe and stay as cool as you can out there!