Hot Florida days, cool things to do: Snow rooms, natural springs & indoor fun
.jpg "These Florida escapes offer a cooler kind of summer fun.")
The words “cool” and Florida don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand in summer. No sweat, though — instead of locking yourself indoors with the air conditioning blasting, we’ve found some seriously chill ways to have fun in the heat of summer. Sure, you could duck into a museum or wander a mall, but these ideas are a whole lot cooler.
Camp Out In A Snow Room
It’s rare that it snows in Florida, but at the newly reopened Pier Sixty-Six hotel in Fort Lauderdale, it’s a daily occurrence. Slip on a robe (or wear your bathing suit) and step inside the snow room at Zenova Spa & Wellness to cool off and reap the benefits of anti-inflammatory cold therapy.
The room covered in white snow is kept at a frigid 10 to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, which honestly feels amazing after being in the Florida heat. And you can always warm up in the sauna or steam room. Kick back on one of the seats wrapped in faux animal fur (it feels like you’re in Norway or Finland) and let the cold temperatures do their job. Don’t miss their “Authentic Florida” spa treatment, which will remind you that you’re still in the Sunshine State.
Ice Skate Miami-Beach Style
Another Florida hotel with a cool perk is The Miami Beach EDITION in South Beach. Echoing Miami’s pulsing nightlife, guests can head to the Basement on the hotel’s bottom floor and glide around the 2,000-square-foot indoor ice rink to the beats of a DJ and a colorful light show.
Look for special skate nights like “Ladies On Ice” on Thursday nights, when women skate free before 10 p.m. — or “Sip and Skate Sundays,” where everyone can skate free from 9 to 11 p.m. if they buy a drink. There’s also a bowling alley with the same clubby vibes.
Shop Florida Glam And Paint A Sand Dollar
So, you’ve made candles, splashed your version of a sunset on a canvas at a paint-and-sip party, but have you ever painted a sand dollar? In Anna Maria Island on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Shiny Fish Emporium is an oh-so-Florida store that will make you happy the moment you walk in and spot all of the whimsical items for sale.
The store has been curated with a beach-glam mix of art, fashion, children’s toys, gifts and more — things you won’t find anywhere else. One of the best reasons to visit the boutique on a hot or rainy day is the chance to paint a sand dollar for $20. They supply the blank sand dollar, the paint and a protective smock, and you’ll sit at a large table and get to work creating your shell souvenir. It’s so relaxing, and it’s one of the most popular activities for mom-daughter and friends’ groups on the island.
Thrill and Chill Adventures
Outdoor adventures in Florida, well, they’re sweaty in the heat of August. At the indoor Xtreme Action Park in Fort Lauderdale, you’ll find an air-conditioned playground for both kids and adults. At this monstrous adventure center — it’s 200,000 square feet — you can zip around on go-karts, traverse a ropes course, bounce and flip at a trampoline park, and roller skate. Families and groups of friends can test their wits in the escape rooms or laser tag.
Take A Dip In A Florida Spring
The heroes of summer? Florida’s natural springs with year-round refreshing temperatures, hovering around 72 degrees Fahrenheit, that are sprinkled throughout the northern and central parts of the state. At Weeki Wachee Springs, where parkgoers have been wowed by the famous mermaid shows since the 1940s, you can shoot down thrilling slides into the natural springs of Buccaneer Bay or float down the lazy river.
Some of the best springs for tubing are Ichetucknee Springs near Gainesville, a popular spot for college kids and locals, and Rock Springs Run, a blue-green spring in central Florida where you can rent tubes at nearby Rock Springs Bar & Grill.
Splash And Slide At Water Park Wonders
A host of Florida resorts have bragging rights to onsite lazy rivers, like The Boca Raton and The Ritz-Carlton Naples Tiburon, and some hotels go the extra mile with their own water parks. One of the best water parks in Florida is Tidal Cove Waterpark at the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura, which caters to both kids and adults with a lazy river, a bevy of slides, private cabanas built for hiding from the sun, and the new Surf House lounge with epic views of the water park.
If you want fun without the sun, Great Wolf Lodge in Naples is home to a mammoth indoor water park that’s free with every stay. It has everything from a wave pool to a lazy river and slides, and even obstacle courses.
Parents love the resort for its spacious rooms and perks like microwaves on each floor (late-night mac and cheese for the win!) and so many evening activities that your kids will never complain that they’re bored. Best tip: Arrive early to enjoy the water park before your room is ready, and even stay late after checking out.
This story was originally published August 6, 2025 at 3:08 PM.
