Back to Student StoriesWhere to Go When It’s Hot
Four Tips for Keeping Cool
Tucson weather is the gift that keeps on giving. But even Wildcats fresh from the snowbelt want to stay chill through Tucson’s warmest months. Here are four hot tips for cooling down when the mercury rises.
1) Make a splash.
When it comes to a quick cool down, the go-to for many Wildcats is a dip in Campus REC’s outdoor swimming pool: fifteen lanes of heat-beating bliss that’s open year round. You can chill poolside or jump into swim lessons, lifeguard training, competitive water polo, or intramural pool basketball. Plus, throughout the year, there are opportunities to try log rolling, get SCUBA certified, do some slacklining, or attend a "dive-in" movie.
2) Get above it all.
At 9,100 feet in elevation with temperatures 20-30 degrees below Tucson highs, Mt. Lemmon offers a natural way to escape the heat. Its cool breezes, tall pines, spectacular views, pools, and lakes are only a short drive from campus. Wildcats can take their mountain adventuring to new heights by renting camping equipment, canoes, bikes, and more through the university’s Outdoor Recreation Rental Center, and stargazers can top off their trip with a visit to the University’s Mt. Lemmon Sky Center observatory.
3) Explore the great indoors.
There are numerous museums, special collections, galleries, and performing arts theaters on and around campus. And each, along with the Flandrua Planetarium and Biosphere 2 (with its very own tropical rainforest), offers ways to cool off while wondering over the treasures they hold.
The warmer temps outside won’t derail your workout routine either; step inside any one of Campus REC’s three climate-controlled facilities to find state-of-the-art weight rooms, cardio equipment, or basketball, squash, and racquetball courts. And SouthREC’s indoor track means never having to skip a run day because of rain or shine.
4) Go adventuring with some cool new friends.
Sign up for one of Outdoor REC’s amazing guided trips. Single and multi-day group outings include excursions to the Grand Canyon, mountaineering, canoeing, and rock climbing. They even lead a surfing excursion to California. How cool is that?
Do you prefer sunny days to clouds? Look better in flip-flops than UGGs? Want to attend one of the county's top research institutions and the number one producer of Fulbright scholars? Choosing Arizona means never compromising your ambition or your style.