Washington, D.C.’s climate may not exactly be paradise when it comes to the warmer months, we’re all painfully familiar with how the humidity and heat can seem inescapable at times… but this past weekend it truly felt unbearable, and that’s not coming from us!
We saw your comments on our post about the Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle over the weekend and honestly couldn’t have agreed more.
Well, we know after this past weekend, where it was so hot that the metro literally needed to reduce its speed and near-decade-long temperature records were shattered, you probably deserve to know a few ways to cool off.
How to cool off for free around Washington, D.C. this Summer
There are always a few options to beat the heat in the capital, but unfortunately, not all of them are very well known, especially the ways to cool off that don’t involve paying for an expensive private membership or jetting off in your car to a beach or waterpark hours from the city.
Fortunately, here are a few options you can use to cool yourself down on a hot day in D.C. for free:
Take advantage of the D.C. cooling centers
Whenever the heat in D.C. gets to 95 degrees or above the local government enacts what they refer to as their “Heat Emergency Plan”, which means that cooling centers around the city become activated and are free to access!
These cooling centers include both public spray parks and public pools – both of which can be located throughout the city.
Naturally, during heatwaves, such as the ones we experienced this past weekend, there will be a lot of people hoping to take advantage of this, so expect crowds and pack light if you’re planning to go.
Go to one of the cooling centers in Prince George’s County
If you are on the border between D.C. and Prince George’s or if you just happen to reside in this area of Maryland just outside D.C., then knowing the location of the cooling centers here might be lifesaving knowledge!
During periods of extreme heat, just like this past weekend, the county converts places like the rec center or the local ice rink into free-to-access cooling centers aimed at helping mitigate the serious health risks associated with the prolonged heat.
Budget-friendly ways to cool off around D.C. this Summer
Head to Beaver Dam Swimming Club in Cockeysville, Maryland
Okay, while this one isn’t exactly right in the heart of town and it’s not completely free (for the whole family), it still is a really great deal if you want to have a full day on the water!
Beaver Dam Swimming Club is only about 90 minutes from D.C. and is just $30 per person ages 12+, $20 for kids ages 2-11, and free for children under 2 years of age on the weekends.
The manmade quarry has a depth of 40 ft and the two pools on-site go up to 5 ft deep, giving a great venue to enjoy a day on the water for swimmers of all skill levels. There is also a rope swing, sand volleyball courts, and a picnic area for casual cookouts and lunches.
Go to Greenbrier State Park in Maryland
While again, not technically right inside the city nor completely free, we wouldn’t feel right if we didn’t mention this as one of the most underrated places in the greater D.C. area to cool off if you can get there!
Greenbrier State Park is one of the closest state parks to D.C. with a designated and monitored swimming area, lifeguards are on duty between 11 am and 6 pm – beyond that swimming is permitted at your own risk as long as the swim ropes are in place.
Day-long access to the state park is just $3 per person during the Summer months during the week and $5 per person during weekends or holidays.
The trick here is that capacity gets met fairly quickly during Summer weekends, so be sure you get there early if you don’t want to be turned away!