The Vegas Minute: Survive the Summer in Style

Los Angeles Times

3 days ago

'It's … hot.' – 'It's always hot.' – 'It's incredibly hot.' – 'Why are we here?!' For the uninitiated Vegas traveler, yes, it can be quite warm in the summer (Koppen climate classification Bwh: Hot Desert, if you want to get specific) so expect temps to soar into the high 90s, if not 110s, during your summer stay.
Of course, the city is fully aware of the sunshine and has many ways to cool off: A/C's pumping 24/7, frosty frozen drinks and treats around every corner and, of course, hundreds and hundreds of unique pools to soak in. But if you're getting pruny in the water, what to do? Here are three absolutely unconventional, 'only-in-Vegas' ways to beat the heat!
Unless you're up at 5 a.m., you're not going to get 18 holes of golf in during your stay without some serious sunshine beating down. Instead, try your hand at golf in the miniature at Swingers. Located within Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, this wild take on mini golf features four 'crazy golf' courses, all surrounding a faux English country house. The courses feature familiar miniature golf trappings like windmills, as well as wilder challenges like jumps and loops.
The family-friendly venue also features carnival games, Detroit-style pizza, delicious burgers and a delightful drink menu (and yes, some are frozen!). Best of all, the entire venue falls under the merciful layer of famed Vegas A/C, so you can wile out the heat of the day, having a blast and trying for that elusive hole-in-one.
Of course, it's not just Vegas that is hot during the summer months – we all live within that extended dome of high temps that comprises the American Southwest. So, no matter where you go for a weekend escape, you'll be feeling some perspiration. Why not soar above it all? Flyover in Las Vegas, a unique movie-meets-ride-meets-experience, offers an immersive (and mercifully cool) way to see the splendor of our region.
Hanging over a giant screen, you'll soar and move over stunning scenery from the West, including the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park and Lake Tahoe, all while feeling the mist, the breeze and the ups and downs of your adventure as your seat sways, swoops and caroms over the wraparound visuals. It's as close as you can come to being there, but one thing the designers edited out was the heat!
Wait, what? L.A. has Cinespia. It's a very fun way to see a film outside – and L.A. gets cool at night. Why would you want to watch a movie outside in Las Vegas' summer? What if it's a 'Dive-In Movie'? At the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas' Pool District, fan-favorite movies will be projected on their enormous marquee screen overlooking the Boulevard Pool on Mondays during the summer season. As the sun goes down and the heat backs off a bit, you can settle in with your feet in the pool and a frozen cocktail to catch The Goonies (June 23), Despicable Me (July 7) or even Elf for a little 'Christmas in July' (on the 25th during a special Friday showing and a themed night with special cocktails and bites). You can even get fancy and rent a cabana for the all-ages event, but let's be real here – in the heat of the summer, why wouldn't you take in a fine feature film from the pool itself?