If you overhear someone discussing '96, they very likely could be reminiscing about choker necklaces, and "Jerry Maguire," and babydoll dresses, and the Rachel haircut, and other popular trends from two decades back.
But if people are discussing 96, as in degrees, as in Fahrenheit, you can almost bet their next statement will involve locating the nearest swimming pool, or some other frostier spot that will keep overheating at bay.
Summer is arriving in Southern California over the last weekend of spring 2016, and how. And while temps will indeed hit the upper 90s, and beyond, on Father's Day, you yourself can keep it cooler at spots close by, or a few hours away. Make for...
A POOL: There are dozens of local swimming holes -- 38 seasonal, and 16 that go all year -- to choose from, and all are overseen by The City of Los Angeles, Recreation and Parks Department, Aquatics Division. Plan on a small fee to get in -- $3.50 for adults, a buck for youths under age 17 (and seniors, too) -- and take a dip. Find your splashy outing in Wilmington, Van Nuys, Reseda, Pacific Palisades... Check out all the options here.
A RINK: Are there ice cubes in your freezer? Holding one to your forehead can bring a needed chill on a roasty afternoon, but so can seeking out a lot of ice, the sort of ice that is blade-ready and made for winter-style skating. You can rent skates and glide at Iceland in Van Nuys or Pickwick in Burbank, even in June. And, yes, even on a 100-degree day, a knit cap at the rink, or even mittens, is perfectly acceptable fashion. Just be sure to remove both before heading back outside into the blast o' sunshine.
A MOUNTAIN: Okay, truth time. When it is warmish down in the lower elevations, even mountain visitors have to rock the shorts. But you're guaranteed to go down in degrees, at least a bit, by heading up, up, up. Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead have, well, cooling lakes (spoiler alert), and Palm Springs has its famous tram, which whisks riders up to an alpine setting nearly 6,000 feet above the valley. As for Mammoth Mountain? They're still skiing at the Sierra spot, through the Fourth of July.
Yep, there's snow, just five hours from Southern California, so ponder that refreshing image as you dab another bead of sweat from your nape.
