For millions of Americans, this has been a summer of blistering temperatures and stifling heat domes.
July was the hottest month on record in the contiguous United States, according to federal data. Northern portions of the country were engulfed by a dangerous mix of heat and smoke from Canadian wildfires, turning lakeside vacations into nightmares. Altogether, heat, fires, smoke and storms have taken a brutal financial toll on businesses and households.
As Labor Day weekend approaches, you might be looking for somewhere, anywhere, to truly cool off. Here are six beaches around the country where crisp, refreshing — but not freezing — water will help you beat the heat.
Water Temperature: high 60s
Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho
Lake Pend Oreille’s crystalline water reflects the gentle curves of the northern Rocky Mountains in Idaho’s panhandle. Shaped long ago by ice age glaciers, it’s the state’s largest and deepest lake.
The area features natural beauty and history in equal measure. An hour’s drive from Spokane, Wash., the 4,000-acre Farragut State Park, at the lake’s southern tip, is the former site of a major U.S. Navy training base during World War II.
Take a meandering walk along Shoreline Trail, leading to a rocky beach where you can dive into the lake’s clear, blue water. Entry is $7 for vehicles with Idaho plates and $14 for those with out-of-state plates.
For a mix of shops, restaurants, playgrounds and beaches, visit City Beach Park in downtown Sandpoint, on the northwest side of the lake. Here, a grassy park abuts the sandy beach, with spectacular mountain views and a quirky mini Statue of Liberty at the park’s southern tip.
Water Temperature: about 70 degrees
Moosehead Lake, Maine
Tucked into the Maine Highlands, Moosehead Lake is the largest body of water that is entirely within New England. About three hours from Portland, the island-dotted lake is surrounded by vast wilderness, and as the name suggests, visitors have a good chance of spotting a moose.
Lily Bay State Park in Beaver Cove offers family-friendly fun with a playground, wheelchair-accessible restrooms and wonderful vistas from its pebble beach. Entrance for out-of-state visitors is $6 for adults and $1 for children.
For more of an excursion, take a ferry shuttle for $15 round trip from the village of Rockwood to bask in the sun at Pebble Beach or tee off at the Mt. Kineo Golf Course. Both are accessible only by boat and sit beside the towering cliff of Mount Kineo, which rises from the deepest part of the lake. The shuttle runs once an hour in September; the final trip back is at 4:45 p.m.
After a long day of play, take in the stars over the lake, which is near AMC Maine Woods International Dark Sky Park, one of just a few such parks on the East Coast.
Water Temperature: mid-70s
Tawas Point State Park, Michigan
The self-proclaimed Cape Cod of the Midwest, Tawas Point State Park, in northern Michigan, is a thin peninsula on Lake Huron that offers views of sunrise and sunset.
Tawas Bay is nestled into the western side of the sand spit, and to the east, Lake Huron expands out toward Canada. Take a brisk dip in the park’s buoyed swim area on the lake side. Electronic Trackchairs are available for wheelchair users at no cost on a first-come-first-served basis.
If you prefer the bay — and to avoid the park’s $12 entry fee for out-of-state vehicles — go for a swim instead at Shoreline Park in Tawas City. From both parks, visitors can reach the Alabaster Pathway and Tawas Bay Bike Path, which curve along Lake Huron as part of Michigan’s 2,000-mile Iron Belle Trail, the longest state-designated trail in the United States.
Water Temperature: low 70s
Fanning Springs State Park, Florida
Along the Suwannee River in northern Florida, centuries-old live oak trees surround the crystal clear water of Fanning Springs State Park. At 73 degrees year-round, the spring is a perfect place to cool off on a hot summer’s day and to avoid the crowds at the state’s more popular spots, like Ginnie Springs and Devil’s Den.
If you’re lucky, you might spot a manatee. Bathrooms are available, along with pavilions for picnics overlooking the spring. A walk along the park’s boardwalk takes visitors through a cypress swamp, which teems with birds like red-shouldered hawks, pileated woodpeckers and barred owls. Entry is $6 per vehicle.
The spring-fed Suwannee River is home to at least 62 species of freshwater fish. Fanning Springs is a great central location for kayakers, who can paddle seven miles downriver to Manatee Springs State Park. There are more than 300 documented springs in the area, one of the highest such concentrations in the United States.
Water Temperature: mid-to-upper 70s
Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware
At the confluence of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean, sloping dunes lead to flat sand beaches dotted with large World War II-era spotting towers at Cape Henlopen State Park.
The park has eight trails, some of which are wheelchair-accessible and pet-friendly. Beach wheelchairs are available from 8 a.m. until sunset from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Visitors can also borrow a free bike at the Seaside Nature Center. While you’re there, meet native sea life at the center’s 500-gallon touch tank. R.V. and tent camping are also available for around $50 per night.
Along six miles of beach, lifeguards are stationed at two designated swimming areas between Memorial Day and Labor Day. A bathhouse with showers, changing rooms and food concessions is available at the northern beach. Entry to the park costs $10 for vehicles with Delaware plates and $20 for vehicles with out-of-state plates.
For views, climb a dune at the Point, a stretch of beach where the bay meets the ocean. Or you can summit one of the World War II observation towers for a 360-degree panorama.
Water Temperature: lower 70s
Crystal Cove State Park, California
Miles of sandy beaches, tide pools and wooded canyons in Crystal Cove State Park offer a gentle escape from the suburban sprawl of Orange County on California’s southern coast.
Outdoor activities abound in this nearly 3,000-acre park. To the east of the Pacific Coast Highway, hiking trails provide sweeping views of rolling mountains and the ocean below. An offshore marine conservation area adjoins the park’s three miles of beach, where visitors can swim, surf and scuba dive. But use caution, as high surf and rip currents are common.
Coastal cottages, originally built in the 1930s and ’40s, cling to seaside slopes in the park’s historic district, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. About half are available for overnight stays for around $300 per night. One restored beachfront cottage is home to Beachcomber, a cafe where diners can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner with ocean views.
Entry is $15 per vehicle and $20 for peak season, holidays and weekends. Public restrooms and showers are available throughout the park. All-terrain beach wheelchairs are available on a first-come-first-served basis near the Historic District Visitor Center and at the base of Moro Canyon. Two trails in the park are accessible with these wheelchairs.
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