It’s an official heat wave. Southborough Emergency Management has announced that the Town will be opening a Cooling Center to make life a little more comfortable for those who need it.
Cordaville Hall (a.k.a. The Senior Center) at 9 Cordaville Road will be open to all ages – from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm today (Monday, July 2nd) and tomorrow (Tuesday, July 3rd). Visitors are asked to enter via the front door and check in with Senior Center staff.
It seems like a good time to remind folks of other options for where to go in our area if you’re looking to cool off. (Indoors that is. For a look at places to swim, check out that post here.)
Here are some other options worth looking into. As always, I’d also love readers to share their tips in the comments.
Libraries
The Southborough Public Library is open weekdays. In high heat, it can be a little warmer than usual – but certainly better than outdoors. Find a comfy chair and a good book to curl up with. The “Teen Space” is a good area for young adults to hang out. And the Children’s Room offers lots of summer reading activities for kids. (Hours are 10-5 on Monday and Friday, 10-9 Tues-Thurs.)
On Saturdays, other area libraries are open. Northborough, Marlborough, Westborough and Hudson are all on the same library card system as Southborough. So you can check materials out their and return them in Southborough (or vice versa). (Framingham and Ashland are also open, but they’re not on the same lending system.)
Of course, all of these will be closed on July 4th.
Indoor Play for kids/teens
- Free play spaces: the Natick Mall, the Solomon Pond Mall, and McDonald’s (Rte 9 Westborough and Rte 20 Marlborough)
- $1 matinees – Solomon Pond Mall’s summer deal is back for 10 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this summer. (This week, they’re offering The Lego Movie and Alvin and the Chipmunks. I’ll post the full schedule later this week.)
- Playtown Express: the popular indoor play space in town is great place for babes through very young school kids. They are open 9:00 am – 2:00 pm most weekdays (but not the 4th).
- The new Apex Entertainment Center in Marlborough seems to have something for everyone – ropes course, bowling, arcade, laser tag, Bumper cars, go karts, sports simulators, arcade, and shared facilities with Altitude Trampoline Park, MindTrek VR virtual reality gaming, and Breakout escape rooms (that one must be pre-booked)
- Sky Zone trampoline park in Westborough is great for older kids, teens and even adults. (You can even get in some exercise while watching kids play there!)
- Other Arcades: LazerCraze in Westborough, Fun & Games in Framingham, and Tilt Studio at Solomon Pond Mall
- Roller Kingdom in Hudson
- Other Bowling: Sawyers Bowladrome in Northborough, AMF in Shrewsbury and Pins in Milford
Creative Arts (for all ages – for a fee)
- Expressions Art Bar in Southborough has painting events, classes, and occasional “open studio” events
- Painting pottery: PYOP Studio in Northborough, Clay Time in Shrewsbury, Plaster Fun Time in Framingham
Indoor outings
If you are looking for something a little out of your ordinary routine, there are also area museums.
Click here for museum passes offered by the Southborough Public Library.
Now – where do you like to cool off in this weather? Post your favorite places below.
(I’m especially curious if anyone knows of drop in or one-day-at-a-time gymnastics options for toddlers and preschoolers. The options I shared in past years don’t seem to be around anymore.)
(photo from Flickr by Furniture San Antonio)
