Throughout Charlotte, records are breaking from the tremendous heat wave rushing into the triple digits. You’ve seen all the screen shots of weather forecasts and record temperatures on social media. For many within the area, escaping the heat is a top priority. We’ve come up with a list of our favorite activities and places to go to beat the heat as well as some local shelters offering heat relief.

Here are some great areas to have some fun and get out of the heat wave!

Spend a few hours indulging in a new movie: Visit your local movie theater and check out the latest movie reviews!

Stay cool in a public pool: Beat the increasing temperatures by diving into your communities local or neighborhood pools.

Make a splash at Ray’s Splash Planet: A one-of-a-kind, indoor water park! Enjoy refreshing waves of water while staying out of the sun. Learn more about Ray’s Splash Planet here.

Visit Great Wolf Lodge’s Indoor water park and other entertainment: Check out Great Wolf Lodge’s thrilling indoor water park with water slides and fun for all ages! Water park passes are included if you want to enjoy a night at Great Wolf Lodge. Check out their other summer activities here.

Play in Boomerang Bay at Carowinds: Even though this water park isn’t indoors, Boomerang Bay at Carowinds offers Cabana rentals to beat the heat as well as an array of different cooling activities. Leisurely enjoy floating down the river, or enjoy plunging water slides. Boomerang Bay offers activities for all ages.

Visit Charlotte’s NASCAR Hall of Fame: There’s something for everyone at the Nascar Hall of Fame! They offer more than 50 hands-on exhibits, video interactive touch screens and games, thousands of authentic artifacts and more! Learn more here.

Take a cool, rafting trip at the U.S. National White Water Center: If you’re feeling adventurous try one of the different water sports available at the U.S. National White Water Center. Their facility offers canoeing, white water rafting, paddle boarding and more. All keeping you cool! Find out more here.

Discovery Place: See an imax movie, or play in a natural world at this one of a kind, hands on learning facility. For children, there is also Discovery Place Kids located in Huntersville, NC. For more information on events and activities taking place click here.

Bounce Sky High: One of Charlotte’s best kept secrets is located in Pineville! Bounce off the walls at the coolest air-conditioned trampoline super center. Visit sky high at 601 N Polk, Pineville, NC 28134 or online here.

Shelters:

For many in the Charlotte and surrounding areas, finding a cool, free place to relax and escape the heat wave is a priority. Many local shelters are offering cooling stations, providing those in the community with a snack, cool drink, and cool place to rest. Find a local shelter near you:

Note: Some of these shelters have not released their hours of operation for this week yet, please check online to verify.

Disaster Relief Red Cross: This cooling station is operated by Mecklenburg County and the American Red Cross, located at 618 North College Street, Charlotte NC.

The Salvation Army’s Center of Hope is located at 534 Spratt Street in Charlotte.

The Salvation Army Office located at 119 S. Charlotte Avenue in Rock Hill.

ROC Community Center located in downtown Rock Hill at 119 East White Street.

Kings Mountain Fire Station number 1 is located at 106 Spruce Street
Kings Mountain, NC 28086