Five Ways to Beat the Blazing Heat in Burnsville

During the hottest summer days in Minnesota, sometimes you just need a place to stay cool.

Here are five ways to beat the heat this summer in the Mendota Heights area and still have some fun. Have an idea to share? Where will you be going to cool off? Tell us in the comments!

• Coffee shops and pampering destinations make a great pair. Pick up a cool iced coffee or juice and head down the street to getting a massage, pedicure or haircut. Refreshing!
• Of course, the beach at Crystal Lake is a given if you want to swim. But if you love the water but want to stay out of the sun, check out Burnsville YMCA, which has pool.

• Take a shady walk along the Minnesota River in Fort Snelling State Park or breeze down the . 

•  Dakota County Public Libraries offer shade, quiet places to read and air conditioning. Events this week include duct tape crafts at Wescott and a history lesson about Maude Hart Lovelace in South St. Paul. 

• Take a lazy walk through , or emerge from your air-conditioned hideaway in the evening to check out a Sunday night theater performance at the Theater in the Woods amphitheater. 

Be sure to nominate the  and  for a Readers' Choice award, and upload your photos of staying cool to our neighborhood gallery.