[LIST] Activities That Will Keep You Cool In Eastern Iowa

While we all want to enjoy the last few days of summer, the heat that we're experiencing in Eastern Iowa is making it nearly impossible.

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Don't sweat it! There are quite a few things you can still do to have fun and keep cool right now.

1. Go To A Movie

I am a Marcus Theaters lady myself, and my go to way to spend a day when it's too hot to do anything else is checking out a movie. A trip to the movies has anything you might want on a lazy day in the 90s.

Air conditioning? Check!

Comfortable seats that recline? Another check!

Delicious popcorn to stuff our faces with? SUPER CHECK!

There are some great movies that have just come out including: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Elemental! Find a movie that the whole family can check out!

You can even sign up for their rewards program so you can save some money on future visits to the theater.

College Square Cinema ~ 6301 University Avenue, Cedar Falls

Crossroads Cinema ~ 2450 Crossroads Boulevard, Waterloo

Cedar Rapids Galaxy 16 Cinema ~ 5340 Council Street NE, Cedar Rapids

2. Cool Off At Lost Island Waterpark

One of the best waterparks in the nation is right in our backyard! Spend a day checking out an Iowa island getaway. You can relax in the lazy river or go down some of the park's 11 waterslides!

Lost Island Waterpark was named one of the top three best outdoor waterparks in the country! Just a heads up, the waterpark closes for the season in early September, so make sure you get out there and take advantage of the park while you can!

Go here for more ticketing information.

3. Take A Dip @ The Falls Aquatic Center

Located at 3025 S. Main Street in Cedar Falls, this center will be open until August 20th and will then close for the season. This spot has several different "falls" that will please every single person in the family!

Safari Falls zero-depth entry pool with a maximum depth of 2 feet 6 inches AND an elephant slide! Rock Falls includes the Red Drop Slide which has 50-meter lanes, a full-time lap-swim lane, and a 99-foot-long drop slide.

Then there is Adventure Falls which is for the thrill-seeker in the family because of the 196-foot-long enclosed tube slide and a 176-foot-long raft slide that it has.

4. Check Out A New Restuarant

Summer is a great time for new restaurants to open up for business, so that means it's a great time for you to check out those new eateries.

In Cedar Falls, a new French inspired patisserie opened up right on Main Street! It's called Le Petit: Patisserie and Café which serves up delicious pastries, sandwiches, salads, and soups. They also have smash burgers that I've been dying to try out!

A few minutes away from Cedar Falls is a brand-new restaurant that might seem familiar to you. Starbeck's Smokehouse opened a new Waterloo location earlier this month. It's set up at 250th Westfield Avenue in Waterloo. When I stopped by to check it out, I grabbed the burnt end sandwich to go and it was AMAZING!

 Cedar Rapids is also popping off with some great new restaurants. A new slider spot called Raging Ryno's opened up last month! It is located at 621 Center Point Rd NE. The menu for this new restaurant includes 15 different kinds of sliders and all of them sound delicious!

5. Grab A Cool Beer and Play Some Video Games

One of my favorite spots to just hang out in Eastern Iowa is Double Tap. This is a fun watering hole where you can play classic arcade games and snag yourself a drink. It'll make you nostalgic with its full row of pinball machines.

Double Tap or Tap Tap has two locations in Eastern Iowa. The original is right in Downtown Cedar Falls at 312 Main Street, but last year a second location opened for business in Iowa City. This one is located at 121 E College Street, which is a great spot for the University of Iowa students.

6. Hurl Some Hatchets

If you want to be a bit active but still want to get out of the heat, this could be just the activity for you!

These axe throwing places have been popping up all across the country. There are two great spots for you to check out here in Eastern Iowa and they are both run by the same group; Hurling Hatchets.

You can check out their two locations in Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids or pay them a visit when they bring their mobile trailer to events all throughout Iowa.

100 E 2nd St #101, Cedar Falls

576 Boyson Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

7. Visit the Ice House Museum in Cedar Falls

Doesn't this just already sound nice and cool?

Located at 121 Center Street this museum was used as an icehouse from 1922 until 1934, according to the Cedar Falls Historical Society. Now it serves as a cool place to learn all about Cedar Falls history. It will be open until mid-October.

Admission is $5 and children under the age of twelve get into the museum for free!

8. Go Bowling at Cadillac XBC in Waterloo

Located at 650 Laporte Road in Waterloo you can never really go wrong with bowling! This business also has an arcade, laser tag, and virtual reality games.

9. Hit Some Balls @ The Golf Lab in Cedar Falls

If you were thinking of hitting the green, but the heat is a bit too much don't worry! Grab your clubs and go check out the Golf Lab. This state-of-the-art indoor golf studio with three private simulator bays and a large putting green.

For more information about booking a session at the facility, go check out the Golf Lab's website.

10. Find A Shady Seat @ A Baseball Game

Get yourself a cold beer and a shady seat at a local baseball game. Eastern Iowa is very lucky because we have several teams that we can check out.

The Waterloo Bucks and Cedar Rapids Kernels offer you plenty of options for some local baseball.

11. Add To Your Record Collection

Shopping for some vinyl is always a chill experience! The Cedar Valley is home to some cool independent record stores. Pick yourself up a new favorite record and bring it home to play in your nice, air-conditioned home!

Here are a few spots to check out!

Vinyl Cup Cedar Falls: 205 Main Street

The Dig Inn: 113 Broad Street in Reinbeck

Metro Records: 805 East 18th Street in Cedar Falls

12. See How Fast You Can Escape An Escape Room

Grab a few friends and try to see how fast you can solve these puzzles! There are several Escape Rooms right in Eastern Iowa.

Escapology Escape Rooms Cedar Falls: 2520 Melrose Drive

GoFree Escape Rooms: 208 Collins Rd. NE Suite 206

13. Craft the Day Away

Make sure to make a stop at Hatchlings & Hens and make a craft! This store is already a must visit during a heat wave, but you can also drop by for some serious crafting time.

Located at 109 Main Street in Cedar Falls, no appointment is necessary for you to drop in to their make & take craft studio. They'll supply everything you need for your own personal masterpiece.

For more information on crafting here, make sure to check out their website!

14. Find A New Book to Read

While you CAN drop into any sort of major bookstore chain for your next read; why not support some local shops? One of my favorites is located right inside of the Cob Mercantile at 212 Main Street in Cedar Falls. This market has everything, including a cute little bookstore nook called...The Nook!

It's run by a very sweet young couple that just got married too! They have a very nice variety of popular adult & young adult books. Every single time I make a stop in the Cob Mercantile I always end up just circling the bookshelves for something new to read!

15. Get Cultured @ The Cedar Rapids Art Museum

I finally was able to make a stop to the Cedar Rapids Art Museum located at 410 3rd Ave SE. If you're looking for a fun and affordable adventure, this is it! All this summer, the museum is offering visitors free admission to see the works of art they have displayed.

Fun fact! They have the largest collection of Grant Wood works in the world! That exhibit it a must see at the museum.