Patch Picks: Beating the Heat in SM

After a couple of weeks' worth of deceptively cool temperatures, brace yourself: The next two days are going to be hot.

Wednesday's high is expected to be 87 degrees, followed by a high of 80 degrees on Thursday. The weekend forecast is more merciful, with highs predicted to be 72 degrees on Friday, 66 degrees on Saturday and 67 degrees on Sunday.

Fortunately, Santa Monica has a plethora of options for beating the heat. Below are our top five.

Best Places to Beat the Heat in Santa Monica

• Swimming spots: Head to , of course. Or, if you're worried about catching too many rays, there are other options too: For between $1.25 and $3.25, Santa Monica residents can swim all day at the ; and for between $4 and $10, you can swim at the 's pool from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday only).

• Splash Pads: If you've got young kids and all of the above sound like too much hassle, , and the Annenberg Community Beach House feature Splash Pads, where children can cool each off with stationary water cannons in the summertime.

• Movie theaters: Is your shopping adventure getting a bit too sweaty? Kill some of the daylight hours at one of the multiple movie theaters located nearby: the , the (a.k.a. the AMC 7 Theater), the and . There's also the , but on weekdays, it doesn't show movies during the day.

• Libraries: Regardless of where you are in Santa Monica, there's a library branch nearby—and an air conditioner too. Chill out with a book at the , ,  or .

• Museums: Walking outside is required to venture from one art gallery to the next at , but inside most of them, tall ceilings, cement floors and a dearth of windows keep museum-goers cool. And, like the libraries, there's no fee for admission.

What's your favorite way to beat the heat in Santa Monica? Tell us in the comments box below.

Previous installments of Patch Picks:

• Best Paninis in Santa Monica

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

• Vegan Restaurants

•

•

•

•

•