4 Ways to Stay Cool in the Hudson Valley

In case you haven't heard yet, it's hot. Like crazy hot. Heatwave hot. Here are some ideas for how to manage.

1. Take a Dip in the Hudson

I've gotta say, I've lived here for almost 30 years and I've never taken a swim in the Hudson. I'm not being disingenuous by advocating that you do something I've never done, because I know people that do and have done so. I mean, my grandpa has told me endless stories of the days of yore when he used the Hudson as his very own swimming pool. Then again, we hadn't yet fully understood or witnessed the environmental effects of industrialization to the degree that we have today, so his Hudson was probably a different color than it is now. But hey, we've had a lot of people working hard to clean up the Hudson. Pete Seeger always seemed like a trustworthy guy, so it's probably fine. Let me know.

2. Visit a Lake

That lake above? Looks pretty beautiful right? That's because it is! And it's located in the Hudson Valley! And right now I'm using an excessive amount of exclamation points and I'm not entirely sure why and I'm even annoying myself!

Anyway, we have tons of lakes around; they are one of the most popular features of the Hudson Valley summer, after all. You could head over to Greenwood Lake, you could hit up Belleayre, or just check out this comprehensive list.

I'm going to be honest: the lake pictured above is Lake Minnewaska and I have no clue whether or not you're allowed to swim there. But, y'know, it's gorgeous. And it's in the Hudson Valley. So if you try to swim there and get viciously tackled by Park Rangers, well, don't come running to me. You should've read the signs, dude. Due diligence.

3. Stay Inside With Air Conditioning

In case I haven't made it abundantly clear, what with my lack of Hudson River swimming experience and my lack of knowledge about whether or not one can actually swim at Lake Minnewaska, this one is my method of choice. I mean, swimming pools are cool. Beaches are nice. Lakes are okay. But you're probably not going to get sunburned or attacked by a shark in your living room. Plus there are snacks. If I have to advocate the benefits of sitting indoors with the A/C on to you, if you're not already convinced, you probably never will be, so let's move on to the final idea.

4. Do This Stupid Prank

Okay, so this one is more of a warning than it is something I actually recommend you do. But I figure if you start pranking people with ice, they'll probably return the favor, so you'll never have to worry about cooling yourself down again. Or something. Okay, look, I just wanted to share a video of a guy on the internet dumping ice on people. Sue me.

Well, there you have it. Stay cool out there, stay hydrated and stay inside where it's safe explore the beautiful Hudson Valley. It's been waiting for you. Great, now I'm going to get a cease-and-desist from Taylor Swift's attorneys.