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Cooling Off in Bryan /College Station
By DEBBIE PETERSON

It’s July and it’s hot in Bryan/College Station. What can you do with your family to cool off? Fortunately, this area offers lots of fun opportunities to stay cool through the hot summer days.

Swimming
You’ve probably already been hitting the pool to stay cool. But you may not realize how many different pools are available in Bryan and College Station and the wide variety of activities they offer. The Bryan Aquatic Center has an Olympic sized heated pool as well as a diving well, kiddie pool, and 175-foot water slide. Regular admission is $2.00, but season passes and discount passes are available. On August 1, Family Night, admission is only $1.00 from 8:30-10:30 pm. On Teen Nights July 11 and August 8, admission is $5.00 from 8:30-10:30 pm and includes pizza and music.

College Station’s Adamson Lagoon Pool has water slides, water basketball, and floating features. Regular admission is $5.00, and season passes and discount cards can be purchased. On Family Nights July 17, 24, 31 and August 7 the admission is $2.50 from 7:30-9:30 pm. July 12 is 2 CAN Swim day, which means that those who bring 2 cans of food to donate can swim for free. July 13, Parents Appreciation Day, will allow parents to swim for free. July 16, Honor Roll day, means that students who can show all A’s and B’s on their report card can swim for free. Other special events planned are Christmas in July on July 19 with costumed lifeguards and gifts, Beach Ball Blast on July 26 with beach balls everywhere in the pool, and Double Dip Day on July 9 with Blue Bell ice cream.

For younger kids, College Station’s Southwood Hallaran pool is built with a sloping, beach-like entrance into the water along with spraying fountains and a smaller water slide. Admission is $2.50 but kids under three are free. On August 2, the Sizzling Southwood Summerfest will have games and fun contests for kids.

Arctic Wolf Ice Center
You can stay out of the sun and really cool off at Arctic Wolf Ice Center. In fact, you’ll need long pants and a jacket to be comfortable when you step on the ice. Check the web site or call to get the center’s public skating hours for each day. It costs $7.00 to skate and $3.00 to rent the skates. But on Sundays, a family can skate for less, $30.00 for four family members with $5.00 for each additional member from 12:00-2:00 pm or 3:30-5:30 pm.

Grand Station Entertainment
Another fun indoor area is the newly renovated Grand Station. Located on Earl Rudder Freeway just past the mall, Grand Station has 40 lanes of bowling, laser tag, glow-in-the-dark mini golf, an arcade gallery, sports bar, and food court. Bowling starts at $3.25 a game Monday-Friday before 6:00 pm with $2.70 shoe rental. Check the web site or call for evening and weekend prices. Laser tag and mini golf cost $4.00 per game Monday-Friday before 6:00pm and Sundays after 6pm, and $6.00 a game on evenings and weekends.

Frozen Treats
After a fun day swimming, skating, or bowling, cool off with an icy treat. J. J.’s Snowcones on Carter Creek in Bryan across from Sul Ross Elementary School is a long time local favorite. For the amount of change you can probably dig out of the cushions in your couch, you can enjoy hundreds of flavors from the usual to the who-knows-what-it-might-be. Or try a scoop or two from another place with great flavor names, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream at Fountain Plaza on University Drive. After getting your ice cream, sit outside the store to catch the evening breezes and a great view of the fountain.

Who’s feeling the heat? Not those who know about all the great activities to cool off with in Bryan/College Station.