When it’s hot in the city, cool your heels with these temp-lowering indulgences, from a rooftop pool to a tequila snow cone.
Someday the world will invent an adult ice cream truck. Until then, blow your allowance on these spiked ice shavings in tropical flavors like pineapple and watermelon.
Papagayo, 283 Summer Street, Fort Point (617-423-1000 or papagayoboston.com).
Lost Saturdays begin and end here. Hit the subterranean, sail-shaded patio for a dozen bivalves and the Cuvee Cat gruner veltliner, created especially for the restaurant.
B&G Oysters, 550 Tremont Street, South End (617-423-0550 or bandgoysters.com).
Nostalgia is a dish best served cold. Beacon Hill’s go-to frozen yogurt spot also scoops the region’s renowned yet elusive warm-weather pleasure — the only place in town to do so.
Boyo, 175 Cambridge Street, Beacon Hill (617-227-2696 or boyofroyo.com).
The vital escapist elements: a lounge chair, an outdoor bar, and a chlorine-filled body of water. Add a panoramic urban sunset and you have the ne plus ultra of city rooftop oases, open to the public during the week.
The Colonnade Hotel, 120 Huntington Avenue, Back Bay (617-424-7000 or colonnadehotel.com).
The city’s multigenerational wading pool lets you wiggle your toes amid throngs of squealing preschoolers (who are never cuter than at this time of year).
The Boston Common Frog Pond, Tremont Street, at Boylston Street, Boston Common (617-635-2120 or bostonfrogpond.com).
Drink in the salt-tinged breezes while sipping afternoon cocktails on the second-floor wraparound, overlooking the Boston Harbor. Once you’ve lowered your body temp, head downstairs to (air-conditioned) Louis and get your sartorial heart racing.
Sam’s, 60 Northern Avenue, Fort Point (617-295-0191 or samsatlouis.com).
Forgo the North End’s sweaty throngs for a sedate takeaway scoop at this Beacon Hill mainstay — the pondside benches at the Public Gardens beckon.
Caffe Bella Vita, 30 Charles Street, Beacon Hill (617-720-4505).
Soul of a sailor, tacking skills of a plumber. No matter: The crew at Come Sail Away Now captains you around the harbor in a 31-foot sloop. You take the wine and cheese and they take care of the rest.
Come Sail Away Now, Pier 6 and Eighth Street, Charlestown (617-828-9005 or comesailawaynow.com).
Susan Cabana’s juice bar also blends extravagant dairy-free health cocktails from ingredients like strawberries, almond butter, coconut water, cashews, and hemp.
Nourish Your Soul, 17 Playstead Road, West Medford (888-995-8423 or nourishyoursoul.com).
Suburban angst is no match for this South Beach-by-way-of-Newton respite, open to the public daily. Alternate Stormy Coladas (Gosling’s, pineapple, ginger beer) with siestas in your luxury cabana.
Bokx 109 American Prime, Hotel Indigo, 399 Grove Street, Newton Highlands (617-454-3399 or newtonbokx.com).
Hop the Rockport Commuter Rail to Manchester-by-the-Sea’s serene beauty and end the day with a soft-serve from Captain Dusty’s. On weekends, you can even take your bike via the train’s Bike Coach.
Singing Beach, 119 Beach Street, Manchester (978-526-7276 or manchester.ma.us).
They bring all the boys and girls to the yard. Go whole hog with Toscanini’s ice cream or scale it back with fro yo and skim milk. Sign up for an email and get the occasional free shake.
To find locations, go to bgood.com.
Leave Codzilla to the tourists and feel the need for speed on your own terms. After some basic safety tips, tool around the harbor in a twee F-13 at speeds of up to 30 mph.
India Wharf Marina, Central Wharf, Waterfront (617-725-0900 or bostonminispeedboats.com).
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