When the temperatures climb, you and your family will want to find places to stay cool in the Mason, OH, area. Whether you want to cool off at a splash pad, soar high in the sky in a balloon, or spend time reading in the library, here are six places to stay cool this summer.

Gentle Breeze Hot Air Balloon Rides

Image by Erin Kohlenberg is licensed with CC BY 2.0

Even though riding in a hot air balloon may not sound like a great way to cool off, it actually is. When you book a ride with Gentle Breeze Hot Air Balloon Rides, you’ll rise into the air, feel the cool breeze on your face, and enjoy stunning views of the Mason area from high above.

The team at Gentle Breeze Hot Air Balloon Rides takes safety seriously, and all the pilots are licensed and FAA-rated. In addition, this hot air balloon company uses a pilot examiner and is commercially rated and insured. You can choose from a sunrise or sunset ride with a shared, standard, or private balloon ride. Once the pilot lands the hot air balloon, enjoy a celebratory glass of sparkling wine or cider with a souvenir cup for you to keep.

Location: 2460 Greentree Road Hangar 8J at the Warren County Airport in Lebanon.

Contact: 513-932-9007.

Mason Municipal Aquatic Center

Everyone in the family, from athletic swimmers to toddlers wanting to cool off, can find something water-related to do at the beautiful Mason Municipal Aquatic Center. Swimmers will appreciate the enclosed 50-meter inside pool which is home to the Mason Manta Rays USA Swimming Gold Medal Club. When these athletes aren’t practicing, the pool is open to Mason Community Center Premier members and non-members year-round.

During the summer, the aquatic center opens the outdoor leisure pool area for the family to enjoy. This area has a 203,000-gallon heated pool with a double flume slide, lazy river, and an interactive splash pad the youngsters will love to play in. After playing in the pool, you can relax on the chaise lounges spread around the pool area and under shaded structures. You’ll also find an on-site concession stand so you can fuel up on snacks and beverages.

Location: 6249 Mason Montgomery Road in Mason.

Contact: 513-229-8555.

Painting With a Twist

Bring out your inner artist when you spend the day at Painting With a Twist. The staff here offers select kids painting classes for youngsters as young as 7 as well as several classes for people 13 and older. As you begin to paint, the instructors guide you through the painting process with step-by-step instructions. When you reserve a space during public events, you and other participants will recreate the painting shown on the website’s calendar.

Or, you can join the Pop-In and Paint classes offered Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. where you can paint any topic you want. The team at Painting With a Twist will supply paints, brushes, canvases, and instructions for your painting experience at these pop-up classes. 

Location: 6196 Tylersville Road in Mason.

Contact: 513-229-7700.

Kings Island

With so many activities offered at Kings Island, you’ll want to come to this amusement park often to cool off. Kings Island rates their rides and activities by thrill level so you can decide how much excitement your kids can handle. Rides include adrenaline-pumping roller coasters, water-filled boat rides, fast aerial gliders, and several levels of water slides and tubes. Of course, you’ll want to spend plenty of time at Soak City Water Park at Kings Island, which is open during the summer months.

Bigger kids can splash around In Breaker’s Bay and all kids can play in the 18-inch deep Castaway Pool. Grab a tube and head down the lazy river pool called Splash River, take a raft down the Zoom Flume, or relax in the Lookout Lagoon. Once you work up an appetite, grab some food at the various concession stands offering dishes ranging from pizza to sweet treats.

Location: 6300 Kings Island Drive in Kings Island.

Contact: 513-754-5700.

Cincy Sammie’s

There’s no better way to beat the heat than eating ice cream. You’ll find an extensive menu of frozen treats such as ice cream sandwiches, sundaes, floats, and more when you stop by Cincy Sammie’s. You can customize your ice cream sandwich by choosing a cookie, ice cream flavor, and toppings, or indulge in one of Cincy Sammie’s specialty treats.

For example, the Charlie has two chocolate chip cookies, chocolate ice cream, peanut butter drizzle, and crushed peanuts. Make your day colorful by choosing the Gotcha Day ice cream sandwich made with two confetti cookies filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with delightful rainbow sprinkles.

Location: 119 Reading Road in Mason.

Contact: 513-307-3314.

Mason Public Library

Spending a few hours inside the Mason Public Library is a wonderful way to cool off in the summer. The staff at the Mason Public Library is broken into sections for kids, teens, and adults, so it’s easy for everyone to find something to read. Once the family has their books, find a quiet place to settle in, and then spend some time engrossed in the book.

You can also bring your mobile device and hook up to the library’s free Wi-Fi to view your favorite websites. A free library card is all you need to access the services provided by the Mason Public Library. After your library session, why not stop for a meal at any of these restaurants that serve ethnic food in the Mason area.

Location: 200 Reading Road in Mason.

Contact: 513-398-2711.

Our team at Crème de la Crème of Deerfield Township hopes this list we compiled will give you ideas on how to stay cool this summer. Do you have a recommendation for other interesting places to cool off in our area? If you have a suggestion, let us know and we can share your information with others in our local community.