Cool ideas to beat the summer heat in Columbia

What do you do when the heat index tops 100 degrees in Columbia? Find some indoor activities that are fun for you and the kids.

We've compiled a list of no-sweat options for waiting out summer weather.

• One of the best ways to beat the heat is to retreat to a cool, dark room. Why not catch a matinee at a local theater? Regal's Summer Movie Express features $1 family movies (rated G and PG) at 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Aug. 15. A portion of the proceeds go to the Will Rogers Institute to promote medical research.

All three Regal locations in Columbia are participating, with selections that include "Despicable Me 2," "Ferdinand," and "The Secret Life of Pets."

• Jump around at an indoor trampoline park. The Midlands now has Plex HiWire locations in Irmo and the Village of Sandhill and Adrenaline Trampoline Park and Entertainment Center on Garners Ferry. The entire family can work off all that pent-up energy bouncing off the walls.

• Speaking of inside sports, bowling is a classic way to spend an afternoon inside. AMF Lanes has two locations in the Columbia area — 1732 Bush River Road and 900 Axtell Drive in Cayce; Anchor Lanes is in Irmo; JC's Lexington Bowl is at 5380 Augusta Road in Lexington; andRoyal Z Lanes at Spring Valley in the Northeast. For adults, there's The Grand on Main Street.

• Get cultured or take a class at EdVenture or the Columbia Museum of Art. There are make-it-and-take-it craft activities and cooking classes at EdVenture and a host of summer workshops that will unleash your inner artist at the Museum of Art.

• Just want a cold treat? Check out some of Columbia's unique spots for chilly treats: Zesto's for soft-serve ice cream; Sweet Cream Company on Main Street for unique flavors (honey lemon ginger sorbet!); Baked Bear in Five Points for custom ice cream sandwiches; Scoopy Doo Gelato Shop in Five Points for lighter sweets (and they offer a kids' summer camp beginning in July).; check out one of the Pelican's SnoBalls locations for chill treats; or track down aTriple Scoop ice cream truck, you can even request a neighborhood drive-thru.

This story was originally published June 19, 2018 at 2:25 PM with the headline "Cool ideas to beat the summer heat in Columbia."