???Melbourne is going to be hot and let's face it, complaining takes too much energy.
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Here are a few of our favourite spots to chill out while the weather's hot.
The beach
Take the umbrella, the esky, breakfast, lunch and tea and make a whole day out of it. You can find Melbourne's cleanest beaches here. Remove the stress completely and retreat to Sandridge beach, where we've been informed parking is free. It's also close to the 109 tram stop, so you can load your stuff onto public transport and snooze all the way from Box Hill.
The beach. Photo: Wayne Taylor
The pool
Same story. Bring enough accessories to last the whole day then follow this process: dip, dry, eat, laze, repeat. Harold Holt Swim Centre is open on Saturdays from 6am (ie: before the heat) until 7pm (when hopefully the heat's gone).
The pool. Photo: Simon O'Dwyer
The ice
Miss the winter? When everything is melting outside, put your ice skates on at O'Brien Group Arena in Docklands. Skating virgin? There are free lessons.
When the weather's hot, the kids need water. As any parent will attest, most tantrums can be solved with a bit of water play. The Royal Park Nature Playground in Parkville has hand pumps, water sprays and channels to direct the water to the nearby sandpit. What more does a tot need?
The ice cream
It's cold, it's sweet. When the weather gets hot, ice cream will make things better. Of course, there's a zillion shops around the city but why not just join the crowds at the maker of the moment, Gelato Messina. Outlets in Fitzroy, Windsor and Richmond. And now (joy!) home delivery.
Crowds at the Melbourne original on Smith Street. Photo: Chris Hopkins
The counterintuitive solution
It sounds wrong, but chilli is your friend on hot days. A spicy meal actually cools you down by increasing your blood circulation. Test your tolerance at Dainty Sichuan in South Yarra.
Dainty Sichuan.
Live and learn
Soak up the air-conditioning at one of our city's great museums or galleries. The NGV is currently showcasing 100 artists as part of its first Triennial of contemporary international art that has enough art to keep you captivated for the whole day.
Josh runs through the work of skulls by Australian artist Ron Mueck. Photo: Jason South
Go shopping
Big enough for a decent stroll, varied enough to occupy the whole family/day, Melbourne's shopping centres will be an air-conditioned oases on hot days. Pick one with a decent food court for breakfast, lunch and tea and possibly a cinema to pass a few hours.
The Emporium. Photo: Paul Jeffers
Stay hydrated
The hot-weather dilemma: it's too hot to carry anything yet you need all this pesky water just to get through the day. Here's a map of drinking fountains in the Melbourne CBD so you don't get caught short.
Pull up a shady spot
Grab a good book (preferably set somewhere cold), find a nice tree and make the most of sitting still. Take an esky to keep the drinks cold and settle in.
