Last modified: Thursday, July 5, 2007 2:08 PM EDT 10 cool ways to beat the heat BY DANA R. LAVERTY / CORRESPONDENT Another Fourth of July has passed, and the rest of the summer stands stretched out before us languidly like a warm stretch of shoreline. But when the mercury soars and the big H's - heat, haze and humidity - hit, all you want to do is head somewhere cool and/or extremely well air-conditioned. So we've searched the area for the coolest (pun definitely intended) things to do this summer. The only criteria were that the activities had to be 1) cool (fun-quotient wise) and 2) cool (temperature-wise). So they all take place either indoors with copious amounts of air conditioning, or at night when the temperature dips to more comfortable levels. Enjoy your summerand stay cool. Ice & roller skating rinks Yep, you read correctly. Ice skating. In the summer. The only thing cooler than that is the sweet price - $5 per skating session at Norfolk Arena. You can lace up Monday-Friday from 9-10:50 a.m. and 1-2:50 p.m. If it's some boogie nights you're after, United Skates of America is an old-school roller rink with modern day appeal. Open skating sessions are held daily during the summer. Norfolk Arena, 1 Dean St., Norfolk. 508-520-9200 or http://norfolkarena.com. United Skates of America, 75 New Road, East Providence, RI. 401-438-9898 or www.unitedskatesri.com. WaterFire OK, so "fire" may not exactly invoke images of frosty cool temps, but WaterFire is cool the way hot jazz is cool. When the sun goes down, the crackling bonfires, heady smoke and ethereal music mingle, conjuring up pure magic. Free dancing and live jazz only add to the enchantment. The next lightings take place July 14 and July 28. For more information, visit www.waterfire.org Swim classes Perhaps you never learned to swim, or have a tot who takes to the water like Nemo. The Hockomock YMCA offers swim classes year-round for babies, toddlers, teenagers and adults. Its second summer session begins July 30, and classes are offered at its North Attleboro and Franklin locations. It's always cool in the pool, baby. For more information and schedules, call 508-695-7001 or visit www.hockymca.org. Cape Cod Baseball League Spending some time on the Cape this summer? Why not take in a baseball game after the beach instead of just heading back to your rental to watch "American Idol" reruns. The Cape Cod Baseball League has nine teams that play almost every night - for free. Thousands of major leaguers have spent a summer on the Cape before making it big, including Jason Varitek, Carlton Fisk and Nomar Garciaparra. For game schedules and locations, go to www.capecodbaseball.org. Fantasyland in Seekonk Feelin' like Tiger? Then try your luck at Fantasyland's two miniature golf courses. Or crash into your opponents in the bumper cars and bumper boats. Inside the cavernous building you'll find tons of kids' rides, video games and a kid-friendly snack bar. 1300 Fall River Ave (Route 6), Seekonk. Call ahead for hours: 508-336-6262. Bowling When's the last time you picked up a bowling ball? If it's been a while, perhaps it's time for a visit. Local lanes now have jazzed up weekend bowling, with strobe lights, pulsating music and fog machines adding to the atmosphere. At North Bowl Lanes, the music is so loud they recommend that babies and toddlers stay at home. Earplugs, anyone? North Bowl Lanes, 71 East Washington St., North Attleboro, 508-695-9333 or www.northbowllanes.com. Factory tours Nothing says summer like salty goodness mixed in with some hops and milk fat. Yum! See a batch of Cape Cod potato chips made the old-fashioned way, or witness how the folks at Sam Adams craft their quality brews. If you're really in the mood for a road trip, venture on up to Waterbury, Vermont to see how Ben & Jerry's churns out its ice cream. (Pssstall three tours feature free samples. Yum.) Cape Cod chip factory, 100 Breed's Hill Road, Hyannis. For tour schedules, visit www.capecodchips.com. Sam Adams Brewery, 30 Germania St., Boston. For schedules, call 617-368-5080 or visit www.samueladams.com. Ben & Jerry's, Route 100, Waterbury, Vermont. www.benjerry.com. CoCo Key Water Resort Located inside the Sheraton Ferncroft Resort in Danvers, this brand new 65,000 square foot park has water slides, a wave pool, a river tube ride and a giant bucket that splashes park-goers every few minutes. Heck, you can even watch a movie while floating in the water. The park is open seven days a week. Tickets must be purchased in groups of four; children younger than 2 get in free. CoCo Key Water Resort at the Sheraton Ferncroft Resort, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers. 978-777-2500 or www.cocokeyresort.com. Children's museums We've got three for you to explore: The Boston Children's Museum recently opened after a $47 million expansion and renovation project, and some of the new exhibits include a light-up dance floor, children's stage and a three-story climbing wall. At the Children's Museum in Easton, kids can climb a fire pole, explore the outdoor learning center or play dress up, while the Providence Children's Museum will keep kids enthralled with its water play area, children's garden and giant set of teeth (plus gigantic toothbrush). Boston Children's Museum, 300 Congress St., Boston. 617-426-8855 or www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org. The Children's Museum in Easton, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton. 508-230-3789 or www.childrensmuseumineaston.org. Providence Children's Museum, 100 South St., Providence. 401-273-KIDS or www.childrenmuseum.org. Movies There was a reason your mother always told you to bring a sweater to the movies - theaters are wonderfully chilly! Local Showcase Cinemas can keep you cool and get your kids to read this summer with its Bookworm Wednesdays program. All the kiddos have to do is turn in a book report and they get in to a children's movie for nothing. "Charlotte's Web," "The Ant Bully" and "Flushed Away" are some of this summer's offerings. The program runs every Wednesday at 10 a.m. through Aug. 15 at the Showcase Cinemas in North Attleboro. Showcase Cinemas North Attleboro, 640 South Washington St. 508-643-3900.