While San Diego may boast 78 degrees and sunny most of the year, the summer can bring sweltering heat that sends temperatures into the 100s in some parts of the county.

In order to keep San Diegans cool during these hot summer months, the San Diego County Department of Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) opens up sites called “cool zones” — free air-conditioned sites where people can gather to beat the heat together.

Where to Escape the Heat in San Diego County

The county’s CoolZones include the county’s 33 branch libraries, community centers and other locations. Below is a full list.

You can also view the list here.

The city of San Diego also designated certain recreation centers, libraries and other public buildings for San Diegans to cool off. See below for a full list:

LocationAddressPhoneRecreation CentersAzalea Recreation Center2596 Violet Street619-235-1162Balboa Park Activity Center2145 Park Blvd.858-581-7100Canyonside Recreation Center12350 Black Mountain Road858-538-8131Kearny Mesa Recreation Center3170 Armstrong Street858-573-1387Montgomery Waller Recreation Center3020 Coronado Ave.619-424-0466Mountain View Community Center641 S. Boundary Street619-527-3417Nobel Recreation Center8810 Judicial Drive858-552-1626Pacific Beach Recreation Center1405 Diamond Street858-581-9927Rancho Bernardo-Glassman Recreation Center18448 West Bernardo Drive858-538-8129San Carlos Recreation Center6445 Lake Badin Ave.619-527-3443LibrariesAllied Gardens/Benjamin Library5188 Zion Ave.619-533-3970Balboa Library4255 Mt. Abernathy Ave.858-573-1390Carmel Mountain Ranch Library12095 World Trade Drive858-538-8181Carmel Valley Library3919 Townsgate Drive858-552-1668Central Library330 Park Blvd.619-236-5800City Heights/Weingart Library3795 Fairmount Ave.619-641-6100Clairemont Library2920 Burgener Blvd.858-581-9935College-Rolando Library6600 Montezuma Road619-533-3902Kensington-Normal Heights Library4121 Adams Ave.619-533-3974La Jolla/Riford Library7555 Draper Ave.858-552-1657Linda Vista Library2160 Ulric Street858-573-1399Logan Heights Library567 S. 28th Street619-533-3968Mira Mesa Library8405 New Salem Street858-538-8165Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library215 W. Washington Street619-692-4910Mission Valley Library2123 Fenton Parkway858-573-5007Mountain View/Beckwourth Library721 San Pasqual Street619-527-3404North Clairemont Library4616 Clairemont Drive858-581-9931North Park Library3795 31st Street619-533-3972North University Community Library8820 Judicial Drive858-581-9637Oak Park Library2802 54th Street619-527-3406Ocean Beach Library4801 Santa Monica Ave.619-531-1532Otay Mesa-Nestor Library3003 Coronado Ave.619-424-0474Pacific Beach/Taylor Library4275 Cass Street858-581-9934Pacific Highlands Ranch Library12911 Pacific Place858-523-7052Paradise Hills Library5922 Rancho Hills Drive619-527-3461Point Loma/Hervey Library3701 Voltaire Street619-531-1539Rancho Bernardo Library17110 Bernardo Center Drive858-538-8163Rancho Peñasquitos Library13330 Salmon River Road858-538-8159San Carlos Library7265 Jackson Drive619-527-3430San Ysidro Library4235 Beyer Blvd.619-424-0475Scripps Miramar Ranch Library10301 Scripps Lake Drive858-538-8158Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Library9005 Aero Drive858-573-1396Skyline Hills Library7900 Paradise Valley Road619-527-3485Tierrasanta Library4985 La Cuenta Drive858-573-1384University Community Library4155 Governor Drive858-552-1655University Heights Library4193 Park Blvd.619-692-4912Valencia Park/Malcolm X Library5148 Market Street619-527-3405

How to Stay Cool on Hot Days

If you can’t make it to a cool zone, HHSA has other tips for people, particularly older adults, to stay cool on hot days. The agency recommends:

Avoiding physical activity during the day and pacing yourself. Instead, plan your exercise between 4 and 7 a.m., typically the coolest part of the day.

Staying indoors as much as possible. The coolest floors are the lowest floors. Keep your shades and blinds closed as much as possible with your windows slightly open.

Taking a cold shower.

Wearing lightweight, light-colored and loose clothes.

Never leaving children or pets inside vehicles, even with the windows cracked.

Drinking more fluids than usual. Water is best and alcohol or caffeine can make the heat’s effects worse

Courtesy: The San Diego National Weather Service

Find many more tips here.

Am I Experiencing Heat Illness?

Signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion include: extremely high body temperature (103 degrees or higher), dizziness, nausea, confusion, and headache.

If you know someone exhibiting these symptoms, call 911 and try to cool down the person by moving them to the shade, spraying them with cool water, or fanning them. You should not give the person any fluids to drink.

Be sure to check on those over 65, infants and children, and those with disabilities or chronic medical conditions at times of high heat; these groups are more vulnerable to heat stress, the county says.