The Tri Cities area turns into a giant oven in July. If your brain’s melting (very much same), consider this your guide to beating the heat without breaking the bank.
The REACH Museum | Mid-Columbia history & science
Just off Columbia Park Trail in Richland, The REACH Museum (Tues–Sat 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m., closed Sun–Mon) is the region’s LEED-certified showcase for Hanford history, shrub-steppe ecology and Native culture. Interactive exhibits include a salmon-river display, Hanford reactor artifacts and rotating galleries, plus seasonal outdoor spaces overlooking the Columbia River.
Admission’s modest, guided tours and special summer workshops add depth, making it a smart pit stop for curious minds or anyone who’d rather learn than fry on a park bench. Discover the Hanford story.
Mid-Columbia Libraries | Free AC and endless programs
With branches in Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Mid-Columbia Libraries deliver air-conditioned havens stocked with books, digital resources, community events and summer reading programs for all ages. Hours vary by branch but generally run 9 a.m.–9 p.m. on weekdays and shorter weekends—check your nearest location for exact times.
From storytimes for toddlers to teen makerspaces and tech workshops for adults, there’s something chill for everyone. Find your local branch.
Franklin County Historical Museum | Century-old stories indoors
Housed in a stunning 1910 brick building in downtown Pasco, the Franklin County Historical Museum (Tue–Sat 10 a.m.–4 p.m.) showcases artifacts from pioneer life, Native artifacts and rotating exhibits that bring regional history to life.
The cool interior galleries are bliss when it’s triple digits outside, and guided tours offer context you won’t get from roadside markers. It’s a low-key cultural pit stop for anyone curious about how this Tri-Cities thing started. Plan your visit here.
Tee Time | Washington’s largest indoor mini golf
Tucked into a former dirt-kart arena on W. Fourth Avenue in Kennewick, Tee Time sprawls across 18,000 square feet of neon-lit putting greens, pool tables, shuffleboard, arcade classics and a full bar. It’s open Sundays noon to 8 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturdays noon to midnight, so whether you’re sneaking in a lunch-break birdie or staging an all-nighter, they’ve got you covered.
Family-friendly by day, slightly more adult-oriented as the sun goes down, the glow-in-the-dark holes and creative course obstacles keep each round feeling fresh. Ready to up your par game and down a slushy? Book your tee time here.
Let’s Glow Mini Golf | Glow-in-the-dark neon fun
If jungle safari meets 1980s roller-rinks sounds like your jam, Let’s Glow slaps an 18-hole tropical course with black-light paint and themed obstacles into a 5,000-square-foot Kennewick storefront near Columbia Center. Operating Mondays through Wednesdays 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays–Saturdays 10 a.m.–10 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m.–8 p.m., it’s the perfect spot for birthday parties, date nights or “hey, it’s hot, let’s glow” moments.
They toss in a mini arcade and a private Partee Room right on the course so you can sip neon slushies and demolish pizza between putts. Feeling adventurous? Plan your glow adventure.
Divots Golf | Virtual golf simulator paradise
In Richland’s North Columbia Center Boulevard corridor, Divots brings high-tech TruGolf simulators, E6 CONNECT software and 100+ global courses under one roof. Winter hours (Sun 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Mon–Thu 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sat 10 a.m.–11 p.m.) let you swing virtual drives to St. Andrews or Pebble Beach while sipping on draft beers or flatbreads from The Club.
Up to six players can share a bay, making it ideal for everything from serious swing analysis to “let’s pretend we’re pros” nights. Fancy a corporate outing or a laid-back night with friends? Reserve your simulator.
Bullseye Lasertag and Axe Throwing | Laser battles & axe-citing lanes
Housed in Richland’s Uptown Shopping Center, Bullseye crams 3,000 square feet of glow-in-the-dark laser tag arena and multiple axe-throwing lanes into one adrenaline-pumping package.
Open daily noon to 10 p.m. (check the online calendar for exact availability), it’s the spot for tactical missions like “Capture the Flag” followed by “Who can stick a hatchet best?” Axe targets are “Axcitement” no-bounce boards, and laser battles track every zap on digital scoreboards.
Birthday parties, team-builders or random Tuesday night: this place doesn’t judge. Gear up for laser action.
Spare Time Lanes & Arcade | Bowling, skee-ball & bar snacks
When your arms need a rest from throwing axes, let ’em loose on 24 automatic-bumper bowling lanes at 711 W. Vineyard Drive in Kennewick. Spare Time Lanes (Tue–Wed noon–10 p.m., Thu–Fri noon–midnight, Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10 p.m.) pairs pizza, burgers and microbrews with an arcade bursting with over 40 games and a colossal prize wall.
Cosmic bowling, league nights, senior and youth programs, plus birthday packages make it a go-to for all-ages fun. Got a group? They’ll handle lane and arcade reservations so you can focus on strikes, spares and sweet potato fries. Roll on over.
Atomic Escape Rooms | Live-action puzzles & VR adventures
Flip the lights on and challenge your brain at 1653 Fowler Street Ste. 2 in Richland, where Atomic Escape Rooms mixes themed escape games (Mon–Fri 1–8 p.m., Sat 12–10 p.m., Sun 12–8 p.m.) with virtual-reality missions in a sleek, industrial space.
Team up to defuse reactors, crack heist codes or survive sci-fi scenarios in 60-minute sessions that test wit, teamwork and your willingness to race the clock. Ideal for date nights, family outings or corporate teambuilding, Atomic even lets you book private party rooms post-game so you can relive your escape glory. Book your mission.
Columbia Basin Racquet Club | Indoor pools & fitness hub
If splish-splash is more your speed, CBRC in Richland (1776 Terminal Drive; Mon–Thu 4–10 p.m., Fri 4–9 p.m., Sat–Sun 7 a.m.–8 p.m.) is the area’s 125,000-square-foot health and racquet sports palace. Membership unlocks two indoor pools (25-meter lap and family splash), Pelican Bay Water Play, sauna, steam room, cardio/weight rooms, group classes and even hot communal spa jets.
Kids clubs, summer camps and pickleball courts fill any downtime, making CBRC a one-stop indoor cool-down for fitness buffs and water-play addicts alike. Dive into membership.
Quake Family Fun Center | All-in-one play paradise
Just off Clearwater Avenue in Kennewick, Quake sprawls across 40,000 sq ft of laser tag arenas, a high-tech golf simulator, a buzzing arcade and a café, plus a dedicated toddler zone so the little ones aren’t elbowed by teens.
Hours run noon–10 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.–midnight on weekends, and you can mix activities with combo passes or pay-as-you-go credits. It’s the kind of place where intergenerational warfare over skee-ball and tag missions is practically encouraged. Check out the family packages.
Dino Discovery | Prehistoric play kingdom
In the heart of Kennewick near Columbia Center, Dino Discovery turns the AC on full blast in a Jurassic-themed indoor playground complete with climbing structures, slides and imaginative fossil-dig stations for younger explorers.
Open daily 10 a.m.–7 p.m., it’s the perfect spot to let littles roar, tumble and excavate without baking in the sun. Think of it as daycare, but with dinosaurs—and no snack time tantrums. Unleash your inner paleontologist.
MAXAIR Trampoline Park | Bounce-off champion
Kennewick’s sole indoor trampoline park on West Canal Drive invites you to dodge, flip and fly with dodgeball courts, foam pits, obstacle courses and open-jump zones. Open Monday–Friday 3 p.m.–9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m., it’s the go-to for kids’ camp days or teen sleepover add-ons.
Stock up on grip socks at the door and prepare to feel like a human bouncy ball (in a good way). Book your bounce session.
Insider tips for staying cool
Go early or late. Many of these spots fill up fast when temperatures climb past triple digits. Aim for mid-morning visits or post-dinner rounds to dodge crowds.
Bring reusable water bottles. Almost every venue has water fills or cafés, so you won’t face those inflated-convenience-store prices.
Check online for specials. Cosmic bowling nights, glow golf happy hours and weekday simulator deals can shave dollars off your outing.
Carpool or rideshare. Parking can be scarce at popular spots like Bullseye or Atomic on weekend afternoons. Splitting the ride also cuts down on sun exposure.
Layer up. It’s fun to escape the heat, but indoor venues can crank AC to Antarctic levels—pack a light hoodie so you’re not shivering by hole eight.
