Memphis is one hot city and is absolutely full of ways to cool down.  Whether you want to dive in a pool, splash around in a fountain, or cool off with a great big decadent ice cream Sunday you can get your cool on here:

Check out the rooftop pool at downtown’s Comfort Inn (100 N. Front Street, 901-526-0583,  ). From the street, you’d never know it, but this hotel is home to the most panoramic swimming pool in the city. First, you’ll need to check into a room, of course, so slap down your credit card (rooms are typically $139.99-149.99), then make your way to the ninth floor. There, a watery oasis awaits you – 30,000 gallons of the blue stuff, in a palatial pool that measures approximately 20 by 40 feet. Plop down in one of the dozen chaise lounges set up on the gleaming deck, or dive right in and practice your backstroke. Just be sure to keep your eyes open and appreciate the view.

Get wet in the fountains and water sprays at Peabody Park (2135 Higbee Ave, at Cooper Street). Midtown moms in the know bring their kids to Peabody Park for ice-cold playtime. Just look for the whimsical space-themed sculptures (created by local metalsmith Yvonne Bobo under the aegis of the UrbanArt Commission), which guide visitors to the perfect spot for cooling off. Peabody Park access is free, and running through the water spray is fun for all ages.

Take in Mud Island River Park (125 N. Front Street, 901-576-7241, ). Learn a little bit of geography as you cool off in Mud Island’s River Walk, a 5-block long replica of the lower Mississippi. Older visitors will appreciate the natural history lesson, while youngsters will love wading from Cairo, Illinois all the way to New Orleans. Admission to the park is free – or, for $2, you can rent a pedal boat and spend 30 minutes cruising around the park’s 1-acre, 1.3 million gallon replica of the Gulf of Mexico. For more adventurous sorts, harbor canoe or kayak rentals are $20 an hour.

Treat yourself to an old-fashioned frozen dessert at Wiles-Smith Drug Store (1635 Union Avenue, 901-278-6416) or Sweden Kream (1472 National, 901-454-5882). Both of these places are considered local institutions, for good reason: Made-to-order icy concoctions that have delighted generations of Memphians for nearly 50 years. At Midtown’s Wiles-Smith, you can’t go wrong with the Joe’s Special ($4.25), the thickest, richest, most gooey shake you can suck through a straw. Over at Sweden Kream, which is located in an older neighborhood on the north side of town, go for the Hot Fudge Cake ($3), a scoop of soft-serve vanilla that’s been sandwiched between two slices of chocolate cake, then coated in fudge sauce and whipped cream.

Cool down with a cocktail. I recommend the Pimm’s Cup ($6), which is served with a slice of cucumber, at Cooper Young’s Beauty Shop Restaurant (966 S. Cooper Street, 901-272-7111); the highly addictive CosmoPama ($13), which bartenders at Binghampton hang-out the Cove (2559 Broad, 901-730-0719) makes with Stoli vodka and pomegranate liqueur;  or anything mixologist David Parks of downtown’s Inn at Hunt Phelan (533 Beale Street, 901-525-8225) can shake and stir on the hotel’s shade-drenched veranda, which was originally built in 1824.

For the coldest drink of them all, just stroll right down Beale Street and straight into Wet Willies for a variety of frozen concoctions (209 Beale Street, 901-578-5650).  Try the mojito or strawberry daiquiri for starters or if you are really feeling up for a night of Memphis nightlife, go for Call-A-Cab…and you might need to after drinking this.