To put it mildly, it’s going to be warm this weekend, very warm. With the 4th of July landing on a Tuesday this year, for many folks, that makes this a strange 3-ish or 4-ish day weekend, or maybe you took the whole week off and will stop keeping track of which day it is. 

It will be in the mid-80s Saturday and Sunday, but by Monday, it will be in the mid-90s and expected to reach close to triple digits on Tuesday. So how can you celebrate your love for America without hiding indoors? Well, you can get out and drive to cooler weather, for starters. Nothing is more American than traveling to places you don’t live. 

If you head east to Hood River, you’ll likely get a nice breeze, but the temperature overall may not be any more forgiving. It will be just about the same weather outside, but it could feel better with the wind off the river. 

If you stop a bit short of Hood River and hike Multnomah Falls, make sure you bring more than a straw to drink from the falls. It’s going to be very warm, likely still crowded, since it’s not exactly a hidden landmark, and the switchbacks going up the trail can be exhausting even on cooler days. But once you reach the falls, the wind and moisture in the air may be just as rewarding as walking into a fully cooled room. 

But there’s nothing unAmerican about spending time indoors, and nothing is better than hiding out in a movie theater during a heat wave. Harrison Ford is back as Indiana Jones in the latest, and apparently final Indiana Jones movie, the Dial of Destiny, and Michael Keaton is finally getting his long-awaited third Batman movie (aka The Flash). Once upon a time, these two dudes played two of the coolest characters in movie history, and here they are in their early 70s (Keaton) and 80s (Ford), getting at least one last chance to go out in movie theater glory. If you haven’t seen either, I don’t know which one you should pick to start, but you’ve been waiting longer to see Keaton play Batman again, and it hasn’t been that long since Ford was last playing his second most famous character. So if you have to choose one, go with Keaton, but if you need to pick one to see first in a double feature, you really can’t miss. 

And if you definitely want to get outside, you can pack the cooler and the swimming costumes and buckets and spades (shout out to all the parents that know those phrases from their little ones picking them up along with British accents watching Peppa Pig) and head to the coast. Astoria is actually going to be warmer than usual and doesn’t have a traditional beach to hang out on, but the town is really neat, and the breeze off the river is glorious. 

South of Astoria, it will be tough to find a town on the Oregon coast with highs above 68 in the next several days. Seaside, the high temperature is 62, 64, 68, and 74. Tillamook will be 72, 70, 73, and 80. Lincoln City will be 59, 61, 64, and 68. Newport will be 62, 61, 62, and 66. And if you head down to Coos Bay, you will still need to bring a hoodie as their highs will be 67, 65, 67, and 69.

If you head to Mount Hood for just some fresh mountain air or maybe even a little camping, you’re bound to be greeted by cooler temperatures. Zig Zag will be 75, 81, 83, and 90, warm for the mountain but still cooler than the city. Timothy Lake will feature temperatures of 78, 83, 84, and 88. Trillium Lake will be noticeably cooler at 67, 73, 75, and 82.  

Whether you stay in town or hit the road, remember that the 4th is on a Tuesday, so you’ll need to make sure to make time to get your family home and settled at a reasonable hour if you have work to do Wednesday morning. Sunset will be around 930pm, so even if fireworks start right away, you’re likely not getting home until ten at the earliest and asleep by maybe 11 if you’re lucky. Pre-order your coffee to go at your favorite coffee shop, or give yourself enough time to order it in person and take a few gulps before heading to your place of business. 

Whatever you choose to do, here’s hoping you have a happy, safe, and cool 4th of July.