Boston has great ways to enjoy the water and keep cool this season

It’s hot and you just want to cool off and relax in or near the water. But you don’t have to head out of the city to find that oasis – the Hub’s got you covered.

Boston is peppered with amazing spots to cool off and have yourself a water-themed summer day and/or night.

Whether you want to be active, master the lounge chair, embrace your inner kid or celebrate your grown up self, you’ve got options all over. Consider these smack-in-the-city choices.

Water-level fun: You’ve walked or driven along the Charles River and smiled at the rowers, stand up paddle boarders, sailors and others soaring along that calm waterway. Looks like fun?

The Kimpton Marlowe (https://www.hotelmarlowe.com) in Cambridge has just the amenity you need. Check in and you’ve got free access to stand up paddle boards and kayaks (singles and doubles are available) for you to pop into the Charles and take a scenic glide.

The L.L. Bean products are built for easy use and cut well though the river. You’ll glide along (getting a little work out; all the better for post-Charles cocktails and noshing back at the hotel) and take in views of the city you’ve most likely never had before.

Want to capture it for your Insta or just memory? They’ll also lend you a Go Pro and old school Polaroid camera. And should you crave more once you get back to the hotel? Head out again. There’s no limit on your water fun time.

The Kimpton Marlowe is easy to access too, at 25 Edwin H. Land Blvd., it’s just off the O’Brien Highway at the edge of Cambridge, which means you can drive in and park or MBTA it in for an easy escape.

Way up high: A soaring 12 stories up in the heart of Boston you’ll find the city’s only rooftop pool at the Colonnade Hotel (120 Huntington Ave.) (https://www.colonnadehotel.com).

Great news: While it’s open to hotel guests from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., it opens to the public Mondays through Thursdays and on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., with a $50 entry fee.

The Rooftop Pool has cabanas for rent, incredible food and beverage service, and a spot that lets everyone – families, singles, couples, groups – feel right at home.

As the city buzzes below, you’re up above it all, taking dips, sipping drinks and just plain loving a total escape.

There’s a bonus for grown ups who love waterside summer fun: After 5 p.m. the pool goes 21 and up, with a water-based nightclub feel, a perfect spot for a group cool-off evening out.

You can stay over, too, and  take in some other fun things the city has to offer. Fenway is walkable from the hotel, as are many other sights worth seeing. And should it be a hot one, the pool is back at the hotel for your next dip.

Dip into history: If you’re local, there’s a chance you’ve never dipped your toes into Boston’s famed Frog Pond (https://bostonfrogpond.com).

Smack in the heart of Boston Common, America’s oldest public park, the Frog Pond is more than a place to cool off. It’s steeped in history.

Come any time of day to splash in that historic spot of lush green surrounded by a city scape. There’s a carousel to ride, a delight for any age, and on Thursdays they offer free yoga. Stretch and flex and then cool off in the water; sounds like a good afternoon.

You can weave it into a day, as well. Park and walk along the Emerald Necklace green spaces (go to https://www.emeraldnecklace.org to download or print out a map.) See where Revolutionary soldiers had encampments, and reflect on the nation’s history at your feet.

It’s a perfect picnic spot too, and with the Boston Public Market just a quick walk away at 100 Hanover St., you need not even pack one – just pop in, find your favorite Boston-based food and your lunch is ready.