/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/UWPBLWXOFRD3JPEIURU76W45WA.JPG "Chase Duke, 4, of Orlando, runs through a tidal pool while visiting Clearwater Beach with family on Friday. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times")
Ah, summer in Florida.
It’s supposed to be paradise: the beaches, the sun, the salty air. But it can also get pretty hot.
For seasoned Floridians, there is a clear demarcation between summer and everything else. Some of us can tell it’s coming by the mere amount of sweat we feel dripping down our backs.
Luckily, once summer arrives, we know how to handle it and we want to help you. Here are some of the best pieces of advice rounded up from longtime Florida residents in our newsroom and on, yes, my Facebook page.
1. You have to have a sun shade to cover your car. (But it doesn’t always work out.)
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/KXCXEUJCCZDA5L47LEVEVGHMWI.png "Picture of Reddit post on Tampa subreddit.")
2. Find a nice shady tree to park under—trust us.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GLXNRXGQORFYTG5J6E7IIG2OAY.JPG "Quinn Fischer, 34, relaxes in his hammock after biking a few blocks from his home in the Old Southeast to Lassing Park in St. Petersburg. DIRK SHADD | Times")
3. Always be prepared: a beach towel and a swimsuit in your car are a must.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GBAFAO2NKNGK3CVGJLTFT3N2P4.JPG "Matthew Martinez, 6, of St. Petersburg, plays in pool after the Be Water Smart from the Start graduation for newly-minted swimmers at Northeast High School. (Times 2015)")
4. In the summer, umbrellas, rain jackets and boots are necessary for surprise rainstorms.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ZGSPBG6YRFA5BKGYW54F3C4PX4.JPG "Tampa Bay Rays fans run through the pouring rain into the stadium to watch the game against the Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. ALLIE GOULDING | Times")
5. Never forget your water bottle.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/66QVI6TNLRFDPGQ2F4A3754E3E.JPG "The water bottle for Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. DIRK SHADD | Times (2018)")
6. Bugs can attack when you least expect it! Bring bug spray.
![An Aedes Aegypti mosquito pictured at the Pinellas County Mosquito Control laboratory. [Times (2016)]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//T8pWvIQJPl8GzMxFXMRwj2ZdUfA=/620x0/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/QCY6TVDDFJCVHH3SEHVHSWECBU.JPG "An Aedes Aegypti mosquito pictured at the Pinellas County Mosquito Control laboratory. [Times (2016)]")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/X6J6Q27TTNAGLLLDIFPLNBLL7I.JPG "Spend your days with Hayes")
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Explore all your options7. Don’t touch your seat belt when you first get in the car. Seriously. You’ve been warned.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/3ZUIH6SHY5FSPNRVFLI2I3XIJ4.JPG "Photo Illustration by Jasmina Meyer/Highlands Today")
8. Go out in the mornings and evenings. Afternoons, don’t even try.
![The sun rises over Tampa Bay at North Shore Park in St. Petersburg on Tuesday morning. Another hot day is forecast. [DIRK SHADD | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//jaXOx8rrpIPVL9xesOVlQ5rwGwY=/620x0/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/J75XMZM6MVF63LGD57N7GWANMA.JPG "The sun rises over Tampa Bay at North Shore Park in St. Petersburg on Tuesday morning. Another hot day is forecast. [DIRK SHADD | Times]")
9. Don’t forget your hat.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/5Z6AFVINRVETRJJLE32JCVV7AM.JPG "A unidentified beachgoer chases his hat along St. Augustine Beach in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/The Gainesville Sun, Doug Finger (2003))")
10. Keep calm and carry on. It’s Florida, it’s summer, it will be hot and you will be okay.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/KHC6IAZVQJBJVGVFRXL4QPZQVU.JPG "Tal Zentmeyer, 30, center, of Tampa participates in a yoga class held at the Chillum CBD Dispensary in Ybor City. OCTAVIO JONES | Times")
/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/tbt/a894c64c-bcae-4276-9ebc-0bbe5895dac7.png "Elizabeth Djinis - Times Correspondent")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/fTlCP6L2Rnnnsjxcw11_uKgJPII=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/SPCQBOVSVZGRNISIQSWVD3U2FQ.jpg "Photos: Milwaukee comes to the Trop for the first time since 2017")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/2VxVJZk8uRUd68TqJ9ZHB1tM1JA=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/GVN4GTBLKRBRTKUEJGWV7YJ2AY.jpg "Where do Tampa Bay employers stand on Roe v. Wade? Most won’t say.")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/KOB_FiV8dbd_UepZvSBgaOvshAM=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/C5JS3Q3IHNFFTEMWEBSQLYKD7M.jpg "Waterfront South Tampa apartments sold for $132.8M")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/IyyhGyjj-L3ZOZdcr89RzEnap4o=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/RVBQU6WTC5HGXH63KY4U4XHYDQ.jpg "Ahead of free agency, Nick Paul expresses desire to stay with Lightning")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/ppKNRS5AeS1ILObLMKu8K2Nu0ac=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/JUCQZJFMPKBJOFX3S4I5SQON4I.jpg "An historic swearing in at the Supreme Court | Letters")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/5sUQh00QdPeCZaMbijuSZZzpwGc=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/WT5KL3NOVZFPRBQQCGE6Z552CQ.jpg "PSTA’s proposed 2023 budget: Higher wages, zero-emission buses")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/A7H-NyidJeuhdVRzuKjbah3OZaQ=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/VABBIMF5JBGEPD5IWDQZJFMPIU.jpg "Lightning’s Ryan McDonagh traded to Nashville for cap relief")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/2m1mF-5P_3wjnghO-_i6kJqn7no=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/3NUNFFFRYEIMVSAZVGPIDYIR3A.png "Pedestrian killed in Hillsborough hit-and-run crash; 2 drivers may be involved, deputies say")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/YEoDQ-Z7HSpx-AeMQ8J98MsVtVc=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/US7OUEOUAFAFNDRVGOCOPSZ4BM.JPG "Playing loud music from your car can now get you pulled over in Florida")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/iA8cXOS5QJFvMUxBcvHXF-nFiVY=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TTX4HL3UY5DPBG62X4AIGRX7LA.jpeg "2-year-old’s death is focus of Tampa abuse trial")
