I spent the first 17 years of my life in Tucson, Arizona where 110 degree summers were inevitable. So, with all those years of dealing with an incredibly intense heat, I was required to discover fun things to do that weren't what my usual outdoorsy self would do. This necessity to find entertainment indoors helped lead me to these magical places.

1. Try an Eegee

Eegee's is one of those places that I bring my visiting friends to the second they land in town. An eegee is a flavored ice/slushie drink and is only available in southern Arizona, and a huge hit with the locals. Beyond their typical flavors; lemon, pina colada and strawberry, Eegee's has a flavor of the month. The flavor of July is watermelon, which is among the most popular and my favorite. I highly suggest trying one of these, it'll melt in your mouth and keep your mind off the intense heat.

2. Mt. Lemmon

Mt. Lemmon, a part of Coronado National Forest, is great way to escape the heat, as the 9,175 ft. elevation creates a temperature of at least 20 degrees cooler than Tucson. Beyond just the temperature advantage, Mt. Lemmon is absolutely beautiful with pine trees and wildflowers growing about -- which is well worth the hour and a half drive. My friends and I road trip up whenever we have a free day and picnic or explore the mountain and appreciate being outdoors without worry of heatstroke.

And photograph your heart out; the atmosphere is killer.

3. Wooden Tooth Records, 416 E 7th St, Tucson, AZ 85705

I have to include the most incredible record shop I've been to in this list, Wooden Tooth Records. This shop is located on 4th & 7th street in downtown Tucson and has all your record needs. When my boyfriend was visiting from Colorado, we checked out all the record stores in town and nothing was as magical as this place. I found two Led Zeppelin albums and a Pink Floyd album and my boyfriend got four cassette tapes. The atmosphere in the shop is very retro which fuels my nostalgia for the past and satisfies all my vinyl needs.

4. How Sweet It Was Vintage Shop, 424 E 6th St, Tucson, AZ 85705

If you have an obsession with past fashions like I do, this place is your heaven. This shop is located in downtown Tucson and has curated authentic clothing for every decade. Most shops with this specific and categorized vintage clothing end up being unreasonably expensive, but this shop is fairly priced. Instead of melting in the heat of Arizona, get a group of friends together and throw a midcentury party with outfits from How Sweet It Was.

These are a couple of my favorite places to go during Arizona summers, and I hope you find them as special as I do!