Keeping Cool in the Five Towns

Temperatures are expected to reach the low 90s Wednesday afternoon and the National Weather Service has even issued an air quality alert.

In the Five Towns, there are plenty of ways to beat to heat.

Escape to the ocean: While  Beach and Long Beach are nearby, there are on Long Island if you want to remain in your air conditioned vehicle for a longer drive.

Cooling center: Hempstead Town has announced that cooling centers are open to the public from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is one at the Cedarhurst Senior Center, located at 200 Cedarhurst Ave. It's open until 4:30 p.m.

Play in a pool: Although it won't help today, the pool at  will be open on June 25. A Nassau County leisure pass and fee are required.

Strike the heat: is open early weekday mornings.

Catch a flick: Nearby and  in Rockville Centre have air condtioned theaters.

Hit up Museum Row: Nunley's Carousel is operating from noon to 3 p.m. through Friday and again on the weekends. $2 per ride. The  is offering tours and IMAX movies. They are open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $14/adult, $12/child. Movies are more. The Firefighter's Museum is $5/adult, $4/child. The  is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $11. Children under 1 are free.

Eat something cool: ,  , , ,  and Ralph's all offer cold, sweet treats.

Catch up on some reading: and  offer a cool setting for some reading fun.

Additionally, LIPA offered the following tips to stay cool, conserve energy and save money:

• Install a programmable thermostat and raise the setting to the highest comfortable temperature. You can save 3 percent on your air conditioning costs for each degree you raise the thermostat.
• Close doors leading to uncooled parts of your home. If you have central air conditioning, close off vents to unused rooms. Keep filters clean.
• Even if you have air conditioning, use ceiling and other fans to provide additional cooling and better circulation.
• Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows. Eliminate air leaks around window air conditioners with foam insulation or weather-stripping.
• Close blinds, shades and draperies facing the sun to keep out the sun's heat and help fans and air conditioners cool more efficiently.
• Turn off power sources. TVs, computers and other electronic devices draw power when they are in standby mode or turned off but still plugged in. Plug electronics into power strips and turn off the power switch when the items are not in use.
• Use timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.
• Replace old appliances with new energy efficient ENERGY STAR® appliances.
• If possible, install whole-house fans that bring in cooler night-time air that can pre-cool a house and reduce energy use in the daytime if heat is kept out by closing windows and shades.

For more information on how to save energy and money visit http://www.lipower.org/residential/efficiency/