And if the heat is getting to you, you might want to consider a trip to the Sports Center of Connecticut in Shelton.

I know, “sports” sounds all hot and sweaty, but hear me out, for one of the many sports they have to offer is ice skating! That’s right, ice skating in the middle of the summer. Outside it may be a sweltering 94 degrees, but inside the world’s only double-decker skating rink it’s always a chilly 50 or so.

Actually during the summer the upper rink is thawed and converted to a multi-use court for in-line skating and basketball, but the lower one is still available for some frozen fun. The open skate generally runs daily from noon to 2 p.m. — the hottest part of the day —and it’s only $4 to rent a pair of skates. The schedule does vary, so it’s best to check the Web site for specific dates and times.

And even if you don’t skate, just sitting in the coolness is worth the trip. While you’re there you can check out some of the local hockey leagues or even a Sound Tigers exhibition.

And if while watching you are suddenly inspired to get in on the action, The Rinks offer several opportunities to hit the ice. You’ll need to wear a helmet, gloves, and long pants. And if you’re up for a pick-up hockey game, and you get up pretty early (between the hours of 6-9 a.m). you can play, so long as you come prepared with full hockey gear.

Off the ice, the Connecticut Sports Center offers a variety of outdoor and indoor activities ranging from mini golf to batting cages to Lazer Tag.

Mini golf is open year round from 9 a.m. to 11p.m. (noon on weekends) on a course consisting of 18 holes nicely laid out along a river that flows into a waterfall, which is nice because sometimes just being around water has a cooling effect.

Usually my ball ends up in the water, but that’s pretty normal for this course, where coming in under par is actually pretty challenging, as there many hazards and obstacles to overcome.

If you want to work on your long game, the Center’s driving range is another double-decker deal that is recognized as one of the top 100 practice facilities in America. With over 60 stations (and one million balls!) it is also the only range in Connecticut that can remain open 365 days a year — a claim to fame that, according to the golf widows, takes a lot of balls. And no that it matters now, but the stations are heated during the winter (mmm, winter!) so you can even golf in the snow.

You can hit balls of a different sort in one of eight batting cages, where you can choose from slow- or fast-pitched softballs or baseballs.

If getting beaned with baseballs isn’t your idea of fun, maybe getting beamed in Lazer Tag is more your speed. Set in a 5,000-square-foot “jungle,” complete with a real helicopter, two teams compete in the fog-filled room to capture the “enemy” base and rack up points by blasting away at each other with laser beams. For those unfamiliar with the concept, an instructional video is shown prior to each battle, which runs Friday through Sunday. Call or check the site for times.

But that’s not all. The Sports Center is also home to Planet Fitness, a 10,000-square-foot state-of-the-art gym, two fully stocked pro shops (golf and hockey) and a food court. And they are still growing! The latest attraction is Paddle Lagoon, where kids can stay cool while paddling around in little boats. Unfortunately, I’m a bit too big for the boats, but they still have plenty of other “cool” things for me … at least until I get a bigger freezer.

The Sports Center of Connecticut is at 784 River Road in Shelton. For more information, call 929-6500, or visit sportscenterct.com.