Traveling in Hot and Humid Weather? Here’s What You Need to Know to Stay Safe

Doctors, outdoor enthusiasts weigh in on how to prepare for extreme heat trips

three generations of woman taking a selfie underneath a beach umbrella

It’s important to find shade to avoid becoming overheated. If spending an extended amount of time at the beach, consider using an umbrella.

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Cassandra Brooklyn,

AARP

En español

Published July 03, 2024

You probably don’t need to look at official weather data to know that it definitely feels hotter than it used to. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2023 was the hottest year since global recordkeeping began in 1850, and climate scientists warn that extreme heat events will become more common.

Though anyone can fall victim to the effects, extreme heat is especially dangerous for people over 50. Heat does not dissipate as well in the bodies of people over 50, and if your body can’t cool itself, heat exhaustion (and potentially heatstroke) can set in. Additionally, people over 50 tend to have more chronic health problems and take more medications that can affect their ability to deal with heat.

Extreme heat can pose an inconvenient and potentially dangerous threat to your vacation plans as temperatures rise in popular summer destinations. Marc Taub, M.D., emergency physician and medical director of emergency services at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, subscribes to the travel motto “Hope for the best, plan for the worst.” He explains that “with the summer travel season and hotter temperatures in this country, preparation and planning can help reduce the risk of injuries and illness.”

Here’s what else you need to know about traveling in the heat and humidity.

Preparation and packing

David Monteiro, a culture and hiking guide in Portugal and Cape Verde, Africa, with Wilderness Travel, notes the importance of preparing for your trip so you’re not caught by surprise. He offers the simple act of walking as an example. “If walking in the heat is going to be part of your trip, it is a good idea to prepare ahead of time by practicing being out in the heat before you travel, so your body and mind are used to the heat. Getting out a few times before your trip is better than nothing, although getting used to extreme/excessive conditions takes time.”

If you’re traveling in the heat, Monteiro suggests bringing lots of water, sunglasses, a lightweight long-sleeved shirt, a wide brim hat and salty snacks. Why the salty snacks? “When sweating, one loses salt, and you need to compensate [for] that loss,” he says. Without sufficient water and salty snacks, you may notice symptoms of dehydration, which can include thirst, dizziness, headache, fatigue, dark urine, constipation, muscle cramps and dry skin or mouth.

Proper hydration goes well beyond carrying a reusable water bottle (which is both smart and eco-friendly), and it actually starts before your trip. Other important hydration tips include:

Drinking water leading up to and during the trip, including on the flight.
Consuming water-rich foods such as cucumbers, bell peppers, watermelon and apples.
Drinking electrolytes, be they from coconut water, pickle juice, Gatorade or electrolyte tabs, liquids or powder mixes that can be added to water.
Taking it easy during the first 24 hours of your trip.

stressed man having trouble with his broken car

A car breakdown in the heat can be dangerous. Travel with an emergency kit before taking the summer road trip.

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Road-tripping in the heat

Summer is a great time to road-trip, but you’ll want to take extra precautions, as a car breakdown on the side of a deserted desert road could be extremely dangerous. Taub suggests following auto safety tips offered by organizations such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. To prevent illness and injury on the road, he recommends:

Roadside kit. Pack an emergency kit with first aid supplies, water, flashlight, batteries and nonperishable food.
Communication. Ensure your cellphone is charged, as you may need it to call for roadside assistance.
Vehicle maintenance. Take your car to a mechanic before long trips, and ensure the air conditioner works.
Drive during cooler hours. Avoiding peak heat hours by driving in the early morning or late evening “can help prevent overheating and reduce the risk of heat-related issues.”
Park in shaded areas and use shades for the windows.
Don’t leave adults, children or pets in the car, even for a moment. “Temperatures can rise quickly in a parked car, putting passengers at high risk for severe heat exposure,” Taub says.

Handling humidity

Heat waves can be hard on the heart, and humidity introduces additional concerns. According to Taub, humidity can intensify the effects of heat because it hinders the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating. He suggests paying attention to the heat index, “which combines temperature and humidity to give a more accurate measure of how hot it feels,” limiting strenuous activity and implementing cooldown techniques.

If hiking in the heat, be sure to carry plenty of water and wear a wide-brimmed hat.

Wilderness Travel

Hiking in the heat

Though it’s best to limit strenuous activity in extreme heat — early morning or evening may be ideal — that doesn’t mean that active adventures such as hiking and climbing are out of the question.

Dave Kohnke, a hiking guide with the Southern Arizona Hiking Club, knows a thing or two about hiking in the heat, as the normal high temperatures for Tucson during the summer months are 101.2 degrees in June, 100.2 degrees in July and 98.6 degrees in August (the record is 117 degrees).

Kohnke has seen hikers experience symptoms of heat exhaustion on some hikes he’s led. He notes that with rapid treatment — including moving the hikers to a cooler area where they can rest and rehydrate with electrolytes — they recovered to finish the hikes.

Zach Lentsch, the founder and program coordinator at Wyoming Mountain Guides, echoes the importance of fueling with electrolytes. “Interestingly, the most emergency situations we’ve encountered related to the heat while climbing have not been related to lack of fluid intake but rather to electrolyte imbalance,” he says.

Lentsch says that even with good planning, heat-related emergencies can occur and it’s important to make conservative judgment calls to avoid making a bad situation worse. He notes the value in going with a guide because they have experience in the area and know where and when to mitigate heat hazards.

“They’ll help you be safer during the activity, and they are a great resource in case something does go wrong,” he says.

Staying cool

David Cutler, M.D., a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, suggests ways to stay cool whether you’re sightseeing or at the beach.

Stay hydrated. Carry a reusable water bottle, so you can continuously drink water, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
Seek shade. “Take breaks in shaded areas to avoid prolonged sun exposure. Bring an umbrella or canopy if spending extended time at the beach,” he says.
Rest frequently. Rest in cool areas to prevent overheating. “Don’t overexert yourself with too much walking or physical activity.”
Use cooling methods. Portable fans, misting sprays or cooling towels can help keep you cool.
Eat light. “Opt for smaller, more frequent meals. Heavy meals can increase body temperature,” Cutler says.

If struggling with the heat doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, consider a coolcation — vacations to locations with cooler temperatures — in the U.S. or Europe. You wouldn’t be alone in considering a coolcation. Wilderness Travel has “seen an over 20 percent increase in bookings on European trips above the 50th parallel [of latitude] in 2024,” says Scott Abbott, the company’s director of product.

The purpose of a vacation is to have a good time, so if you don’t think that is possible in a hot destination, it may be best to postpone that trip to cooler months and opt to escape to a chillier destination this summer.

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Cassandra Brooklyn is a contributing writer who covers travel, caregiving, human-interest stories and the outdoors. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time and National Geographic, among other publications.