Fun Things To Do On A Rainy Day in the UK

Are you looking for things to do on a rainy day in the UK? We all know that the British weather can offer lots of cloudy days, especially as we enter the winter months. However, with these rainy-day activities, the fun doesn’t have to end!

Grab your raincoats and wellies and explore some of the finest things to do when it rains. We’ve got you covered for enjoyable indoor days out as well as cool indoor activities at home that you probably haven’t thought of!

Carry on reading to discover indoor attractions in the UK and a host of things to do on a rainy day…

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Indoor attractions in the UK
Things to do on a rainy day at home

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Indoor Attractions in the UK

If you live in the UK, you’re familiar with the unexpected rainy days. Because of this, there are plenty of indoor attractions in the UK to enjoy! Experience a television studio tour, explore living history heritage attractions or even tour a brewery. The UK is brimming with indoor activities and rainy-day options, no matter what you feel like doing.

1. Go to an Aquarium!

Escape the miserable outdoor rainfall and immerse yourself in an indoor water display instead! Aquariums are an overlooked day out and perfect for ocean-obsessed visitors, no matter your age.

Lucky for us, the UK is littered with aquariums and they offer an exciting shelter from the dreary weather.

We’ve pulled together lots of information from our travel guide on aquariums in the UK. Take a look at Edinburgh’s Deep Sea World, SEA LIFE in Scarborough, The National Marine Aquarium in Devon, Newquay’s Blue Reef Aquarium, or Chester’s Blue Planet Aquarium.

Below are just a few more of our favourite aquariums in the UK…

Sea Life Brighton – Tickets from £17, BN2 1TB
Blue Planet Chester – Tickets between £14.50-£20.45 per person, CH65 9LF
National Marine Aquarium Plymouth – Tickets between £10.25-£25.00 per person, PL4 0LF
Weymouth Sea Life Centre – Tickets between £21.55-£30.45 per person, DT4 7SX
The Deep Hull – Tickets between £14.00-£17.75 per person, HU1 4DP
Deep Sea World Fife – Tickets between £11.75-£16.50 per person, KY11 1JR
Anglesey Sea Zoo – Tickets between £8.50-£9.50 per person, LL61 6TQ
Exploris Aquarium – Tickets between £10.50-£12.50 per person, BT22 1NZ

2. Play some Crazy Golf

Catered to families, kids, couples and groups, a game of crazy golf is a perfect way to spend time out of the rain. Allow your competitive nature to shine through and enjoy a fun game that anyone can play in a maze of colours, obstacles, and slopes.

Many crazy golf attractions have a plethora of locations across the UK, meaning you can enjoy tons of fun from town to city to village! There’s the vibrant city of Edinburgh with so many things to do or the county of Cornwall which boasts fantastic things to do in the rain.

Alternatively, Northumberland, Llandudno and Chester are just a taste of UK locations with joyous activities like this.

Find some of the coolest indoor golf courses all around the UK below…

The Lost City Adventure Golf, Nottingham/Belfast/Hull – Tickets between £4.50-£15.00 per person
Paradise Island, Glasgow/Manchester/Sheffield/Livingston/Plymouth/Derby/Rushden Lakes/Cheshire Oaks – Ticket prices vary on location
 Jurassic Parrr, Glasgow – Tickets between £2.50-£8.00 per person, G81 2XT
Volcano Falls Adventure Golf, Castleford/Edinburgh/Milton Keynes – Tickets between £8.95-£14.00 per person
Treetop Adventure Golf, Cardiff/Birmingham/Leicester/Manchester – Tickets between £4.50-£16.00 per person
Portal Mini Golf, Edinburgh – Tickets are £7.00 per person, EH14 1RJ
Scrapyard Golf, County Antrim – Tickets between £6.00-£9.00 per person, BT36 7RF
Galactic Golf, Halifax – Tickets between £2.50-£14.00 per person, HX1 1QE

3. Uncover History at a Museum

If you’re looking for things to do in the rain, the UK arts and culture scene is not to be missed, starting with museums! There is a museum for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or interest, which is why they are so popular and perfect for all groups.

Take a trip back in time to a history museum and see fossils found along the Jurassic Coast. Or, enjoy a variety of interactive exhibitions at a museum dedicated to science and technology.

There are so many different museums in villages and towns to discover too, including Filey Museum, Belford Museum, Bailiffgate Museum, and Cotswold Motoring Museum.

No matter what you choose, there’s fun for the whole family, educational opportunities for the little ones, and even surprises for the experts. A trip to the museum is the perfect free day out in the UK!

Check out some of our picks for the best free UK museums for a rainy day…

St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff – CF5 6XB
The National Railway Museum, York – YO26 4XJ
The Burrell Collection, Glasgow – G43 1AT
The Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter – EX4 3RX
The Museum of Making, Derby – DE1 3AF
Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon – NP4 9XP
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh – EH1 1JF
World Museum, Liverpool – L3 8EN

4. Break Out of an Escape Room

Escape rooms are slowly becoming one of the most popular attractions for families in the UK! They offer adventure games where you and your teammates are locked in a room and have to solve various puzzles to escape.

Normally, you have an hour to escape – don’t worry, the room will keep reminding you with an ominous ticking timer.

There are suspenseful escape rooms for adults, fun-themed rooms for kids, and plenty that combine the two. With so much attention on smartphones and digital games, it’s great to have a family-friendly real-world challenge.

Whether you’re touring the characterful Heart of England or sipping on a Guinness in Ireland, escape rooms are taking over the nation!

Break out and solve riddles at one of these UK escape rooms below…

Clue Cracker, Tunbridge Wells – TN4 9PE
Compendium, Bury – BL9 0AD
Escape Reading, Reading – RG1 7QF
Escape in the Towers, Canterbury – CT1 2BZ
CoDecode, Swindon – SN2 2PJ
Make Your Escape, Derby – DE1 2HR
Break Escape, Loughborough – LE11 1TH
Tulleys Escape Rooms, Crawley – RH10 4PE

5. Wander around a Cathedral

What better way to spend a rainy day than watching trickles of water bounce off intricate rose windows in a Gothic setting? That’s right, nothing!

A dark and moody day is the perfect opportunity to experience a Cathedral in its utmost beauty. Admire the ancient architecture, and spine-tingling acoustics and step into medieval tales at one of the many UK Cathedrals.

Beautiful Cathedrals line some of the best cities in the UK, boasting an aura of authority and purpose. St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh is a true beauty, whilst the beautiful Gloucester Cathedral was used as Harry Potter filming location and is a must-see for every Harry Potter lover.

Venture around some of the UK’s most beautiful Cathedrals…

St. Paul’s Cathedral, London – EC4M 8AD
Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire – CB7 4DL
Lincoln Cathedral, Lincolnshire – LN2 1PX
St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, County Antrim – BT1 2HB
Norwich Cathedral, Norfolk – NR1 4DH
York Minster, North Yorkshire – YO1 7HH
Chester Cathedral, Cheshire – CH1 2DY
Inverness Cathedral, Highlands – IV3 5NN
Canterbury Cathedral, Kent – CT1 2EH
Truro Cathedral, Cornwall – TR1 2AF
St Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire – SA62 6RD
Wells Cathedral, Somerset – BA5 2UE

6. Head to a Trampoline Park

Looking for a fun way to burn off your excess energy? Take those rainy-day blues away and let your inner child loose at a trampoline park! Whether you want to jump high or face inflatable obstacles, there’s plenty to do.

Find several bouncing extravaganzas littered around the UK! Visit the superior Bounce Below in the Snowdonia National Park, an exhilarating and family-friendly North Wales attraction! Or, take the kids to a classic soft play like The Play Farm in Cheltenham.

Bounce the day away at one of the fun-filled indoor trampoline parks…

Freedome Park, Cheshire Oaks – CH65 9HD
Xscape, Yorkshire – WF10 4TA
Super Tramp, Bodmin/Plymouth/Sunderland
Red Kangaroo, Nottingham – NG6 8WA
Skyline Trampoline, Aberdeen – AB51 5QW
Rush Trampoline Park, Birmingham/High Wycombe – B30 3DZ/
Hangar Five, Pembrokeshire – SA62 4BY
Infinity Trampoline Park, Cardiff – CF24 2RZ

7. Explore Iconic UK Attractions

Now, if you’re looking for the ultimate things to do on a rainy day in the UK, keep reading. Britain is home to a variety of thrilling excursions for the whole family to enjoy, come rain or shine, ranging from visiting ancient warships to walking through an exotic indoor jungle.

Head to the Eden Project, one of the many things to do on rainy day activities in Cornwall where you can experience a subtropical climate! Visit the home of literary giants and discover indoor attractions in the Lake District like The World of Beatrix Potter.

You can even head to the rainy corner of North Wales, home to so many indoor attractions for rainy days, including Theatr Clwyd, Waterworld and the Wrexham County Borough Museum.

There are far too many to list, so here’s our pick of the best UK attractions you need to visit…

Eden Project, Cornwall – PL24 2SG
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, Watford – WD25 7LR
Cheddar Gorge, Somerset – BS27 3QF
Marble Arch Caves, County Fermanagh – BT92 1EW
Chill Factore, Manchester – M41 7JA
National Space Centre, Leicester – LE4 5NS
Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow – G51 1EA

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Things to Do on a Rainy Day at Home

Sometimes, the weather is just too miserable to want to face the outdoors, so the only answer is to stay inside! Lucky for you, we’ve thought of some fun indoor activities for families, couples, and groups so you can make the most of your day. Whether you want to get cosy, go wild, or pretend it’s summer, there’s so much you can do from the comfort of a UK holiday cottage!

1. Make a pillow fort

One of the best parts of rainy days in the UK is having the perfect excuse to mess up the living room and make a pillow fort! Whether you jazz it up with fairy lights and spend the day reading or turn off the lights and grab the popcorn for a movie marathon, the opportunities are endless.

2. Bake some treats

Clear out your cupboards and see what delicious treats you can whip up in the kitchen.

Baking together is a great way to reconnect with loved ones and make memories – the tasty treats afterwards are an added bonus! Here at Sykes, we’ve created an online recipe book, where you can gather inspiration for your next bake.

3. Host a games night

The possibilities are endless for a games night, whether it is a romantic evening for two or a large group looking for a great time.

Choose from a classic game of Monopoly, thought-provoking Scrabble, virtual quizzes, or a card game for two! Make it even more exciting by including prizes such as shop gift cards, chocolates, or even a cheeky drink for the grownups.

4. Try arts and crafts

Arts and crafts are great for bringing out your creative side on a rainy day indoors. Set up some towels on the kitchen table and let your inner child run wild with painting, colouring, ceramics, and other activities.

5. Reading

Next up on this guide to things to do on a rainy day is the relaxing activity of reading!

This may not seem like the most exhilarating option, but you can’t beat the feeling of getting lost in a captivating novel whilst you sip on a coffee and listen to the rain tap the window.

6. Clean your space

If you’re really stuck on what to do on a rainy day, why not role up your sleeves and improve your living space?

Whilst cleaning is a chore, it can actually be really therapeutic! A clear space can lead to a clear mind.

After tidying up the house, treat yourself to one of the other options on this things to do on a rainy day at home selection.

7. Relive memories together

Last but not least on our list is the rainy day activity of staying in and viewing old photos.

Go down memory lane with those who mean most and reminisce over amazing times together. Why not introduce an arts & crafts element to this activity and make it more fun by creating a photo album or scrapbook together?

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Excited for the next rainfall? As experts in UK travel, be inspired for your holiday with our UK Travel Guide and find the best cottage for your trip. There are so many regions to explore in the UK come rain or shine! You can also check out our rainy day guide to seaside towns.

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Image Credits: Dave Catchpole – (CC BY 2.0)