Exciting and Interesting Things to Do When it Rains on Vacation
Don’t Mope Around in the Rain – Here’s Our List of Great Rainy Day Vacation Travel Tips.
We all need and deserve a vacation; they help to recharge our batteries and provide great memories that can last a lifetime. Whether your vacation in America or overseas, there are plenty of superb locations to visit and explore, but wherever you are in the world, you always have to be prepared for one unpredictable element – the weather.
When the rain arrives, it can mean canceling plans for days out or hours spent on the beach, and that can be especially frustrating if you have your family with you. That’s why it pays to plan ahead and have a list of activities that can be enjoyed whenever the sun goes into hiding.
Escape Rooms
Escape rooms are one of the great success stories of recent years, and one reason is that they’re an exciting indoor activity that people of almost any age can enjoy. They also encourage team work, as all participants have to work together to solve puzzles that are both physically and mentally challenging. This escape room Greenville (sometimes called break-out rooms) is a perfect example, as they offer a wide variety of games that will get the adrenaline flowing at the same time as exercising the gray matter. From runaway train scenarios to art thefts and haunted houses, there’s a breakout game for everyone, and it’s an ideal way to pass a rainy hour.
Painting and Art Activities
Do your kids reach for their tablets or phones and start playing their favorite games whenever it rains? That may be acceptable at home, but it is hardly what vacations were made for. One way to combat this is to indulge their creativity by having an art day. Bring paints, paper, and other accessories along with you, agree on a subject matter and then have a competition to see who is the best artist in the family. Encouraging creativity in children can bring huge benefits to them throughout their lives, and it’s lots of fun for adults too.
Board Games Don’t Have to Be Boring
You may think that children aren’t interested in anything that doesn’t have a screen and has to be charged up, but you’d be wrong. Board games are enjoying a renaissance in recent years, and your children can enjoy them just as much as you did when you were their age. Board games have evolved, and you can find a varied selection based on themes or films that your family love. Quiz games are always a popular choice, and they can soon lead to a competitive yet fun environment when parents are pitted against children.
Try a Cooking Class
If you see rain in the forecast, why not sign up for a cooking class? You’ll be safely inside, entertained by a notable chef, well fed, and you’ll learn about the local cuisine. Cooking classes are usually very entertaining and can be a wonderful way to spend a morning or afternoon.
Take in a Matinee or Look for an Imax Theater
No matter the language, Imax films are so dramatic and absorbing that they are well worth looking for. Simply do a Google search for ‘Imax theater near me’ and treat yourself to an adventure on the big screen. Seek out local plays, movies and performances and take advantage of reduced price matinee tickets.
Look for Lesser Known Museums
While the major museums in your destination may already be on your must-do list, a rainy day gives you the opportunity to investigate some of the more specialized museums. Visit the tourism bureau website for your destination and make a list of some of the more obscure museums. If you’ve already done the major art museums, give the natural history, science, and industrial museums a try. You’ll be surprised at how interesting they are, and much less crowded than the mainstream museums.
Make It a Spa Day
What can you do on a beach vacation when the sun just won’t come out? Head to the nearest spa and have a ‘me’ day of total pampering.
Shop, Eat and Shop Some More
Shopkeepers love it when it rains because everyone ducks into shops to browse and stay dry. One of the most expensive days I spent on vacation was a rainy day in Florence. Every time we ducked into a shop we left with new treasurers! Many cities in Europe and major cities everywhere have covered arcades that make ideal rainy day shopping areas. In the USA it might be the local mall that you head to. In either case, there will be great restaurants nearby so you can make a whole day of it and get your souvenir shopping out of the way.
Finally when in doubt about what to do indoors, seek the advice of the concierge at your hotel (or one nearby). They will surely have a notebook full of great ideas.
Hopefully, your vacations will be filled with sunshine, but being prepared for a rainy day can help you turn a potential disaster into a positive triumph. Traditional activities such as card games, board games, and painting can prove a hit as long as an emphasis is placed upon having fun, and as long as everyone joins in. For an indoor activity with a difference, escape rooms are hard to beat in more ways than one, and they’re even worth visiting when the sun is out.
