Enjoy the South East of England what ever the weather has in store.  Discover a host of places to visit and things to do on a rainy day.

Rainy Day Activities

Share this with

x

  • Accommodation Search

  • Things to Do Search

  • What's On Search

  • Food & Drink Search

Accommodation Search

Arrival Date:
Add Room
Type:
Area:
Keyword:

Things to Do Search

Type:
Area:
Keyword:

What's On Search

Type:
Area:
Keyword:
Dates

Food & Drink Search

Type:
Area:
Keyword:

Accommodation Search

Arrival Date:
Add Room
Type:
Area:
Keyword:

Things to Do Search

Type:
Area:
Keyword:

What's On Search

Type:
Area:
Keyword:
Dates

Food & Drink Search

Type:
Area:
Keyword:

Discover hundreds of places to go and things to do indoors across South East England.

Don't let the wet weather spoil your day out, staycation or holiday, find a rainy day activity near you on our interactive map or try our Places to Visit section for more ideas on a particular county, city or town.

Indoor Attractions

Whether you're looking for things to do on a rainy day for adults or kids, find a wide selection of museums, craft centres and galleries to visit, or why not indulge in a brewery tour or discover one of the fine shopping centres that grace the South East.

There are numerous options for things to do indoors including a visit to one of the many theatres, cinemas or bowling alleys across the destination, providing fun for the whole family.

Delve into the South East's history and heritage with a visit to the likes of Fishbourne Roman Palace in Chichester, Windsor Castle in Windsor, or Leeds Castle in Maidstone.  You'll find many more great historic houses, castles and churches and cathedrals to explore across the South on those not so good weather days.

Please remember to pre-book your visits and check the individual attraction websites for the most up to date information. Look out for the tourism 'Good to Go charter mark' showing that the business has worked hard to follow Government and industry COVID-19 guidelines.

Top 15 things to do on a rainy day

  • Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium, Hampshire  
    Amazing family fun at this interactive, hands on science and technology centre.
  • Beaulieu, Home of the National Motor Museum, Hampshire
    Home of the iconic world famous National Motor Museum and World of Top Gear
  • Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
    VisitEngland's Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, right in the heart of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Hampshire Cultural Trust, throughout Hampshire
    Twenty-three museums, arts centres, and galleries offering informative days out, workshops and events.   
  • Salisbury Catherdral, Sailsbury, Wiltshire
    A place of worship, welcome and hospitality for over 800 years
  • Bodleian Libraries, Oxford, Oxfordshire
    Exhibitions and tours of this culturally significant building.
  • Dinosaur Isle, Sandown, Isle of Wight
    Step back in time to when these tremendous beats ruled the earth.
  • Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, Hampshire
    The great value all explorer ticket gives 12-months of access to all 12 attractions. 
  • Odds Farm Park, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
     Along side the outdoor farm there is a massive adventure play area including the slides, tunnels, swinging ropes and more.  
  • Tangmere Aviation Museum, Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex
    An RAF fighter station from 1918 - 1958,  it is home to an impressive display of historic aircraft and aviation memorabilia.
  • Basingstoke Leisure Park, Basingstoke, Hampshire
    Home to Milestones Museum, Basingstoke Aquadrome, the Odeon cinema, Planet Ice, Hollywood Bowl Basingstoke and iFly.
  • McArthurGlen Ashford Designer Outlet Shopping, Ashford, Kent
    Discover over 100 of your favourite brands all with up to 60% off the RRP, along with 13 eateries and a children's playground
  • Dover Castle, Dover, Kent
    Discover 2000 years of history including the secret underground tunnels, Operation Dynamo and the Great Tower.
  • Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Winchester, Hampshire
    Explore the distillery and understand the care, skill and artistry behind every drop of Bombay Sapphire
  • Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire
    For a truely memorable day out, home to Royal Ascot, firework nights, themed and family race days.

Indoor things to do near me

Whether you live nearby or are travelling to the South East for a day trip or longer holiday, find places to go when it's raining near you below. Use the 'map view' function to narrow your search to a particular area or try our Places to Visit section for more ideas on a particular county, city or town.

Number of results:

Number of results: 146

, currently showing 1 to 20.

  1. Tudor House

    Type

    Type:

    Historic House / Palace

    Margate

    Thought to be one of the oldest of its kind in Kent, it was built around 1525 and is believed to be the home of a wealthy yeoman farmer

  2. Dickens House Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Historic House / Palace

    Broadstairs

    The museum is housed in the cottage that was Charles Dickens’ inspiration for the home of Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield.

  3. Ramsgate Maritime Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Ramsgate

  4. Margate Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Margate

    Margate Museum is opened by a group of volunteers called the Friends of Margate Museum who work with Thanet District Council to open Margate Museum on a regular basis.

  5. Milestones Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museums & Galleries

    Basingstoke

    From cobbled streets to a seaside pier, teddy bears, vintage vehicles, an operating pub, sweet shop and more, there is so much for everyone to see, do and enjoy at Milestones, Hampshire’s museum of living history! 

  6. Down House - The Home of Charles Darwin

    Type

    Type:

    Historic House / Palace

    Orpington

    Visit Down House, the family home of Charles Darwin. Explore the atmospheric family rooms where he lived and worked and learn about his fascinating life and groundbreaking theories with our exhibition “Uncovering Origins” .

  7. Gosport Discovery Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Heritage / Visitor Centre

    Gosport

    In Gosport town centre you will find The Discovery Centre, where there is a surprising range of things to see and do, including art exhibitions, events, special activities for children and families.

  8. Bexhill Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Bexhill-on-Sea

    It’s curious, it’s quirky, it’s packed to the rafters with diverse objects with a surprise in every cabinet and around every corner.

  9. Paradox Place

    Type

    Type:

    Quirky

    Brighton & Hove

    In the heart of Brighton’s North Laine awaits a collection of mind-bending optical illusions, interactive artwork, ancient and new magic tricks as you step inside the magical world of Paradox Place.

  10. Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Petersfield

    Situated at the foot of the South Downs, Petersfield Museum tells the story of Petersfield and the surrounding villages through an exciting mix of archaeology, art, historic dress, literature, photography, poetry and social history.

  11. Mayflower Theatre

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Southampton

    The largest Theatre in the south, The Mayflower offers spectacular touring musicals - many direct from the West End - plus opera, ballet and comedy.

  12. Farnham Pottery

    Type

    Type:

    Craft Centre

    FARNHAM

    Farnham Pottery lies just a short distance from the centre of Farnham, situated in the heart of the Surrey Hills. One-off workshops are great for visitors to the area, giving the chance to get your hands dirty and give it a go.

  13. Maidenhead Heritage Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Maidenhead

    Fly a Spitfire simulator at this local museum which covers local history from the Romans to Racing Cars!

  14. Lewes Castle & Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Castle / Fort

    Lewes

    Climb the zig-zag steps of this 1000 year old Norman castle for stunning views of Sussex. in Barbican House Museum, explore the archeological history of Sussex and the changing exhibitions in the upper gallery.

  15. Basingstoke Leisure Park

    Type

    Type:

    Leisure & Activity Centres

    Basingstoke

    Whether you are looking to spend the day or a quick time out, Basingstoke Leisure Park is packed with activities to enjoy leisure time on your own or with family and friends. 

  16. 'a space' arts

    Type

    Type:

    Arts Centre

    SOUTHAMPTON

    a space arts

    We work to support visual artists and cultural audiences in and around Southampton to create a space where artistic communities can flourish.

    Our vision is to change how we work with Southampton’s visual arts community and…

  17. Booth Museum of Natural History

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Brighton

    This fascinating museum houses exhibits that include hundreds of British birds displayed in recreated natural settings, insects from butterflies to beetles, a killer whale skeleton and dinosaur bones

  18. Gunwharf Quays

    Type

    Type:

    Shop / Shopping Centre

    Portsmouth

    One of the South Coast's most popular shopping destinations, Gunwharf Quays is filled with almost 100 designer stores and boutiques and is sure to offer something for every taste and budget.

TWITTER UPDATES

Visit South East England

VisitSEEngland

Visit South East England

So gorgeous ❤️ #Hampshire https://t.co/MUpV6L6upI
26 Mar 2023   16:44:56
RT @jdfennerguide: Explore Sandwich and the White Cliffs Country with one of our locally based, professional Blue Badge Guides.… https://t.co/kMZFDJHnAw
26 Mar 2023   16:43:35
RT @matephoto: Choppy day at Walmer Kent @VisitKent @VisitDeal @VisitDover @VisitSEEngland https://t.co/k9lgzbNLXK
26 Mar 2023   12:33:28
RT @hevercastle: Don't forget, the Water Maze re-opens tomorrow! 💦 #HeverCastle https://t.co/UvW55T8qZp
26 Mar 2023   09:08:57