Last Updated on March 8, 2026
Rainy days don’t have to put a damper on your travel plans! Instead of feeling stuck indoors, embrace the chance to try something different. Whether you want to relax, get creative, or turn your hotel room into a party zone, there are plenty of fun things to do in the rain while traveling. From cozying up with a good book to organizing a spontaneous dance-off in the hostel kitchen, this list is packed with exciting ways to make the most of a rainy travel day. So grab a cup of tea, put on your favorite playlist, and let’s turn those gloomy skies into a great time!
I hope the rain has already cleared by the time you get to the end of this list. If not, I hope you’ve got some ideas for how to spend the rest of your rainy travel itinerary. Enjoy this list 50 fun things to do in the rain while traveling!
Table of contents
Estimated reading time: 28 minutes
Indoor activities to do in the rain while traveling
With these fun indoor activities, you can stay entertained, get creative, and make the most of your trip. No matter the weather:
– Try the local delicacies
Research the top 10 local delicacies and try at least one of them! Either in your accommodation, nearby supermarket or local restaurant.
– Watch the rain
Just looking to the rain can be very peaceful! Or depressing if you want to go outside…
– Enjoy a weird activity
Organize a (dance) party in your accommodation.
– Organize your phone
Delete old photos, organize your contacts, delete some applications, just take your time to organize your phone. Install a VPN if you don’t already have one 😉 A VPN helps keep your passwords, banking details, and browsing activity safe, especially on public networks. I personally use NordVPN when I travel. Sign up with this link and choose a plan to get extra free months!
– Write someone a postcard
Postcards are amazing and everybody likes them! Send some post cards about your travel experience.
– Do some puzzles
Exercise your brain with some (online) puzzles.
– Write some reviews
Stayed somewhere good? Eaten a great dish? Share your experience online.
– Write a bucket list
Places you still like to visit? Dishes you still like to try? Write a bucket list. You can find my bucket list with 150 things to do before I die here. You can also write a bucket list regarding a specific subject like a things you still want to do in a certain town or a food bucket list.
– Read some blogs
From travel tips to personal stories and life journeys to anecdotes and recipes, the internet is filled with brilliant blogs to follow.
– Do some meditation
A rainy day is a great day to do some meditation.
– Catch up on your Instagramming
Place some of your photos on your Instagram account. You’ll find us on Instagram here.
Tips for staying connected
Traveling abroad and looking to save on roaming costs? Skip the hassle of physical SIM cards and stay connected with an eSIM from providers like Holafly, Airalo or Saily. I’ve been using eSIMs on my trips and find them incredibly convenient and cost-effective.
Don’t forget to use my discount code at Holafly: GIRLSWANDERLUST.
– Listen to music or podcasts
Music is always nice to hear! Just lay down at your bed or catch up with some friends, and listen to some (travel) tunes or some travel podcasts. You can go outside and look for some live music!
– Play games
Go to a game hall to play some arcade games or play a game in the ho(s)tel.
– Cook something
Get together with some people and learn about other international kitchens. Go outside and try some local dishes or participate in a cooking class. If you’re tight on budget, it’s also fun to cook a traditional snack or dish from your homecountry for other people in your ho(s)tel.
– Take a nap
Take a nap, but don’t forget to set your alarm.
– Learn a new language
Use your time to learn some of the local language. A good application on your phone to do so is ´Duolingo´.
– Check your insurances
This is a good moment to check your insurance. Are you still happy with your travel insurance? Are all your plans for the next few days covered?
Travel insurance
Don’t forget travel insurance for your next trip. Heymondo or Safetywing are among the cheapest travel insurances for travelers and cover medical emergencies, theft, delays, cancellations, lost luggage, and more. As a reader of Girlswanderlust, you’ll receive a 5% discount on your next Heymondo travel insurance.
– Organize your luggage
Being stuck inside is a great time to organize your luggage!
– Do some trip planning
A rainy day while traveling is the perfect moment to plan your (next) trip.
– Catch up on your messaging
I always have some messages that I forget to answer. Open your messenger and start that conversation that you were planning on a long time ago.
– Enter some travel competitions
Have some (travel) competitions with your friends.
– Make some new friends
Those people hanging around in the common area or waiting room are probably bored too. Strike up a conversation and perhaps you make new friends.
– Keep your journal up to date
I always write down my travel experiences. A rainy day is a good moment to write a little.
– Do some yoga
Find an inside place where you can follow a yoga class or when you are already familiar with yoga, you can do it in your ho(s)tel.
– Draw something
Drawing is good for your brain and can be much fun!
– Get day drunk
Try local (alcoholic) specialities. Always a fun idea, but make sure to drink responsibly!
– Organize a movie day
When you really have nothing to do, it might be fun to watch some movies or documentaries. You can find the 60 best travel movies ever in this post!
– Sort your photos into albums
Sort your photos! Delete the blurry ones, organize them into albums, and create a slideshow for your friends and family.
– Call home
Use the time hiding inside, to call some of your beloved ones. Call your mum, dad, grandma, or one of your great friends!
– Do your laundry
One of the dullest things to do while travelling; doing your laundry. However, doing this on a rainy day while traveling is a win-win situation, because you can’t go outside anyway. I always carry lightweight laundry sheets from Mother’s earth with me, they are perfect for handwashing clothes on the go.
Outdoor activities to do in the rain while traveling
Who says you can’t have fun outside in the rain? Embrace the adventure with these exciting outdoor activities that turn a rainy day into a unique travel experience! 😉
– Look for underground activities
A good moment to explore underground tourist attractions, is when it is raining. Think about mines, tunnels or caves.
– Search a good book
I love to stroll around libraries on rainy days. Go visit a library or bookstore, hide in a cozy corner, and do some reading. Check out my list of the 44 best travel books of all time.
– Embrace the rain
Instead of running away from the rain, walk out into it. Grab an umbrella and continue your travel itinerary.
– Go to the cinema
Go watch a movie at the local cinema or at a bar that organizes a movie marathon or movie night.
– Visit a museum
Museums always get busier on rainy days, but you can avoid that long line at the ticket counter by buying tickets online before you go.
– Go shopping
Go visit local craft shops, clothing stores, or local supermarkets, and do some shopping.
– Go on a pubcrawl
Gather with friends and organize a pubcrawl! Remember to drink responsible.
– Enjoy a coffee crawl
Are you a coffee lover or a pie lover? Go find the little local coffee shops and enjoy a cake, coffee, or cup of tea.
– Take some photos
Go outside and make some amazing photographs. Rainy days can offer some very interesting shots.
– Go to a spa
Visiting a spa is also a great idea on a rainy day. Try a massage, manicure, pedicure, sauna, or typical bathhouse experience.
– Find an indoor or heated swimming pool
You can still have the holiday feel of warm water by finding a covered or heated swimming pool.
– Learn how things are made
Learn more about the handicrafts or local food from the place you are visiting. Go visit the local cheese factory, chocolate bar, wood carver, or jewelry factory.
– Find a daytime ‘night’ club
At certain cities, you can find a nightclub at any time of the day.
– Go for a workout
Try the fitness room of your hotel or go for a run outside. Running in the rain is very refreshing.
– Visit the local religious establishment
Regardless of whether you’re religious or not, the local religious building can provide refuge from the rain and most of these structures are usually impressive. Keep the local customs in mind while visiting. On the photos below you can see the bone church of Kutna Hora.
– Go for a long lunch or dinner
Get stuck in a restaurant and enjoy some good food.
– Book a homestay
When staying at a local homestay or AirBnB accommodation, you are more likely to get into contact with a local. See how locals tackle rainy days or cook together some authentic dishes.
– Take the hop on hop off city sightseeing bus
If there is a hop on hop off city sightseeing bus at the place you are visiting, it might be a good way to sightsee while staying dry (at least if you stay inside the bus).
– Go wine or beer tasting
Visit a local brewery or wine location, and learn about the local drink.
Budget tip
Traveling to a country with a different currency? Avoid ATM transaction fees and pay in local currency with a Wise Visa Card or Revolut Maestro Card. I have been using these cards for several years and have saved a lot of money as a result. I recommend bringing both bank cards with you when you travel.
Conclusion
So there you have it, 50 ways to turn a rainy day into an adventure! Whether you’re dancing in the downpour, sipping coffee in a cozy café, or getting lost in a museum, there’s no reason to let bad weather ruin your trip. Rainy days are just an excuse to try something new, right?
What’s your favorite way to spend a rainy day while traveling? Any suggestions to add? Let me know in the comments!
Save for later!
Don’t forget to pin this post for your next rain-filled adventure!
Responses
Some great ideas here. We travel with kids so rainy day activities are important for all our sanity
We’ve just come back from Cape Town and did have some rainy days. We decided to take a cable car ride anyway and then went to the pub. Yoga would have been a much healthier option and one I would also have enjoyed but the friends I was travelling with are not into it
Sorry to hear that, but a cable car ride and pub visit also sounds like a nice option!
I hate the rain so it is always disappointing when it rains and I’m travelling! If I’m only away for the weekend I brave it as much as I can, and go to museums and nice foodie places, but as I usually travel long term I tend to do practical things like laundry and trip planning. But day drinking is always a good option too!! 😉
All great ideas! My rainy days are usually spent visiting museums, hanging out in cafes, or if I am feeling really lazy – bingewatching Netflix! I remember visiting Mallorca in Spain last year and doing these on an especially rainy day there. It’s great if you make the most of it :).
Hey! We did #2 and #3 from the list last year in Bali. We just watched the rain while enjoyed our breakfast.