You have been looking forward to your vacation for weeks. Perhaps you have been dreaming of lying in the sun, relaxing and soaking up the Sun’s rays. Perhaps you have been dreaming of visiting the beach and enjoying the sea and sand. These scenarios of course require good weather, so what do you do when the time for your vacation arrives and the weather is decidedly inclement? There are many things you can do if it is raining on your vacation.
If you have not booked to go anywhere then you could stay at home. Having some time off will give you the time to do all those things that you have put off doing such as putting up shelves, painting your rooms or other DIY jobs. Spending your vacation doing DIY jobs may not sound that exciting, but when the job is complete you will feel that it was worth doing. Another job that is worth doing is clearing out any items that you no longer need. Items can be sorted into those that can be given away to charity and those that are only fit for throwing away. De-cluttering your house may not be the most exciting way of spending your vacation, but it can be a boon in the long term.
Get yourself one of these pooches and suddenly a bit of DIY painting feels like a Dulux advert.
Reading a book or magazine can also be a good way to pass the time. You can either visit your local library or catch up on all those books on your shelves that you have always intended to read, but never got around to. Libraries sometimes host talks or lectures which may be of interest. You could also visit your local bookstore and spend time browsing the shelves. A number of bookstores now have their own cafes where you can sit and have a cup of coffee whilst you flick through the titles that you are interested in. A number of book stores hold book signings or readings to publicise new works or authors and these are usually free. Playing a computer game can also pass the time. This doesn’t have to be a solitary pursuit if you have a game that can be played by more than one person as you can invite some friends round to join in. Having a console such as the Wii means that you can also get some exercise at the same time.
Maybe one day, given enough rainy holidays, you can be as good as this guy.
Shopping can sometimes be a daunting prospect, especially if it is at a time when the shops are crowded, however, if you can go mid-week the shops are generally less busy and you can take your time browsing for items. For example if you need a new sofa or bed then now might be a good time to visit the stores. Keen cooks may like to visit specialist cook shops or games enthusiasts may find that now is a good time to check out what is new at their local games shop.
If you want to do something a little bit more entertaining with your time off then there a plenty of things you can do that can be done indoors. Check if there is an interesting exhibition on at a local museum or art gallery. Most museums and art galleries now have cafes so you could easily spend a day looking around the exhibitions, taking a short break for a snack or lunch in the café. An advantage of having a day off mid-week is that you will miss out on the crowds if you are intending to see one of the more popular exhibitions. If you are short of cash the main collections of a number of museums and art galleries are still free and many also have small free exhibitions. A number of museums and art galleries also host talks, demonstrations or courses. Some will only be suitable for children whilst others are aimed at adults.
If you live in a city with a university you may find that a number of them hold lectures or talks, especially during the holiday period and some of these will be suitable for the layman as well as the academics. Nearby national trust properties or stately homes can also make for an interesting visit.
A visit to the cinema or the theatre is ideal for a rainy day. Some cinemas and theatres offer cheaper tickets for people who are able to attend performances before a certain time of day. You might also be able to get special deals such as seeing two films for the price of one. If the theatre is part of a larger entertainment venue then there may be free music recitals on during the day and many of the theatres will have their own cafes and restaurants. Some theatres also conduct tours of the backstage areas and hold workshops. If there is nothing on at your local cinema that interests you rent a DVD from your local DVD rental store or catch up on some of the programmes that you may have missed on television by either downloading the programme or using a programme such as the BBC iplayer.
Got to love those arcades.
If you have booked your vacation and you arrive at your destination only to discover that instead of brilliant sunshine it is raining there are other activities besides the beach. Many seaside resorts have arcades where you can play a variety of games. Of course if you have small children this might work out a bit expensive so a good alternative would be to visit the local indoor pool or leisure centre. Bowling is another activity that most children enjoy and these days most places have at least one bowling alley. Depending on your budget you could also consider other activities such as roller-skating, ice skating or go-karting. Ice cream parlours are a good treat for children or adults. Find one with a retro theme and indulge in a dessert from yesteryear such as a banana split or chocolate sundae. Adults might prefer a trip to the local spa for a bit of pampering. Many hotels now include gyms and spas and you might find that you get a discount on the treatments if you are staying at the hotel. Alternatively some hotels offer weekend discounts, especially if they generally cater for business people.
If you are on a tight budget then taking along jigsaw puzzles and board games is a cheap way to keep the children entertained even if it is raining outside. If you have forgotten to bring any with you the place you are staying at may have cards or board games available. If you are on a self-catering holiday you could get all the family cooking. Baking a nice batch of cookies can be an entertaining way of passing the time and everyone will enjoy the end results. If you have some suitable materials you could also try your hand at producing crafts. Let the children’s imaginations run riot, you don’t have to produce any masterpieces, but you might be surprised what they can come up with.
Finally even if it is raining it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your vacation. Unless the rain is torrential you can still venture out provided you have wet weather clothes. A walk on the beach, collecting any interesting debris that you find can be bracing and good fun even if the weather isn’t ideal.