Do not fear. The rain is only here to help you grow.

Jennae Cecelia

Rainy days are a bummer even when you’re at home, but it’s a new level of NOOOOOO whenever it happens on your vacation. What do you mean it’s raining? I didn’t tell the weather it was allowed to precipitate during these dates. Why couldn’t it hold off until I left?

The sad truth is that the weather doesn’t care that you want it to be sunny with picturesque clouds in the sky, no chance of rain, zero humidity, a refreshing breeze, and warm enough for the killer outfit you packed. The weather does what it wants, when it wants.

That’s why I decided to write this post. I’ve had vacations with the perfect weather the entire time and I’ve had vacations that felt like I was stuck in hurricane it was raining so hard. I’ve created a pretty decent list of ideas and tips to try so you never lose a day of vacation. It might not be exactly what you planned for the day you planned it, but travel necessitates flexibility.

Below are just a few fun ideas I’ve tried to help you make the most of your vacation when the rain decides to make an unwelcome appearance.

1. Get take out (or a charcuterie) from a local restaurant, buy a bottle of wine/6-pack of local brews, and spend the night in watching a movie or local TV shows.
2. Take yourself on a food tour of the city. Get a snack at each spot t try as many as possible.
3. Catch up on writing postcards or posting on your favorite social media page.
4. Write some reviews for where you’ve been.
5. Research where you should visit first the next day just in case more rain comes. That way you can prioritize the must-see outdoor places first.
6. Treat yourself to a spa day.
7. Visit as many museums as possible.
8. Find and take a cooking class.
9. Meditate or find a yoga class.
10. Learn more of the local language.
11. Make new friends with other travelers where you’re staying.
12. Update your travel journal so you don’t forget anything special or memorable that happened while you have some downtime.
13. Organize your luggage. It’s not fun, but it will save you time later when you really want to be out and about.
14. Take a much-needed nap to have more energy for the rest of your trip.
15. Do your laundry. If you have never traveled with lots of dirty clothes before you don’t know the magic of having nothing but clean clothes in your luggage.
16. Take a virtual tour of another destination or museum.
17. Embrace the rain. Grab an umbrella and show the rain who’s boss?
18. Go on a pub crawl. Responsibly, please!
19. Visit a local bookstore or coffee shop to read
20. Find an indoor pool.
21. Look for underground activities.
22. Book a hop on/hop off bus tour
23. Go shopping
24. Find live music events.
25. Watch the rain from a cozy location you discover in town or where you’re staying.
26. Rent a car and go for a drive.
27. Look for underground activities. Like caves, catacombs, or salt mines? These are some unique places to visit and it never rains underground.
28. Work up a sweat at the local gym.
29. Go see a movie.
30. People watch in the hotel lobby or wherever you want to spend the day

There are, of course, endless more opportunities to make a rainy day a blip on your radar or even an incredible day. It’s all about finding something you would really enjoy and seizing the opportunity. Don’t let getting a little bit wet discourage you from venturing out and experiencing incredible sites, events, or classes.

Have you tried any of these options on a rainy day during your travels? Let me know in the comments below!