12 Fun Things To Do In London In The Rain

There are so many things to do in London in the rain. As any Londoner will say, you should always be prepared for rain in London. Even if you’re visiting in summer, a rainy day in London is something you can always count on!

But don’t worry, there are countless things to do on a rainy day in London. I’m going to give you some of my personal favourites from over the years.

Some of my suggestions are perfect if you’re looking for things to do on a rainy day in London with kids. Others are better suited to a day out with friends, or an evening date.

I’ve got all bases covered, so there’s no need to be lost for something fun to do with your friends or partner on a rainy day in London town.

Rainy Day Activities London

Catch A Movie

One of the best things to do in London on a rainy day is catch a movie in one of the many cinemas all around the city.

A personal favourite spot of mine is one of London’s Everyman Cinemas. You can cosy up for a movie on one of their comfy sofas, and order drinks and snacks to your seat. Everyman has locations in Crystal Palace, Borough (near London Bridge), Chelsea, and more.

Another comfortable cinema in London is the ODEON in Leicester Square, complete with reclining seats. It’s in a top location, always has the latest movies, and is worth every penny for a more luxurious cinema experience.

If you’re looking for cinema tickets on a budget, Peckhamplex in South East London has amazingly cheap tickets and some really good movies available. A few floors up, above the cinema, you can also grab a pre-movie bite to eat at Bar Story, a multi-level restaurant and bar complex.

All of this sits within and underneath a multi-storey car park which has been transformed into a great entertainment space. Peckhamplex is currently showing ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ and ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ for under £5.

Cinema lovers will never be short of things to do in London in the rain.

Visit A Museum

We’re always looking for things to do with kids on a rainy day. Sunny weather can never be relied on in London, whether that’s at Halloween, Christmas, half term or the summer holidays.

It can be difficult to find things to do in London in the rain during half term when kids want to be outside. London’s museums offer great space for kids to explore, learn, and play.

One of our favourite things to do in London in the rain is visiting a kid-friendly and fun museum, of which London has plenty. Our kids love the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, both in South Kensington, which has specific kid-friendly sections to explore for hours.

I’ve written before about these two favourites if you’d like to read more! The two museums, which are within a minute’s walk of each other, are both completely free to enter. Special exhibitions can usually be booked in advance for around £15.

Another favourite of ours is the Horniman Museum in South-East London. It has a huge interactive music room where kids (and adults) can listen and learn about instruments from around the world.

There’s also a glass-front beehive where kids can enjoy finding the queen bee! The museum is free to enter, usually with just one ticketed exhibition, and the nearest station (Forest Hill) is just a short walk away.

Art Exhibition

The best museums and exhibitions in London are often housed at 180 The Strand. Previously the home of LUX, an immersive art installation featuring the famous wave room, pictured below.

At the moment, award-winning artist Richard Mosse’s major new work premieres at 180 Studios. Weekend tickets are available for around £15.00 per hour slot, although the staff are lovely and I’ve never felt rushed to leave within the hour.

If art is your thing, get your hands on an Art Pass for inspiring things to do on a rainy day in London all year round.

The pass provides year-round access to over 800 places in the UK, including the best Homes, Galleries, Gardens, and Museums London has to offer.

The National Art Pass is available for £75 per person, £45 for under 30’s, and £112 for a double membership. Kids can also be added to your membership for an additional £15.

Tate Modern

Most London galleries such as the Tate Modern have fantastic indoor bars and cafes for rainy-day refreshments. Spending a day looking at art and relaxing with a coffee can be one of the best things to do in London in the rain.

Barbican Centre

The V & A Museum

The Victoria & Albert Museum is a must for anyone with an interest in art and design. Reimagining Musicals is on until late 2023 and celebrates the world’s best-loved musicals.

Twist Museum

Twist Museum in Oxford Circus offers a new kind of art experience. Curated by artists, neuroscientists, and philosophers, Twist Museum explores the wonders of illusion and is currently going viral on Instagram and TikTok. Off-peak adult tickets start at £19.50.

Grab A Bite To Eat (or a cocktail)…

My most loved thing to do in London in the rain is absolutely to meet with friends or family and enjoy some nice food and a drink. If this is what you’re looking for, the ideal area to head to would be Soho.

On a rainy day in Soho, cozy down in a trendy bar or restaurant and have a few drinks. If you’re a Guinness drinker, the Irish pub Waxy’s Little Sister is one not to miss.

As well as proper Guinness on draft, the pub has an old fashioned rope-pull drinks lift. It’s a great novelty and really fun! Having a drink with family or friends is always a great option for things to do in London in the rain.

Round the corner at 23 Greek Street on a rainy day in London, you’ll find a gorgeous bar and restaurant, Wun’s Tea Room & Bar. I love the retro décor (pictured above), and they are serving up some of the best cocktails in Soho.

To drink, order the Pandan & Lychee cocktail (pictured below). You’re welcome just to have a cocktail in their cozy downstairs bar, but if you’re hungry I’d recommend the Smacked Cucumber Salad. Yum!

Going out to eat or grabbing a drink with friends is one of my favourite things to do in London in the rain. There are so many great options for whatever you fancy.

Back in Soho, just a few doors down from Wun’s Tea Room & Bar, you’ll find Eat Tokyo, my favourite spot for sushi. The bento boxes are really affordable and delicious. Get there early because you may have to queue.

There are plenty of other excellent restaurants, bars, and cafes in and around Soho. Getting comfortable in a nice café with a coffee and a book is a gret thing to do in London in the rain.

Rosa’s Thai Café and Bar Italia are two personal favourites of mine. Bar Italia is a neon-lit, family-run Italian café with all the original retro décor.

Once you’ve finished eating dinner, my favourite place for dessert in Soho has to be Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream. It’s a Phillipino ice cream shop where you can get purple yam flavoured ice cream in a warm pancake sandwich or on top of a brownie.

Visit A Covered Food Market

If food is your thing, you’ll never be short of things to do in London in the rain. Brick Lane is home to a huge covered food market with cuisines from around the world. There is also a covered vintage clothing market just round the corner for a bit of shopping!

Explore London’s Historical Sites

If history is more your thing, there are plenty of London attractions for rainy days. These are great days out whether you’re visiting London on holiday or you’re a local.

The British Museum has undoubtedly the most impressive collection of historical artefacts in London (and arguably the world).

Collections include famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone, the original Ancient Greek Parthenon Sculptures, and glass from the Roman Empire.

Children’s itineraries for the British Museum are available on the website, as well as free audio guides and bookable daily tours for a fee. During late Friday opening, there are free 20-minute tours, recommended for adults only.

With or without the kids, exploring a historical attraction can be one of the best things to do in London when it rains.

Why not explore inside St Paul’s Cathedral, visit the Tower of London, or Westminster Abbey? Entry to all three of these amazing attractions are available for discounted rates with a Go City London Pass.

Click here to check out what’s on offer on their website and get yourself a pass to all three!

On a London rainy day, why not take a tour of Kenwood House in Hampstead Heath? Hampstead Heath is a wonderful neighbourhood to explore in the North of London.

Kenwood House and the grounds of Kenwood Estate are completely free for you to enjoy, although tickets may need to be booked in advance during busy times, especially on bank holidays. There’s also a second-hand book shop and cosy café on site.

Visit The London Dungeons

There are so many great things to do in London in the rain which also makes for a spooky rainy day activity in London town, look no further than the London Dungeons.

The dungeons are a walk-through historical experience recreating the scarier side of London’s history.

A highlight was exploring the Fleet Street barbers of Sweeney Todd. There is a scary drop ride and boat to enjoy! This is a great activity to do with kids on a rainy day during half term or the summer holidays.

The dungeons are located just off London’s South Bank with Waterloo being the closest station. Attractiontix offer a 10% discount on tickets to the London Dungeons.

Click here now to book tickets for the London Dungeons today!

Bowling

London is home to plenty of indoor activities to enjoy on a rainy day, from bowling with the family, axe-throwing, electronic darts, or an evening game of indoor crazy golf (cocktails optional).

If you need some fun things to do in London in the rain for your family or friends, you should try your hand at bowling.

All Star Lanes have locations around London including Holborn and Brick Lane, and the retro décor and great soundtrack make it an extra special day out for you and the kids.

I’d really recommend this for birthdays of all ages with party packages (food and drink included) starting at £25 per person.

One of the best rainy day London activities has to be visiting an arcade. NQ64 Soho is a really cool spot for late night arcade games and drinks. They even have a vintage Japanese Dancing Stage arcade machine, pictured above.

There’s no shortage of fun things to do in London on a wet day. In South-West London’s Wandsworth Town you’ll find a huge complex of indoor games and activities, Gravity Wandsworth.

As well as a bowling alley, Gravity is home to axe-throwing, electronic darts, an arcade, indoor go-karting, and an e-sports room. There’s absolutely something for everyone here. It’s free to enter, so have a look around and pick an activity!

If you’re planning things to do in London in the rain, the only thing I’d really recommend booking in advance is the go-karting because it’s often fully booked and once you see it you won’t want to miss out.

The ‘e-karting’ area is Japanese-themed, complete with a street kitchen noodle bar.

If you’re looking for fun London rainy day activities to do with your friends or work colleagues I would recommend grabbing a spot at Flight Club. Play social darts with friends have a beer, and a delicious slice of pizza.

Guests at Flight Club must be 18+ years of age. Locations in Shoreditch, Victoria, and Bloomsbury.

You’ll never be short of things to do in London when it’s raining.

One of the most fun things to do in London in the rain is undoubtedly one of the many VR experiences on offer around the city.

OTHERWORLD VR Experience is an other-worldly immersive experience with a futuristic bar and VR pods to get lost in!

Enter separate pods (pictured below) and then join each other in the virtual reality world with a whole range of games to play. The pods recreate wind and heat sensations to further the immersion.

Our favourite game was ‘Arizona Sunshine’, a zombie apocalypse shoot-out, not for the feint hearted. OTHERWORLD encourage a drink or two in the bar before you play, but be careful if you’re prone to motion sickness!

See A Comedy Show

A fantastic thing to do in London in the rain is to watch a stand-up comedy show. The city is full of hidden comedy gems waiting to be discovered!

The Top Secret Comedy Club on Drury Lane, London has hosted shows by top comedians including Russel Howard and Dane Baptiste. An amateur comedy night can be a great laugh, too.

Book your next comedy night out here!

Looking for more things to do in London in the rain?

If you’re spending a rainy day in London alone, or just looking for something more chilled than arcades and axe-throwing, lets look at some more options for things to do in London in the rain.

Visit A Spa

If you’re looking for some more relaxing things to do in London in the rain, why not visit a spa in London on a rainy day?

If you’re staying in one of London’s hotels you may be lucky enough to have a spa and gym so you won’t be lost for things to do in London in the rain.

Visiting a spa is one of the most relaxing things to do in London in the rain. There are plenty of spas and massage parlours to choose from.

Most spas in London also have a cafe or restaurant to enjoy after a relaxing day of treatments.

Do Some Shopping

If you’re wondering what to do on a rainy day in London, shopping is hard to beat. Whilst I wouldn’t recommend wandering up and down Oxford Street in the rain, there are plenty of other shopping destinations if you’re wondering what to do in London when it rains.

Westfield London holds two major locations in London, White City and Stratford, and is home to all of your shopping needs, from high-street favourites to luxury brands.

As well as more than 250 favourite retail stores, Westfield is also home to All-Star Lanes bowling, a Vue cinema, and more than 80 places to stop for a bite to eat.

Westfield is full of things to do in London in the rain. A highlight for many is House of CB in Westfield Stratford, one of only four locations for this on-trend store favoured by the Kardashians. Make up lovers will also find Morphe’s only London store at Westfield Stratford.

If you love shopping you will want to spend hours on a rainy day in London in one of the many department stores. Liberty, Harrods, and Selfridges all offer hours of shopping fun and are great things to do in London in the rain.

London’s department stores are particularly fun around Christmas time! Shopping is one of the best things to do in London in the rain.

See A Show

If you need London rainy day things to do with family, friends, or on a date, I suggest seeing a show at one of London’s theatres. There are great options online for finding budget-friendly tickets at the last minute.

Click here to browse discounted theatre tickets for a rainy day in London.

Tickets on Theatre Tickets Direct are as low as £18.00 for the new Great British Bake Off Musical!

Other shows like Grease The Musical and We Will Rock You are returning to London’s theatres in the Spring and Summer seasons this year. Tickets are available now.

Theatre shows and musicals can be some of the best things to do in London in the rain. Enjoy a pre-theatre dinner in one of Central London’s amazing restaurants, and then make you way to the show.