From underground caves to brewery tours, Yorkshire is packed full of awesome days out, even on rainy days…
No matter the season, you can always rely on the good old British weather to foil your plans for adventure. It’s always good to have a plan B in your back pocket for when rain falls – and we’ve got a whole list of ‘em.
From intriguing museums to awe-inspiring art galleries and incredible aquariums, Yorkshire is well-equipped with tons of indoor attractions and stay-dry activities to keep you entertained on those dreaded rainy days. So no matter how soggy it is outside, you can still have a great day out in God’s Own County.
Quick picks: Best rainy day activities in Yorkshire
Best rainy day activities in North Yorkshire
White Scar Cave
Credit: Nilfanion licensed under Creative Commons for commercial use.
Located in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, White Scar Cave offers an incredible underground escape from bad weather. Step inside Britain’s longest cave tour to explore an underground world of subterranean waterfalls, ancient slate beds, and towering stalagmites.
The guided walk covers one mile and takes approximately 80 minutes. Note that paths can be narrow and damp, so sturdy footwear is essential.
Where? White Scar Caves, Ingleton, Carnforth, North Yorkshire, LA6 3AW. Open weekends only from November to February.
How much? Tickets cost £20.50 for adults and £15 for children (under 3s go free). Family ticket bundles are £54.
Teamworks Karting
Credit: York Motorsports Village
If you have a need for speed, York’s Teamworks Karting provides high-octane indoor racing away from the torrential rain. Choose from easy-to-drive F3 Junior karts (limited to 9mph for younger drivers) up to full-spec F1 ‘Pro’ racing experiences for older kids and adults.
They also house state-of-the-art virtual reality racing simulators for a fully dry motorsport fix.
Where?Teamworks Karting, Kathryn Avenue, Monks Cross Leisure Park, York, North Yorkshire, YO32 9JS.
How much? Prices start from £37 per person (varies by age, format, and session duration). Pre-booking is highly recommended on wet weekends.
JORVIK Viking Centre
Credit: Jorvik
It’s a hit with young visitors, but all ages can enjoy an amazing day out at the JORVIK Viking Centre. Located just 15 minutes from York Train Station, historians young and old can delve into the illustrious (and often bloody) history of the Vikings and their rich Yorkshire heritage.
Take a ride through the remains of a 1,000-year-old Viking settlement, complete with characters, exhibitions and some rather pungent smells, before getting to grips with the horde of excavated artefacts that were found beneath the site of the very museum you stand in.
Where? JORVIK Viking Centre, Coppergate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9WT.
How much? Tickets cost £17.50 for adults or £12 for children aged 5 to 16. A family of 4 ticket costs £49.
National Railway Museum
Credit: National Railway Museum
Not just for train enthusiasts, the National Railway Museum is an indoor attraction that’s bound to pique your interest in the story of Britain’s railways. Discover how they changed the world and see the engineering that made it all possible.
Their full-sized trains will impress while the old photos, uniforms and retro signs walk you through a nostalgic piece of history. But there’s more – you can enjoy afternoon tea inside a beautifully restored carriage and explore the only Japanese bullet train to be found outside of Japan.
Where? National Railway Museum, Leeman Road, York, North Yorkshire, YO26 4XJ.
How much? Entry to the museum is free, but booking ahead is advisable at peak times.
Ingleborough Cave
Open from February to November, don’t miss your chance to visit the incredible Ingleborough Cave next time you’re looking for a rainy day activity in Yorkshire. You can take a guided walk through a series of underground passages, peppered with natural rock formations and artefacts that date back millions of years.
The impact of the Ice Age can be viewed from within this marvel of nature, as you discover underground lakes, pitch black potholes and have fun scrambling to give your drizzly day out a real sense of adventure.
Where? Ingleborough Cave, Clapham, North Yorkshire, LA2 8EE.
How much? Entry (including trail) costs £17.50 for adults or £9.50 for children (under 3s go free). Family ticket bundles are £48.50. Book online for the best prices.
The York Dungeon
Credit: York Dungeons
If you enjoy your laughs as much as your screams, The York Dungeon will strike the perfect balance on your next rainy day out in Yorkshire. Here, gory and ghoulish history comes to life with a full 360-degree set, teeming with famous characters from York’s dismal past.
Expect jumps and scares aplenty as you spend 75 minutes coming face-to-face with haunted pubs, nightmarish labyrinths and enough gruesome guests to keep you permanently skittish. The age limit is 5 but the Saturday Lates ticket offer even more after-hours, mixing booze with boos.
Where? The York Dungeon, 12 Clifford Street, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9RD.
How much? Tickets start from £20 per adult and £16 per child for advance bookings.
Stump Cross Caverns
In picturesque Pateley Bridge, you’ll find Stump Cross Caverns, perfect for dodging those rainy Yorkshire days. Caverns, carvings and cake are perfectly combined at this Nidderdale wonder. You can explore the warren of walkways and chambers at your leisure, descending the 65 steps to the incredible limestone formations formed by underground streams many millions of years ago.
Then, make your way to the cosy cafe for good food and the visitor’s centre to eye up the remains of wolverines discovered within the cavern.
Where? Stump Cross Caverns, Greenhow Hill, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 5JL.
How much? Tickets cost £16 for adults or £11.50 for children (under 4s go free). Family tickets are £49.50.
Eden Camp
Credit: Eden Camp
If you want to spend your day out in Yorkshire uncovering the sights, sounds and smells of wartime Britain, pay Eden Camp a visit. A World War II museum, this indoor attraction doesn’t just offer an insight into our history, it actually allows you to experience it.
It’s set in a former prisoner-of-war camp comprising of 33 huts, each transformed into a mini-museum focusing on a different facet of the war. From key figures to air raids, uniforms to battle recreations, you can spend an entire day wandering between these fascinating outlets.
Where? Eden Camp, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 6RT. Open from April to the end of October.
How much? Tickets cost from £14.25 for adults or £13 for children if booked online in advance (under 4s go free). Family tickets cost £52.50 for two adults and two children.
York’s Chocolate Story
Credit: York’s Chocolate Story
Melty, gooey, and creamy, who wouldn’t want to spend a rainy day in Yorkshire surrounded by chocolate? Join York’s Chocolate Story and you can learn all about the exotic origins of the much-loved treat and how it wound its way from the rainforests of Central America to the cobbled streets of York.
You’ll also discover which Yorkshire families turned this sweet treat into a business – does the name Rowntree’s ring a bell at all? And of course, no tour would be complete without a few demonstrations and a cheeky chocolate tasting or two.
Where? York’s Chocolate Story, King’s Square, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7LD.
How much? Tickets cost £21 for adults and £19 for children (under 4s go free with an adult). Family tickets start from £70.
York Cold War Bunker
Credit: English Heritage
One of the most unusual attractions in Yorkshire, why not take the whole gang into the recent past at York Cold War Bunker? This is the real deal, a bomb-proof war shelter that was in use from 1961 until 1992.
It was part of the country’s defence against a potential nuclear strike, while also being one of a network of bunkers that monitored nuclear explosions. Now you can explore its rich past as it reveals all the secrets of a time when the world seemed to be always on the edge of war.
Where?York Cold War Bunker, Monument Close, York, North Yorkshire, YO24 4HT.
How much? Advance online ticket prices depend on the season but cost from £10 for adults and £6 for children (under 5s go free). Family tickets start from £16. English Heritage members go free.
North York Moors Railway
How would you like to journey through 24 miles of stunning Yorkshire countryside from the comfort of a warm, vintage railway carriage? A trip on one of the North York Moors Railway’s six steam locomotives makes a rainy day a truly magical one.
You’ll find yourself transported back to a bygone era, filled with puffing steam trains, heritage carriages and quaint liveries. Stay dry and gaze out the window at the wonderful countryside, stop by the old-world railway stations and even enjoy afternoon tea as you travel.
Where? North Yorkshire Moors Railway, 12 Park Street, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7AJ.
How much? Ticket prices vary depending on the length and direction of your journey but return tickets during peak season are around £53.85 for adults and £13.50 for children (under 4s go free). Check the website for the best rates.
Web Adventure Park
Although Web Adventure Park has oodles for you to do outdoors, they also have a fantastic indoor play area that makes it great even on rainy days in Yorkshire. The highlight is their four-lane Astra slide – it’s one of the biggest in the country and the little ones will love whizzing down it.
But that’s just one of the attractions here – there’s soft play, complete with ball cannons, as well as crafts, a dressing-up station and a mini disco. Don’t forget to stop by The Animal Zone, where you can meet chipmunks, guinea pigs, rabbits and ponies.
Where? Web Adventure Park, Cliftongate Business Park, Wigginton Road, York, North Yorkshire, YO32 2RH.
How much? Ticket prices vary depending on the day of the week (weekends and holidays are more expensive) and start from £4 for adults, £9.25 for children 1-15 and £3.50 for under 1s.
DIG York
Credit: The JORVIK Group
Linked to the Jorvik Museum, DIG York gives your budding archaeologists the chance to venture into four indoor excavation pits. They’ll use their trowels to uncover the artefacts lying beneath the synthetic soil (that means no dirty kneecaps). What ensues is a journey through 2,000 years of Yorkshire’s history, as each artefact is uncovered and its past brought to life by knowledgeable guides.
You’ll get to explore objects from the Roman, Viking, Medieval and Victorian times, with the perfect blend of imagination and discovery.
Where? DIG York, St Saviour’s Church, St Saviourgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 8NN.
How much? Tickets start from £10.50 for adults and £9.50 for children. Family tickets start from £32.
Alpamare Waterpark
Credit: Tony Bartholomew/Turnstone Media
A seaside saviour for a rainy day in Yorkshire, Alpamare Waterpark is a must for water-lovers. Catch a ride on the indoor wave pool which erupts with metre-high waves every half an hour, take a hair-raising run on one of the slides, or frolic in the water fountains, flutes, barrels, cannons and buckets in the Splash and Play area.
Both the infinity pool and garden pool are kept at a balmy 35 degrees all year round, so a spot of light rain shouldn’t stop you from relaxing in their bubble recliners and admiring the far-reaching views out over the ocean.
Looking for other options? Check out our guide to the best water parks in Yorkshire.
Where? Alpamare Waterpark, North Bay, 28 Burniston Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 6PH.
How much? Tickets start from £10.50 for low season or £20.50 for high season.
SEA LIFE Scarborough
Credit: SEA LIFE
Jellyfish, penguins and turtles… on the Yorkshire coast? It’s true! You’ll find them all at SEA LIFE Scarborough. This indoor attraction is home to over 2,500 creatures, some you might never have heard of.
Their lively talks and animal feeding sessions are not to be missed, but the best part might just be the Tropical Ocean Tunnel, where sharks and stingrays swim right over your head! You can even catch the otters zooming around their pool and go on a rainforest adventure, where you’ll meet all sorts of cool creepy crawlies.
Where? SEA LIFE Scarborough, Scalby Mills Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 6RP.
How much? Tickets start from £16.50 for adults. A parent and toddler can go for £14 on weekdays.
Black Sheep Brewery Tour
Love all things hoppy, malty and zippy? Then you’ll be in your element on a trip to the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham, where you’ll embark on an extensive tour of this famous Yorkshire brewhouse.
Learn about the Black Sheep story from the start to the present day, watch the beer bubbling in the fermenting rooms, find out how the carefully-chosen ingredients are selected, enjoying a few snifters along the way. Someone will have to be the designated driver, but soft drinks are available for children and abstainers.
Where? Black Sheep Brewery Tour, Wellgarth, Masham, North Yorkshire, HG4 4EN.
How much? Tickets cost £14 for adults or £6 for children. Family tickets are £35.
Wensleydale Creamery
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Nothing says Yorkshire quite like Wensleydale cheese, and you can delve inside Wensleydale Creamery’s gloriously cheesy world at their museum and Cheese Experience. This one-of-a-kind indoor attraction takes you through the art of Wensleydale cheese making – all 1,000 years of it – including how a single 500g block of cheese is crafted from just eight pints of milk.
Watch the experts do their thing and ask all your burning questions before getting stuck into the tastings, all in the name of education, of course.
Where? Wensleydale Creamery, Gayle Lane, Hawes, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, DL8 3RN.
How much? Tickets cost £5.95 for adults or £3.50 for children. Under 5s go free, under 16s go free at weekends and in school holidays. Family tickets start from £14.95.
York Minster
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How many times have you walked past York Minster but never actually ventured inside? Make it your mission on the next grey day. This iconic piece of Yorkshire architecture has stood proud since 1472 as the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe.
Take shelter indoors and join a free guided tour to learn more about its history or climb the Central Tower to admire the views from the highest point in York. The Undercroft Museum is a must for history buffs, while the Hidden Minster tours explore spaces usually closed to the public.
Where? York Minster, Deangate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7HH.
How much? Tickets start from £18.20 for adults (under 17s go free) and are valid for a year from purchase. York residents go free with proof of address.
York Art Gallery
Credit: Anthony Chappel-Ross
If your taste in art spans 14th-century Italian panels, 20th-century photography and contemporary post-modernism, a visit to York Art Gallery may just be the rainy day activity for you in Yorkshire. You can spend hours wandering through the rooms in this immaculate Victorian complex.
Visit the largest collection of William Etty works in the UK, as well as the most extensive collection of British Studio Ceramics in the world. It also hosts the annual Aesthetica Art Prize, proving that it’s a gallery worthy of venturing into the wet and wild for.
Where? York Art Gallery, Exhibition Square, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7EW.
How much? Entry to the gallery is free, but some exhibitions have a cost.
Best rainy day activities in West Yorkshire
The Escapologist
Nestled on the second floor of the White Rose Centre, The Escapologist has everything you need for a day out escaping stormy weather. They offer a host of fiendishly tough escape games, but with a kid-friendly focus. The games are themed around Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland and Sherlock Holmes, while grown ups can try out games like The Butchering.
Your job is to solve a range of head-scratching puzzles and get out within 60 minutes. When you’re done, successful or not, you can debrief in the on-site cafe bar.
Where? The Escapologist, White Rose Shopping Centre, Dewsbury Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS11 8LU.
How much? Prices start from £44 for two people and vary on your group size and game of choice.
National Coal Mining Museum
Credit: National Coal Mining Museum
Uncover Yorkshire’s proud industrial heritage at the National Coal Mining Museum. Above ground, interactive galleries detail the lives of mining families through the ages.
The main highlight for a rainy afternoon is descending 140 metres underground with a former miner as your guide. Don a hard hat and lamp to tour the authentic subterranean coal seams – completely sheltered from the rain outside.
Where? National Coal Mining Museum, Caphouse Colliery, New Road, Overton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 4RH.
How much? Entry to the museum is free, but a £7.50 deposit is required for underground tours which can be returned or donated to the museum.
Middleton Railway
Credit: Middleton Railway
A hop, chug and a toot from Leeds city centre, Middleton Railway is run entirely by volunteers and is a charming way to beat wet weather blues. The main attraction is their tiny steam locomotive, which pootles along to nearby Middleton Park and back.
Remarkably, it’s the oldest continually working railway in the world, dating back to 1758, and your voyage is best followed up with a visit to the adjoining museum (indoors, of course) where you can get up close to artefacts, old photos and even more steam locomotives.
Where? Middleton Railway, Moor Road, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 2JG.
How much? Return steam train tickets cost £9 for adults or £4 for children. Family tickets cost £22. Entrance to the museum is free with your train ticket.
Royal Armouries
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A Leeds city centre delight, the Royal Armouries Museum is a must-visit for anyone in Yorkshire who wants a glimpse into the story of arms and armour throughout the ages. This incredible indoor attraction covers five floors and showcases over 8,000 artefacts, with everything from one of the most complete examples of elephant armour to Henry VIII’s foot combat armour.
Whether you’re marvelling at a 20th-century vampire-killing kit or trying your hand at the museum’s crossbow range, there’s loads to get stuck into, come rain or shine.
Where? Royal Armouries, Armouries Drive, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 1LT.
How much? Entry to the museum is free.
Standedge Tunnel
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Did you know you can venture deep beneath the wild Pennine countryside on a boat? Well now you do, thanks to the impressive Standedge Tunnel – Britain’s longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel! If you’re wondering how it can be both the deepest and highest, then book yourself onto your very own tunnel journey to find out.
There’s a quick 30-minute voyage or you can go the whole hog and spend two full hours discovering the well-lit tunnel up close, as you learn fascinating tidbits about canals, industry and archaeology.
Interested to find out more? Check out our guide to visiting Standedge Tunnel.
Where? Standedge Tunnel, Standedge Tunnel Waters Road, Marsden, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD7 6NQ.
How much? Tickets for a short discovery boat trip start from £12 for adults and £10 for children (under 2s go free). Family tickets cost £36.
Eureka!
Credit: Jonathan Pow/[email protected]
For a day of discovery, play and education masquerading as all-out-fun, take the family to Eureka! in Halifax. If a rainy day indoors is getting them restless, this is the perfect place in Yorkshire to let off some steam, thanks to six unique zones and hundreds of interactive exhibitions.
The human body, technology, deserts, imagination, theatre and more are all covered here, with loads of hands-on activities and break out areas that prove it’s a children’s museum through and through. Even the grown-ups might learn a new thing or two!
Where? Eureka!, Discovery Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 2NE.
How much? Tickets cost £17.50 for adults and children aged 3+. It’s £7.80 for kids aged 1-2 and under 1s go free if booked in advance.
Xscape
Credit: Xscape
Xscape is your one-stop Yorkshire shop for indoor attractions on those miserable rainy days. In fact, you may need a couple of rainy days to work your way through everything on offer here.
Got your checklist ready? There’s the ever-popular Gravity trampoline park, Snozone indoor ski slopes, Tenpin bowling, LazerZone, escape rooms, glow-in-the-dark golf and, for the really little ‘uns, a soft play centre. If all that indoor adventure sounds like hungry work, you’re well catered for with loads of restaurants on-site.
Where? Xscape, Colorado Way, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 4TA.
How much? All activities are charged separately.
Thackray Museum of Medicine
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Thackray Museum of Medicine is perfect when you’re looking for rainy days out in Yorkshire. Their stream of galleries take you from 19th-century Leeds when medical procedures were very old fashioned to the modern day, with all of its cutting-edge technology.
It means there’s loads of fun stuff to discover as you go on a journey through the history of medicine, particularly if you don’t mind a bit of gore, but if you’re squeamish, you’re not left behind. As well as the exhibits, keep your eyes peeled for their fun workshops which let the little ones get hands on.
Where? Thackray Museum of Medicine, 141 Beckett Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9 7LN.
How much? Ticket prices operate on a ‘Choose your own price’ basis but recommended price is £12.
Tropical World
When the rain is falling and the wind is blowing, what could be better than a day trip to Tropical World? Leave the rainy Yorkshire weather behind you and head into this indoor wildlife park to meet some of the zoo’s wild residents. Here you’ll find a host of intriguing creatures, from snakes and creepy crawlies to crocodiles and monkeys.
You’ll travel through rainforests, mangroves, deserts and even step into a nocturnal world filled with bats, armadillos and more. Don’t miss the meerkats – you can get a glimpse of their underground world.
Where? Tropical World, Princes Avenue, Roundhay Park, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 2ER.
How much? Tickets cost £9.50 for adults or £5.50 for children (under 3s go free).
Bradford Ice Arena
Get the whole family involved in this little slice of nostalgia and spend a wobbly day out gliding around Bradford Ice Arena. Penguin and snowman stands are available to prop up less confident skaters, but otherwise, the slippery floor is all yours.
Family sessions are the perfect introduction to ice skating, so you can teach the little ones to skate in a fun and safe environment. You can borrow a pair of skates or bring your own. Swing by the cafe for a bargain mid or post-skate snack when the hunger kicks in.
Where? Bradford Ice Arena, 19 Little Horton Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD5 0AD.
How much? Tickets start from £6.80 for off-peak (under 5s go free). Family tickets are available from a discounted £5.50 each.
The Hepworth
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A truly modern art gallery, chances are you won’t have visited an exhibition space quite like The Hepworth. Inside you’ll find key works by Barbara Hepworth, from whom it takes its name, as well as exhibitions from contemporary artists and items from Wakefield’s art collection, which spans over 500 years.
Since opening in 2011, it’s quickly become one of the top indoor attractions in Yorkshire – and it’s no secret why. Have a wander around the galleries, visit the shop, enjoy lunch at one of the indoor picnic tables and those rainy days will fly by.
Where? The Hepworth, Gallery Walk, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 5AW.
How much? Exhibition entry starts from £11. Under 18s and Wakefield District residents go free.
Salts Mill
The impressive architecture of this former industrial mill has been brilliantly adapted to offer an exemplary rainy day bolthole in Yorkshire. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Salts Mill has been transformed from a cloth factory into a hub of creativity.
Wander the 1853 Gallery which features works by the late, great artist David Hockney, before making a pit stop at the ginormous, light-filled bookshop on the second floor. Independent cafes and restaurants mean lunch is taken care of, and that’s before you’ve even visited any of the charming shops.
Where? Salts Mill, Victoria Road, Shipley, Saltaire, West Yorkshire, BD18 3LA.
How much? Entry to the mill is free.
The Brontë Parsonage
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Yorkshire and the three Brontë sisters will be forever entwined, as their home county served as a source of inspiration for their books. The Parsonage is the Brontë’s former family home, beautifully preserved as a museum since 1893.
It’s tucked away in the Pennines, so rainy days are a regular occurrence here, but inside the house you’ll find a safe haven to pore over letters, documents and writings from the famous authors. The house itself gives you a unique insight into what life was like for them and Haworth’s residents during the 19th century.
Where? The Brontë Parsonage, Church Street, Haworth, West Yorkshire, BD22 8DR.
How much? Tickets cost £15 for adults or £7.50 for children aged 12-16 (under 12s go free).
The Piece Hall
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The sheer scale of the recently restored Grade I-listed Piece Hall can make it easy to forget you’re in Yorkshire rather than exploring Rome. Originally an 18th-century cloth hall, this sprawling building features a colossal interior piazza surrounded by three tiers of balcony style walkways that offer shelter from downpours.
It’s now home to an array of indie shops, eateries and a free museum which tells its history. Keep your eyes peeled for concerts, performances and festivals that make a rainy day visit here even more special.
Where? The Piece Hall, Blackledge, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 1RE.
How much? Entry is free.
Leeds Art Gallery
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Just a quick dash from Leeds Train Station, Leeds Art Gallery is ideally positioned for those relying on public transport to keep the rainy day blues at bay. It’s home to one of the best collections of 20th-century British art in the country.
Here, you’ll find works by the likes of Francis Bacon, Henry Moore and Edward Armitage, alongside a range of modern artists. Upstairs, their temporary exhibition space has even more art to appreciate and a barrel-vaulted glazed roof that fills the space with light and keeps you dry.
Where? Leeds Art Gallery, The Headrow, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3AA.
How much? Entry is free.
Dean Clough
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Once the world’s largest carpet factory, Dean Clough remains an ever-evolving space. Today, the industrial building, with its collection of 19th-century mills, has been put to good use. It’s been transformed into an indoor maze of quirky shops, cafes and restaurants, with enough art-filled corridors and galleries to spend a rainy day getting lost in. Northern artists both past and present are championed in the permanent collection, where paintings representing the North of England over the last 30 years are proudly displayed.
Where? Dean Clough, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 5AX.
How much? Entry is free.
Henry Moore Institute
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An art gallery of international significance and an important part of the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle, the Henry Moore Institute is the perfect place to spend a rainy day out. Head into this cavernous gallery where you’ll find their latest exhibition.
They have a reputation for attracting world-class contemporary artists, like Senga Nengudi, Jean Tinguely, Jiro Takamatsu, Roy Ascott and Gego to Leeds. Follow the exhibition through into Leeds Art Gallery to double-up your day out, without stepping back out into the rain.
Where? Henry Moore Institute, 74 The Headrow, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3AH.
How much? Entry is free.
Best rainy day activities in South Yorkshire
National Emergency Services Museum
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Head to Sheffield for your next Yorkshire day out and fend off the wet weather inside the National Emergency Services Museum. You never want to be in a position to need to call 999 but when you do, who’s on the other end of the line? What can they do to help?
Find out across three floors of exhibitions, including over 50 emergency vehicles and their own bonafide Victorian police cells, the fascinating history and modern reality of our fire, ambulance and police services are brought to life at this wonderful family-oriented museum.
Where? National Emergency Services Museum, West Bar, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 8PT.
How much? Tickets cost £9.50 for adults and £7.50 for children (under 3s go free). Family tickets are £26.50.
Calypso Cove
A trip to Barnsley is in order on the next soggy day to explore Calypso Cove. Since it’s raining anyway, why not plunge yourself into a day out full of fun water slides, flumes, splash zones and even a sunken galleon?
The main leisure pool at this giant indoor water playground is the hangout spot for younger children, while the more daring can tackle the Terror Torrent flume or take on the Walk The Plank diving board. Top the day off with burgers, pizza and wraps at the on-site cafe and restaurant.
Where? Calypso Cove, Metrodome Leisure Complex, Queens Ground, Queens Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 1AN.
How much? Tickets start from £13 for adults, £11 for children and £4 for under 3s.
Magna Science Adventure Centre
Credit: Magna Science Adventure Park
There’s no adventure like a science adventure, and that’s exactly what’s on offer at Magna. It’s full of hands-on experiences to ignite the most curious of young minds. You can explore the wonders of science and technology across the four different sections – Fire, Water, Earth and Air.
Their interactive exhibitions are enough to turn a miserable day out into a mesmerising one. The Big Melt show is particularly good – it harks back to the area’s industrial past, with a pyrotechnic display around an original steel furnace. Impressive stuff.
Where? Magna Science Adventure Centre, Sheffield Road, Templeborough, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S60 1DX.
How much? Advance tickets cost £19 for adults, £17 for children aged 4-15 and £9 for children aged 2-3 (under 2s go free).
The Dome
In need of a wallet-friendly, all-day destination for a rainy Yorkshire day? The Dome certainly fits the bill. This no-fuss indoor destination is home to three family-friendly indoor attractions – swimming, ice skating and the two-tier soft Playzone.
The pool is a must. Along with structured lessons, youngsters can join The Big Splash swim sessions, which are designed especially for families and make the most of the centre’s water slides, geysers, fountains and pools. There’s a ten-pin bowling alley just across the road too.
Where? The Dome, Doncaster Lakeside, Bawtry Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN4 7PD.
How much? Activities are priced separately.
Sheffield Winter Garden
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The clue’s in the name. Sheffield’s Winter Garden is an indoor attraction designed to be enjoyed whatever the weather. It’s a true city centre oasis – the 22-metre arching greenhouse, one of the UK’s largest temperate glasshouses to be built over the last 100 years, is home to more than 2,500 different species of plants from all around the world.
It’s a little slice of the tropics in Yorkshire and offers a peaceful retreat from the bustle (and rain) outside. There’s a cafe too, so if the heavens really open simply grab a cuppa and linger a while longer.
Where? Sheffield Winter Garden, 90 Surrey Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S1 2LH.
How much? Entry is free.
Best rainy day activities in East Yorkshire
The Deep
Just because you don’t fancy a day out in the pouring rain doesn’t mean you don’t want to be surrounded by water, right? The Deep aquarium is home to over 3,500 creatures, including sharks, turtles, stingrays, jellyfish and even a colony of friendly Gentoo penguins.
With tons of viewing windows, information boards and ways to get involved, it’s a marvellous indoor attraction to spend a rainy day in East Yorkshire with your sea-loving little ones. Round it all off at one of the two on-site cafes.
Where? The Deep, Tower Street, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU1 4DP.
How much? Advance tickets cost £21.50 for adults and £15.75 for children (under 3s go free). Pre-booking is recommended.
