If it’s pouring, no worries, because the rainy day activities in Raleigh are very fun!
Of course, it’s not great if your outdoor plans got canceled. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great day in the city. From seeing a show to playing an escape game to going to an interesting museum, there are lots of indoor things to do.
I made this Raleigh rainy day activities guide to help you out if the forecast calls for rain. I included many kinds of things you can do so I’m sure there’s an activity for your liking on this list!
Rainy Day Activities in Raleigh, NC
Go to a Show at Lincoln Theatre
A great activity for when it rains in Raleigh is going to the Lincoln Theatre.
This is a venue that’s one of Raleigh’s best performing arts theaters and you can find it in Downtown Raleigh.
At this venue lots of different types of shows and other events take place.
For example, you can go here to attend live music, go to a concert, and do much more.
What’s great is that you can listen to many different genres of music at the Lincoln Theatre, so there’s likely music that you want to listen to.
What’s nice too is that this venue has a very intimate atmosphere and good acoustics. This makes going here to listen to music even better.
Address: 126 E Cabarrus St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Bowl at Bowlero Raleigh
Bowling is another fun indoor activity that you can do in the city.
If you want to bowl, there are many places that you can go to.
One of the best is Bowlero Raleigh.
This is a very large bowling alley that has more than 40 different bowling lanes.
Also, there is an arcade at the bowling alley, you can play billiards and pool here, and there’s much more that you can do at this place.
There’s also a good restaurant where you can have food and drinks.
What’s great is that this place has specials as well.
For example, there are some nights of the week during which you can bowl the whole night from 8 PM till closing time. If you expect there will be rain for a whole evening, this is a great activity!
Address: 5501 Commercial Ave, Raleigh, NC 27612
See Art at the North Carolina Museum of Art
Checking out art is another great activity that you can do when it is raining outside and a good place for this is the North Carolina Museum of Art.
This museum has an interesting collection that spans a period of more than 5,000 years.
You can see all kinds of works of art here, from antique works to modern works. Furthermore, the collection of the museum consists of items from all around the world. For example, there is a significant African art collection, and you can also see interesting European art at the museum.
Moreover, the museum has more than 40 galleries, so you can spend a lot of time at the museum.
What’s nice too is that there are sometimes temporary exhibitions at this museum. Going to the North Carolina Museum of Art is also one of the best things to do in Raleigh.
Address: 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607
Go to The Tower Escapes and Play an Escape Game
An escape game is a type of game that you can do that is very immersive.
During an escape game, you have to escape from a room by finding clues and solving puzzles. Once you solve all puzzles within a certain time limit, you can escape from the room and win the game.
You can go to The Tower Escapes if you want to play an escape game.
At this place, you can play a variety of escape games that all have their own unique theme. For example, there is one that ‘takes place’ in the 1920s.
Keep in mind that you have to play an escape. game here with a minimum of 2 people and a maximum of 10 people.
Address: 115 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Learn New Things at the North Carolina Museum of History
Want to use this rainy day in Raleigh to learn about history? Then, you can go to the North Carolina Museum of History.
At this museum, there are more than 150,000 different historic objects that together tell the story of the state.
What’s great is that the objects in the collection are very diverse and cover every aspect of history.
Furthermore, there are often events at the museum that can be interesting to attend. For example, there are tours, lectures, concerts, and many other types of events.
Also, what’s nice is that there is no admission fee. So you can visit the museum for free!
Address: 5 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Go to The Crazy Axe and Throw Axes
Want to try something fun when it is raining outside? Then, you can go to The Crazy Axe.
This is an axe-throwing club that is located in the city of Raleigh.
You can throw axes at a wooden target here, which can be a lot of fun.
First, you get instructions, and after that, you can throw axes yourself. You can then improve your skills.
This activity is even more fun to do when you do it with other people. That’s because you can then compete against each other!
Also, you can get drinks after throwing axes at this place.
Address: 3141 Capital Blvd Suite 110, Raleigh, NC 27604
See a Show at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
Seeing a show at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium can also be a lot of fun to do when it is pouring outside.
This is a beautiful venue that is part of the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.
The Raleigh Memorial Auditorium is a historic theater that opened in the year 1932.
The theater has a beautiful exterior and the interior is beautiful as well.
In the past, many famous artists performed at the theater.
Also, many good Broadway shows played at the venue.
Address: 2 E South St, Raleigh, NC 27601
See a Movie at The Cary Theater
The Cary Theater is another great place to check out when you are looking for indoor things to do on a rainy day in Raleigh.
This is a small local art house movie theater with 175 seats.
You can go to this movie theater to see many different types of movies. For example, you can go here to see independent films, classic movies, and mainstream movies.
But that’s not all that you can see here!
You can also go to this place for all kinds of film-related events. For example, there are film festivals, events with live music, and comedy events.
So when it’s pouring, I recommend checking out the website of The Cary Theater to see if there’s an event that you would like to attend.
Address: 122 E Chatham St, Cary, NC 27511
Go to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
You could also learn new things when it rains and a wonderful place for that is the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
This is a museum that you can find in downtown Raleigh and going here is especially a great thing to do with kids in Raleigh. It is a natural history museum that has many interesting exhibits.
The museum is one of the largest natural history museums in the South and it is also one of the most popular ones.
The different exhibits cover a lot of subjects. For example, there is an exhibit where you can learn about gems and minerals. There is also an exhibit where you can see prehistoric fossils, and there is one place that is focused on insects.
This is also a great museum to visit with children in Raleigh.
Address: 11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Go to the City of Raleigh Museum
You can also check out the City of Raleigh Museum if you want to find rainy day activities in Raleigh.
This is a museum that you can find in the Briggs Hardware Building, a historic building in downtown Raleigh.
At this museum, you can learn a lot about the history of the city of Raleigh. You can visit the museum for free, so this museum is also great if you’re looking for free things to do in Raleigh.
There are both permanent and temporary exhibits at the museum that focus on all kinds of subjects that relate to Raleigh. For example, you can learn about the city’s people and places. Also, there is an interesting exhibit about the Women’s Suffrage.
In total, there are about 5,000 objects in the collection of the museum.
Address: 220 Fayetteville St, Raleigh, NC 27601
See a Show at the Raleigh Little Theatre
The Raleigh Little Theatre is a wonderful local theater where you can see a show when it is raining outside.
This is a theater that is more than 75 years old and it has a beautiful interior and exterior.
The theater produces about 10 shows each year that can be great to see.
There are musicals, comedy shows, plays, and other types of events at the theater.
And there are often shows that are great for the whole family as well.
So when it’s raining outside, you should definitely check out the theater’s calendar!
Address: 301 Pogue St, Raleigh, NC 27607
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Raleigh Things To Do When It Rains Tips
Don’t forget to bring an umbrella with you when you are checking out the things to do on a rainy day in Raleigh on this list!
Even though these activities are all indoors, you still have to get to the places that I mentioned. For example, you have to walk from your parked car to the entrance of a venue that I listed. For this, an umbrella will make your experience much better!
Indoor Things To Do On a Rainy Day in Raleigh Map
This was my list of rainy day activities in Raleigh. As you see, there are many fun things to do indoors!