Fun Without the Sun: Ways to Make the Most of a Rainy Day
April showers might bring May flowers, but let’s face it, grey days can also leave you feeling kinda glum.
But cheer up, buttercup! We have some ideas for you to get the most out of those grey days. Whether you brave the weather and venture outside, or stay toasty warm inside your humble abode, here are some ways to have fun without the sun, and things to do even if skies are grey.
Braving the Rain
If you’re in the mood to get out and explore (despite the grey skies and drizzle), these ideas are for you!
- Explore a new-to-you museum or art gallery – Chances are there is some really cool place you’ve been dying to check out but just haven’t gone to yet. Use this rainy day to tour one of those locales. The crowds will probably be lighter and you’ll likely end up having a great experience. Make sure to Instagram the whole thing to share your insights of your new find!
- Shop at the mall – If you’ve been to the mall lately (and let’s face it – you probably haven’t), you know it’s a ghost town. But you just might find that it’s still your happy place, with shops and food courts and good deals galore. Just stepping inside a mall will probably give you flashbacks to when you were in junior high school, when cruising the mall on Friday nights with your friends was the “cool” thing to do. Check out this list if you want to find the closest mall to you. Bonus if it has a food court that sells soft pretzels and Orange Julius (so 2000s) to complete your walk down memory lane.
- Splash in puddles – If you want to feel like a kid again and are willing to brave the wet weather, put on your raincoat and rain boots and take a walk through a local park. Don’t sidestep those big puddles – walk right through them! It won’t be long before you’re singing in the rain instead of cursing it. And since you’ve got to look cute doing it, check out these rainy day outfit must-haves.
- Go retro by going roller-skating – Nothing makes you feel like a kid again more than strapping on a pair of roller skates. You might fall a few times, but you will also likely laugh more than you have in a long time. Invite a friend to tag along with you so that the two of you can have fun hanging on to the wall – and each other – as you make your way around the rink. Don’t neglect the arcade and snack stand there, if your rink has ‘em. Your journey back through time won’t be complete without an Icee and a turn at the Claw machine.
- Go to a wine or beer tasting – Most cities nowadays have tasting or tap rooms for local wines and craft brews. Sip new varietals and experience new flavors by spending several hours learning all about beer or wine, food pairings, and more. Be safe and plan ahead by taking a Lyft or Uber ride home.
- Do a happy hour tour of new-to-you restaurants – Find a block in your town that has several restaurants you want to try, and go for a mini “bar crawl.” Visit two or three local hot spots to visit, and try one drink and one appetizer at each spot. Most restaurants run great specials during happy hour, so you can try new drinks and snacks for less than you normally would. Like mentioned above, please be safe and plan ahead by taking a Lyft or Uber ride home.
- Spend an hour (or, let’s face it, the day) at IKEA – If you’re lucky enough to have an IKEA near you, you’re lucky enough to have a place that you can spend an entire day roaming around and dreaming about how you would re-decorate your living space. Try out the furniture, hit up the cafeteria for the famed Swedish meatballs, peruse the wall art section, pick out new flatware, and find out just why this European hotspot is so famous. You can spend hours in their huge building and not get bored. We promise.
- Take the train/bus/subway to someplace totally new – For the people that want to step out the box completely, choose a brand new mode of transportation and set off for a section of your town that you’ve never explored before. Take your umbrella, your fully-charged phone (the GPS may come in handy), and a few extra dollars to spend on fun goodies you find on your journey.
- Become a photographer – Anybody can take a good picture of a sunset. But challenge yourself and take some pics in the rain. Hunt for flowers with raindrops on them. Take your bestie with you and snap her jumping in a puddle. Grab a pic of a rainy day gray sky. Post them to your social media accounts and impress your followers with your cool, artsy shots.
- Catch a movie – This idea is an oldie, but still a goody. There’s always one film out that you’ve been dying to see, but haven’t gotten the chance to see. Reserve your ticket online before you go (other people might have the same great idea and you don’t want to be shut out at the door). If you live near a theater that serves dinner in your seats and even has a bar, make sure you go to that theater to make it a really special time out.
Staying Dry Inside
If staying in and lounging in PJs all day is more your speed, check out this list of fun activities to do from the comfort of your own home.
- Pamper yourself with an at-home spa day – The weather might be rough outside, but you can still have a relaxing day inside. Follow these tips for how to set the mood, make your own sugary skin scrub, deep condition your hair, or even turn your shower into sauna. One of the best things about a spa day is having a great mimosa while you get pampered, so stock up on champagne and orange juice for the perfect spa treat!
- Binge watch your favorite new TV show – There’s always something new on Hulu or Netflix that your friends have been talking about - now is your time to give it a watch. Pour yourself a great glass of wine, snuggle up on your couch under your favorite blanket, and become BFFs with your remote for a relaxing day.
- Host a film festival for your friends – If binge watching sounds great but you don’t want to be alone, invite a few friends over for an all-day film festival held in the comfort of your living room. Stream some new movies and catch-up on faves from the Oscars, indie classics, or the latest rom-coms. And because a girl’s gotta eat, follow this handy guide to learn what delicious snacks pair best with your favorite wines so that your guests are satisfied with what they’re seeing on your screen and putting in their stomachs.
- Become a baker – Sure, stopping at your favorite pastry or cupcake shop is a fun treat, but have you ever tried to make something sweet on your own? Pick a dessert you’ve always wanted to make and just go for it! Whether it’s the perfect chocolate chip cookie, a light fruit tart, a creamy cheesecake, or a scrumptious chocolate cupcake, you can turn your kitchen into a bakery with ingredients you probably already have in your cabinets. We suggest baking with wine - and drinking some while they cook, obvi - like this red wine brownie recipe. Don’t forget to post your final results on Instagram to show off your newfound talent to all your friends!
- Plan your summer vacation – There’s no time like a rainy day to dream about where you would rather be (amiright?). Grab a cozy blanket, slippers and your laptop, and begin researching your next getaway. Research trendy hotspots, look into a city you haven’t yet seen, or schedule a week at the beach for some R&R. Summer will be here before you know it, so use this grey day to plan for a fabulous summer, for when the sun is shining bright.
- Search for a new job – If you’ve been feeling restless where you currently work and find yourself spending more time on Bumble than you do on LinkedIn, maybe it’s time to mix it up and get your resume out to the world. Check out these job websites that provide ideas of where to work based on skill set, experience and industry, plus tip on how to spruce up your resume so you really stand out from the crowd.
- Make a fancy dinner – Bobby Flay and Alex Guarnaschelli have nothing on you, girl! Hey, you may not have a culinary degree, but with a little time and a great recipe, you too can be a gourmet chef. Find a fancy recipe you’ve been dying to try, and then see how it pairs with different wines so you compliment your culinary masterpiece. If you’re feeling brave, invite your friends over to try it out too!
- Start your spring cleaning – If you’re stuck inside, perhaps it’s the perfect time to deep clean, organize and get everything in order. Check out these tips on how to get a fresh start for spring in all areas of your life.
- Tackle a home improvement project – If you start making mental lists of all the changes you want to make to your house every time you turn on HGTV, use the rainy day to cross them off your list. And if you’re looking for ideas, here are some really easy and inexpensive ways to fix up your home and give it a fresh look for spring and summer.
Don’t waste that rainy day away, girlfriend! Whether you get out and embrace the grey skies, or stay in and work around it, don’t let the rain stop you from doing all the things you need and want to do.
Cheers!