Dr Mobeus
Rain Does Not Have to Ruin Your Summer
Let us be honest – this is the UK. It rains. A lot. And while the Instagram version of British summer involves picnics in the park and sunny beach days, the reality is that you will probably need a backup plan more often than not.
The good news? Some of the best days out in the UK happen indoors, and they do not have to cost a fortune. Here are 25 brilliant cheap things to do when it rains this summer – all under £10 a head, and many of them completely free.
Free Indoor Activities
1. Explore Free Museums and Galleries
The UK has some of the best free museums in the world. And on a rainy day, they are perfect. You already know about the big names – the British Museum, the National Gallery, the V&A – but every city has excellent free options:
- Manchester – Manchester Museum, The Whitworth, Science and Industry Museum
- Birmingham – Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Thinktank (free on certain days)
- Glasgow – Kelvingrove, Riverside Museum, Gallery of Modern Art
- Leeds – Leeds Art Gallery, Royal Armouries Museum
- Liverpool – Walker Art Gallery, Merseyside Maritime Museum, World Museum
- Edinburgh – National Museum of Scotland, Scottish National Gallery
- Bristol – Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, M Shed
Most free museums also have free trails and activities for kids, so it is not just wandering around looking at things. Pick up a family trail at the front desk and turn it into a proper adventure.
2. Discover Your Local Library
Libraries have changed. Modern UK libraries are warm, dry, and packed with free stuff beyond books. Most offer:
- Free Wi-Fi and computer access
- Children’s reading challenges and craft sessions (free in the holidays)
- Board games and puzzles you can use on site
- 3D printers and maker spaces in larger branches
- Free events – author talks, coding clubs, language cafes
Some libraries even have vinyl collections you can borrow. Check your local council website for events.
3. Free Indoor Events and Workshops
Check Eventbrite and your local council website for free rainy-day events. Many community centres, churches and libraries run free summer workshops for both kids and adults. Common freebies include:
- Craft workshops (pottery, painting, upcycling)
- Coding and robotics sessions for kids
- Board game cafes and meetups
- Free film screenings at independent cinemas and community spaces
- Open mic nights and acoustic sessions at pubs
Under £5 Activities
4. Visit a Community Cinema
Odeon, Cineworld and Vue charge £10-15 for standard tickets. But community cinemas and independent screens often show films for £3-5. Check:
- Everyman – Often has £5-7 midweek deals
- Community cinemas – Run in village halls and community centres for £3-5
- Meerkat Movies – If you bought insurance through Compare the Market, you get 2-for-1 cinema tickets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- Vue – £5.99 for kids on weekend mornings (Mini Mornings)
- Odeon – £3.75 for kids at Odeon Kids screenings
For more ways to save on cinema tickets, check our full guide on how to get cheap cinema tickets in the UK.
5. Go Swimming on the Cheap
Swimming is brilliant on a rainy day, and it does not have to cost much. Council leisure centres typically charge £3-6 for a swim, and many offer family deals. Better yet:
- Check if your local pool does free swims for under-16s during holidays (many councils run this scheme)
- Everyone Active and Better leisure centres often have pay-as-you-go deals
- Some supermarkets (like Asda) run voucher schemes for cheap kids’ activities in summer
6. Browse a Charity Shop Book Trail
This is a proper rainy-day activity that costs almost nothing. Most high streets have 3-5 charity shops, each selling paperbacks for £1-2 and kids’ books for 50p. Make it a challenge: give everyone a £3 budget and see who can find the best book.
Oxfam bookshops are particularly good if you want quality second-hand books – they sort by genre and condition, so it feels like a proper bookshop rather than a jumble sale.
Under £10 Activities
7. Visit an Independent Art Gallery or Craft Centre
Small independent galleries are often free or charge £2-5 entry. Many have cafes that are cheaper than high street chains, plus you get to see work by local artists. Search “art gallery near me” on Google Maps and filter by rating.
8. Go to a Board Game Cafe
Board game cafes have popped up all over the UK. You typically pay £3-5 per person for unlimited board games, and most let you bring your own food or have reasonably priced drinks. It is a full afternoon of entertainment for under £10 a head.
Popular chains include Draughts (London, Manchester) and The Tree House (Sheffield), but most cities have at least one. Search “board game cafe” on Google Maps.
9. Try an Escape Room
Escape rooms usually cost £15-25 per person, but many run midweek and off-peak deals that bring the price down to £8-12. Groupon and Wowcher regularly have escape room discounts. It is perfect for a rainy afternoon with friends or older kids.
10. Visit a Historic Church or Cathedral
Many UK cathedrals are free or request a small donation (£3-5). Even if you are not religious, they are stunning buildings with centuries of history. York Minster, Canterbury Cathedral and Durham Cathedral are standouts, but even small parish churches can be fascinating.
11. Indoor Market Halls
The UK has brilliant covered markets that are perfect for rainy days. They are free to browse and you can easily spend a couple of hours wandering the stalls without spending more than a fiver on a cuppa:
- Manchester – Mackie Mayor, Northern Quarter Market
- Birmingham – The Rag Market, Birmingham Wholesale Markets
- Leeds – Kirkgate Market (one of the largest covered markets in Europe)
- London – Borough Market, Maltby Street Market
- Glasgow – The Barras
- Cardiff – Cardiff Market
12. Go to a Soft Play Centre
If you have young children, soft play is a rainy-day lifesaver. Most charge £5-8 per child and include unlimited play. Look for off-peak deals (usually weekday mornings) where prices drop to £3-5. Many also do a coffee and play deal for parents.
Activities You Can Do at Home for Free
13. Bake Something from Scratch
Flour, sugar, eggs and butter – you probably have the basics already. Making biscuits, scones or a simple cake costs under £2 in ingredients and kills a couple of hours. Plus you get cake at the end. Win-win.
Check our money-saving summer food tips for cheap recipe ideas that work year-round.
14. Have a Film Marathon
Pick a franchise – Harry Potter, Marvel, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings – and watch the lot. Make popcorn on the hob (about 10p a portion vs £3 for microwave bags), close the curtains, and pretend the rain is cinematic atmosphere.
15. Learn Something New on YouTube
Free guitar lessons, origami tutorials, drawing classes, cocktail making, foreign languages – YouTube has world-class teachers for everything and it costs nothing. Pick something you have always wanted to learn and spend an hour on it.
16. Declutter and Sell
Rainy days are perfect for a declutter session. Go through wardrobes, cupboards and shelves. Sort into keep, donate and sell piles. Then list the sell pile on Vinted, eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
Our guide on how to make money selling your clutter has full details on which platform to use for what, and how to price things for a quick sale.
17. Start a Jigsaw Puzzle
Charity shops sell jigsaw puzzles for £1-3 each, often in pristine condition. A 1000-piece puzzle can easily fill a whole rainy afternoon (or week). Swap puzzles with friends and neighbours to keep a fresh supply.
18. Build a Blanket Fort
Yes, really. If you have kids (or just fancy it), a blanket fort with fairy lights, cushions and snacks is a brilliant rainy afternoon. It costs nothing and kids love it way more than most £15 attractions.
A Bit More Adventure (Still Under £10)
19. Visit a Free Zoo or Farm Park
Some city farms and small zoos are free or charge under £5. Mudchute Farm in London is free. Heeley City Farm in Sheffield is free. Many others ask for a small donation. Search “free farm near me” for your local option.
20. Go to a Free Art Exhibition
Beyond the permanent free museums, there are always temporary exhibitions popping up in galleries, community spaces and even shopping centres. Check your local paper or council website for what is on this week.
21. Try Geocaching
Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunt using your phone’s GPS. The basic app is free, and there are thousands of caches hidden across the UK. It works in the rain (just wrap your phone in a sandwich bag) and turns a wet walk into an adventure.
22. Visit a Garden Centre
Garden centres are underrated rainy-day destinations. Most have free parking, interesting plants to browse, a cafe, and often a pet section or gift shop that is surprisingly entertaining. Some even have play areas for kids. It is basically a free indoor wander with a cheap cup of tea.
23. Go to the Arcade
Seaside arcades are not just for summer. Many are open year-round and £5-10 in 2p machines can last a surprisingly long time. It is cheap, nostalgic fun, and you might even win a cuddly toy.
24. Visit a Free Historic Site
English Heritage, National Trust and local councils all maintain free historic sites – from castle ruins to ancient monuments. Some are partially covered or have indoor visitor centres. Check the English Heritage and National Trust websites for free-to-visit locations near you.
25. Have an Indoor Picnic
Why let rain stop the picnic? Lay out a blanket in the living room, make sandwiches, crack open some crisps, and have an indoor picnic. It sounds daft but kids absolutely love it, and it costs whatever you were going to spend on lunch anyway.
The Rainy Day Survival Kit
Keep a box of rainy-day essentials ready so you are never caught out:
- A jigsaw puzzle or board game from a charity shop (£1-3)
- Basic baking ingredients (flour, sugar, eggs) in the cupboard
- A list of 3-5 free museums within 30 minutes of home
- A list of cheap indoor activities nearby (council leisure centre, community cinema, library events)
- £10 in cash for last-minute cheap days out
Rain does not have to mean boredom and it certainly does not have to mean spending £50 at a soft play centre. With a bit of planning, a rainy summer day can be just as good as a sunny one – and a lot cheaper too.
For more cheap and free days out, check out our guides on free museums and galleries across the UK and 50 free and cheap things to do this summer.
