If you’ve ever lived in Seattle for an extended amount of time, you’ve probably realized that it doesn’t rain as much as you’d expect. That said, there are plenty of wet days year-round and it can be tempting to wait out the rain from the comfort of your couch. A much better approach, however, is to embrace Seattle’s rainy days! There are so many fun things to do on a rainy day in Seattle. In fact, we curated this guide of 32 things you can—and should—do when it’s raining in Seattle. Whether you like to get active, learn something new, or just want to get warm and cozy, there’s something on this list for you.
Read on for the top things to do on a rainy day in Seattle:
1. Visit a Seattle cat cafe
If you don’t have a furry friend of your own at home, you can visit one of Seattle’s cat cafes for a mood boost on a rainy day. There is Neko Cat Cafe and Seattle Meowtropolitan.
2. Grab tickets for the Titanic exhibition in Seattle
Get ready to learn the true history and discover the personal stories and more of Titanic passengers at the riveting Titanic: The Exhibition that is now open in Seattle until December 15. Tickets are on sale now! Step back in time and hear all about the true tale of the Titanic. Check out all the details here.
3. Visit Chihuly Garden and Glass
Located centrally at Seattle Center, this beautiful glass artwork stuns whether it’s your first or tenth time seeing it. It’s particularly cool being inside the main glass structure when it’s raining outside. You’ll find more info on the Chihuly Garden and Glass website.
4. Explore the Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium is such a cozy and fun place to spend a few hours when it’s coming down hard outside, and now you can check out the new Ocean Pavilion! Afterwards, you’re in a prime spot to dash over to one of the many delicious restaurants located in Pike Place Market and Downtown Seattle.
5. Stroll through Pike Place Market
Speaking of Pike Place Market, the entire market is covered so it’s a great place to spend a rainy day. Even locals visit the market regularly for produce, fresh flowers, and to eat at one of the many excellent restaurants. Be sure to explore the lower levels as well.
6. Have afternoon tea at the Fairmont
The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle is a stunning place to visit. Having a fancy afternoon tea there on a rainy day is a truly delight. We also have a guide to even more places where you can get afternoon tea in Seattle.
7. Warm up by a fireplace while you eat and drink
Looking for the warmth of a roaring fire? We created a guide of cozy restaurants in Seattle with fireplaces—perfect for rainy days.
8. Get steamy in a sauna or hot tub
Another great way to warm up on a rainy day is to visit one of the best saunas and hot tubs in Seattle.
9. Visit Seattle’s Starbucks Reserve Roastery
We will always recommend warming up with a cup of coffee at a small neighborhood cafe first and foremost. There’s so many amazing cafes in every area of Seattle! But if you haven’t been to the Seattle Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Capitol Hill yet, make a day out of it the next time it’s raining. It’s a whole experience: you can even get cocktails there!
10. Find a good read at a Seattle bookstore
Once you’ve got your coffee, head to one of these cozy Seattle independent bookstores for an hour or two of browsing before heading home to curl up with your new book. Also keep in mind that many of the bookstores on the list host fun events—for free!
11. Go rock climbing
Seattle has a wealth of rock climbing gyms and they’re all very friendly and welcoming to beginners. One favorite is Seattle Bouldering Project in the Central District (it has yoga studios and a cafe) and another is the Pinnacle wall located in the REI flagship store.
12. Shop and save at Seattle’s best thrift stores
Maybe you can find the perfect raincoat! Seattle is full of fantastic thrift stores. To help narrow it down, we created a guide to our top five favorite Seattle thrift stores that you have to check out.
13. Grab some of Seattle’s best comfort food at a diner
Looking for some comfort food in Seattle to warm you up on a rainy day? We recommend checking out this list of the best diners in Seattle.
14. Shop at the best Seattle boutiques
If thrift stores aren’t your speed but you want to spend a rainy day in Seattle doing some shopping, we got you. Check out some of our favorite local boutiques and indie stores via our neighborhood shopping guides below:
- The best shops in Ballard
- The best shops in Wallingford
- The best shops in Fremont
- The best shops in Pioneer Square
- The best shops in Capitol Hill
15. See a live tango show
We Call It Tango brings the passionate Argentine dance to Town Hall Seattle this season. Featuring a talented bandoneon player, a pianist and two professional tango dancers, this unique show tells the story of tango through thirteen songs, each representing a distinct emotion and theme.
16. Grab a beer (and more) at Chuck’s Hop Shop
Chuck’s Hop Shop is a beer bar with three locations in Seattle: Central District, Greenwood, and Seward Park. You’ll also find food trucks, tons of snack options, and non-alcoholic beverages at each location. The Seward Park location is tucked within Third Place Books, so you can grab a coffee and browse the bookstore too!
17. Catch the game at Seattle’s first women’s sports bar
If you want to watch the Seattle Storm or OL Reign play, you can now head to Ballard and catch those games and more at Seattle’s first women’s sports bar. Read all about Rough & Tumble Pub.
18. Take a cooking class
You can sign up to take all kinds of interesting cooking classes at The Pantry in Seattle. Another option is PCC Market’s classes!
19. Warm up at a tropical bar
Inside Passage is one of our favorite tropical bars in Seattle. Want even more suggestions? See our list of the best themed bars in Seattle.
20. Take an arts and crafts class
Banish rainy day blues by learning something new and making friends at one of the many fun classes offered by The Works Seattle.
21. See a live show
There’s never a shortage of cool live shows in Seattle. See our roundup of the best live music venues in Seattle.
22. Tour the Seattle Chocolate Factory
The Seattle Chocolate Factory offers hour-long interactive tours for ages 6 and up. While there, you can also shop at their flagship store which stocks all sorts of cool treats, gifts, and merch.
23. Take the Seattle underground tour
Another classic Seattle tour that’s perfect for rainy days is the underground tour in Pioneer Square! You’ll get to actually go underneath Seattle and explore the forgotten streets from when the city was a full story lower. Book your underground tour here.
24. Find a Seattle speakeasy
A dark and stormy night is the perfect occasion to slip into one of Seattle’s hidden speakeasy bars and treat yourself to a warming cocktail.
25. Go dancing
If you want an energetic mood boost after a dreary rainy day, you should go dancing. Our favorite Seattle nightclubs for a night of dancing are Chop Suey and Barboza in Capitol Hill, Monkey Loft and Supernova in SODO, and Gold Bar in Capitol Hill (Thursday nights only).
26. Take your friends to a board game cafe
Mox Boarding House in Ballard is a great place to go in Seattle on rainy days. You and your friends can borrow one of their many games (or bring your own) while enjoying food, coffee, and craft beer. They also have private rooms you can rent and a fun schedule of events.
27. Grab some brews at a Seattle brewery
We probably don’t need to tell you just how many breweries there are in Seattle. Let’s just say there’s a lot. Our top recommendation right now is Metier Brewing in the Central District, which just opened a quick-service restaurant called Lil’ Brown Girl from Communion chef Kristi Brown. The cozy vibes and comfort food are just what you want on a rainy day.
28. Paint outside the lines at Neon Brush
Maybe you need a splash of vibrant colors and fluorescent paints to get over the rainy day blues. Neon Brush, Seattle’s new sip and paint workshops offer a unique setting where you can unwind on your own or with your friends and family and unlock your artistic abilities. There’s a selection of drinks available for purchase at the venue to truly let your artistic side shine.
29. Visit the Seattle Central Library
Even if you’re not a big reader, you have to visit the Seattle Central Library at least once. It’s an architectural marvel and is so fun to explore, especially on a rainy day. Go and look for the Red Room.
30. Visit a Seattle museum
A classic rainy day activity! Plus: Did you know you can visit Seattle museums for free?
31. Browse some vinyl
Why not make a rainy day better by bringing home some new-to-you vinyl to listen to? See our list of the best record shops in Seattle. Bonus: pictured above is Life On Mars, which is a cool bar with a great vinyl collection.
32. Giggle at a comedy show
Laughing till you cry at a comedy show is one of the best ways to spend a rainy evening in Seattle. We’ve got a list of four of our favorite comedy clubs you can check out right here.
33. Get coffee at an aesthetic cafe
Rain and coffee go together like socks and Birkenstocks (according to Seattleites, at least). See our picks for the most Instagrammable cafes in Seattle! These coffee shops are so stunning on the inside that you won’t care about the weather outside.
34. Try Seattle’s best hot chocolate
If you’re not a big coffee drinker, treat yourself to some decadent hot chocolate instead. We have a guide to the best hot chocolate in Seattle so you can warm up on a rainy day.
35. Attend a free event at Seattle Center
Seattle Center is a great place to kill a few hours when it’s raining, especially if you don’t want to spend a lot of money. Every year the center hosts free events such as Festál, a series of 24 ethnic cultural festivals. You can also get food and drinks at the Armory, catch a hockey game at Climate Pledge Arena, or see a show at McCaw Hall. See all the upcoming Seattle Center events here.
36. Bring your craft project to Stitch Cafe
Stitch Cafe is a new coffee shop in Capitol Hill that offers a cozy space for knitting and crocheting! It’s the perfect spot to craft or read a book on a rainy day. Read all about Stitch Cafe here before you go.
Edited by Sarah Nash.