25+ Best Things to Do Indoors When it is Raining in Melbourne
Are you looking for something to do indoors when it is raining in Melbourne?
Rain or shine, there are plenty of fun things to do in Melbourne. Don’t let the rain get you down, Melbourne has so many fun indoor activities for all ages. You won’t even remember why you stayed inside!
Not only are there great things to do in Melbourne when it is raining but there are even free things to do on rainy days in Melbourne. Plus, families with kids have even more great rainy-day options in Melbourne.
Read on for the absolute best things to do in Melbourne when it is raining.
Things to do when it is Raining in Melbourne
Explore a Museum
Melbourne has an incredible number of museums that are perfect for exploring on rainy days.
No matter your interest, there is a museum for you in Melbourne.
The Melbourne Museum, a natural and cultural history museum, is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
For those who want to see beautiful art, check out the National Gallery of Victoria or the Lyon Housemuseum.
Learn about your own culture and past or someone else’s at the Immigration Museum, Museum of Chinese Australian History, Islamic Museum of Australia, or the Jewish Museum of Australia.
Sports lovers can explore the Australian Sports Museum.
Go Swimming
Swimming might not be the first thing that you think about on a rainy day, but there are plenty of indoor swimming pools in Melbourne.
Melbourne City Baths are located in the Melbourne CBD and include a pool, spa, and sauna. Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre has multiple indoor pools, including an indoor wave pool and an indoor toddler pool as well as a spa, sauna, and steam room.
Many of the Melbourne suburbs have their own indoor pools, and some even have slides, splash zones, and play areas for kids.
Roam the Markets
While Queen Victoria Market isn’t entirely indoors, the undercover areas are close together. Plus, if you don’t have an umbrella, chances are you can find one at the market.
With fresh and prepared foods, clothes, souvenirs, and just about anything else you can think of, Queen Victoria Market is a fun place to roam, even when it is raining.
For those who wish to learn more about Queen Victoria Markets and want to try a bunch of their delicious foods, there is a Foodie Tour of the markets.
✅ Book a tour of Queen Victoria Market
Play Games
Play arcade games and pinball at Bartronica in Melbourne’s CBD. You don’t even need to leave to eat or enjoy a drink, as Bartronica has a full bar and bar snacks available.
Ballers Club is an 18+ “clubhouse” filled with fun games such as darts, ping pong, and shuffleboard. Ballers Club has a full bar and restaurant, so you don’t even have to worry about heading out in the rain.
For all ages, head to Archie Bros Cirque Electriq in the Docklands. Archie Bros has arcade games, virtual reality, laser tag, bumper cars, and bowling. Plus, there is a full bar and restaurant at Archie Bros, which helps to make it a perfect place to spend a rainy day in Melbourne.
Fortress Melbourne is Australia’s biggest video game venue, and a great place to spend a rainy day.
The first (and only) location of Holey Moley’s Fun House is in Melbourne. Like Hijinx Hotel, the Fun House has interactive challenge rooms and is a great way to run around and burn off energy on a rainy day.
Skate the Day Away
Skate on the ice at O’Brien Ice House, Ice HQ, or Olympic Ice Skating Centre. Check out their schedules for classes and free skate hours.
Roller skating is a rainy-day option in Melbourne. Skate at Skaterz Roller Blade and Skate Rink, Sunshine Roller Skating Centre, Skateworld, or Caribbean Rollerama.
Melbourne even has an indoor skate ramp for skateboarders, BMX, and scooters. RampFest is the indoor version of a skate park.
See a Show
Movies are a popular rainy-day activity, and there are plenty of movie theatres in Melbourne.
While the movies are a popular rainy day activity for a reason, there are other amazing shows in Melbourne that you can’t just see anywhere.
With multiple live show theatres, there is always something fun to see in Melbourne.
Melbourne Theatres include:
- Southbank Theatre
- The Princess Theatre
- Her Majesty’s Theatre
- Regent Theatre
- Gasworks
- Melbourne Theatre Company
- State Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne
Looking for something unique? Check out one of the Candlelight Concerts in Melbourne. Not quite sure what to expect? Read our guide!
Learn Something New
Melbourne has plenty of classes to take, and cooking classes are perfect on rainy days. Here are a few delicious options:
- Dumpling Making Party
- Indian Cooking Master Class
- Authentic Lebanese Cuisine Private Class
- Asian Street Food Cooking Class
- Greek Food Cooking Class
- Pizza Making Party
For a list of all kinds of art, beauty, garden, and cooking classes, check out the schedule at Class Bento Melbourne. Class Bento has workshops for kids and adults, and they even offer virtual workshops for those who want to stay home.
Head to the Pub
Pick a pub and wait out the rain.
Enjoy Afternoon Tea
What is better than a pot of tea on a rainy day in Melbourne? Afternoon tea is delicious all the time, but there is just something about enjoying tea inside when it is cloudy and raining outside.
Melbourne has plenty of options for afternoon tea. Here are a few:
If afternoon tea is not your thing, and neither are pubs, there are plenty of delicious restaurants in Melbourne where you can wait out the rain. Melbourne has something for everyone, including delicious gluten-free Italian options.
Break Something
What is more fun than being allowed to break things? The Smash Room allows visitors to break things guilt-free.
Anyone over 13 can participate, and groups can enter a room together. Visitors to The Smash Room can choose between a baseball bat and a cro bar.
Pose for Pictures
Explore more than 100 paintings that you can touch at ArtVo. ArtVo isn’t like a typical museum, as at ArtVo, you can interact with the art and get the perfect photo.
Putt-Putt Indoors
Play up to 27 unique themed holes of miniature golf at Holey Moley in Melbourne’s CBD. If you want to spend even more time at Holey Moley, they have karaoke rooms, a bar with fun cocktails, and a restaurant that serves sandwiches and snacks.
Glow Golf at the Docklands is another fun putt-putt course indoors in Melbourne. The 18-hole course is in the dark with UV lights.
Drink and Play Games in -10 Degrees
Bundle up and spend time at Australia’s only Ice Bar, Melbourne Ice Bar.
They provide the gear, but it helps to bring winter accessories, as it definitely feels like -10 Celsius inside the ice bar.
Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available, as are ice statues, seats made of ice, and games made out of ice.
Try to Bust Out of an Escape Room
Solve hints, clues, and puzzles and attempt to “get out” of an escape room in time.
For those who want to combine virtual reality with an escape room, check out this VR Escape Room in Melbourne.
Other escape rooms in Melbourne include:
Best Things to Do with Kids When it’s Raining in Melbourne
Yes, there are plenty of fun things to do in Melbourne on rainy days on the list above. The Best Things to Do when it is Raining in Melbourne includes anything fun for adults, and lots of those places include fun for kids too.
This list is specific to kids. While adults may enjoy these activities as well, this list is geared toward fun rainy-day activities for kids.
Kid-Friendly Restaurants with Playgrounds and Play Spaces in Melbourne
Watch a Movie at a Theatre Designed for Kids
We all know that going to the movies is a perfect rainy day activity, but there are multiple theatres in Melbourne making the movie-going experience even better for kids.
VJunior at Village Cinemas has a play area, a slide inside the theatre, a special menu for kids, and an intermission during the movie.
Learn by Playing at Scienceworks
Kids of all ages can learn, explore, and interact with the exhibits at Scienceworks. There is a separate area for young kids, a planetarium, and hours worth of fun and learning at Scienceworks.
Explore Under the Sea
Learn about life under the sea, specifically in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, at SEA LIFE Aquarium. In addition to the basic admission to the aquarium, special events, workshops, and experiences are available.
Head to an Indoor Play Centre
We Rock the Spectrum has an indoor play space with an arts and crafts centre, trampolines, a zipline, and plenty of toys.
Funtopia is one of Australia’s largest indoor play areas. Kids can climb the walls, play on an Australian-themed adventure playground, or play in the toddler area on a rainy day in Melbourne. Funtopia also has a cafe and a Messy Studio where kids can explore art and make a mess.
Chaos Lab is a science-based venue for kids under 10 located at The Docklands, only open on the weekends.
Learn about Career Options
Aimed at children ages 5-12, Dream City is an interactive, hands-on STEAM learning centre where kids can learn about different career options. Each career option has a 25-minute activity for the kids to participate in.
Jump out Your Energy
Trampoline Parks are a fun way for the kids to get their energy out on rainy days. A couple of the options in Melbourne include:
Experiment with Science
Little science lovers can spend the day at Twisted Science, an interactive science play centre. Twisted Science is like an interactive museum, with a focus on science and fun for all ages.
Enjoy all things LEGO
With rides, movies, a playground, and plenty of places to build and play, Legoland Discovery Centre is a fun place to spend a rainy day with kids.
29 Fun Things to do in Melbourne, Australia with Kids
Best Free Things to Do when it is Raining in Melbourne
Play at Melbourne Museum’s Children’s Gallery
Geared towards babies and kids 0-5, the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery at the Melbourne Museum has plenty of places for kids to climb, interact, and explore.
While tickets are free, currently, they need to be booked in advance.
Interact with the Screens at ACMI
Explore a museum dedicated to TV, movies, video games, and art at ACMI. General entry into ACMI is free, though some exhibits and movies require paid entry.
Learn about the Government
Take a tour of the Parliament, the gardens at the Parliament, or a free architecture tour featuring the history and design of the Parliament building in Melbourne.
For those who wish to stay longer, high tea is available at the Parliament for a charge.
Read a Book
While any library will do, the State Library has a Children’s Quarter that is perfect for rainy days with kids.
The Children’s Quarter at the State Library in Melbourne has plenty of books, seats, and even a parents’ room.
Adults can enjoy a rainy day at the State Library as well. Free tours are offered of the State Library, and there are workshops and classes as well.
Visit the National Gallery of Victoria
Spend a rainy day at Australia’s oldest art gallery, the National Gallery of Victoria. Many of the exhibits, tours, and workshops are free at NGV, though there is a charge for certain activities and exhibits.
Learn about Australian Music
Always free, Australian Music Vault is the place to learn about Australian contemporary music of the past and the present. In addition to the permanent exhibit, live music, workshops, and other events are held at the Australian Music Vault.
Rainy Day Activities in Melbourne Wrap Up
As you can see, there are plenty of things to do indoors in Melbourne on a rainy day.
You can head to a museum, play at an arcade, watch a show, take a tour, and even go on an indoor ride. There is no reason to cry over rain in Melbourne when you have this list of fun things to do indoors.
All ages can use this list to find something fun to do until the rain subsides.
You May Also Like
- Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Melbourne
- Kids Eat Free Melbourne
- Queen Victoria Market Food Tour
- Things to do in Melbourne with Kids
- Legoland Discovery Centre Melbourne
- The Great Ocean Road with Kids
- Sovereign Hill Day Trip from Melbourne
- Puffing Billy Steam Train Ride
- Phillip Island with Kids
Pin for Later!
