Wondering what’s on over the summer holidays for families? Check out our What’s On guide.
The Lake District is one of the most beautiful places in the UK, but it’s no secret that it gets its fair share of rain. In fact, some parts of the national park are statistically among the wettest places in England. While we always encourage families to get out in all weathers, during those weeks of relentless rain when you just need a break indoors, here are the best rainy day options in the Lake District for families.
The mountains and fells create their own weather systems, drawing in cloud and rainfall throughout the year. It’s part of what makes the landscape so lush and green, feeding the lakes, rivers and waterfalls that define the region.
A rainy forecast doesn’t have to spoil your trip. While the Lake District is famous for hiking and outdoor adventures, it also has plenty of indoor attractions that work well in wet weather. Keswick is especially useful on rainy days, with a strong concentration of family-friendly activities including museums, the Pencil Museum and Keswick Climbing Wall all within easy reach.
Across the region, you’ll find museums, indoor adventure centres, steam trains and boat trips – plenty to keep families busy until the weather clears. If you’re planning a full itinerary, you can also see our guide to things to do in the Lake District for more family-friendly ideas.
Here are the best rainy day activities in the Lake District for families.
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When planning your visit to the National Park, please arrive early or late in the day to avoid crowds if visiting over sunny weekends or school holidays. Please also take all litter home with you, don’t bring BBQs, and park your car in designated parking areas.
Location map of Lake District rainy day activities
Indoor Attractions in the Lake District
1. World of Beatrix Potter
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One of the Lake District’s best-loved family attractions, The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction brings Peter Rabbit and friends to life through immersive displays and interactive exhibits. It’s a must-visit for families familiar with the books, TV adaptations, or recent Peter Rabbit films, with beautifully recreated scenes from the much-loved stories and plenty to discover about Beatrix Potter’s connection to the Lake District. Located in the heart of Bowness-on-Windermere, it also makes an excellent indoor option on a rainy day. Allow around an hour for your visit, or longer if stopping at the café afterwards.
2. Lakes Aquarium
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Located at Lakeside on Windermere, the compact Lakes Aquarium is home to hundreds of freshwater and marine creatures. Children can walk through the underwater tunnel, watch feeding sessions, meet otters and discover everything from local fish species to exotic tropical creatures.
3. The Puzzling Place
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This quirky indoor attraction in Keswick is packed with optical illusions, puzzles and interactive exhibits that will leave the whole family scratching their heads. Kids love the anti-gravity rooms, holograms and mind-bending visual tricks, while parents often find themselves just as entertained.
4. Derwent Pencil Museum
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Don’t let the name fool you, this museum is far more entertaining than a collection of pencils. Kids can learn how pencils are made, discover the secret pencils used during WWII, see one of the world’s largest coloured pencils and get hands-on with family-friendly exhibits throughout the museum. As this is also in Keswick, you may like to combine a visit here with The Puzzling Place.
5. Lakeland Motor Museum
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A fantastic choice for vehicle-loving children, Lakeland Motor Museum is packed with classic cars, motorbikes, bicycles and fascinating transport memorabilia. Younger visitors enjoy spotting unusual vehicles, while older children can learn about how transport has evolved over the past century.
6. Honister Slate Mine
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High on Honister Pass, this working slate mine offers guided underground tours deep into the mountain. Families can explore huge underground caverns and learn how slate has been mined here for centuries. It’s one of the most unusual rainy-day experiences in the Lake District.
7. Threlkeld Quarry & Mining Museum
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This hands-on museum is a great rainy-day option for children interested in diggers, trains and big machinery. Families can explore historic quarry equipment, learn about the Lake District’s mining heritage and, on operating days, enjoy a ride on the heritage railway.
Active Indoor Fun
8. Kong Adventure
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If your children have energy to burn on a rainy day, Kong Adventure in Keswick is a fantastic option. Indoor activities include climbing walls, indoor caving, rope challenges and soft play, making it suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities. Conveniently, it’s just a short walk from The Puzzling Place, making it easy to combine both.
9. Keswick Climbing Wall
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One of the largest indoor climbing centres in the Lake District, Keswick Climbing Wall offers climbing routes for beginners through to experienced climbers. Children can try climbing in a safe, supervised environment, with sessions and instruction available for those new to the sport.
10. Ambleside Climbing Wall
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Located in the heart of Ambleside, this indoor climbing centre is a great place for children to challenge themselves on a rainy day. There are climbing routes suitable for different ages and abilities, making it a fun activity for both first-timers and confident young climbers.
11. Keswick Leisure Pool
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A reliable rainy-day favourite, Keswick Leisure Pool features a swimming pool, flume and dedicated children’s splash area. It’s a great place for kids to let off steam while parents can relax poolside or join in the fun.
Trains & Boats
12. Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
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Affectionately known as the “La’al Ratty”, this narrow-gauge railway takes families on a scenic journey from the coast at Ravenglass into the heart of Eskdale. Children love riding behind the miniature steam trains, while the covered carriages make it a great option even when the weather isn’t cooperating.
13. Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
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Step aboard a heritage steam train and travel through the Leven Valley between Haverthwaite and Lakeside. The journey is relatively short, making it ideal for younger children, and you can easily combine your visit with a trip to the nearby Lakes Aquarium (another excellent Lake District rainy day activity).
14. Ullswater Steamers
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A cruise on Ullswater is a wonderful way to experience the Lake District from the water without spending the day outdoors. The historic boats have indoor seating and covered deck areas, allowing families to enjoy views of the surrounding fells while staying sheltered from the rain. Services usually operate in wet weather, but it’s worth checking ahead if severe weather is forecast.
15. Keswick Launch
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Running year-round on Derwentwater, the Keswick Launch offers a relaxing boat trip with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. The boats have covered and enclosed seating areas, making them a great way to enjoy the lake even on wet days. If severe weather is forecast, check the latest sailing information before travelling.
16. Windermere Jetty Museum
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Windermere Jetty Museum explores the Lake District’s boating history through beautifully restored steam and motor boats, with indoor exhibition spaces that make it a strong rainy-day option in Bowness-on-Windermere. It tends to suit older children best, who enjoy reading displays and discovering ‘lake treasures’ in drawers, while younger ones have a dedicated hands-on room with toys and dressing-up clothes. Parents get a bonus lakeside view from here too. The café is a highlight, especially for hot chocolate with a view. The real draw, though, is the year-round programme of events and festivals that keep families coming back.
Castles, Historic Houses & Estates
17. Lowther Castle
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Lowther Castle has a small indoor exhibition where families can learn about the Lowther family and the castle’s restoration, along with a few historic rooms to explore.
It works best as a showery-day option rather than a full rainy-day attraction. The main appeal is outside, with vast gardens and the Lost Castle adventure playground, so it’s best enjoyed when you can make use of the outdoors between showers.
18. Muncaster Castle
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Muncaster Castle is a historic, lived-in castle that families can explore indoors through atmospheric rooms filled with portraits, furnishings and historic details. It’s a traditional castle visit rather than an interactive museum, but children who enjoy castles will find plenty to look at as they move through at their own pace.
Outside, the wider estate includes gardens, woodland walks and the Hawk & Owl Centre with regular flying displays, making it a strong option for mixed weather days when you can dip in and out of the rain.
19. Wray Castle
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Wray Castle is a playful National Trust property that works especially well for younger children, with large rooms to explore, informal indoor spaces and plenty of freedom to wander. While the lakeside setting is beautiful, the indoor areas make it an easy short visit when the weather is unsettled.
20. Hill Top
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Hill Top is Beatrix Potter’s former home and a small but atmospheric visit where families can walk through the rooms she lived in. Children who know the stories will enjoy spotting familiar details from Peter Rabbit and her other characters throughout the house. It’s a short visit, but full of character.
Outdoor options for rainy days
Some of the best Lake District experiences still happen outside, even when it’s raining. Forests offer natural shelter from the worst of the weather, and waterfalls are often at their most powerful after heavy rain. These are ideal for lighter rain or when you want to swap indoor attractions for fresh air and space to run around.
21. Aira Force
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Aira Force is one of the Lake District’s most impressive waterfalls, reached by a short woodland walk through National Trust paths. After rain, the falls are at their most powerful, and the trees provide some shelter along the route, making it a good short outdoor option even in wet weather.
22. Whinlatter Forest & Grizedale Forest
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Whinlatter and Grizedale are two of the best forest areas for rainy days, thanks to their dense tree cover and network of waymarked trails. The woodland canopy offers real shelter from heavy rain compared to open fell walks, making them ideal for a short outdoor break. They’re perfect for letting children run off energy without being fully exposed to the weather.
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