I have written about some activities and places that are perfect for a rainy day in Birmingham, and was keen to give the same treatment to the much-visited capital city. Activities in London are normally quite weather dependent, and given the unpredictable nature of the clear blue sky in the UK, it's best to plan for the best, but expect the worst, and have some potential bolt holes to hide in/enjoy if the heavens do open! Here are some fantastic activities and places to enjoy if you find yourself downhearted on a rainy day in London.
Make the most of the smaller crowds...
My number one advice for a rainy day in London is quite simple - do the things you were going to do anyway! I'm going to include some real activities for the rain, but it's important to think about just how busy London can be. If bumping into thousands of like-minded tourists is not for you, then wandering about in the rain can be the ideal way to avoid the crowds. The very first time I visited London as an adult (independent and free to choose whatever) it was horribly wet and a bit windy. For many tourists this was their idea of a nightmare day, but I don't mind the rain too much, and was only out for a few hours. And so my friend and I walked around some of the most famous (and busiest) landmarks in central London, and didn't have to share them with a horde of stressed sight-seers. Places like Buckingham Palace or the Horse Guards Parade are ideal in the rain, as they are very difficult to enjoy when the tourists are in full force!
Science in the warm and dry...
Right next to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum in South Kensington is the ideal place to get out of the rain and learn a lot about everything! I sort of accidentally wandered into this museum on a day I was supposed to visit the nearby Victoria and Albert Museum, and I'm so glad that I did. It's also just down the road from the Natural History Museum, so this area in general is ideal for a rainy day. My favourite thing about this museum is the level of interactivity. Science and display exhibitions can be interesting but a bit dull if it's all just looking. This museum does a fantastic job of drawing people into the facts and then beyond. Especially in the more kid friendly areas, there are fantastic toys that teach complex concepts with relative ease. Even the simple things that we take for granted are explained in really attractive and colourful ways, making them more tangible and understandable. I think it would be particularly fun for younger kids with curious minds!
Palm House and Seed Bank
Although you might not think that a botanical garden would be the ideal location for a rainy day, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, have a lot of indoor space, and it's the perfect way to enjoy the green and nature of the space without worrying about the weather too much. In particular I loved the Palm House, which is a towering glass building that holds a rain forest of trees, plants and exotic flowers. They also have a zone that shows amazing dry plants like cactus and palm trees, as well as an alpine section with plants and trees that can grow at incredible heights.
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Joe Thorpe
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