Rainy Day San Diego
It’s not always sunny in San Diego. A few days a year, we get some rain! So we came up with a list of 13 things you can do in San Diego on those rainy days.
#1: The Birch Aquarium in La Jolla
The Birch Aquarium has outdoor activities but there’s plenty to do inside. It overlooks the La Jolla cove so—even on a rainy day—it’s quite beautiful. It’s family-friendly and cost-effective. Tickets are just $19.95 for a child and $24.95 for an adult. They have over 60 marine life habitats, including their newest addition: The Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins.
#2: The New Children’s Museum
The New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego has plenty of activities to keep your kids occupied. It has three levels, each with a different theme. They rotate exhibits throughout the year. There’s also a train station and restaurants within walking distance from the museum. Tickets for children one and older are $18 and tickets for adults are $20.
#3: Attend a San Diego Gulls Game
Why not take your kids to a San Diego Gulls Game? The San Diego Gulls is San Diego’s minor league hockey team. Games are at the San Diego Sports Arena, which is about to undergo renovations. If you’re a hockey fan, this is a great way to spend a rainy evening.
#4: Balboa Park Museums
There are so many indoor activities at Balboa Park. There’s the Fleet Science Center, the Museum of Natural History, the Art Museum, the Comic-Con Museum, the Aerospace museum—the list goes on and on. There are even covered walkways between most of the museums.
#5: Indoor Ice Skating at the UTC Mall
The UTC Ice rink is located in the Westfield UTC Shopping Centre. They offer ice skating lessons as well as youth and adult hockey leagues. General admission with skate rental is $25. And when you’re done, you can wander around the mall and pop into some stores. There are a few other ice rinks scattered throughout San Diego but this is the one that comes to mind.
#6: The Westfield North County Mall in Escondido
The Westfield North County Mall in Escondido is entirely indoors (which is surprisingly pretty uncommon in San Diego). They have indoor place spaces for kids, restaurants, and obviously, shopping.
#7: The Liberty Station Public Market
The Liberty Station Public Market is completely covered with many dining options—including a mini doughnut place, The Mini Donut Company. They have any type of cuisine you could imagine, from sushi to Greek and Hawaiian to Mexican food.
Check out our tour of Liberty Public Market!
#8: A Luxury Bowling Alley
There are old-school bowling alleys and then there are luxury bowling alleys. There’s a Tavern + Bowl downtown and Punch Bowl Social in East Village. Punch Bowl Social has bowling lanes, karaoke, shuffleboard, and even an arcade. There are Coin-Ops locations—arcades for adults—in North Park and downtown.
#9: Escape Rooms
There are several great escape rooms in San Diego. I’ve never actually been to an escape room. But Courtney recently took her daughter to The Unlockables in San Diego and it was an amazing immersive experience. The Poway location has three different rooms to choose from. They have multiple locations in San Diego.
#10: Live Shows
There are multiple comedy clubs in San Diego, one of which is the Laugh Factory. You can see a show at the Old Globe Theatre, the San Diego Civic Center, the Off-Broadway Traveling Shows, and bands at the Belly Up. There’s no shortage of options to choose from.
#11: Amusement Parks
While an amusement park may not be your go-to when it’s raining, you’ll avoid throngs of crowds and you can get on rides quickly. If it’s just sprinkling outside, this could be a great idea. But if the weather takes a turn, some parks will shut down rides it’s not safe to be on during a storm. A little rain in the summer might even feel nice
#12: Indoor Play Centers
Kid Ventures is an indoor playground with different activities and things for your kids to do. Parents can go sit and have a cup of coffee while keeping a close eye. They also have staff members that keep an eye on the kids’ safety. Trampoline parks, laser tag, and indoor go-karts are other great rainy-day activities.
#13: The Whaley House
If you’re into haunted houses, this is supposed to be one of the most haunted places in California. I refuse to walk into it. There’s a lot of history behind it. We bet it’ll be even spookier on a rainy day.
What is your go-to activity on a rainy day? Did we miss anything that should be on the list?
