Rainy Day Activities
Rainy Day Activities – Looking for things to do when it rains in Harrogate, Knaresborough or Ripon? North Yorkshire has plenty of indoor attractions to keep families, couples and visitors entertained whatever the weather. In Harrogate, discover the Royal Pump Room Museum and Mercer Art Gallery, enjoy indoor swimming or try climbing. Knaresborough offers fascinating local history at its Castle & Courthouse Museum, alongside independent shops and welcoming cafés. Ripon is perfect for a rainy-day history adventure, with Ripon Cathedral, the Workhouse Museum, Prison & Police Museum and Courthouse Museum all within easy reach of the city centre. From museums and heritage attractions to family activities, shopping and cafés, rainy days can still be great days out in North Yorkshire.
Planning a visit? Check the event websites before travelling, as events, dates, times, ticket availability and programmes can change
Harrogate
1. Royal Pump Room Museum
Address: Crown Place, Harrogate HG1 2RY
Activity: Museum & local history
Good for: Families, couples and history lovers
About: Escape the rain and discover the story of Harrogate as one of Britain’s great spa towns. Exhibitions explore the people who visited and worked in the spa, its famous mineral waters and the development of Harrogate as a fashionable destination.
Website: Royal Pump Room Museum
2. The Mercer Art Gallery
Address: 31 Swan Road, Harrogate HG1 2SA
Activity: Art gallery
Good for: Art lovers, adults and families
About: Spend a rainy afternoon exploring Harrogate’s principal art gallery, with its collection of fine art and programme of changing exhibitions.
Website: Mercer Art Gallery
3. Turkish Baths Harrogate
Address: Parliament Street, Harrogate HG1 2WH
Activity: Spa & relaxation
Good for: Adults, couples and relaxing days out
About: Turn a wet day into an opportunity to relax inside Harrogate’s historic Turkish Baths, renowned for their spectacular Moorish-style interiors.
Website: Turkish Baths Harrogate
4. Harrogate Theatre
Address: Oxford Street, Harrogate HG1 1QF
Activity: Theatre & live entertainment
Good for: Couples, families and evening entertainment
About: Check the programme for theatre productions, comedy, music, pantomime and family shows — an ideal choice when the weather turns wet.
Website: Harrogate Theatre
5. Harrogate Leisure and Wellbeing Hub
Address: Jenny Field Drive, Harrogate HG1 2RP
Activity: Swimming & fitness
Good for: Families, children and active days
About: A useful all-weather option with indoor swimming and fitness facilities, particularly good for keeping children active during wet weekends and school holidays.
Website: Active North Yorkshire
6. Starbeck Swimming Pool
Address: Spa Lane, Starbeck, Harrogate HG2 7JF
Activity: Indoor swimming
Good for: Families and swimmers
About: Another handy indoor option around Harrogate for a family swim or exercise session when outdoor plans have been washed out.
Website: Active North Yorkshire
7. Live For Today Climbing Centre (Harrogate)
Address: Hornbeam Park Avenue, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate HG2 8QT
Activity: Indoor climbing & bouldering
Good for: Families, teenagers and active adults
About: Swap wet-weather sightseeing for an indoor climbing adventure. The centre offers climbing and bouldering facilities suitable for a range of abilities.
Website: Live For Today Harrogate
8. The Little Bees (Formerly Kidzplay Harrogate)
Address: Beech Avenue, Harrogate HG2 8DS
Activity: Indoor children’s play
Good for: Babies and younger children
About: A useful choice when younger children need to burn off some energy without worrying about the weather.
9. Harrogate Library
Address: Victoria Avenue, Harrogate HG1 1EG
Activity: Library, books & children’s activities
Good for: Families and quieter rainy days
About: A simple, inexpensive wet-weather option with books, reading and activities taking place throughout the year.
Website: North Yorkshire Libraries
10. Victoria Shopping Centre
Address: Station Parade, Harrogate HG1 1AE
Activity: Indoor shopping
Good for: Shopping, food and casual rainy days
About: Stay undercover while browsing shops in the heart of Harrogate, with cafés and the wider town centre close by.
Website: Victoria Shopping Centre
Knaresborough
11. Knaresborough Castle and Courthouse Museum
Address: Castle Yard, Knaresborough HG5 8AS
Activity: Museum & history
Good for: Families, visitors and history lovers
About: While the castle grounds are outdoors, the Courthouse Museum provides an indoor opportunity to discover Knaresborough’s fascinating history and historic courtroom.
Website: Knaresborough Castle & Museum
Rainy Day Activities
12. Knaresborough Heritage Centre
Location: Knaresborough town centre
Activity: Local history & heritage
Good for: Visitors and history enthusiasts
About: Discover more about Knaresborough’s people, stories and heritage while staying out of the rain.
Website: Visit Knaresborough
13. Active North Yorkshire – Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Hub
Address: King James Road, Knaresborough HG5 8EB
Activity: Swimming & fitness
Good for: Families, children and active adults
About: An excellent wet-weather alternative to outdoor sightseeing, with swimming and other indoor leisure facilities.
Website: Active North Yorkshire
14. Knaresborough Library
Address: 40 Market Place, Knaresborough HG5 8AG
Activity: Books, reading & library activities
Good for: Families and children
About: A quieter rainy-day choice right in the centre of Knaresborough, making it easy to combine with the town’s cafés, shops and museum.
Website: North Yorkshire Libraries
Ripon
15. Ripon Workhouse Museum
Address: 75 Allhallowgate, Ripon HG4 1LE
Activity: Museum & social history
Good for: Families, children and history lovers
About: Step inside a former Victorian workhouse and discover what life was like for the people who lived and worked there. The museum combines historic surroundings with displays and hands-on experiences.
Website: Ripon Museums
16. Prison and Police Museum
Address: St Marygate, Ripon HG4 1LX
Activity: Museum, crime & policing history
Good for: Families and older children
About: Explore historic cells and discover the sometimes-grim story of policing, prisons, crime and punishment in Yorkshire.
Website: Ripon Museums
17. Ripon Courthouse Museum
Address: Minster Road, Ripon HG4 1QS
Activity: Museum & legal history
Good for: Families and history enthusiasts
About: Enter a historic courtroom and discover how justice was administered in centuries past. It works particularly well when combined with Ripon’s Workhouse and Prison & Police museums.
Website: Ripon Museums
18. Ripon Cathedral
Address: Minster Road, Ripon HG4 1QT
Activity: Cathedral, architecture & history
Good for: Families, couples and heritage enthusiasts
About: Escape the rain inside one of Yorkshire’s great historic buildings and explore centuries of architecture, craftsmanship and religious history.
Website: Ripon Cathedral
19. Ripon Leisure and Wellbeing Hub – Jack Laugher Centre
Address: Dallamires Lane, Ripon HG4 1TT
Activity: Swimming & fitness
Good for: Families and active days
About: A practical rainy-day option for swimming, exercise and indoor recreation when the North Yorkshire weather rules out outdoor plans.
Website: Active North Yorkshire
20. Ripon Library
Location: Ripon city centre
Activity: Library, books & activities
Good for: Families and quieter days
About: A useful indoor stop for reading, browsing books and children’s activities, which can easily be combined with other city-centre attractions.
Website: North Yorkshire Libraries
Make a Day of It
For a full rainy day in Harrogate, combine the Royal Pump Room Museum and Mercer Art Gallery with lunch, shopping or an indoor activity. In Knaresborough, combine the Courthouse Museum with the Heritage Centre, library and town-centre cafés. In Ripon, the Workhouse Museum, Prison & Police Museum and Courthouse Museum make an especially strong wet-weather itinerary because all three attractions can be explored as part of the Ripon Museums experience.
If you have a query, need help, or cannot find what you require, email info@harrogateuk.co.uk and we will try to help you.
Rainy Day Activities
