14 Awesome Things You Can Do In Virginia When It's Raining
By Anna Strock|Published September 02, 2015
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Anna Strock
Author
Virginia staff writer for Only in Your State, freelance writer and journalist. Even though Anna has lived other places, somehow Virginia is where she always seems to land.
Rain. It’s a love/hate relationship. On the one hand, we’ve been lucky lately to have plenty of rain this year. Gardens have been growing well – and in my case, it’s been a bumper crop of weeds. But when the weekend hits, or even worse, when there’s a long weekend like Labor Day coming up and there’s rain in the forecast, you want to have a go-to list of activities. Fortunately, there are plenty of options for rainy days here in Virginia. Below, we’ve put together some of our favorites to help you out when the bad weather hits.
A rainy day is probably not the ideal time to be jumping out of an airplane (IS there an ideal time?!), but indoor skydiving provides all the thrill - regardless of the weather. Indoor skydiving uses wind tunnels to simulate the free fall experience and allows for any skill level. iFLY in Virginia Beach, the state’s only indoor skydiving facility, opened in January 2015 and offers state-of-the-art facilities and training for anyone from ages 3 to 103. See what it's all about here.
2. Go to the Theater – the REAL Theater….
Anyone can go to the movies (or binge-watch Netflix as it were), but when was the last time you went to a live show? Virginia has some incredible live theaters offering amazing ambiance and world-class performances. Check out a small sampling of Virginia’s theaters below, see our full list here, or look for a live theater in your area.
Virginia Repertory Theatre is the result of a merger between Theatre IV and the Barksdale Theatre, resulting in the largest professional theatre in Central Virginia. Virginia Rep offers 4 distinct venues, including the Children's Theatre at Willow Lawn. Click here to learn more about the venues, upcoming shows and how to get tickets!
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Blackfriars Playhouse at the American Shakespeare Center, Staunton
Blackfriars Playhouse is the world’s only exact replica of Shakespeare's original 16th-century Blackfriars Monastery Theater in London and features world-class acting, staging and production.
This German-themed dinner theater features musicals of all varieties, for all audiences. Check out the upcoming show schedule here.
3. Let the Kids Loose at a Children’s Museum
When it comes to hands-on indoor fun, Virginia has some great options. Children’s museums like the ones below offer arts and crafts, interactive exhibits and play space to keep everyone happy – at just about any age. See the examples below or check your local listings for one near you.
This community sponsored, non-profit museum provides arts, education and technology for kids of all ages and is located at the First and Main Shopping Center in Blacksburg. Check here for more information and directions.
Featuring 2 full floors of exhibits and a planetarium, the Children's Museum of Virginia offers something for everyone at any age. See a full list of exhibits, hours and how to get tickets here.
4. Geek out at a Science Museum
Like children’s museums, science museums offer a creative, interactive way for kids – and adults – to learn how things work in the world around them. With a number of options to explore, the following spots are a great place to start.
Science Museum of Western Virginia and Hopkins Planetarium, Roanoke
From natural phenomena to dinosaurs to the human body, the Science Museum of Western Virginia offers dozens of exhibits and displays designed to make learning fun. And be sure to check out Hopkins Planetarium while you're there for a closer look at the night sky.
Featuring 6 permanent exhibits, ongoing special exhibits and events, and "The Dome," the most technologically advanced digital dome theater in the world according the museum website, the Science Museum of Virginia is a great place for
kids, teens and adults to learn about the world of science and technology.
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5. Check out The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach
The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center is one of the country's finest aquariums. With 800,000 gallons of aquariums, as well as wildlife exhibits, you won't even notice the weather outside. But, that being said, there are plenty of outdoor exhibits, as well, so be sure to come back on a sunny day for even more marine fun. Learn more here.
6. Perfect Your Swing with Indoor Mini-Golf
Who says it has to be sunny to golf? Try one of Virginia’s indoor mini-golf locations, like these shown below.
If you're looking for some one-of-a-kind fun, then Glowgolf delivers. Play up to 54 holes of glow-in-the-dark golf with special school hours now available. Check here for times and locations.
As the area's only indoor mini-golf facility, Putter-A-Round is the perfect place to head when the rain hits. Featuring black light rounds, party rooms and special events, it's actually a great place to go anytime! Find out more here.
Sure, you’ll get wet all the same, but it will be a lot more fun. Virginia offers a number of choices for indoor water parks from large venues to smaller, local pools. Check out a few of the options below.
Massanutten Resort’s indoor water park is open year-round and features slides, kiddie pools and spray grounds, as well as Virginia’s first and largest "Flowrider" surfing simulator. Check out the details here.
This state-of-the-art aquatic center is home to the Virginia Tech Swim and Diving Teams, but also hosts local, state and national competitions for all age levels. A separate heated pool for families and leisure offers beach-entry, slides, spray features and much more. Learn more here.
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8. Go Bouncing at a Trampoline Gym
I don’t know about your house, but at my house? Trampoline gyms are the new big thing. Featuring wall-to-wall and on-the-wall bouncing surfaces, foam pits and a number of other things guaranteed to make anyone under 21 feel old, trampoline gyms are also the perfect place to wear the kids out on a rainy day. Check out some examples below.
Featuring a 1/4 mile indoor concrete track, G-Force offers the chance to hit top speeds of 47mph. G-Force offers junior karts (ages 8-15) and adult karts (16+) with single races, multi-race passes and memberships available. Learn more here .
10. Get Your Game On Central Park Fun Land, Fredericksburg
Save Kings Dominon and Busch Gardens for a drier day and head indoors for amusement park fun. Central Park Fun Land indoor/outdoor amusement park has over 20 rides along with attractions like laser tag, go-karts, miniature golf, batting cages, mini bowling, rock climbing and bumper cars -- and that's saying nothing of the arcade with over 100 games. Of course, the best part is that Fun Land is perfect, rain or shine.
11. Go Rock Climbing – indoors, of course.
Rock Climbing has become an increasingly popular sport – both indoors and out. And these days, most areas have indoor rock climbing – either as a stand-alone facility or as part of a larger gym. Try The River Rock in Roanoke or look for a rock climbing gym near you.
Voted "Best Gym in the Blue Ridge" by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, The River Rock provides world-class climbing facilities, as well as lessons and services for everyone from beginners to experts. Learn more at The River Rock.
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12. Watch Professional Indoor Football with the Richmond Raiders
Starting in 2009, The Richmond Raiders have provided all the action of professional football - without the weather worries. The Raiders are a charter member of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) with games on Saturday nights at the Richmond Coliseum. The 2015 season wrapped up in June, just in time for the regular pro season, but be sure to cheek out The Richmond Raiders for more information about the coming season.
13. Explore Your Local Nature Center
Nature Centers bring the outdoors inside. Perfect for a rainy day, Virginia’s nature centers are an excellent way to learn about our indigenous plants and animals, as well as dissever some new species. Here are a few to get you started…
The Virginia Living History Museum offers word-class animal and plant exhibits, a planetarium and conservation education. Featuring 250 living species native to Virginia, including many endangered species like red wolves, loggerhead turtles, moon jellies and more, the museum offers everything from standard exhibits to hands-on, interactive displays. More details are available at The Virginia Living Museum.
The Nature Center at Maymont Park offers a look at alligators, venomous snakes, fish, turtles and river otters. With 13 aquariums, you can get up close and personal with many of the animals, fish and reptiles native to the James River. The center is a perfect way to while away a rainy afternoon, but be sure to come back when the sun is out to see the rest of the park, including gardens, wildlife exhibits and the Children's Barn. Learn more at Maymont Park.
14. Explore the World of Aviation at the Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly
As the a companion site to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the Udvar-Hazy Center is an remarkable collection of air and space artifacts. The two massive hangars contain an I-Max theater, a Concorde, the space shuttle Discovery and countless other examples of aeronautics throughout the decades, along with an observation tower to watch flights in and out of Dulles International Airport. Plan your visit here.
15. And when all else fails? Just dance in the rain…
What are you favorite rainy day activities? Let us know if we’ve missed some of your favorite spots or if you have any great suggestions. We would love to hear from you in the comments below!
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