Rainy days - 43 things to do

Don't let the rain get you down. Here are 20 ideas (plus another 23 for good measure) for having a good time on a rainy day here in West Sussex

Rainy weather is a fact of life here in Sussex, with wet weather sweeping along the Channel and giving us a regular soaking. Miserable, driving rain can spoil a holiday atmosphere or dampen your weekend.

So it's best to have some good ideas for what to do on a rainy day up your sleeve. And there are lots of fun things to do in West Sussex when it's raining. Here are a few suggestions.

1 Go dancing

Maybe Singing in the Rain might not be the best choice of music to help you forget about the wild weather outside. But learning to dance is a great way to have fun indoors while keeping all your clothes on.

2 Pamper yourself

OK - it might be a bit self indulgent, but a rainy day is the perfect time to get that beauty treatment you promised yourself but never had the time to take up.

Where to get beauty treatments in West Sussex

3 Get a massage

Or why not enjoy the luxury of a good massage? Face down for half an hour or more, the rain will become a distant memory

Where to get a massage in West Sussex

4 A trip to the theatre

A comfy seat, no sign of the rain and a drink at the interval. A very civilised way to spend a rainy matinee or evening.

What's on at the theatre in West Sussex

5 Have a saucy day in a hotel room

Why not treat the one you love to a romantic day in bed in one of West Sussex's top-end hotels?

Good hotels in West Sussex

6 Martial arts

There's an incredible variety of martial arts. While some martial arts devotees enjoy the sport as a channel for naked aggression, lots of people swear by the fitness, self defence and spiritual aspects of their chosen fighting skills. And best of all for a rainy day, they can be done indoors

Where to learn martial arts in West Sussex

7 Art galleries

And on the subject of arts, why not have a look round the excellent art galleries we have in West Sussex. Our particular favourite is Pallant House in Chichester, but there are lots of fine art galleries around which are just....fine.

Where to see art exhibitions in West Sussex

8 A day at the museum

West Sussex museums are generally under-visited and under-funded. But if you take the time to look around there are some really interesting things on show. Horsham Museum in the Causeway is very good, as is the new Novium in Chichester, but some of the smaller museums, like the one at Cuckfield, are good too.

Where to visit museums in West Sussex

9 See a movie

(Apart from the generally disgusting food), what's not to like about snuggling up in the dark for a couple of hours, far from the rain and the troubles of the world with an engrossing movie?

Where to see a movie in West Sussex

10 Laugh your head off

Comedy venues like Komedia in Brighton are often dark, dingy and windowless - so where better to forget about the bad weather and laugh the rain away.

Where to see stand-up comedy in West Sussex

11 See how the other half lived

A rainy day is a great time to visit some of the more popular stately homes in West Sussex because they can be less busy. Although you might miss out on the full splendour of the gardens, there are plenty of historic houses in West Sussex where the real treasures are indoors - try Uppark or Petworth House.

Where to see stately homes in West Sussex

12 Learn how to sail

True, sailing is a lot more fun when it's sunny. But if you want to learn how to sail a dinghy then you're going to get wet. So why not embrace the rain, get a good soaking and let the wind and rain wash over you while you learn how to sail.

Where to take sailing lessons in West Sussex

13 Take up scuba diving

Jacques Cousteau eat your heart our. The Sussex coastline boasts lots of interesting dive sites and centuries of maritime history. Down there the waters may be murky, but the rain is but a memory.

Where to learn to dive in West Sussex

14 Swimming

Continuing the water related theme, why not take the kids swimming?

Where to swim in West Sussex

15 Find out more about where you live

One of the things that's been fascinating about writing this website is finding out more about West Sussex. Knowing a bit more about a place's past can really enhance your enjoyment of the present. It's a great thing to do on a rainy day.

More about West Sussex history

16 Go antique shopping in Petworth

Sure, you'll have to step out into the rain a little bit - but an afternoon's antique shopping in Petworth is a great way of getting out and about whilst staying (mostly) indoors. Petworth has an extraordinary selection of antique shops which well all sorts of old paraphernalia, from the cheap and tatty to top of the range treasures.

Where to shop for antiques in West Sussex

17 Run

There's something soothing about running in the rain. Maybe it's the feel of the rain on the road; maybe it's the cooling effect of the rain. But a rainy day is a great time to put in some hard miles before a good hot bath.

Road races in West Sussex

18 Pottery Painting

Why not take the kids pottery painting? Although some pottery painting businesses in West Sussex have closed down over the last few years, it's still a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon and you'll have a unique souvenir to take away to boot once your ceramics have been fired.

Where to do pottery painting in West Sussex

19 Get in the swing of things

Why not take out your frustrations on a bucket of golf balls at a golf driving range. You'll be under cover from the rain, but get plenty of fresh air too. If you haven't played before, why not phone ahead and book a beginner's lesson.

Where to hit golf balls in West Sussex

20 Squash

Some people don't like squash, but if you enjoy chasing a small ball around a box for an hour or so, then a rainy day is the time to do it. There aren't too many indoor ball games where facilities are widely available.

Where to book a squash court in West Sussex

Even more ideas for a rainy day

If these 20 West Sussex rainy day ideas don't get you going, then here's another bunch of great ways to spend a day when it's raining.

21 Why not see if you can make your All-Day Breakfast last all day.
22 Find a pub with a pub quiz.
23 And on the subject of pubs, there are still plenty of pubs in West Sussex that support live music, like the Park Tavern in Chichester, which has post Sunday lunch music.
24 Get your bucket list together - and why not make a list of all the places you'll enjoy going to when the sun shines again.
25 Have a big tidy and clear out all your clutter. You'll feel much better for it.
26 Go out for a spot of afternoon tea and a big cake.
27 Cook a recipe you've never tried before, preferably a slow and complicated one.
28 Sleep all day and then go out clubbing all night.
29 Do a painting or drawing - especially if you've never painted or drawn before.
30 Start to research your family history.
31 Make a list of all the people you like who you haven't heard from in a while and phone them all.
32 Get a head start on your Christmas shopping.
33 Start a website or blog about something you are passionate about.
34 Write a poem.
35 Do Stretching pilates or yoga.
36 Play with your pet (maybe not if you have a pet goldfish).
37 Design a piece of clothing or a custom T-shirt design.
38 Find 5 new blogs or websites that you'll want to visit every week.
39 Read a classic book that everyone knows about but which you haven't read.
40 Using a service like Spotify, listen to all the music that you've never heard before but wanted to listen to.
41 Create a scrapbook of your year so far.
42 Go ten pin bowling.
43 Lastly.
If the weather's really bad and there's a big storm and an offshore wind, then a trip down to the seafront is hard to beat. But if you do this please take care not to get near to parts of the beach where the waves can reach. Make sure you wave watch from a very safe distance and leave a large margin for error in case a really big freak wave creeps up on you. Sadly, people and pets have been swept away doing this in Sussex, so care is essential.

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