30 Rainy Day Activities in Charlotte
Don't let the weather get in the way of making plans in the Queen City.
by DeAnna Taylor
Whether you wanted to have a family day, date night or catch up with friends, these 30 rainy day activities are sure to keep the good times rolling, even when the weather isn’t in your favor.
Eat & Drink
Eat Your Way through Optimist Hall
Optimist Hall has more than a dozen stalls to choose from. Dine on everything from wood-fired pizza, sushi burritos, burgers and more, then finish your meal with a fresh-baked treat or gelato.
Create Your Own Brewery Crawl
Charlotte has a bustling brewery scene, and depending on which neighborhood you are in for the day, you can curate your own impromptu brewery crawl. Or book a brewery tour with a service like Charlotte Brew-Ha-Ha Tours or City Brew Tours.
Enjoy a Meal and Art
The Artisan’s Palate is a great way to get more bang for your buck. Not only can you try Christa Csoka’s culinary masterpieces, but you can also view the featured art gallery and even hear live music on select evenings.
Take a Cooking Class
Book a cooking class at Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen. Tap into your inner chef as you learn how to make flavorful and fun dishes.
Indulge in Sweet Treats
Drop in to The Secret Chocolatier and handpick a mood-boosting selection of toffees, caramels and other chocolate-covered treats. If you have time, you can also take a hands-on chocolate-making class.
Experience Traditional Japanese or Korean Barbecue
Send your tastebuds on a culinary adventure at Gyu-Kaku, Iron Dish, MOA Korean or one of the other local Korean and Japanese barbecue spots. These restaurants can curb your wanderlust foodie blues on any day, not just the rainy ones.
Things to Do
Spend a Day at a Museum
Whether you head to The Mint Museum, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African- American Arts + Culture or the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Charlotte’s museums provide a full day of history, art and cultural exploration.
Enjoy a Night at the Ballet
Get dressed up to enjoy a nice performance from the Charlotte Ballet. Perfect for date night or families, a ballet performance offers a whimsical escape from the rainy weather.
Support Charlotte’s Sports Teams
While many of Charlotte’s sports teams play outdoors, you can still get in on the action on a rainy day, depending on the season. A Charlotte Hornets or Charlotte Checkers game is a sure way to stay dry.
Have Retro Fun at Pins Mechanical
Located in Plaza Midwood, Pins Mechanical is truly a blast from the past. Spend the entire day going from pinball machine to pinball machine, while sipping on cocktails like the Pinball Wizard made with blueberry vodka, elderflower, ginger ale and blueberries.
Laugh on the Funny Bus
Charlotte’s Funny Bus is a great pick-me-up even on a gloomy day. The mobile, BYOB comedy show has covers over the windows, so your laughs won’t be interrupted by the rain.
See a Comedy Show
Check out a show at The Comedy Zone for a few hours of endless laughs. The Comedy Zone regularly hosts touring comedic acts.
Unwind with a Spa Day
A rainy day is a great excuse to pamper yourself. There are several spas in Charlotte that offer everything from high-end experiences and over-the-top treatments to budget-friendly options.
Strike Up Some Good Times
What better way to pass the rainy day blues than with a few games of bowling at Queen Park Social. Adding delicious bar food and craft drinks makes the experience even better.
Show Off Your Golf Skills
Topgolf, with locations in University City and southwest Charlotte, is guaranteed to bring hours of smiles – no matter your golf skill level. Topgolf facilities are completely covered, with heaters if it gets cold.
Perfect Your Putting Skills
Choose from two 9-hole indoor courses, The Conservatory or The Library, at Puttery, backed by pro golfer Rory McIlroy. Between putts, order food and sip signature cocktails.
Test Your Skills at an Escape Room
Race against the clock as you search for clues in one of Charlotte’s escape rooms. Breakout Games, Escape Tactic, Timed Out Escape and The Box Escape all feature themed rooms that add to the fun.
Chop the Rainy Day Blues Away
Safely let out your weather frustrations with a few rounds of axe throwing at Bad Axe Throwing. It’s a fun way to get active and it’s oddly therapeutic too.
Create Your Own Candle
Paddywax Candle Bar offers an opportunity to create your own custom scented candle. The in-person classes are also BYOB if you want to sip a beer, wine or seltzer while your pour.
Build Your Own Terrarium
Use the rainy day as an excuse to become a plant parent, in a fun way. PlantHouse and Twigs & Figs both offer terrarium-building workshops as well as general plant shopping.
Take an Art Class
Show off your artsy side by creating an original work at Vixen Ready Art Factory. Charlotte Art League also offers drop-in classes and workshops for all skill levels.
Get Home Design Inspiration
Hickory Furniture Mart provides hours, and sometimes days, worth of browsing. Take your time going through the multi-sectioned warehouse to check out some of the best furniture makers in the state and country.
Family Friendly
Get Your Game on at Frankie's
Frankie's Fun Park is an entertainment facility with 120 different arcade games, indoor "Drop Zone" ride, bumper cars, two-story laser tag zone, 24 bowling lanes and a three-story kids playhouse.
Look for Stars and Walk with Dinosaurs
The Schiele Museum of Natural History is a pleasurable, interactive place to fuel your child’s curiosity of the natural world. They’ll really love the range of exhibits, from Dino Safari to North Carolina natural history.
Get Hands On at a Museum
Grab your tiny explorer and head to Discovery Place Science for hours of fun learning. For families with younger ones in tow, a trip to Discovery Place Kids, an interactive children's museum, is a must.
Dive into Racing History
Put the pedal to the metal in the realistic racing simulators or prep a race car in the pit crew challenge at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, home to educational and interactive exhibits that highlight the history of NASCAR.
Get Up Close with Sea Creatures
Take the littles ones to Concord’s largest aquarium, featuring North Carolina’s only ocean tunnel, at SEA Life Aquarium. Sea creatures include turtles, sharks, stingrays, seahorses and more.
Make a Splash Indoors
A water day makes everything better, even when it’s raining. Head to Ray's Splash Planet for tons of splish-splashing fun indoors.
Reach New Heights with Indoor Climbing
With locations in South End and Matthews, Inner Peaks is a great way to challenge your strength and determination. Challenge the family to see who really has the muscles in the household.
Jump Around
If you want to burn off extra energy on a rainy day, a trampoline park is sure to do the trick. There are several options including Sky Zone, Big Air Trampoline Park and Defy Gravity.
Article originally written by DeAnna Taylor. Updates by Arielle Patterson in April 2024.
