By Michelle Yastremsky
Rain gets a bad rep. Without rain there would be no rainbows, no cooling break on a hot summer day, and the world would even be a little less green. There's even a building in Germany that plays music when the rain hits it just right.
Don’t let rain put a damper on your vacation! Here are eight things to do when it rains on your vacation.
Make it a museum day. There was bound to be a museum or two on your vacation itinerary. Here’s your perfect opportunity to soak up some culture without missing out on the sunshine. If you’ve already visited the must-sees, why not find a quirky or alternative museum to visit, such as the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin or the Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments in Amsterdam.
Hop onto on a hop-on/hop-off bus. You may not be able to sit on at the top with the roof open and hair blowing in the wind, but at least you can enjoy views of monuments from a comfortable, warm place, while enjoying a bit of history from the pre-recorded tour. The best part? Most stops on these tourist busses will be very close to important monuments, so you can still the sights without getting soaked.
Indulge in the luxuries of your accommodation. Sleep a little bit later, order some room service, and take this opportunity to relax – you are on vacation, after all! If your hotel has a pool or hot tub, spend a few extra hours unwinding with a relaxing swim.
**Go shopping at an indoor market. **From craft markets to culinary warehouses to markets selling antiques and lightly-used items, most cities and towns will have a space where small vendors gather to sell their wares. Inquire at your hotel lobby, ask a local, or do some online research and find one nearby. You can try some local snacks and shop for souvenirs while getting a taste of local culture.
Unwind at the spa. It’s time to relax on your vacation! Treat yourself to a day of luxury at your hotel’s spa, or better yet – explore the local treatments of the area. Get a body scrub at one of Morocco’s many hammams, enjoy a Thai massage in Thailand, or melt those stresses away at a geothermal pool in Iceland (rain or not!).
Tour churches and temples. Some of the most breathtaking relics and works of art can be found in the churches and temples of an area. Find the most iconic and/or massive buildings and spend the day discovering the secrets of these religious monuments.
Take a cooking class. Find out if a local restaurant or chef offers cooking classes of the local cuisine. Your accommodation may even offer their own, or help arrange this for you.
…Or experiment on your own. Head to the local at the Museum of Local Culinary Specialities (also known as the supermarket). Pick up ingredients, and see if you can make a meal at home. Try to plan ahead by finding a recipe ahead of time. This’ll make the supermarket trip even more fun – see if you can find all of the ingredients by their non-English names! When exploring the supermarket, don’t forget to try the local snacks as well; tube-cheese in Sweden is must, as is Bamba when in Israel!
