Things to Do in Buckinghamshire When It's Raining

Rainy weekend? School holiday plans ruined by the weather? Or perhaps you're simply looking for something indoors to do around Buckinghamshire?

Fortunately, rain doesn't have to mean another afternoon sitting at home.

From creative activities to cinema trips and indoor attractions, there are plenty of ways to rescue a wet day around Marlow, Maidenhead, High Wycombe, Beaconsfield, Bourne End and the surrounding area.

Here are some ideas.

1. Try Pottery Painting

We may be slightly biased, but pottery painting is practically designed for rainy days.

At The Lemon Tree Pottery Painting Café in Bourne End, you choose a piece of pottery and spend your session creating your own design.

Mugs, plates, bowls, ornaments, keepsakes and lots more are available to paint.

You don't need any artistic experience, and it's an activity that adults can genuinely enjoy as much as children.

When you've finished, we professionally glaze and kiln-fire your pottery before you return to collect the finished piece.

It's indoors, relaxed and gives you something completely unique to take home afterwards.

The studio is conveniently located for Bourne End, Marlow, Maidenhead, High Wycombe and Beaconsfield.

2. Have a Cinema Afternoon

Sometimes a rainy day calls for a big screen, popcorn and a couple of hours away from the weather.

Check what's showing at cinemas around High Wycombe and Maidenhead and turn a miserable afternoon into a proper cinema trip.

It's also an easy option when you're trying to entertain children of different ages.

3. Go Swimming

If you're going to get wet anyway, you might as well do it deliberately.

Local leisure centres around Buckinghamshire offer indoor swimming, and many run family sessions during weekends and school holidays.

Swimming can be particularly useful when children need to burn off some energy but the park isn't an option.

4. Turn Lunch Into the Activity

Instead of treating lunch as something you squeeze between activities, make it part of the day.

Marlow, Beaconsfield, Maidenhead and the surrounding villages have plenty of cafés and restaurants.

Choose somewhere you've never tried before, order something good and don't rush.

For adults, sometimes a rainy-day activity doesn't need to be complicated.

5. Do Something Creative

Rainy days are a great excuse to try something you wouldn't normally do.

Pottery painting is one option, but look out for local craft workshops, art activities and other creative experiences.

The advantage of making something is that the activity doesn't disappear when the afternoon finishes.

At The Lemon Tree, for example, your painted pottery is glazed and fired afterwards so you end up with something you can actually use or keep.

6. Visit a Museum or Indoor Attraction

Buckinghamshire and the surrounding area have museums, historic properties and family attractions that offer substantial indoor areas.

Before travelling, check the attraction's own website for current opening times, admission and whether advance booking is required.

A wet day can actually be a good opportunity to visit somewhere you've driven past dozens of times but never explored.

7. Have a Creative Date

Rain doesn't only ruin plans for families.

If your romantic walk has been washed out, use it as an excuse to do something different.

Try an activity together instead of simply going for another meal.

Pottery painting works particularly well as a date because you're doing something while you talk — and you both end up with a reminder of the day afterwards.

At The Lemon Tree we also run Paint & Sip evenings, combining pottery painting with drinks in a relaxed setting.

8. Take the Activity Home

Sometimes the best rainy-day plan is not leaving home at all.

The Lemon Tree also offers take-home pottery-painting kits.

Choose your pottery and take the paints and equipment home with you. Once you've finished painting, return everything to us and we'll glaze and kiln-fire your pottery.

It's particularly useful for family get-togethers, home-based parties or anyone who wants a creative afternoon without having to stay out.

Rainy-Day Activities With Children in Buckinghamshire

If you're entertaining children, look for an activity that occupies them rather than simply giving them somewhere else to be bored.

Creative activities can work particularly well because children have a project to concentrate on.

Pottery painting also works across different ages because everyone chooses their own piece and design rather than the whole family having to do exactly the same thing.

Indoor Activities for Adults in Buckinghamshire

There are plenty of reasons adults might be searching for indoor activities too.

You might be planning a date, meeting friends, arranging a birthday, looking for something to do with your parents or simply wanting an alternative to the pub.

Creative experiences, cinema, food, museums and activities such as pottery painting can turn a wet afternoon into something you'd actually choose to do again.

Looking for Something Indoors Near Marlow, Maidenhead or High Wycombe?

The Lemon Tree Pottery Painting Café is based at 27 The Parade, Bourne End, Buckinghamshire SL8 5SB, conveniently located for visitors from Marlow, Maidenhead, High Wycombe and Beaconsfield.

There's free parking opposite the café, with additional parking nearby.

Our pottery-painting sessions are suitable for beginners and include the paints, studio time, professional glazing and kiln firing.

So next time the forecast ruins your outdoor plans, don't automatically write the day off.

Sometimes the rainy-day alternative turns out to be better than the original plan.

Ready to give pottery painting a try? Book your pottery painting session at The Lemon Tree Pottery Café in Bourne End.