Best things to do on a rainy day in Sydney

It’s not always blue skies and sunshine in the Harbour City. If you find yourself at a loose end on a rainy day in Sydney, these are the top things to see and so.

Sydney is renowned for its outdoor lifestyle and culture, thanks to mild winters and warm summers. But when it rains, it pours. One minute you might be basking in the sunshine, and the next, grey clouds may have blown over and before you know it, you’re caught in a sudden downpour. Being forced indoors by the rain doesn’t have to cause a total washout of your plans though, as there are bookstore cafés, hidden bars, beautiful cinemas and world-class theatre shows on offer. Read on for 20 things to do on a rainy day in Sydney.

Top things to do on a rainy day in Sydney

1. Cosy up with a book at a bookstore café

A book in one hand and a flat white in the other; does it get much better? The hybrid bookshop-café is the perfect rainy day spot. Read, eat and chat to fellow bookworms while the rain pours outside. Some of our favourites include Gertrude & Alice in Bondi, which is packed full with floor-to-ceiling shelves lined with novels, non-fiction and Penguin classics. They serve hot drinks and hearty food including brekkie rolls, porridge and their famous lentil stew. Paddington’s Ampersand Cafe and Bookstore is a longstanding institution but can be easily missed on Oxford Street — there are more than 30,000 books spread over three floors, and the food menu is just as extensive. Oh, and they make their own chai. Stop at Sappho in Glebe for Toby’s Estate coffee blend and a page-turner, or if you’re in the CBD, go to Dymocks on George Street and head to the mezzanine level cafe.

2. Hijinx Hotel

If the rain’s making you restless or you’ve got kids to keep entertained, look no further than Hijinx Hotel in Alexandria. There’s laser tag, arcades, bowling, mini golf and VR headsets, but its the Challenge Rooms that stand out. Choose from give rooms, each designed for groups of two to six people. Working together, players complete challenges and score as many points on the leaderboard as they can within four minutes.

Where: Building 3, 75 O’Riordan St, Alexandria NSW 2015
Price: Laser tag, bowling, or mini golf: from $12 per person; Arcade games from $35 per pass; Challenge rooms: from $27 per adult, $20 per child; karaoke from $100.

hijinxhotel.com.au

3. Flight Club

Gather the troops and get yourself down to Harrington Street for a game of darts with a difference. It doesn’t matter if you’re an expert darts sniper or a total newbie, you’ll be undeniably hooked on this ‘social darts’ experience. In 2012, two pals were catching up in a Devon pub, watching a young crowd going crazy over a game on the dartboard. They saw an opportunity to combine darts with tech and it worked—Flight Club spread across the UK and Ireland, and is now taking over the US and Australia too.

Where: 135 Harrington Street, The Rocks NSW 2000.
Price: From $24 per person for 60 minutes.

flightclubdarts.com.au

4. Visit a museum

To say Sydney’s museum scene is diverse is a bit of an understatement. Whether you want to take a deep dive into maritime history or glimpse the future, there’s a museum to satisfy your culture craving. The Museum of Sydney was built around Australia’s first government house where some of the most important events that shaped Sydney, NSW and Australia took place. The changing program of exhibitions and events reveal the character, cultures and soul of the Harbour City and its First Nations custodians.

In Darling Harbour, the Australian Maritime Museum offers a range of rotating exhibitions as well as a fleet of vessels you can climb aboard and explore. Coming direct from London, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition opens this week. Considered by many to be the crown jewel of Sydney’s museum scene, the Australian Museum houses a staggering collection of more than 20 million artefacts, including an impressive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collection.

Sporting fanatics should check out the new Peter Weinert Museum at Moore Park. Learn about the humble beginnings and present day triumphs of the Sydney Swans. Prefer cricket? Go to the state’s most historic sporting venue, the Sydney Cricket Ground, to find the SCG Museum.

It’s hard to talk about Australian culture without mentioning the huge role sport plays in it. As the state’s most historic sporting venue, the Sydney Cricket Ground has been the site of many of the country’s greatest sporting triumphs. The SCG Museum, part of the SCG Tour, paints a picture of some of the most memorable athletic moments on Australian soil, with one-of-a-kind memorabilia and first-hand accounts of the people who lived it.

Further afield, the NSW Rail Museum in Thirlmere is great fun for all ages, but especially Thomas the Tank Engine fans. Jump aboard the regular heritage train rides on weekends and during school holidays.

5. Take a cooking class

Roll up your sleeves and work on your cooking skills before enjoying the fruits of your labour. Barbetta in Paddington is an Italian restaurant headed by the Cipri brothers. They’re ‘totally obsessed with food, family and all things Italian’ and they share this passion at a full program of classes. They have just launched their first Italian Dolci Class where keen cooks will learn how to construct tiramisu, amaretti al limone and, the ultimate pairing, an espresso martini (June 14 & 28; $130 per person). Pasta is their bread and butter, with several classes per week ($140 per person), but there are plenty of others such as risotto/arancini ($140), lasagne ($160) and even classes devoted to sauces ($160).

Where: 2 Elizabeth St, Paddington NSW 2021

barbetta.com.au

6. Admire art at a gallery

You can explore the work of up-and-coming artists one day, and take a deep dive into some of the world’s most applauded creatives the next at major institutions and small independent spots across Sydney.

Art Gallery of NSW is a must—don’t miss the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize this winter. If contemporary art is more your scene, head to The Rocks to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Cerith Wyn Evans …. in light of the visible is the next major exhibition coming to the MCA and will be lighting up your feeds before long (opens June 9).

Chippendale fave, White Rabbit Gallery, is home to one of the world’s most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art. One a Rolls-Royce service depot, the space hosts two exhibitions per year as well as its permanent collection. Just a short stroll away from Chinatown and Spice Alley, it’s easy to make a budget-friendly day out of a visit. In Woolloomooloo, Artspace is an old warehouse that’s been transformed into a contemporary art and cultural space. Its currently displaying Amongst the clouds (digital materialities in the 21st century) which looks at the blurring lines between digital and material worlds and how it’s impacting the ways we think about art, society and tech.

Other gems include Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Bankstown Arts Centre, where there’s a strong focus on Canterbury-Bankstown, Western Sydney, First Nations and CALD artists, and Campbelltown Arts Centre.

7. Grab some popcorn and go to the cinema

Did you know that two of the world’s most beautiful cinemas are here in Sydney? Golden Age Cinema and Bar in Surry Hills has an impressive cinema and hosts live music at the bar on Friday and Saturday evenings; Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace in Cremorne, meanwhile, has six state-of-the-art screens so there’s bound to be something to your taste. Sydneysiders love the Dendy in Newtown and HOYTS offer half-price tickets every Tuesday at all their locations.

For the ultimate movie night, eat at Restaurant Hubert before heading to the Theatre Royale, its art-house cinema. On the first Sunday of each month, the Magnums & Movies experience ($165 per person) delivers canapés, popcorn, a buffet dinner at the intermission and free-flowing wine throughout the evening, while you watch the likes of Julie & Julia (June 1), Pulp Fiction (July 6) or Goodfellas (August 3).

8. Yum cha

The Cantonese words “yum cha” refers to the act of drinking tea. Paired with snacks collectively known as dim sum, yum cha is the brunch of champions, and Sydney does it really well. Royal Palace is probably one of the most popular places for yum cha and well worth the queue, or there’s The Eight in Haymarket where their lunchtime yum cha is enjoyed by up to 750 diners in the huge restaurant. In the Northern Beaches, Mona Vale’s Suki is a popular spot for a post-surf refuel, with the Sunday yum cha menu dishing out dumplings, prawn toast, pulled pork san choy bow, duck pancakes and a mango crème brûlée custard tart.

9. Take the plunge at a bathhouse or sauna

Embrace the opportunity to stay inside and soak up all the goodness of a sauna sesh or a dip in a restorative bath. Bathhouses are having a major moment in Sydney, with magnesium pools, steam rooms, infrared saunas, hot-spring spas and cold plunges popping up all over the place. Slow House is a favourite with TikTokkers who have been flocking to the dreamy underground bathhouse in Bondi since it opened last year. 1Remedy in Potts Point is another safe bet, where you sweat it out in a hot rock sauna before plunging into the ice bath. Nature’s Energy has three bathhouses in the Inner West: Glebe, Balmain and Newtown. The Glebe location offers Finnish and infrared saunas, while the other two have saunas, steam rooms and hot spas.

10. Retail therapy

Walk around the shops without the guilt of missing the sunshine outside. Queen Victoria Building is a beautiful heritage-listed mall that blends luxury and designer brands, high-street favourites and lifestyle stores under one roof, or go to Westfield in Bondi Junction. Heading outside of the CBD, DFO Homebush is a huge shopping centre that offers huge savings for shoppers who live more than 50km away from the mall. Find out more here. At Birkenhead Point Outlet, you’ll find cut-price bargains at some of your favourite brands including adidas, Stylerunner and Cotton On.

11. Find animal encounters in Darling Harbour

Visiting animals typically involves a lot of time outside, but in Darling Harbour you can come face-to-face with penguins, sharks, turtles, rays and other water-dwelling creatures at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. Until Sunday, May 18, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience takes visitors into a world inspired by the Nintendo game. Just next door, at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, the Aussie Big 5 — koala, kangaroo, crocodiles, wombats and platypus await. Once you’ve had your fix of animal encounters, stop at Madame Tussauds to “meet” your favourite celebs, including Robert Irwin at the new Wild Australia zone.

12. Craft beer breweries

For craft beer lovers, Marrickville is the happiest place on earth. The suburb’s warehouses and disused factory spaces are the perfect places for craft brewing, and breweries are now within walking distance from the next. Stop at Batch Brewing Co for their popular American pale ale or an IPA before heading on to Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre (don’t let the name fool you) for a larger and food from the in-house Australian-Chinese restaurant, The Lucky Prawn. If you only have time to visit one, however, make it Grifter, one of the elders in the area. From fruited sour or juicy IPA to oatmeal stout and beer, they’re likely to have it on tap—and there’s a pool table too.

13. Wine tasting

There are more than a dozen wine regions dotted around NSW, but if you don’t have time to leave the city, you can taste the best of them right here in Sydney. Urban Winery in Moore Park is the only fully functioning winery in central Sydney. From grapes sourced from cool climate vineyards in Tumbarumba, Hilltops and Gundagai, they produce reds, whites and rosé that are available for tastings at the cellar door and in the attached wine bar. Surry Hills Italian restaurant Mille Vini serves handcrafted pasta and Italian wines; sign up for a wine masterclass to explore a specific region of Italy with a renowned winemaker. In The Rocks, Château Tanunda‘s wine-tasting room gives wine enthusiasts the chance to explore some of Barossa’s most distinctive wines in private tastings. See, no need to schlep all the way out to the Hunter Valley.

14. Take a tour of Sydney Opera House

It’s a world-famous icon, and you’ll definitely visit when you’re in Sydney. Instead of just snapping your Insta-worthy shot outside, step into the Opera House and join a tour to find out more about the building and its history. Tour and Dine is the ultimate experience of two acts. Starting with a guided tour of the Opera House, you’ll then enjoy a show-stopping lunch by the harbour and one of the restaurants: Opera Bar, Midden by Mark Olive or House Canteen.

151. Go to the theatre

Sydney’s theatres present an ever-changing array of musicals, plays and performances that are guaranteed to brighten your day. Australian legend Anthony Warlow is currently starring in Annie at the Capitol Theatre, with some four-legged sidekicks, while MJ the Musical has gone down such a storm that it’s been extended to Saturday, August 23. Titanique is another triumph, having been extended from five weeks to a whopping eight-month run. It bids a fond farewell to Sydney on Sunday, June 22, so catch it while you can.

16. Play indoor pickleball

Being forced indoors doesn’t have to put a stop to your sporting endeavours. Perry Park Recreation Centre in Alexandria has four indoor multi-purpose courts where you can play pickleball, among other sports. Further west, Camellia Indoor Sports Centre in Parramatta also offers a place for sheltered pickleball practice.

17. Visit the Peter Weinert Museum

Named after Sydney Swans Life Member and former president, Peter Weinert, this museum is one of the city’s newest and only opened in April. Its collection spans more than 150 years of the Sydney Swans’ history, taking visitors on a journey from the club’s humble beginnings to today’s triumphs. Digital tech, interactive displays, memorabilia and artefacts, including premiership caps from the 1800s, are on show. It’s a must for devoted AFL fans and newcomers alike.

18. Seek out a hidden bar

The small bar scene exploded in the late noughties with underground speakeasies cropping up all over Sydney. Tracking them down was part of the fun but nowadays they’re some of the city’s worst-kept secrets. Door Knock is possibly the most hidden of them all. Its entrance is buried a bit far back from 70 Pitt St Mall, down an unmarked set of stairs and it feels like you’re hurtling towards a city car park, but instead open the door (be sure to use the knocker) and you’ll find a well-dressed, Parisian bar that’s become a favourite for reliably flavour-rich cocktails and seasonally-sound plates. In Manly, The Cumberland cemented itself as a firm favourite with its dramatic entrance through an original 1920s fridge door. Inside, innovative cocktails are beautifully crafted and thoughtfully presented.

19. Go indoor skydiving

Adrenaline junkies, teens and energetic kids can take the leap without the risk at iFLY Penrith, Australia’s first indoor skydiving facility and the largest and most powerful in the Southern Hemisphere. All packages include training, flight gear and a minimum of two flights per person, with one-on-one instruction. Standard flights are 50 seconds or you can choose the Value Package for double-length flights.

It’s safe for ages three and up, so the whole family can test their mettle.

Where: 123 Mulgoa Road, Penrith, NSW 2750.

ifly.com.au

20. Lean into the gloominess on a ghost tour

A grey, rainy day sets the scene for a ghostly tour of Sydney’s darker side. Q Station may sit pretty near Manly, but its buildings are rumoured to be some of the city’s most haunted. Go along for an after-dark tour that reveal some of the paranormal happenings during the site’s 150-year heritage. On Cockatoo Island, the former convict prison and dockyard, paranormal occurrences stretch back more than a century—the official Ghost Tour will test your mettle with hair-raising stories.

21. Warm up with ramen, curry or noodles

For food that packs a punch, you can’t go wrong with a curry in “Little India” (Harris Park), fiery noodles in Thaitown or a warming bowl of ramen from Chinatown. Dosa Hut is a forever fave among Sydneysiders looking for authentic Indian curries, while the customisable noodles at Charmhor in Haymarket come drenched in a spicy sauce that could make even a seasoned spice-lover sweat.