Philadelphia On a Rainy Day: 13 Things To Do
Philadelphia, PA is a great place to visit for so many reasons. You will have fun in this city no matter what the weather is like, and a rainy day should not slow you down when you visit. You will have the option to head to an art museum, go to a movie theater, or even head to specialty shops if you wish to avoid the rain. You don't need to let the rain slow you do or impede your trip in any way.
Before you head into Philadelphia to have fun, you need to make sure that your luggage is stored securely. There's nothing worse than trying to hold both an umbrella and your suitcase. Bounce is here to help with convenient luggage storage locations in Philadelphia, so you can keep everything safe and dry and avoid the hassle of carting your luggage around town.
Once your bags are safe and secure, you can get ready to have the time of your life in the City of Brotherly Love.
Things to do in Philadelphia, PA When it's Raining
There are so many places that are fun and exciting to see in Philadelphia, and you can enjoy many of them even when it is raining. From Chinatown to downtown, known as Center City, you don't have to let the weather ruin your day. This is one of the nicest cities in the eastern US and you will have a great time when you visit, even if the weather is not ideal. Here is our list of the best spots to spend a rainy day in Philadelphia:
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Art Museum is one of the best museums in the city, and there is art on display here from every part of the world and from various different time periods. You will love this art museum if you really want to get lost in exhibits for most of the day. You can enjoy more than 200 galleries here and interactive exhibits as well. Kids always get in for free, which is a nice perk if you are traveling with your family. There is also a place to eat here as well, so you will not have to go out to eat and come back to finish seeing all the various exhibits here. Now, that's definitely a plus on a rainy day.
Reading Terminal Market
The Reading Terminal Market is a great place to head for some of Philly's best street food. There are countless options to fill your belly at this expansive covered market. Peruse the 80 different carts and you can try all kinds of different foods and stay out of the rain. This is a busy and fun place to visit and you will have a great time when you head here. You could pair this adventure with other sightseeing in the city easily due to its central location between Chinatown and Center City.
Independence Hall
Independence Hall is the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. This is also a really lovely old building that has a lot of merit in and of itself. You will love heading here on a rainy day in Philadelphia because you will be at the location of so many of the historical moments that have defined everything about the creation of the United States. This is one of the most memorable places that you can see in Philadelphia, PA despite its small size.
Christ Church
This is one of the oldest churches in the US. The church is an Episcopal Church and it was founded in 1695. Christ Church was integral to the founding of the Episcopal Church throughout the US, and it is a beautiful building that at one time had the tallest spire anywhere in the country. This is still an active church, but you can visit it when worship is not going on. There are also tours that are offered during times when the church is not being used for other purposes.
The Franklin Institute Science Museum
The Franklin Institute is a lovely science museum full of interactive exhibits that people of all ages will love. You can also enjoy the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial when you visit. This is a location that will be very busy during times like spring break, but otherwise, this museum is big enough that you will not feel crowded as you progress through the exhibits. You can also elect to take tours through large portions of the institute but wandering and having an organic experience can be just as fun. This is one of the best rainy day activities that you can sign up for if the weather is not great and there are so many amenities offered here as well that you won't have to worry at all about what's going on outside.
West Chester University
While not as ideal an option for staying dry during a wet day as an art museum, the campus of this college is worth a visit. The area around the campus is also lovely as this is one of the older parts of the Philadelphia area. There is a lot of intriguing old architecture to see here and you will love wandering around in this area, even on a rainy day. There are lots of fun things to see and do in the old city area, and this is a fun way to spend a day seeing American history as well as new and exciting places alongside one another. Just don't forget your umbrella!
Escape Rooms
There are various really exciting escape room options in this city if you want to spend some time with a group of people trying to solve a mystery under the pressure of time. Escape rooms are a really fun and challenging way to spend a rainy day in Philadelphia. Being able to say that you have escaped is a real win, but even if you don't get out by solving the mystery of the escape room, you will still have a great time trying to solve the puzzles and mysteries of the room while the clock ticks away.
Independence Seaport Museum
If you love maritime history, you will love this museum. Philadelphia is a place that has always had a strong connection with sailing and shipping and there is a lot to learn about here that you will not get to experience in the same way elsewhere in the US. The exhibits change regularly here and you can see something new even if you have visited at some point recently. This is a really kid-friendly spot as well as a place that is fun for people of all ages and you will be able to spend some time aboard the ships that are associated with the museum as well.
The Rodin Museum
This small art museum is a collection of Rodin's works that are housed in a lovely Beaux-Arts building. There are 150 artifacts in the collection and you will have a great time wandering through this boutique collection and you can easily spend your afternoon here avoiding the rainy day. Get lost in the many statues that are always best viewed in person. There are few museums that allow you to get so close to the work of Rodin and this is a must-see if you are a fan of this kind of art.
Museum of the American Revolution
Learn the history of the American Revolution here in stunning color and immediacy. This is a great place to head for a kid-friendly as well as historically intriguing experience. You can learn about everything to do with the contributions of people like George Washington, Ben Franklin, and more at this incredible museum. You will also get to see informational movies in the in-house theater and actors sharing information about the various important events that are explained and detailed in the exhibitions. This is a moving and impressive museum that will help you to get to know more about the creation of the United States in a way that feels immediate and contemporaneous with the events themselves.
Liberty Bell Center
The iconic Liberty Bell bell can't be rung any longer, but there are few symbols that are so critical to the symbology of the US. The bell and the well-known crack that runs up the side of it are almost as famous as the Declaration itself, and no trip to Philadelphia would be complete without stopping by to see it. While you will have to step out in the rain along the way to see the bell, there are indoor exhibits and informational items to see in the nearby buildings at this site as well. To make a day of it, this area is full of other historic museums that offer a glimpse into the people and practices that formed the country.
Please Touch Museum
This is a great choice for your rainy day fun, especially if you have kids with you on your vacation. You will be able to touch and interact with nearly everything inside this museum and kids that are one year and under can enter for free. Enjoy science, history, and all other kinds of exhibits here as you interact with and touch the things that are in front of you. For kids who are interested in the history of this part of the country but are tired of guided tour options that don't let them touch anything, this is a place to discover fun things of all kinds that can be experienced firsthand. This is a great way to make everything from Betsy Ross to Benjamin Franklin exciting and immediate for your children, but adults can have a lot of fun here too.
Betsy Ross House
This little home was the place where the nation's flag was born, and this can be a great spot to head to when the weather is not the best in Philly. Betsy Ross was a very interesting person and she lived in very interesting times, so there is a lot to learn about here in her home. There is so much history that is involved with the Betsy Ross story that you will want to make sure that you stop in at her home to gather an impression of what the process of building a country looked like from a more feminine perspective.
There Are Many Rainy Day Activities to do in Philadelphia
If you have come to Philadelphia and have realized that it will rain during your trip, don't worry! There are so many amazing museums that you can spend a rainy day in, immersed in the culture and history of this part of the country. You can also choose to start the day with a tasty meal at one of the best brunch spots in Philadelphia before heading out to play laser tag or go bowling. This is a city that is full of fun things for people of all ages to do and see, even when the weather is not really on your side. You should view a rainy day as a chance to make the most of the indoor adventures that you might not have otherwise had time to see.
Keep this list of rainy day activities handy and you can't go wrong. Most are so important to a tour of Philadelphia that they should be done rain or shine. Your biggest problem is likely going to be squeezing it all in!