It seems to rain in Vancouver as many days as the sun shines in a year. Even though Vancouverites are an outdoorsy bunch most of the time, the rain can get a little much. Fortunately for residents and visitors, there are numerous spaces around town to shelter from the elements and have fun indoors. Here are some of our favorite places for rainy day activities for kids in Vancouver. Go Play. Inside!
Perfect Places for Rainy Day Activities for kids in Vancouver
1. Granville Island Kids Market
Not only does the Kids Market offer great shops for all manner of kid-friendly toys and products, there’s also a fun family arcade, and a multi-level jungle gym to climb around in on a rainy afternoon. There are also special events on weekends, such as face-painting, crafting and entertainment to keep little hands busy.
2. YVR Airport
This might strike some as an odd choice, but a rainy day visit to the Vancouver International Airport can be big fun. Take the CanadaLine to get there, which is an adventure in itself, especially if your family doesn’t ride public transit on a regular basis. The free Observation Deck area is located in the Domestic Terminal at the Airport. It offers an unobstructed view of the runways and operations area. The Observation Deck has telescopes, models, and displays about the history of the Airport and Sea Island. And of course, there are shops and restaurants to visit if you want to make a day of it.
3. Vancouver Aquarium
When our kids were smaller, we spent hundreds of hours at the Vancouver Aquarium. We watched the sharks, frogs, otters and hundreds of other sea creatures swim around. and we tended to ‘sick’ sea otters in the Clownfish Cove area. Taking out a family membership at the Aquarium is good value. It allows you to pop in for a short visit on those bouncing-off-the-wall days. The safe, enclosed atmosphere permits some parent relaxation time and catching up with friends.
4. Kerrisdale Play Palace
A reasonably priced, fun indoor play area for kids 12 and under, the summer-only Play Palace is located at the Cyclone Taylor Arena in Kerrisdale. There are bouncy castles, foosball & ping-pong tables, rideable cars and toys, building blocks, and basketball hoops. Drop-in times vary according to age groups, and you can reserve the Play Palace for birthday parties.
5. Science World
The TELUS World of Science is a great rainy day location that accommodates short or lengthy visits for an escape from the weather or just plain boredom. There’s the Kidspace Gallery & Playground for younger kids (2-6 years), the Eureka and Bodyworks Galleries focusing on music and the life sciences, and of course OmniMax theatre shows for an added fee. Learning while playing have never been so much fun.
Photo credits unless otherwise noted are C. Laroye.
What are some of your favorite rainy day activities in your hometown? Share your tips in the comments below.
