Sydney has a near perfect climate, with pleasant daytime temperatures in winter, and long warm days during the summer months. And best of all, the sun always shines in Sydney. Or does it?
Believe it or not, Sydney actually experiences on average 100 rainy days per year, with an average yearly rainfall of more than 1200 mm. Compared to other Australian cities, those statistics aren’t too bad, but for some of us they may still come as a surprise.
So what do the outdoor-loving locals do on those rainy days in Sydney when we can’t go outside without getting soaked? To help you escape boredom, we’ve picked 10 awesome indoor activities to do for when the clouds do decide to empty themselves over Sydney and Sydney”s east.
1. Go indoor climbing
SICG’s St Peters centre is the largest climbing gym in the Southern Hemisphere with more than 37,000 square metres of walls for both harnessed climbing and bouldering. That includes 420 routes reaching up to 16m high with new routes added every week. There are also lots of activities for kids, including climbs and caving. They run a second huge location in Villawood, with 250 routes, bouldering, kids caving and more.
Another centre dedicated exclusively to bouldering, BlocHaus in Marrickville wants to make the sport social, accessible and fun. They reset two sections of the centre every week, so there’s always something new to climb, and there are other features to try like Kilter Boards (moveable sloping climbing walls), peg boards and slacklines.
Part of the Sydney University campus, The Ledge is open to everyone. It’s a smaller centre with climbing and bouldering routes for all levels as well as a training area with finger and campus boards.
The Ledge Climbing Centre – Camperdown
2. Discover Sydney’s art.
Art may not be the most obvious reason for tourists to visit Sydney, but Australia’s prettiest city is actually home to a great range of art galleries and museums, as well as exhibitions and events.
Housed in an impressive art deco building at Circular Quay, the Museum of Contemporary Art is dedicated to exhibiting, collecting and interpreting the work of today’s contemporary Australian and International artists. With free entrance, and various special exhibitions and workshops organised throughout the year, a visit to the MCA is a must.The Art Gallery of NSW is Sydney’s most important public gallery and one of the largest in Australia. Housed in an impressive classical building on the eastern side of the Domain, the gallery showcases important works of various Australian artists, and is one of the world’s largest permanent exhibitions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Check out this list of Sydney Art Galleries for more ideas to spend a rainy afternoon exploring Sydney’s art culture
3. Go Indoor Ice Skating.
Visit one of the various Sydney ice skating rinks and experience the true winter spirit close to home. Ice skating is fun for the whole family, and Sydney has a great selection of indoor and outdoor ice-skating rinks on offer.
For many of us, ice skating is a totally new experience. It’s hard at first, but after a few practice runs, you’ll soon find out why this sport is so addictive.
Check out our list of the best indoor and outdoor ice skating rinks in Sydney
4. Do a Yum Cha Session.
Yum cha is the Cantonese tradition of brunch, involving dumplings, Chinese tea, and more dumplings. Luckily, Sydney has fully embraced this cultural icon, and we can now choose from many yum cha restaurant across the city.
5. Play Indoor Mini Golf.
If you’re looking for an indoor activity that is fun for both kids and adults, indoor mini golf, otherwise known as putt-putt golf, will not disappoint. The only drawback of this game is that time flies way too fast.
Mini golf is often done outdoors, but there are some great indoor mini golf locations in Sydney as well. Holey Moley has pop-themed mini golf venues in Darlinghurst and Newtwon, which also include cocktail bars.
6. Visit the Powerhouse Museum.
Located in the inner west suburb of Ultimo, on the edge of Darling Harbour, the Sydney Powerhouse Museum is a converted electric tram power station with a great variety of science focused artifacts and exhibits.
A nice way of getting to the Powerhouse Museum is by following the Goods Line from Central Station, a partly elevated urban walkway that follows the route of the once bustling but long neglected railway line.
( Check opening hours due to renovation work being done in 2025 )
7. Catch a Movie Vintage Style.
One of the most obvious things to do on a rainy day, is going to the movies to watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster with a bucket of popcorn or perhaps a glass of wine.But why not upgrade your movie experience by visiting a theatre that breathes history, with art deco facades, cosy bars, and comfy seats with super soft cushions?
Built in 1937 and now heritage-listed, Ritz Cinemas in Randwick is another art deco style cinema steeped in rich history and tradition.
8. Play a Game of Indoor Laser Tag
Laser skirmish is as much fun for adults as it is for children, with more professional laser tag arenas popping up in and around Sydney. Most of these arenas feature state-of-the-art laser tag technology, amazing props and great sound effects, making them the ideal indoor hideaway spot for those rainy afternoons. You can either bring your own group of mates, or you can team up with random others on the spot. Strike Bowling has excellent laser tag facilities in the Entertainment Quarter, while Kingpin has a laser tag locations in Darling Harbour.
9. Visit the National Maritime Museum
Dive Into Fun These School Holidays at the Australian National Maritime Museum visit www.easternsuburbsmums.com.au/dive-into-fun-these-school-holidays
Opened in 1991 as part of the redevelopment of Darling Harbour, the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) is now Australia’s national centre for maritime collections, research, exhibitions and archaeology.
Besides the free permanent galleries, the ANMM also hosts an ever-changing program of temporary exhibitions and a fleet of historic craft at its wharves in Darling Harbour. The National Maritime Museum is a fun and educational museum that caters for al ages, and is an excellent way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon in Sydney.
Read our guide with the best free museums in Sydney for more great options.
10. Go Ten Pin Bowling
Another classic indoor thing to do in Sydney when it rains is a fun, social or competitive game of ten pin bowling.
Even better, you can do both laser skirmish and bowling on the same rainy day, because some bowling venues also have laser tag arenas under the same roof, such as Strike Bowling and Kingpin bowling.
