The UK’s best cities for a rainy day revealed - just in time for autumn
With wet weekends and gloomy days ahead, unpredictable British weather can make planning a family day out feel like a risky move. To help families avoid cancelling plans at the first sign of grey skies, travel experts at AttractionTickets.com analysed over 100 popular destinations across the UK to unveil the best cities to go when it's raining.
Each city and town was measured using four key factors, including how weather-proof attractions and activities were, how many family-friendly attractions were available for all ages to enjoy, how many indoor attractions there are specifically, and average visitor rating, to ensure the attractions considered are the best of the best.
Each factor was scored out of 10 and averaged into a final Rainy Day Rescue Score.
The Top 10 Best UK Cities & Towns for a Rainy Day Trip
London, England – 2,122 weather-proof attractions & activities | 774 family-friendly | 4.60/5 average rating | 9.38/10 rainy day rescue score
Edinburgh, Scotland – 512 weather-proof | 244 family-friendly | 4.60/5 average rating | 5.64/10
Liverpool, England – 323 weather-proof | 121 family-friendly | 4.50/5 average rating | 5.34/10
Birmingham, England – 244 weather-proof | 108 family-friendly | 4.40/5 average rating | 5.28/10
Newcastle upon Tyne, England – 182 weather-proof | 66 family-friendly | 4.50/5 average rating | 5.00/10
Manchester, England – 662 weather-proof | 83 family-friendly | 4.50/5 average rating | 4.74/10
Belfast, Northern Ireland – 213 weather-proof | 89 family-friendly | 4.50/5 average rating | 4.73/10
Glasgow, Scotland – 323 weather-proof | 125 family-friendly | 4.60/5 average rating | 4.53/10
Blackpool, England – 125 weather-proof | 63 family-friendly | 4.40/5 average rating | 4.49/10
Windsor, England – 39 weather-proof | 37 family-friendly | 4.50/5 average rating | 4.49/10
Unsurprisingly, London ranks as the best spot destination for a rainy day, achieving a Rainy Day Rescue Score of 9.38 out of 10. With an estimated 2,122 weather-proof attractions and activities, the capital offers plenty to do when the weather is bad.
However, northern locations really dominated across the UK rankings, with 70% of the top 10 made up of Northern spots, including Edinburgh (2nd), Liverpool (3rd), Newcastle upon Tyne (5th), Manchester (6th), Belfast (7th), Glasgow (8th), and Blackpool (9th).
Edinburgh is the highest-ranking destination outside England, placing 2nd overall with a rainy day rescue score of 5.64/10. Scotland on the whole claims two spots in the top 10, with Edinburgh ranking 2nd and Glasgow 8th. Both achieve an average visitor rating of 4.6/5, joint-highest among the destinations listed.
Belfast is the only Northern Irish destination in the top 10, ranking 7th with a rainy day rescue score of 4.73/10. It offers 213 weather-proof activities, including 89 family-friendly options.
Oliver Brendon, CEO of AttractionTickets.com, commented on the findings:
“Brits know September and October are those months where you never quite know what weather you’re going to get. One week can still feel like summer and the next you’re dealing with thunderstorms. Even if you’ve been keeping an eye on the forecast, you can wake up and suddenly your plans are out the window. That’s why our team looked at over 100 destinations to find the best family day trips where everyone stays dry and happy.
A rainy day in London offers many family days out like the Twist Museum, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE London Aquarium. Overall, there's a real mix of tourist hotspots across the UK, so families have plenty of day trip ideas to choose from on a gloomy weekend."