19 Unique Indoor Activities In Seattle To Try Next Time It Rains (2024)
- Date: April 18, 2024
- Topic: Events
- Contributors: Written by Peerspace Staff
Source: Peerspace
Seattle is famous for gray skies and light drizzle. So it pays to have a backup plan if you were planning something fun outdoors but the weather has other ideas. As one of the nation’s largest event venue rentals, Peerspace has hundreds of locations open for dance parties, art classes, and other unique indoor activities in Seattle. You can also get to know some of the Emerald City’s world-class restaurants, museums, and other things to do!
1. Visit Chihuly Garden and Glass
Chihuly Garden and Glass is a unique art installation featuring the work of internationally famous glassblower Dale Chihuly. The museum is open year-round and features whimsical glass structures in a spacious garden atmosphere!
2. Plan a themed potluck dinner for friends
Looking for a unique indoor activity in Seattle that everyone is sure to enjoy? Send out invitations for a potluck dinner! Make sure there’s a cohesive plan, like “Mediterranean night,” so all of the bases are covered. All you need is a space with the right amenities for your guests. If your apartment kitchen and dining room won’t cut it, check out some of Peerspace’s dining venues for a dinner night!
3. Check out an indoor rock climbing gym
In a city so focused on the outdoors it’s no surprise Seattle has plenty of climbing gyms to explore! Rock climbing gyms let you escape the drizzle and work out in a space with comfortable temperatures and ideal lighting. Memberships provide great discounts on time and gear rentals. But if it’s your first time nearly every climbing gym offers day passes for first-timers!
4. Head to a video game arcade bar
Video games aren’t just for kids! Especially when alcohol is involved. Video game arcade bars like Gameworks Seattle bring drinks, food, and fun under a single roof. You can enjoy standup arcade classics like Galaga and Pack Man before moving onto drinks with friends, skeeball, or virtual reality games!
5. Enjoy a new book at the Seattle Central Library
The Seattle Central Library is a great place to look up a new book and read, free of charge! The Central Library also has a cafe stocked with espressos, chocolate truffles, and other treats. Don’t forget your library card, which lets you borrow both digital and print copies of any books you fall in love with.
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6. Visit the Volunteer Park Conservatory
The Volunteer Park Conservatory is a living botany museum that’s been a part of the city landscape for decades. The conservatory is a Victorian-style glass greenhouse that was built a century ago and much of the original architecture remains despite renovation. The Conservatory is a place for education, photos, and volunteer opportunities that everyone should explore!
7. Enjoy afternoon tea at a tea parlor
Seattle is famous for coffee but the tea scene is just as good! The city is home to several tea parlors where you can enjoy a traditional English afternoon tea experience. Crumpets, sandwiches, scones, and other treats are served alongside fine china and traditional teas. One of our favorites is Queen Mary Tea, Seattle’s oldest afternoon tea salon!
8. Have coffee at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery
There’s Starbucks and then there’s the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. With only six of these high-end shops in the entire world, it’s worth checking out Seattle’s Capitol Hill branch on a rainy day. Each Roastery is an educational venue where you can learn not only about the history of Starbucks but also the journey coffee beans take from plant to cup.
9. Explore Pike’s Place Market
Pike’s Place Market is one of Seattle’s largest tourist destinations but you don’t have to be from out of town to appreciate it. The indoor portion of the market is a safe getaway from the constant drizzle and full of shops serving clam chowder, crumpets, chocolates, and other goodies!
10. Visit the Seattle Aquarium
From marine mammal feedings to touchable tide pool displays the Seattle Aquarium is a must-see! Washington locals will enjoy the many exhibits that replicate state habitats and ecological projects like the salmon ladder or the Window on Washington Waters, a 120,000-gallon display featuring coastal marine species!
11. Get cozy with books at a Seattle bookstore
Unlike most of the nation, Seattle’s independent bookstores are still running strong. Some feature the latest releases while others, like Twice Sold Tales, specialize in used books (and multiple bookstore cats). The Elliott Bay Book Company in Capitol Hill is one of the largest, with over 150,000 titles set on massive cedar shelves!
12. Book a private dance or yoga class
One great way to enjoy a unique indoor activity in Seattle is by reserving an instructor and venue all to yourself. Dance and yoga classes tend to have many people so the instructor has to spread their attention widely. If you’re a Bikram yoga or salsa enthusiast then why not plan your own private lesson? Consider one of Peerspace’s studio spaces for hire, like this lofted venue in Westlake. Multiple fans, mirrored walls, and Bluetooth speakers will ensure your next movement arts class goes smoothly!
13. Reserve a karaoke room for the evening
If you’re looking for an indoor activity in Seattle that’s instant fun for everyone check out the city’s karaoke clubs! Some are bars with a mic and stool for a single brave singer while others feature lounges for rent where you’ll have a karaoke machine, big screen, and microphone! Specialty karaoke lounges also have menus featuring Asian and American bar snacks for an unforgettable night with friends.
14. Buy tickets for a ballet performance
Seattle is one of the West Coast’s culture hubs; why not explore some of that with tickets to the ballet? Marion Oliver McCaw Hall is home to the Pacific Northwest Ballet, an organization that hosts over 100 performances here and around the world. The Pacific Northwest Ballet has winter classics like The Nutcracker as well as full-length and mixed repertory ballets happening all year round!
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15. Go on a brewery tour
When it starts to rain, brewery tours should be on your list of indoor activities in Seattle! The city has an excellent selection of local craft breweries to explore so find an expert willing to shuttle you between multiple spots for a day. Brewery tours include visits behind the scenes of each venue so you can learn exactly what goes into each beverage on tap. Many also include snacks and socializing, not to mention transportation for the day!
16. Visit the National Nordic Museum
Most people know about classic museums like the Museum of Popular Culture. Seattle has quite a few niche wonders to explore on a rainy day like the National Nordic Museum! 1 in 8 Seattlites has Nordic ancestry, making this a fascinating way to learn more about the city’s immigrant heritage.
17. Enjoy classic games at the Seattle Pinball Museum
Pinball is one of those classic arcade games that take you back to childhood. The Seattle Pinball Museum has a collection of over 50 legacy and modern machines to explore. Best of all, no coins are required. Once you’re admitted you have unlimited access to the entire game selection!
18. Check out the Boeing Factory Tour
See how airplanes are made during a guided tour of the Boeing Factory in Seattle! Boeing operates the world’s largest factory where 777 planes are put together on a massive assembly line. The tour is 80 minutes long and includes the facility’s history at the forefront of aviation and views from high above the ground floor.
19. Buy tickets to a comedy show
Seattle comedy clubs have stand-up and open mic performances happen year-round where the funniest folks in the nation come to share their best material. Many are Seattle locals while others are national headliners. Many venues also have drinks, meals, comedy classes, and audition events to explore!
Indoor activities in Seattle: conclusion
A city as rainy as Seattle is a great place to be when the weather isn’t conducive to outdoor fun. From restaurants to museums, there is a nearly unlimited number of things to do here. And if you have something even more unique in mind, why not pair your party plans with a flexible venue rental? Peerspace has hundreds of Seattle event spaces for indoor birthdays, dance parties, and more!
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