Because spending the day staring out the hotel window isn’t an option.
The weather forecast says rain all day.
Your beach plans are gone.
The dolphin tour is canceled.
The kids are already asking, “Now what?”
Welcome to Florida.
The good news? St. Augustine might actually be one of the best places in Florida to get stuck on a rainy day because there are far more indoor options than most visitors realize.
As locals, we’ve learned that some of our favorite memories actually happened while escaping afternoon thunderstorms.
Here’s how locals spend rainy days in St. Augustine.
1. Spend the Day Exploring Museums
This is where St. Augustine absolutely shines.
Most visitors think of St. Augustine as an outdoor city until it starts raining, and they discover just how many fascinating museums are packed into downtown.
Explore These St. Augustine Museums
These museums not only get you out the rain but are relaxing and educational.
Must-See Rainy Day Attraction
Ripley's Believe It or Not
If you're traveling with kids, start here.Oddities, interactive exhibits, bizarre artifacts, optical illusions and enough weirdness to keep everyone entertained for a couple of hours.
Must-See Rainy Day Attraction
Potter's Wax Museum
America's first wax museum still holds up surprisingly well. Kids love posing for pictures with celebrities and historical figures while adults usually find themselves spending more time here than expected.
Must-See Rainy Day Attraction
St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
One of the best family museums in the city. Interactive exhibits, pirate artifacts, and enough hands-on experiences to keep kids engaged while adults secretly enjoy it just as much.
Must-See Rainy Day Attraction
The St. Augustine Shipwreck Museum
If you're interested in maritime history, treasure hunting, and stories from the sea, this is a hidden gem that many visitors overlook.
Must-See Rainy Day Attraction
Villa Zorayda Museum
One of the most unique buildings in the entire city and one of the best rainy-day stops downtown. The architecture alone is worth the visit.
Must-See Attraction
Lightner Museum
Locals sometimes call this Florida's version of the Smithsonian. The building itself is arguably as impressive as the exhibits inside.
🌧️ Rainy Day Hidden Gem: Let Kids Experience History Instead of Just Reading About It
If your children have already spent enough time looking through museums, this may become one of the most memorable stops of your vacation.
Located just off St. George Street, Treasure Chest Hands on History Experience brings colonial St. Augustine to life through hands-on activities instead of display cases. Families learn how early Minorcan settlers lived by dipping beeswax candles, making rope, weaving, carding wool, using colonial tools, and even playing games children enjoyed more than 200 years ago. Unlike many museums where kids are asked not to touch anything, this is a place where participation is the whole experience.
Because tours are interactive and guided, it’s a good idea to reserve your spot ahead of time, especially during busy travel periods. If you’re looking for a rainy-day activity that is educational, engaging, and genuinely different from the city’s larger museums, this is one of St. Augustine’s most overlooked family experiences.
💡 Local Tip
This experience pairs especially well with the nearby St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum. Younger children often love becoming colonial craftspeople in the morning before heading across downtown to explore pirate history in the afternoon, creating a full day that’s educational without feeling like a traditional museum crawl.
2. Take the Kids Roller Skating
This might be the best rainy day discovery in St. Augustine. If I were visiting St. Augustine with kids and it rained, this is where I would take the kids.
Ponce De Le Rollin’
Ponce De Le Rollin’
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, escaping an afternoon thunderstorm, or simply looking for something different, Ponce de Rollin’ offers classic roller skating, arcade games, music, and plenty of family-friendly entertainment under one roof.
3. Bowl a Few Games Like the Locals
Anastasia Bowling Lanes
There’s something timeless about rainy day bowling.
Order some appetizers, grab a lane and suddenly that rainy afternoon becomes one of the highlights of the trip.
This is especially great for families with teenagers.
Anastasia Bowling Lanes
Whether you’re escaping a rainy afternoon or looking for a fun night out, Anastasia Bowling Lanes is a local favorite for families, couples, and groups. Enjoy modern bowling, arcade games, great food, and a welcoming atmosphere that’s perfect for all ages.
4. Discover One of St. Augustine’s Coolest Hidden Gems
Anastasia Island Arcade Museum
Step inside one of St. Augustine’s most nostalgic attractions, where classic arcade cabinets, vintage pinball machines, and decades of gaming history come together under one roof. Whether you grew up in the golden age of arcades or you’re introducing your kids to the games that started it all, it’s an experience that’s every bit as fun as it is memorable.
Staying Longer Than 3 Days in St. Augustine?
Many families with children staying for an extended period take advantage of day trips to theme parks in Orlando. Our travel specialists can take care of all the details and booking for Legoland, Universal Studios, and more, while providing full support during your trip. Click on the banner, and you will be taken to a form to collect all the details of your trip. Within 24-48 hours, one of our travel specialists will reach out to you to discuss and verify the details of your trip.
5. Catch a Movie
Epic Theatres of St. Augustine
Sometimes the weather forecast simply wins.
Grab popcorn, relax for a couple of hours and wait for the rain to move through.
Florida storms rarely last as long as people expect or as long as your movie.
Website:
Epic Theatres of St. Augustine
6. If You’re a Couple, Lean Into the Weather
Rainy days and historic cities go surprisingly well together.
Grab a table under a covered balcony and enjoy a slower pace.
Some of our favorite Restaurants Include:
Our Favorite Historic Downtown Restaurants
Whether you're celebrating a special occasion, looking for a memorable date night, or simply searching for a great meal after exploring the historic district, these are the restaurants we recommend most often to visitors.
Local Icon
Pizza Time
Grab a giant New York-style slice in the heart of St. George Street at one of St. Augustine's most recognizable pizza shops, known for its crisp, foldable crust and quick service.
Local Favorite
Burrito Works Taco Shop
A St. Augustine favorite for oversized burritos, fresh tacos, and the legendary UFO®—perfect for a quick, affordable meal after exploring downtown.
Waterfront Dining
St. Augustine Fish Camp
Enjoy fresh Florida seafood, beautiful San Sebastian River views, and a relaxed coastal atmosphere just minutes from Historic Downtown.
Live Music Favorite
Prohibition Kitchen
A lively 1920s-inspired gastropub on St. George Street serving elevated comfort food, craft cocktails, and live music in a dramatic vintage setting.
Rooftop Views
Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila
Perfect for watching the sunset over downtown while enjoying elevated Mexican-inspired cuisine.
Rooftop Dining
River & Fort Restaurant & Roof Top Lounge
One of the city's most popular rooftops with great cocktails and views of the Bayfront.
Local Favorite
One Twenty Three Burger House
Handcrafted burgers, fresh ingredients, and one of St. Augustine's favorite spots for a satisfying meal.
Editor's Pick
Ice Plant Bar
Housed in a beautifully restored historic ice plant, this award-winning restaurant is known for exceptional craft cocktails, creative cuisine, and one of St. Augustine's most unique dining atmosphere
There is something oddly perfect about sitting under a covered patio overlooking the bayfront while summer rain rolls across Matanzas Bay.
7. Get a Workout In
For some travelers, missing the gym ruins the vacation more than the weather.
Fortunately you have options:
Many visitors grab a day pass, get a workout in and return just in time for the weather to clear. Quick tip: You can grab the Planet Fitness app and get a day pass before you get there.
8. Do Something Most Visitors Never Think About
Take a chocolate tour, take a wine and tasting Tour at San Sebastian Winery.
Website:
Whetstone Chocolates Factory Tour
The tour is indoors, smells amazing and is surprisingly fun for couples and families alike.
Sometimes the Best Rainy Day Plan Is Simply Staying In
Not every rainy day in St. Augustine needs to become a scavenger hunt for indoor activities.
Sometimes the kids are tired.
Mom and dad are tired.
You’ve already walked miles through the historic district, climbed lighthouse stairs, explored forts, spent entire days on the beach, and honestly… a lazy afternoon sounds pretty amazing.
Order pizza.
Grab dessert from a local bakery.
Put on comfortable clothes.
Watch the rain roll through while palm trees sway outside the hotel window.
Those quiet vacation moments often become the memories families talk about years later.
Experienced traveling parents almost always keep a few “vacation save” items packed away for days exactly like this.
Bring Your Favorite Movies and Shows With You
Hotel television options can be hit or miss, and logging into unfamiliar apps on a hotel TV can be frustrating.
Many seasoned travelers carry a small streaming device like a Roku Streaming Stick 4K that plugs into almost any hotel television and instantly gives access to your family’s own Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and Prime Video accounts. It’s small enough to disappear into a backpack and works with nearly any TV that has an HDMI port.
Roku Streaming Stick Plus
Why We Love It: Many families swear by this little trick after discovering that a rainy afternoon movie marathon can become one of the highlights of the trip.
Check Today’s Price on Amazon →A Nintendo Switch Can Save an Entire Afternoon
Parents already know this one.
A couple of rounds of Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., or Mario Party while a Florida thunderstorm passes through can buy everyone a little time to recharge before heading back out to explore.
The best part is that the Nintendo Switch works both as a handheld device and connected directly to the hotel television for family game night.
Nintendo Switch 2 System
Why We Love It: Families love the Ninteendo Switch for rainy days when they are on vacation. The Nintendo Switch will keep your kids occupied long enough to take a nice nap.
Check Today’s Price on Amazon →Never Underestimate the Power of UNO
It sounds simple because it is simple.
And somehow it never fails.
There is something about sitting around a hotel table with snacks and a deck of UNO cards while rain taps against the windows that just feels like vacation.
We’ve heard more families laugh over a heated UNO game than almost any expensive attraction in town.
UNO
Why We Love It: The classic UNO Card Game still might be one of the greatest travel entertainment investments ever made.
Check Today’s Price on Amazon →For Younger Kids, Pack One Small Travel Game
Travel-sized games and activity books take almost no room in your luggage but can save parents during long restaurant waits or rainy afternoons.
The Melissa & Doug Flip-to-Win Hangman Travel Game is one of those simple classics that somehow survives every generation of kids.
Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Hangman Game
Why We Love It: The classic hangman game for traveling.
Check Today’s Price on Amazon →The Local Secret
If the weather forecast calls for a full day of rain, don’t feel guilty about slowing down.
Vacations don’t have to be packed from sunrise to bedtime to be successful.
Some of the best family vacation memories happen when nobody had a plan at all.
Just a hotel room.
A card game.
A movie.
A thunderstorm rolling across the palm trees.
And nowhere else you needed to be.
Local’s Tip
Florida weather is strange, and if you visit in the summer, afternoon showers are common.
A forecast showing rain all day often means:
- Rain from 10:00 to 11:30
- Sunshine from noon to 3:00
- Another shower at 5:00
Don’t cancel your vacation plans too quickly.
Many of the best St. Augustine sunsets happen immediately after a summer storm rolls through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. Augustine still worth visiting if it rains?
Absolutely. Between museums, restaurants, arcades, bowling, skating and indoor attractions, you can easily fill several rainy days without repeating activities.
What is the best rainy day activity for families with kids?
Most local families would probably choose either roller skating, the Arcade Museum, Ripley’s or the Pirate Museum. Saint Augustine has many attractions, but if you feel overwhelmed with exactly what to do consider talking with one of our travel specialists.
What is the best rainy day activity for couples?
A museum in the afternoon followed by dinner under a covered balcony overlooking the bayfront is hard to beat.
Do Florida rainstorms usually last all day?
Usually not. Summer storms often pass quickly and many visitors find themselves back on the beach later the same afternoon.
Are there indoor activities near St. George Street?
Yes. Ripley’s, Potter’s Wax Museum, the Pirate Museum, Villa Zorayda, the Lightner Museum and numerous restaurants are all within walking distance of downtown attractions.
Can a travel specialist help plan rainy day backup activities?
Absolutely. Our travel specialists can help build flexible itineraries with indoor options, museum recommendations, dining suggestions and nearby day trips so weather never ruins your vacation.
Ready to experience St. Augustine like a local?
Whether you’re looking for a few personalized recommendations, help building the perfect itinerary, or someone to handle the details for you, our travel specialists are here to help.
Click below to tell us a little about your trip and what kind of assistance you’re looking for. When you continue to our planning form, you may see the name of one of our travel specialists as part of the planning process through our partnership with Fora Travel.
The link below takes you to a detailed form that our traveOur team reviews every request personally and typically responds within 24–48 hours with recommendations and next steps tailored to your trip.
