Let us be honest: even on the English Riviera, with its famously mild and sunny climate, the British weather occasionally has other ideas. But a rainy day on holiday need not be a disappointment. Torbay and the surrounding area are packed with indoor attractions, cosy corners and wet-weather adventures that can turn a grey day into one of the most memorable of the trip. Here is your guide to making the most of Torbay when the sun decides to hide.
Go underground at Kents Cavern
What better place to be when it is raining than deep underground, where the weather simply does not matter? Kents Cavern in Torquay is one of the most important prehistoric cave systems in Britain, and guided tours lead you through spectacular chambers of stalactites and stalagmites while telling the story of the Ice Age animals and early humans who sheltered here. It is atmospheric, fascinating and completely weatherproof — a top choice for a wet day, and a hit with all ages.
Meet the animals at Paignton Zoo
Paignton Zoo may be an outdoor attraction at heart, but it has several large indoor animal houses — reptiles, primates and tropical environments — where you can shelter and still enjoy the wildlife. A rainy day often means fewer crowds, and with waterproofs and wellies the animals are as captivating as ever. It easily fills a half or full day, and there is a cafe to retreat to when you need to dry off and warm up.
Explore the Babbacombe Model Village
The Babbacombe Model Village in Torquay is a beautifully detailed miniature world that is largely enjoyable in showery weather, with covered areas and an indoor element. The attention to detail in the tiny towns, working models and award-winning gardens keeps both children and adults entertained, and the magic only grows if you can stay for the after-dark light show.
Splash out at the swimming pool or waterpark
If everyone is going to get wet anyway, why not embrace it? The area has indoor swimming pools and leisure centres, and in season the Splashdown Quaywest waterpark at Goodrington offers flumes and slides — great fun whether it is raining or shining. A swim is a brilliant way to burn off energy and keep children happy on a wet afternoon.
Cinemas, bowling and indoor fun
For a classic rainy-day fallback, Torbay has cinemas, ten-pin bowling and indoor amusement and play centres dotted around the bay. A trip to the pictures, a few games of bowling or a couple of hours at a soft-play centre can be just the thing to keep a family happy when the rain sets in, and they make a fun change of pace from beaches and walks.
Museums and culture
A wet day is the perfect excuse to soak up some history and culture. Torquay Museum tells the story of the area and celebrates the town’s links to Agatha Christie; Torre Abbey combines a historic house and art collection with gardens; and the Brixham Heritage Museum explores the town’s fishing and seafaring past. These indoor attractions are rewarding, educational and blissfully dry.
Shopping, cafes and a cream tea
Sometimes the best response to rain is simply to slow down. Browse the independent shops of Dartmouth, Totnes or Torquay, duck into a cosy cafe, and treat yourself to a proper Devon cream tea while you watch the raindrops on the window. The harbours and town centres have plenty of sheltered corners where you can happily while away a damp afternoon with a pot of tea and good company.
The games room back at base
Here is where a well-chosen holiday base really proves its worth. At Cranmore Lodge, the guest activities room was created precisely for days like these. Stocked with a pool table, table tennis, a dartboard and table football, along with board games and a large cinema-style screen for films and sport, it turns a wet afternoon into a family tournament. There is even a guest laundry with a large washing machine and tumble dryer, so you can dry off the gear and get sorted for the next adventure. As the lodge puts it, even if the sun does not shine there is plenty to do.
Embrace the weather
Finally, do not write off the outdoors altogether. A blustery beach walk in waterproofs, watching the waves roll into the bay, can be exhilarating and atmospheric — and there is a particular pleasure in coming back to a warm apartment, a hot drink and a film afterwards. Some of the best holiday memories are made on the days that do not go to plan.
Indoor play and soft play for little ones
For families with younger children, a wet day is the perfect excuse for an hour or two at an indoor play or soft-play centre, several of which can be found around Torbay. These give little ones space to climb, slide and burn off energy in the warm and dry, while parents enjoy a sit-down and a coffee. Combined with a swim or a film, soft play can easily fill a rainy morning or afternoon and send children home happily worn out. It is worth a quick search for current opening times and locations during your stay, as facilities change from time to time.
Turn a wet day into a treat day
Some of the best holiday memories come from days that did not go to plan. Rather than fighting the weather, lean into it: a long, lazy breakfast, a board-game tournament, a film on the big screen, a wander round the shops of a pretty town, and a cream tea to round it off. A rainy day can be a welcome chance to slow down and recharge in the middle of a busy holiday — and the sun usually returns soon enough. With the freedom of self-catering, there is no pressure to be anywhere, which makes a duvet-and-films afternoon entirely guilt-free.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best indoor attraction in Torbay? Kents Cavern in Torquay is a top choice — a spectacular prehistoric cave system that is fascinating whatever the weather.
What can families do in the rain in Paignton? Paignton Zoo’s indoor houses, a swim, the cinema, soft play, or games and films back at the activities room are all good options.
Does it rain a lot in Torbay? Torbay enjoys a famously mild, relatively sunny climate, but as anywhere in Britain, the odd wet day is to be expected — so it pays to have a plan B.
Is there an indoor games room at Cranmore Lodge? Yes — the guest activities room has a pool table, table tennis, darts, table football, board games and a cinema-style screen.
A base built for every kind of weather
The secret to a happy holiday whatever the forecast is a comfortable base with options on the doorstep. Cranmore Lodge, opposite Preston Sands with its own activities room, guest laundry and self-catering apartments, is set up so that a rainy day is never a wasted one. You have space to relax, games to play, films to watch and the whole of Torbay’s indoor attractions within easy reach by car. See our area guide for more ideas.
Stay at Cranmore Lodge, Paignton
Rain or shine, there is always plenty to do at Cranmore Lodge and around Torbay. View our apartments or check availability and book online.
To enquire, call +44 (0)1803 556278 or email enquiries@cranmorelodge.co.uk. Cranmore Lodge Holiday Apartments, 45 Marine Drive, Paignton TQ3 2NS.