Rainy day activities in and around Teignmouth
Don't let wet weather dampen your enjoyment of Teignmouth and the surrounding area. Here are some ideas of rainy day activities in and around Teignmouth and South Devon.
Heritage
Take a step back in time and discover the fascinating history of Teignmouth and South Devon. With a wide variety of museums and stately homes nearby, there's something for every interest.
Teign Heritage Centre
29 French Street, Teignmouth TQ14 8ST
Open Tues-Sat 10:30am-4pm
Home of the Teignmouth and Shaldon Museum, the Teign Heritage Centre is the perfect place to learn about the history of Teignmouth, from fishing and ship-building to foreign invasions and tourism. As well as two permanent exhibitions, the museum also hosts talks and is the starting point for the Teign Heritage Trail.
Bygones
Fore Street, St Marychurch, Torquay TQ1 4PR
Open 10am-4pm in winter and 10am-5/6pm in summer.
Step back in time as you walk down an indoor Victorian street at Bygones Torquay. This fascinating museum is jam packed full of artefacts including a rather macabre Victorian dentist and an incredibly sombre World War 1 trench. It's definitely worth a visit.
House of Marbles
Pottery Road, Bovey Tracey, TQ13 9DS
Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm Sun 10am-5pm
Not only is the House of Marbles a fascinating museum of marbles and board games, there are mesmerising marble runs and a glass making factory where you can watch glass being blown. Best of all, it's free entry!
Kents Cavern
91 Ilsham Road, Torquay TQ1 2JF
Open from 10am every day.
Shelter from the weather in Britain's oldest home! Explore the fascinating prehistoric Kents Cavern in the heart of Torquay and discover amazing rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites in what used to be the home of prehistoric people and Ice Age animals.
Torquay Museum
529 Babbacombe Road, Torquay TQ1 1HG
Open Tues-Thur and Sat 10am-4pm
From dinosaurs to ceramics, there's something for every interest at Torquay Museum. It's worth checking the website for information on the many temporary collections the museum put on show, which often involve popular culture.
Dinosaur World
3 Victoria Parade, Torquay TQ1 2BB
If you've got dino-mad kids, Dinosaur World is the perfect wet weather attraction. Learn all about these magnificent beasts that roamed the world millions of years ago. There are even some you can climb on. There are also fossils to uncover and a quiz sheet for you to complete to win a small prize at the end.
Entertainment
Teignmouth Pier
Promenade, Teignmouth TQ14 8BB
Open from 10am in the summer and from 11am in winter.
It's a seaside tradition to visit the amusements on the pier! And a rainy day is the perfect time to pop your pennies in the slots and have a go on the traditional rides and attractions. As well as old school amusements and 2p machines, the Grand Pier Teignmouth is also home to video games and more up to date slot machines.
Go Ten Pin Bowling at the Hollywood Bowl
Torwood Street, Torquay TQ1 1DZ
Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri 11am-midnight, Sat 10am-midnight and Sun 10am-10pm
Head over to Torquay to the Hollywood Bowl and compete to see who can get a Strike or a Spare. As well as 21 lanes, there's also a large amusements area and diner for food and drink.
Wildlife
National Marine Aquarium
Rope Walk, Coxside, Plymouth PL4 0LF
Open 10am-5pm (last entry 4pm)
A little further afield in Plymouth, but well worth a visit, is the National Marine Aquarium. Run by the Ocean Conservation Trust, this is the UK's largest aquarium and home to a huge array of sea life from local waters and around the world. There are regular talks throughout the day and plenty of events and activities throughout the year.
Grown Ups Only
Plymouth Gin Distillery Tour
60 Southside Street, The Barbican, Plymouth PL1 2LQ
Open Mon 11am-4:30pm Tue-Sat 11am-5:30 Sun 12-5pm
If you're a gin lover, don't miss a chance to find out about the history of the famous Plymouth Gin Distillery and find out how your tipple is made. You even get to take home a sample! There are three tours available: a distillery tour; a connoisseurs tour where you are treated to a gin tasting experience; and a master distiller's tour where you have the opportunity to make your own gin!
Get wet anyway!
Rain doesn't always mean you need to look for an indoor activity. Why not get wet anyway!
Go Coasteering with RockSolid!
Maidencombe Beach
Channel your inner adrenaline junkie and embrace the wet weather by clambering over rocks and jumping off cliffs into the sea with RockSolid Coasteering. All the gear you need is provided and you're taken by experienced instructors to explore the local coastline in and out of the water. If you're lucky, you might even spot a seal.
While I endeavour that all the information posted here is accurate, it's definitely worth double checking opening times with the various venues before you travel.