It rains a lot in Vancouver, so it’s good to know where to find the best indoor venues and activities, from top attractions to restaurants to shopping.

Vancouver’s Top Indoor Attractions

Depending on what you like to do, you’ll be sure to find something of interest from the following lists and suggestions:

FlyOver Canada – a film and flight simulation attraction at Canada Place.
H.R. MacMillan Space Centre – Vancouver’s planetarium and space museum.
Metrotown – if you like shopping and giant shopping malls.
Museum of Anthropology (MOA) – at UBC (offering a considerable collection of First Nations art and cultural displays).
Museum of Vancouver – for history about the city.
Science World – if you have young kids.
The Vancouver Art Gallery – a great place for art and to escape the rain.
Vancouver Maritime Museum – good if you like maritime history and want a dry place.
Vancouver Climbing Centres – rock climbing, climbing walls and bouldering facilities exist throughout Metro Vancouver.
Trampoline Parks – indoor trampolining places in the Lower Mainland include Extreme Air locations in both Richmond and Langley.

For more top indoor attractions, check out Vancouver’s Best Things to do on a Rainy Day.

If you want to be outdoors despite the rain, then any of Vancouver’s ski hills can be amazing if they’re above the clouds, and forested parks on the North Shore can still be reasonably pleasant (so long as you bring an umbrella or good rain gear and boots).

Other good places to go when the weather isn’t cooperating outside is one of Metro Vancouver’s best recreation or aquatic centres, including Richmond’s Watermania, Vancouver’s Hillcrest Centre and the West Vancouver Aquatic Centre (all of which are especially good for children but can be crowded).

Vancouver’s Best Restaurants on a Rainy Day

Another good activity on rainy, miserable days is to eat out and enjoy some of Vancouver’s best culinary offerings indoors. For the best places to eat and drink in different parts of Metro Vancouver, check out the following:

Vancouver’s Best Entertainment, Arts and Cultural Venues

Many of Vancouver’s best entertainment and top arts and cultural activities take place indoors. They aren’t all indoors, but many of them are (making them exceptional places to escape on rainy days). Click Vancouver’s Best Places for Entertainment for more details on everything from sporting events to theatre to musical performances.