Rainy day activities in Liverpool

Acorn Farm

Liverpool

A hands-on farm day of feeding sheep and goats, holding rabbits and guinea pigs, and a horse ride if you fancy it.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesCafé+6 more

Air Unlimited

Liverpool · ages 0-18

Wall-to-wall trampolines, a drop slide and an inflatable playground, booked in 60, 90 or 120 minute slots.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+6 more

Allerton Library

Liverpool

A local library with step-free access and blue badge parking, open most days for browsing books or getting help with council services.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingParkingStep-free access+1 more

Altar Pottery

Liverpool · ages 14+

Wheel-thrown pottery workshops for adults and teens 14+, learning to throw clay through three set challenges over one session.

Booking required

Astley Hall

Chorley

Free entry to a 400 year old hall with a play area, a walled garden and a café for cake afterwards.

CaféGift shopFood on siteOutdoor play+2 more

Baltic Clay

Liverpool · ages 14+

Hand build a mug or tea light holder from clay and decorate it with coloured slips, for over-14s and adults only.

Bebington Central Library

Wirral

A free library with regular baby, toddler and kids' sessions, from rhyme time to Lego Club and Dungeons and Dragons.

Baby changeFree parkingIndoor seatingToilets+2 more

Birkenhead Central Library

Birkenhead

Rhyme time for babies, an after school Lego club and free books, all in one Birkenhead library that costs nothing to visit.

Accessible toiletBaby changeFree parkingToilets+1 more

Blakemere Village

Northwich

Free entry village with a mini railway, Segway forest rides, falconry and archery, plus a playground for the ones too small for any of it.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBlue badge parkingCafé+9 more

Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive

Bolton

Free museum with real Egyptian mummies, hands-on touch screens and local history, right in the middle of Bolton.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingGift shop+3 more

Bounce House Inflatable Theme Park

Liverpool · ages 1+

An indoor inflatable arena with assault courses, a drop-slide cliff jump and climbing walls for toddlers up to adults.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+4 more

Breakout Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 0-16

Locked in a room with clues to crack and an hour on the clock, with under 7s playing free.

Bubbles' World of Play

New Brighton · ages 0-11

Themed soft play with 30-odd zones, ball cannons and a mini city where kids play shopkeeper, vet or police officer.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesCaféFree parking+8 more

Bulwark Games Board Game Café

Bebington

A board game café in Bebington where you can settle in with a coffee and play from the shelves or join a gaming event.

CaféIndoor seatingFood on site

Capstone Theatre

Liverpool

Jazz and classical concerts plus drama performances in a compact theatre on Shaw Street.

Bike parkingWheelchair accessible

Casbah Coffee Club Historic Site

Liverpool · ages 0-16

Walk into the actual basement club where the Beatles played their first gigs, on a pre-booked tour that traces the birth of Merseybeat.

Booking required

Castle Park Arts Centre

Frodsham

Free galleries, changing exhibitions and a courtyard with live music most mornings, tucked into Frodsham's Castle Park.

CaféDog friendlyParkingStep-free access+2 more

China Butterfly

Liverpool · ages 7+

Pottery painting and pottery wheel sessions for a birthday party, with the studio kept quiet by only letting two or three adults stay.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCafé

Clay Workshop

Liverpool · ages 8+

Hands-on pottery painting and hand-building sessions in a small studio, with kids and teens workshops for ages 8 and up.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsPublic transport nearbyToilets+1 more

Clever Hands

Liverpool · ages 5-14

Workshops in painting, clay, lino printing and macrame for 5 to 14 year olds, from £15 a session.

Birthday partiesFree parking

Crazy Town Aintree

Bootle · ages 0-10

A big indoor play frame, disco room and toddler sessions with characters, all booked in advance and split into two-hour slots.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingIndoor play+3 more

Crosby Library

Liverpool

A free local library with weekly story time and a Lego and board games club, plus study pods upstairs.

ParkingStep-free accessToiletsWheelchair accessible+1 more

Equilibrium North West Family Hub

Birkenhead

A community hub with play sessions, clubs and family events, from lunch clubs to Easter and Chinese New Year celebrations.

Booking requiredFood on site

Everyman Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 0-14

Sofa seats and waiter-service burgers with your film, plus baby and toddler screenings with the sound turned right down.

CaféFood on sitePublic transport nearbySensory friendly+2 more

Everyman Theatre

Liverpool

A city centre theatre for live shows, with proper access provision and a café to grab a drink before curtain up.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingCaféChanging Places+1 more

FACT Liverpool

Liverpool

Free galleries with art installations, an arthouse cinema, and a monthly relaxed screening built for families who need the lights left up.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBlue badge parkingCafé+6 more

Family day out Liverpool

Liverpool

Go karts, a boat ride splash drop and an adventure farm with goats and guinea pigs, all in one outdoor site by the Mersey.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBirthday partiesCafé+10 more

FireFit Youth and Community Hub

Liverpool

Football, basketball, dance and gaming under one roof, with a gym and a café that only opens a few mornings a week.

CaféIndoor play

Flip Out Aintree

Liverpool · ages 0+

Wall-to-wall trampolines, a donut slide and a giant airbag drop, with a toddler-only soft play corner too.

Birthday partiesFirst aidFree parkingGroup bookings+3 more

Frankie + Lola's Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 0+

Two jungle-themed play frames for toddlers and juniors, with a café that does the food so you don't have to bring any.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBaby changeBirthday parties+8 more

Fun & Time Children's Play Centre

Liverpool · ages 1-12

Five slides, rope bridges and a ball pool to get through, with unlimited play time once you're in.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+11 more

Game Over Escape Rooms Liverpool

Liverpool

Four themed escape rooms in Liverpool where your team has an hour to crack the puzzles and get out before time runs out.

Booking required

Gladstone Theatre

Wirral

A live music and show venue in Wirral with tribute nights and touring acts, tickets from £24.

Accessible toiletFree parkingWheelchair accessible

Goals Liverpool South

Liverpool

Outdoor five and seven-a-side pitches for casual kickabouts or a full football birthday party with food thrown in.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingGroup bookings+3 more

Gravity MAX Liverpool

Liverpool

Indoor karting, bowling and a VR arena under one roof, with a pick-three pass if you can't choose.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsFood on siteRestaurant+1 more

Greenacres Animal Park

Deeside

Tractor rides out to the bigger animals, baby goats to bottle-feed in spring, and a soft play barn for when the weather turns.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBooking required+9 more

Grove Park Theatre

Wrexham

A community theatre putting on pantomimes and youth productions, with parking a minute away at Island Green.

Café

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker

Lane

A genuine Cold War nuclear bunker 40ft underground, packed with authentic equipment and a spy mouse trail for the kids to follow.

CaféGift shopGroup bookingsSchool visits

Holmeswood Flower Farm / Pumpkin Place Pick Your Own

Ormskirk

Pick your own pumpkins, sunflowers, sweetcorn and flowers straight from the field.

Dog friendlyIndoor playFood on site

Inflation Wirral

Wallasey · ages 0-5

A giant inflatable arena with a 100ft assault course, death slides and a helter-skelter, plus a toddler arena for the little ones.

Birthday partiesIndoor playParty rooms

Jungle Fun Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 1-11

A multistorey soft play frame plus a separate under-fives area, with sessions timed at 1 hour 45 minutes.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+8 more

Junkyard Golf Club | Crazy Golf Liverpool

Liverpool

Three mini golf courses with cocktails and a retro arcade, open till 1am on weekends in Liverpool.

Group bookingsFood on siteParty rooms

Kidz Place After School & Holiday Club

Liverpool · ages 4-13

Wraparound care for school-age kids, from breakfast club at 7am to a holiday club that runs the whole day.

Indoor play

Kirkby Gallery

Kirkby

Contemporary art exhibitions and children's art classes in a free-to-browse gallery, with weekend hours squeezed into a Saturday morning.

Accessible toiletWheelchair accessible

Lancashire Mining Museum CIO

Manchester

Wander round a real colliery site with a 98ft headgear to gawp at, colliery cottages and a miner's canteen to poke round, all free to get in.

Café

Lane7 Liverpool

Liverpool

Bowling, pool, beer pong and shuffleboard under one roof, with a family package if you want the lot without adding it up.

Group bookingsIndoor playFood on siteParty rooms+1 more

Lark Lane Pottery Classes

Liverpool

A one-off beginner's session on the pottery wheel, plus hand-building classes, on evenings and weekend afternoons.

Booking requiredGroup bookings

Leighton Observatory (Liverpool Astronomical Society)

Widnes

Free public stargazing every Wednesday at 7pm, with members on hand to point telescopes at whatever's overhead.

Lister Steps at The Old Library

Liverpool

A heritage library turned café and play spot, with a helter skelter slide, story sessions and party rooms.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playOutdoor play+3 more

Little Liverpool Play Village

Liverpool

A role-play village of little themed settings for pretend play, plus a separate baby area, in 90-minute sessions.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playParty rooms

Little Theatre Southport

Southport

A traditional amateur theatre putting on eight plays a season plus a Christmas pantomime, in a historic building just off the seafront.

Accessible toiletHearing loopToiletsWheelchair accessible

Liverpool Beatles Museum

Liverpool · ages 5+

A three floor trawl through Beatles history, from Liverpool clubs to Hamburg and the studio years, with over 1000 original items.

Liverpool Boat Tour

Liverpool

A half hour cruise round Liverpool's dock system, past the yachts and working boats moored in the Marina.

Card onlyIndoor seatingFood on site

Liverpool Cathedral

Liverpool

Free to wander the cathedral itself, with a paid Tower climb for city views and a hunt for hidden treasures along the way.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBaby changeCafé+10 more

Liverpool City Sights Tour Bus

Liverpool

Hop on an open-top bus for a live-guided loop past the big sights, or take the longer Beatles run out to Penny Lane and Strawberry Field.

Toilets

Liverpool Trampoline Gymnastics Academy

Liverpool · ages 0-18

Bouncing, tumbling and gymnastics classes for babies through to teens, with proper coach-led squads if they get the bug.

Birthday parties

Make Your Mark

Liverpool · ages 6+

A craft studio where kids paint pottery, make foam clay bits, sand art and their own Bestie Bear.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsSchool visits

Mini Monsters Fun House

Wirral · ages 0-9

Soft play with a separate toddler and baby corner, outdoor play in summer, and a café that does a proper jacket potato.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+4 more

Mount Sion Steam Crane

Manchester

Free crafts and guided nature or wildlife walks around a historic steam crane site on a Canal Fun Day.

Neighbourhood Liverpool

Liverpool

An over-18s bar and restaurant with bottomless brunches, live music and a strict no-under-18s policy at weekends.

One Under Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 0-17

Eighteen holes of themed mini golf through a Grade II listed building, with pool and shuffleboard if you fancy a break from the putter.

Birthday partiesCard onlyGroup bookingsParty rooms

Open Eye Gallery

Liverpool

Free photography exhibitions in a small gallery by the waterfront, with a quiet hour on Sunday mornings.

Bike parkingBlue badge parkingEV chargingGift shop+4 more

Performers Theatre School

Liverpool · ages 2-19

Weekend drama, dance and singing classes for ages 2 to 19, with a free trial before you pay a penny.

Picturehouse at FACT Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 0+

A proper cinema screen at FACT with relaxed screenings and audio description, plus a bar and kiosk for popcorn and drinks.

Accessible toiletDog friendlyHearing loopIndoor seating+4 more

Play Away

Liverpool

Trampolines and a ninja-style assault course to burn through a wet afternoon, with toddler mornings for the smaller ones.

Birthday partiesCaféFood on siteParty rooms

Playtown Southport

Southport

A soft play spot with a fitness area alongside the usual climbing and sliding, open every day from 10am.

Birthday partiesBooking required

Polka Dots and Pots CIC

Maghull · ages 0+

Paint ready-made pottery pieces, from mugs to animal figures, and collect them glazed and kiln-fired a few weeks later.

Birthday parties

Quirky Quarter

Liverpool

A one-level trail of illusion rooms and interactive puzzles that plays tricks on your eyes and your camera roll.

Accessible toiletChanging PlacesGroup bookingsParty rooms+2 more

Rampworx Skatepark & Shop

Bootle · ages 5+

An indoor warehouse of ramps for skateboards, scooters, BMX and inline skating, with coached sessions from age five.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingGroup bookings+5 more

Recycling Discovery Centre

Liverpool · ages 0+

A free guided tour showing where your rubbish actually goes, and how to sort it properly.

Booking requiredFree parkingToiletsWheelchair accessible

Riverside Bowl

Wallasey

Ten-pin bowling and a multi-level Laser Quest arena under one roof, with online booking that halves the walk-in price.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsIndoor seatingMembership scheme+3 more

RMo Studio Ceramics

Liverpool · ages 14+

Hand-build a mug or have a go on the pottery wheel, a grown-up craft session for over-14s with pieces ready to collect a fortnight later.

Roxy Ball Room Liverpool, Hanover Street

Liverpool

Strictly over-18s: American pool, crazy pool, shuffleboard, darts and ping pong in one Hanover Street venue.

Accessible toiletCard only

Royal Albert Dock Liverpool

Liverpool

A waterfront cluster of warehouses by the Mersey with cafés, restaurants and step-free paths for a wander, not one single attraction.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingCaféDog friendly+3 more

Royal Liver Building 360 Tour

Liverpool · ages 5+

Climb up above the clock face of the Royal Liver Building for 360 degree views and a close look at the Liver Birds on the roof terrace.

Accessible toiletGift shopToilets

SEA LIFE Blackpool

Blackpool

Promenade aquarium in Blackpool - ocean tunnel, rays, turtles and a Jurassic Ocean Tunnel for 2026.

Gift shopToiletsBooking requiredWheelchair accessible

SEA LIFE Manchester

Manchester

Indoor aquarium at Trafford Palazzo - ocean tunnel, sharks, turtles and rays next to the Trafford Centre.

Free parkingParkingToiletsGift shop+6 more

Sector 8 inflatable theme park Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 0-4

An inflatable park built around a huge ball pool, mega slides and a climbing wall, with its own arena for under-4s.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféGroup bookings+2 more

Shakespeare North Playhouse

Prescot

A proper theatre in Prescot with family shows, tours and a play area by the café, and you decide what to pay for some performances.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+11 more

Showcase Cinema de Lux

Liverpool

A big screen and a family ticket that undercuts buying four singles, as long as you're in before 5pm.

Blue badge parkingFree parkingFood on siteSensory friendly+1 more

SPACE Cheshire

Chester

Soft play, messy play and role play sessions built around a sensory room rather than a big frame to climb.

Indoor playSensory room

Speckled Frogs Playcentre

Crosby, Liverpool

Indoor play with a racing slide, a ropewalk and a secure outdoor garden to spill into once the ball pit's done.

Birthday partiesFree parkingIndoor playFood on site+1 more

Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group

Liverpool · ages 10+

A hangar-and-terminal visit to see heritage aircraft up close and have a go on a flight simulator, best from age 10 up.

Booking requiredFree parking

Splash Art

Liverpool

A neon paint session where kids splatter and splash their way to their own take-home artwork.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsParty rooms

Splash World

Southport

Water slides and a swimming pool under one roof, open weekends all year and weekdays in the school holidays.

Birthday partiesFood on siteVegetarian options

St Helens Theatre Royal

Saint Helens

A proper pantomime, Peter Pan this year, with tickets from £20.

St Luke’s Bombed Out Church

Liverpool

A roofless, bombed-out church turned open-air garden and café, with a calendar that shifts around events and weddings.

CaféDog friendlyFood on siteToilets

Storyhouse

Chester

A theatre, cinema and library rolled into one, with family shows, films and free craft sessions most weeks.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBirthday partiesBreastfeeding friendly+8 more

Strawberry Field

Liverpool

Wander the gardens that inspired the Beatles song and play a virtual Mellotron in an exhibition packed with memorabilia.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingBooking requiredCafé+8 more

Sugar and Dice Board Game Café

Liverpool

A licensed café where you order from the shelf of board games, from Cluedo and Pandemic to grown-up party games, and settle in with toasties and cake.

Accessible toiletDog friendlyGroup bookingsFood on site+2 more

Swell UK Ltd - Garden, Pond and Aquatic Supplies

Hyde

A garden and aquatic supplies shop where you can wander past tanks of tropical, coldwater and marine fish, plus reptiles and amphibians.

Tate Liverpool

Liverpool

Free wide-angle art exhibitions and a family art trail round Albert Dock, currently based at RIBA North while the main building's redone.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+2 more

TeamSport Go Karting Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 4-99

Real go karting on a 475m track with rapid straights and ten corners, plus a Mini Racer track for the younger ones and duckpin bowling.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBlue badge parkingBooking required+11 more

The Beatles Story Museum, Liverpool

Liverpool

A walk-through exhibition tracing the band's story, with a recreated Cavern Club and a Discovery Zone at the end.

Baby changeBooking requiredCaféCard only+2 more

The Bierkeller Liverpool

Liverpool

A German-themed bar with pool, darts and a live Oompah band that gets the whole room up dancing on benches.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsParty roomsRestaurant+1 more

The Black-E

Liverpool

Dance, theatre, music and soft play sessions run in the school holidays, and it's free to join.

Accessible toiletCaféIndoor playStep-free access+1 more

The Brindley

Runcorn

A theatre stage for panto and family shows, with a café and free parking right opposite.

CaféFree parking

The British Commercial Vehicle Museum

Leyland

Climb into real lorry cabs and grip the wheel of vehicles that used to rule the roads, all under one roof near the M6.

CaféFree parkingGift shopToilets+1 more

The Children's Adventure Farm Trust

Altrincham · ages 0-17

A free two-hour farm visit for children with additional needs and their families, animals, woodland and a sports hall included.

Booking requiredIndoor playFood on siteOutdoor play+2 more

The Fab4 Store - Beatles Souvenir Gift Shop

Liverpool

A Beatles gift shop packed with official merchandise, from badges and mugs to soft toys and exclusive souvenirs, and it costs nothing to browse.

The Fun Factor

Liverpool · ages 0-12

Indoor soft play with a four-lane Astra slide and racing slide, plus laser tag and glow parties for under-12s.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingIndoor play+3 more

The Hope Street Theatre

Liverpool

A general admission theatre on Hope Street where you turn up, find a seat and catch whatever touring show is on that night.

Toilets

The Lowther Pavilion Theatre & Gardens

Lytham St Annes

A proper theatre programme plus mini-golf, crown green bowls and tennis outside if the show isn't the whole plan.

Accessible toiletHearing loopParkingToilets+1 more

The Madhouse

Wirral · ages 0-8

A soft play spot for babies up to eight year olds, with card-only admission and weekend sessions that end by noon.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesCard onlyFood on site+3 more

The North Pole Experience

Liverpool · ages 0+

A timed Christmas experience with a festive show, ice skating and a visit to Father Christmas, built around a 3 to 3.5 hour visit.

Blue badge parkingBooking requiredFree parkingGift shop+6 more

The Storybarn

Liverpool

A book-filled play space in Calderstones Park with dress-up, craft, storytelling and a garden stroll built round the story.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesCafé+5 more

The Tung Auditorium

Liverpool · ages 5+

A proper concert hall in Liverpool for live music and spoken word, from classical to electronica, with tickets from £15.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingCaféChanging Places+3 more

Theatre Porto

Ellesmere Port

A local theatre for panto season, family films, discos and Saturday hangouts, with a café and step-free access throughout.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+4 more

Unicorn Gallery

Widnes

A quiet spot to browse paintings and fine art from a mix of artists, open Tuesday to Saturday.

Step-free accessWheelchair accessible

Unity Theatre

Liverpool

A comedy and theatre venue on Hope Street with unreserved seating and a bar that opens an hour before curtain up.

Café

University of Liverpool Sports and Fitness Centre

Liverpool

A university sports centre with a climbing and bouldering wall, a pool and a sports hall, open to junior and community swimmers and climbers.

Indoor playWheelchair accessible

Valley Community Theatre

Liverpool

A local stage doing pantomime, youth theatre and variety nights, with tickets rarely above a tenner.

Café

Volair Adventure Cove Soft Play

Liverpool

A four-tier soft play frame for climbing and exploring, with parties from £170 and free parking.

Birthday partiesFree parkingParty rooms

Volair Huyton (Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park)

Liverpool

Swimming and a gym under one roof, with junior swim tickets at £4.40 and free parking on site.

Free parkingLockers

Warrington Museum & Art Gallery

Warrington

Free permanent displays and changing exhibitions, plus Saturday craft drop-ins, all with no entry charge.

Gift shopParkingPicnics allowedWheelchair accessible

Western Approaches

Liverpool

Wander a real WWII bunker beneath the city streets, from the wartime shop fronts to the Operations Room where the maps still sit.

Baby changeCard onlyGift shopGroup bookings+2 more

Wigan Little Theatre

Wigan · ages 3+

Panto and family shows in a proper old theatre, with seats booked in advance rather than turning up on spec.

Booking required

Williamson Art Gallery & Museum

Birkenhead

Free wander round art and museum collections in Birkenhead, with a café and a car park that won't cost you a penny.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféChanging Places+4 more

Wizz Kidz

Queensferry

A four-lane astro slide, go kart track and rope bridges to climb, tackle and race round in timed sessions.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+3 more

World of Glass

Saint Helens

Free walk through a Victorian glass street, hands-on light and lens exhibits, and live glass blowing you can watch for a few pounds extra.

CaféGift shopGroup bookingsParking+1 more

Zippy's Playworld

Chester · ages 0-10

Climbing frames, ball pits and rope bridges for two-hour sessions, with a strict socks-on, shoes-off rule at the door.

Baby changeBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+8 more