Bored of being stuck indoors thanks to La Niña?
Just cos it's pouring outside, doesn't mean you have to sit around doing nothing until the sun decides to make an appearance in Sydney again. We've picked 14 indoor activities in Sydney that will bring you joy on a gloomy day.
Whether you’re looking for a chill or exciting activity, there’s something for everyone on this guide. From cultural experiences to indoor skydiving and flying trapeze, there are tons of things to do in the rain in Sydney.
Check out this curated list of indoor activities in Sydney and choose the best one for you:
1. Go on a mission at an escape hunt
Play like Sherlock Holmes and find your way out of this escape room experience!
Gather a team of two to five people and start cracking codes at this exciting Escape Hunt Experience in Sydney!
Choose your own adventure as you pick from four indoor escape rooms or two outdoor experiences with different difficulty levels. Be a secret service agent, a young wizard, or witch or uncover a heist or an assassin, and beat the clock as you search for clues and solve the puzzles. This 1-hour pulse-racing experience is perfect for families (ages 7+), friends, school groups, and workmates. Plus, you’ll get a free drink when you escape before your 60-minute clock runs out!
What are you waiting for? Grab your best mates and head to Escape Hunt for a thrilling fun indoor activity for a rainy day in Sydney.
2. Hurl axes like a Viking
Be the best at axe throwing! Credits: @kissmyaxe.au
It’s time to chuck those axes and be the best lumberjack (or jill)! No need to go out into the forests because with this axe throwing experience, you can hurl hatchets as you stay dry and warm.
Book a 1-hour private lane session with your crew and learn the basics of axe throwing with an axe-pert guide. Start a friendly competition of round-robin, and check out how you’ve improved after each swing. Alternatively, if your group is larger than 6 participants, book a 2-hour group session instead and have the same axe-throwing fun for twice the time!
This indoor activity is perfect for a rainy day in Sydney. . There’s no experience necessary with one of the most thrilling indoor activities in Sydney, and all skills levels are welcome to take part!
3. Try fly a military jet (virtually)
Fly like a boss and attempt to land a military jet in this virtual reality experience!
If your squad is into video games, then this thrilling virtual reality experience will be a fun indoor activity for a rainy day in Sydney.
Pilot a military jet through various locations—the mountains of Switzerland, New York City’s concrete jungle, or down the West Coast of the US. The 15-minute or 30-minute experience simulates a real-life flight, and will surely make your heart race as you attempt to land a F/A-18 Military Jet.
4. Learn to make cocktails
Find out how your favourite rum is made on this distillery tour. Image credits: @brixdistillers on Instagram
What better way to cheer yourself up from the downpour than with a few cheeky bevvies?
Head over to Brix Distillery and get the inside scoop into the history of rum making or try out a cocktail making class!
5. Go on an underwater adventure at the aquarium
Experience underwater fun and meet marine creatures! Credits: @sydneylifeaquarium
Have fun underwater without getting wet at SEA LIFE Sydney! Take on this unique experience as you discover more of Australia’s freshwater and marine aquatic ecosystems.
Make sure to greet the two friendly dugongs Pig and Wuru—two out of six dugongs on display in the whole world. Whether you haven't been to the aquarium since you were or kid or you're a frequent visitor, SEA LIFE is a nice indoor activity for a rainy day in Sydney.
6. Meet your fav celebs
Meet Aussie icons like Steve Irwin at Madame Tussauds! Credits: @tussaudssydney
Spend a day like a movie star and get up close and personal with movie icons at Madame Tussauds Sydney! Just make sure your phone or camera is fully charged so you won’t miss out on amazing photos in one of the best indoor activities in Sydney for a rainy day.
7. Take a backstage tour of Sydney Opera House
Get to know the Sydney Opera House on this guided walking tour.
See the Sydney Opera House like you've never seen it before. Step behind the scenes and uncover untold stories and history by stories told by knowledgeable guide during a 1-hour tour. After the tour, enjoy complimentary food and beverages on the harbour at Opera Kitchen.
8. Go skydiving without jumping out of a plane
Fly through the air at this totally safe indoor skydiving facility! Credits: @iflysingapore
Feel the thrill with one of the heartracing indoor activities in Sydney for a rainy day! Try out indoor skydiving without high risks at iFLY Downunder.
Fly gently on a controlled cushion of air and experience two or four 50-second Indoor Skydiving flights, which is the equivalent of a free fall skydive from 14,000 feet, in a safe, convenient, state-of-the-art indoor facility. If you’re still feeling a bit worried, a certified professional instructor will be there to help you. Full dive gear and equipment such as flight suit, helmet, goggles, and ear plugs will also be provided, making this activity absolutely safe for beginners!
Upgrade your experience by booking the VR package to see what it's like to skydive over tropical Hawaii or the picturesque Swiss Alps.
9. Pretend you're part of a circus at a flying trapeze class
Flying trapeze is perfect for beginners of all ages! Credits: @sydneytrapezeschool
Unleash your inner gymnast or feel part of Cirque du Soleil with this perfectly safe-for-beginners Flying Trapeze Class!
Learn the basics of trapezing with a 2-hour class for all ability levels and age groups. For first timers, work with 3 flying trapeze instructors and learn gravity-defying circus stunts at Sydney Trapeze School on an indoor flying trapeze. Improve your skills throughout the session until you become comfortable with holding the swings on your own!
This indoor activity is also perfect for group parties. Bond with your family and friends as you swing around!
10. Learn to craft personalised crockery at a pottery class
Learn how to make handmade stonewares with a pottery class! Credits: ___claysydney___
If you prefer a calmer indoor activity in Sydney on a rainy day, then we highly suggest you sign up for a pottery class at Clay Sydney! Get ready to have your hands dirty as you play with clay and sip on some wine during their Wine & Clay Nights, or sign up for a private class. With three studios in Marrickville and Enmore, you get to learn the process of making stoneware ceramics, as well as how to do vessel and pattern designs from their wonderful tutors who will guide you every step of the way.
At the end of the day, you get to make your own handmade mug, bowl or plate which you can pick up after 3 to 4 weeks.
11. Unleash your inner chef at a cooking class
Wake up the inner chef in you with these cooking classes! Credits: @sydneycookingschool
Don’t waste a rainy day sulking in your home! Try out these cooking classes and learn how to whip up the best food for your next potluck!
Head on over to Sydney Cooking School and pick a class of your choice. You may choose from different cuisines and food. If you’re vegetarian, enroll in their Vegetarian Cooking Class! Those with a sweet tooth might find their Sweet Tarts Cooking Class and Dessert Making Class exciting. Travel around the world by learning how to make Japanese street food, Mexican tacos, Spanish paella, and French classics—all available for you to take!
12. Play indoor mini-golf
Put on your wackiest smiles as you and your friends conquer this indoor mini golf course! Credits: @holeymoleygolf
Score a hole in one at this crazy indoor mini-golf course! Putt your way through different themed hole courses at Holey Moley Golf Club! Swing your golf clubs across Vincent Van Gogh’s room, make it through a labyrinth, make your way through a Monopoly board—with pop culture references all around, this activity will surely put a smile on your face during the rainy day!
A round of nine holes can take up to 25 to 40 minutes, and make sure to book in advance as they only accept a very limited number of walk-ins per day. Food is also available at the venue so you get to enjoy comfort food like sandwiches and pizza as you conquer the whole golf course.
13. Go on an art crawl
Embark on an art tour at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Credits: @artgalleryofnsw
Take a cultural experience as you tour through museums and art galleries around Sydney. Immerse yourself at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the leading museum of art in New South Wales and Sydney, or to Museum of Sydney to know more about local history. For those interested in contemporary Chinese art, The White Rabbit Gallery founded by Judith Neilson is open.
14. Go bowling
Spend a rainy day scoring turkeys in ten pin bowling! Credits: @strikebowling
Score a turkey at Strike Bowling at King Street Wharf! Bowling is a fun group activity if you want to spend a day indoors in Sydney on a rainy day with mates.
Go with your friends and book one to two games of ten pin bowling. Let loose on the lanes paired with the smoothest sound system. Treat yourself even more with a cocktail and delicious old-school sandwiches at their waterside bar. They also have karaoke and escape room activities if you want to pair your bowling adventure with something more.
