What to do on rainy days in Boston, Massachusetts
Although it can be nice staying inside on a rainy New England afternoon, the wet weather hardly spoils Boston's lively activities. The city and the Greater Boston area have a variety of local treasures worth exploring for everyone!
We've made a list of rainy day activities and suggested places to visit in Boston:
Get lost in an independent bookstore. There's nothing like finding a good book to curl up with and read on a rainy afternoon. The first step? Finding a new book or two. Grab a coffee-to-go and head to the local bookstore in your neighborhood. Trident Booksellers & Café in Back Bay has become a well-known Boston institute for book lovers. If you're looking for a large selection, the Brattle Book Shop is one of the oldest used booksellers in the country.
- Brattle Book Shop, 9 West Street
- Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline
- Trident Booksellers and Café, 338 Newbury Street
Find a new cozy brunch spot. Rainy days in Boston present great opportunities to check out brunch places that you haven't been able to try because of the long lines that typically appear on sunnier days. The Paris Creperie's food truck makes its rounds through Boston, but their café in Brookline is well worth visiting with friends for fresh crepes and Nutella chocolate drinks. If you're looking for a healthier brunch option, head to Za, a restaurant that makes pizza and salad using seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients from local farms. Want more suggestions for brunch in Boston? Thrillist has you covered with the best brunches to try in Boston right now.
- The Paris Creperie, 278 Harvard Street, Brookline
- Za (Arlington), 138 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington
Hit the shops. Between Copley Place and The Prudential Center, you have plenty of stores to choose from to update your wardrobe. You'll find that there's a wide selection of luxury and contemporary brands available in Boston! If you're not in the mood to shop for clothes, you can always simply window shop or make your way to Barnes & Noble at the Prudential Center.
- The Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street
- Copley Place, 100 Huntington Avenue
Treat yourself to a spa day. If you know that your weekend plans may be rained out in advance, book a facial or massage in Boston! Take the opportunity to do some self-care and escape from stress for an hour or a half-day. We recommend Balans, the only all-organic spa in Boston, and Corbu at The Charles Hotel in the heart of Harvard Square.
- Corbu Spa & Salon at The Charles Hotel, 5 Bennett Street, Cambridge
- Balans Organic Spa, 216 Newbury Street
Check out the latest museum exhibits and explore Boston's smaller museums. Take advantage of living in Boston by exploring the incredible museums in the city! The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), the Museum of Science and the Harvard Museum of Natural History are some of the larger museums that are more likely to have active, rotating exhibits, but it's also worth visiting the smaller historical treasures Boston has to offer. Trinity Church, the Nichols House Museum, and the Paul Revere House are centrally located in Boston and are only a short walk away from downtown shops and restaurants.
- The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), 465 Huntington Avenue
- Museum of Science, 1 Museum of Science Driveway
- Havard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge
- Trinity Church, Copley Square, 206 Clarendon Street
- Nichols House Museum, 55 Mount Vernon Street
- Paul Revere House, 19 North Square
