Things to do in Cornwall when it's raining
A wet day in Cornwall is not a wasted day. The Rainforest Biome at the Eden Project is warm and dripping whatever the sky is doing, you can go a hundred metres underground at Geevor Tin Mine while it pours up top, and Falmouth, St Ives and Newquay all have big indoor attractions built for exactly this. Rain is the day to save the museums, the mines and the aquarium for, and the day to eat a proper cream tea without feeling you should be on the beach.
This is the run-down of what actually stays dry, sorted by what is fully indoors and what is only partly covered, with a table you can scan in the tent porch while it hammers down. It sits alongside our wider guide to things to do in Cornwall, and it is from Camping Sites in Britain, where you can find and compare campsites across the county.
If you are travelling with children, pair this with our guide to family things to do in Cornwall, and if the rain has you weighing up the spend, free and cheap things to do in Cornwall covers the days out that cost little or nothing.
Rainy-day Cornwall at a glance
Here are the main indoor and undercover options, by area, with how dry each one keeps you.
| Attraction | Area | Fully indoors? |
|---|---|---|
| Eden Project | Bodelva, near St Austell | Biomes indoor, paths between them are not |
| Tate St Ives | St Ives | Yes |
| Barbara Hepworth Museum | St Ives | Building indoor, sculpture garden outdoor |
| National Maritime Museum Cornwall | Falmouth | Yes |
| Blue Reef Aquarium | Newquay | Yes |
| Geevor Tin Mine | Pendeen, near St Just | Museum and underground yes, site walk no |
| Poldark Mine | Wendron, near Helston | Underground tour yes |
| Flambards | Helston | Exhibits indoor, rides outdoor |
| Bodmin Jail | Bodmin | Yes |
| St Austell Brewery tour | St Austell | Yes |
| Lappa Valley | St Newlyn East, near Newquay | Mostly outdoor, some cover |
The Eden Project: the obvious rainy-day winner
If it is raining and you only do one thing, make it the Eden Project near St Austell. The Rainforest Biome is the largest indoor rainforest in the world, kept warm and humid all year, so a wet Cornish day outside makes almost no difference once you are inside. The Mediterranean Biome next door is drier and cooler, and both are fully covered.
The catch is that the walkways between the visitor centre and the biomes are open to the sky, so you will get slightly damp on the way in and out. Adult tickets are around £40 when booked online, and the standard ticket converts into a free annual pass if you give the small donation, which is worth knowing if you might come back. Check current prices and opening times on the Eden Project admission page before you set off.
Museums and galleries that keep you completely dry
Cornwall's best indoor attractions are its museums and galleries, and three of them are worth planning a wet day around.
National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth
Fully indoors, right on Falmouth harbour, and one of the most reliable rainy-day options in the county. There are hands-on galleries for children, a fleet of small boats hanging overhead, and the Look Out tower with views over the water. Adult tickets are around £17.50 and, like several Cornish attractions, your ticket lasts a full year, so you can go back. Current prices are on the National Maritime Museum Cornwall ticket page.
Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum
Tate St Ives is entirely indoor, with modern art and a rooftop cafe looking out over Porthmeor beach, which is a fine place to watch the weather roll in. A short walk away, the Barbara Hepworth Museum sits in the sculptor's old studio; the building is covered, though the sculpture garden is open air. A joint ticket for both is the sensible buy. Adult entry to Tate is around £13, with the joint ticket a little more. See the Tate St Ives visit page for current rates.
Blue Reef Aquarium, Newquay
Fully indoors and built for children, the Blue Reef Aquarium sits above Towan beach in Newquay. The walk-through underwater tunnel is the highlight, with sharks and rays passing over your head, and there are regular feeding talks through the day. Adult tickets are usually cheaper booked online in advance; check the Blue Reef Aquarium admission page.
Go underground: Cornwall's mines
Nothing keeps the rain off quite like being deep below it, and Cornwall's mining heritage gives you two proper underground days out.
Geevor Tin Mine, Pendeen
Geevor, on the wild coast near St Just, is a working mine turned museum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The large museum and processing buildings are all under cover, and the guided walk through the Wheal Mexico underground tunnel takes you into the rock itself. Adult tickets are around £19. The site walk between buildings is exposed, so wear a coat, and note it is usually closed on Saturdays. Confirm opening days on the Geevor opening times and prices page.
Poldark Mine, Wendron
Near Helston, Poldark Mine runs guided tours through 18th-century underground workings, the only complete tin mine in Cornwall you can go down. The tour is fully sheltered once you are below ground, and there is a cafe and heritage area above. It is seasonal and tour times vary, so check ahead before driving over.
Family attractions with indoor cover
A few of Cornwall's family days out have enough indoor space to ride out a shower, even if they are not fully covered.
Flambards, Helston
Flambards mixes outdoor rides with substantial indoor exhibits, which makes it a decent wet-weather bet if you time it right. The award-winning Victorian Village and the Britain in the Blitz street are both large undercover walk-through attractions, so even if the rides shut in heavy rain there is plenty inside. It is seasonal, so check dates before you go.
Bodmin Jail
Bodmin Jail is fully indoors and one of the more atmospheric wet-day options, a restored Georgian prison turned immersive dark experience. The Jail and its exhibition tell the story of the prisoners held there, and it suits older children and adults more than toddlers. It is open year round, which is more than can be said for many Cornish attractions in winter.
Lappa Valley and soft play
Lappa Valley near Newquay is a steam railway with lakes and play areas, and it is mostly outdoor, so it is a better bet for showers than a full wash-out. For genuinely wet days with younger children, the soft play centres around Newquay, Truro and Bodmin are the honest answer, and most towns have one. A cinema is the other reliable standby: WTW Cinemas run screens at St Austell and Wadebridge, and Merlin Cinemas cover Redruth and Newquay.
Eat, drink and wait it out
A wet afternoon is the right time for a proper Cornish cream tea: scones, jam first, then clotted cream on top, which is the Cornish way round and worth the mild argument with anyone from Devon. Tea rooms across the county serve them, and it is the cheapest way to spend a rainy hour well.
For adults, Cornwall's drinks producers run indoor tours. The St Austell Brewery Visitor Centre offers guided brewery tours with tastings, all under cover, in the heart of St Austell; details are on the St Austell Brewery tours page. Cornish distilleries such as Tarquin's near Wadebridge also run tastings, so a grey day is a fair excuse to book one in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best thing to do in Cornwall when it rains?
The Eden Project near St Austell. Its Rainforest Biome is a huge covered indoor space kept warm and humid all year, so the weather outside barely matters. Book online for cheaper entry and a ticket that lasts a full year.
Are there indoor attractions in Cornwall for children?
Yes. The Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth, and Bodmin Jail are all fully indoors. Soft play centres in most towns and the cinemas at St Austell, Wadebridge, Redruth and Newquay cover the wettest days.
Can you go underground in Cornwall on a wet day?
Yes. Geevor Tin Mine near St Just and Poldark Mine near Helston both run guided underground tours that are fully sheltered once you are below ground. Geevor's museum buildings are also under cover, though the walk between them is exposed.
Is the Eden Project worth it in the rain?
Yes, it is arguably better in the rain. The biomes are enclosed and climate controlled, so you stay dry inside. Only the walkways between the visitor centre and the biomes are open to the sky, so bring a coat for those short stretches.
What indoor things can adults do in Cornwall?
Tate St Ives, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, and Bodmin Jail all suit adults. For a drink out of the rain, the St Austell Brewery runs covered tours with tastings, and distilleries such as Tarquin's near Wadebridge offer indoor tastings too.
The short version
Save the Eden Project, the museums, the aquarium and the mines for the wet days, and keep the beaches and coast path for the bright ones. Almost everything on this page stays dry, and a proper cream tea covers the gaps. Browse campsites in Cornwall to base yourself near the attractions you fancy, or start with the full things to do in Cornwall guide and our wider campsite directory.
