the truth is, it rains a lot in Galway – days of the year to be exact. It breaks my heart to say that the wettest part of Ireland is between the Maamturk and Partry mountains of Galway and Mayo. You might think that being stuck in Galway city on a rainy day means there will be nothing to do, but I am glad to say that isn’t true! Galwegians have adapted to the unfortunate amount of rainfall, and so here is … things to do in Galway city in the rain.
Galway Rainy Day Activities – Things to do in the Rain
Museums – What to do in Galway if it’s raining?
Rainy days are perfect for museum visits. While looking at old fossils and preserved bits of pottery may not be top of your list when the sun is beating down on the sands of Salthill or blue skies over Spanish arch seem all-too-inviting, I can understand how you might miss the museums.
But, when the clouds roll in from the Atlantic, what better way to avoid the rain, than learn a bit more about Galway’s interesting medieval past, as well as our culture and natural heritage.
- Galway City Museum – Explore Galway Myths Legends & Folklore, the Revolution of Galway and more
- Galway Fisheries Watchtower Museum – Galway Rainy Days – discover artifcats through time which were used for fishing along the River Corrib
- The Claddagh Ring Museum – The smallest museum in Ireland showing some of the very first made claddagh rings and more about the process of making them
Visit the Escape Rooms – Escape Rooms in Galway City
If you find yourself in Galway city in the rain, escape the downpours with the Escape Rooms! Escape Rooms really are the perfect rainy day activity. I can’t think of a more exciting and fun way to take your mind of the weather than by working together with your gang to escape the “Irish Pub Room”, the “willing Vault” or “Spooky Quarantine Hospital”. This is fun for the whole family, and if you are a gamer, what better way to bring a game to life than being in it yourself!
Cafe Crawl – Sample Galway Cities best Coffee Shops and Sweet Treats
This is one for my fellow foodies.
One of my favourite things to do when I’m away is eat and drink my way around a city! Breakfast, coffee, lunch, second coffee, dinner, dessert. You can honestly sample a bunch of cafes and restaurants in Galway in one day if that’s what you enjoy. Plan your route so that you only have to pop in and out of the open streets while making your way to the next coffee stop!
Check out the newest releases in the cinema – Escape the Rain in Galway City
For a relatively small city, Galway has no shortage of cinemas. From the IMC, to Omniplex and the Eye. You may not be able to get out and experience the streets of Galway in the wet, but you can experience a whole new world from the comfort of a theatre.
The Omniplex in Salthill is honestly fantastic. Sit back and relax on the electric recliner seats and enjoy. Word is that someday they will also have restaurant seat-service. We’ll just have to wait and see!
Be Entertained at an Irish Dancing Show
Irish Dancing is at the heart of Irish Culture. Well Galway, is home to Ireland’s number 1 Irish Dancing experience- Trad on the Prom. A lot of visitors to Galway experience this cultural phenomenon, so why not tick it off your list on a rainy day?
You’ll be blown away by this unforgettable experience when dancers dominate the stage with Riverdance.
Shop until you Drop – Galway cities Craft Stores
I won’t judge you if you want to take the rain as an excuse to … inside a shopping centre and browse the shops. While you might not want to venture around the city too much (we’ve all had a Penney paper bag disintegrate in the rain), the Eyre Square shopping centre has two floors of shops to keep you busy and dry for a few hours.
You can park in the attached multi-story car park so you won’t see a drop of rain!
Even better, Galway City has countless Craft Shops which are filled with beautufil Irish designs.
Irish Design and Craft Stores:
- My Shop.. Granny likes it
- 2 Wild Geese
- The Old Sea Dog
- Kilkenny Shop
- Spiddal Craft Village
Pub Crawl – Get out of the rain and into the Craic!
Following the same logic behind cafe crawl. We all love a bit of day-drinking every now and again. So make a rainy-day of it. Plan your route around the city to see as little rain as possible, and no need to feel guilty about it, you’re on vaycay!
Galway has an endless lists of pubs for you to tick off and sure you might get a little wet, but the truth is, a couple of pints in, you will hardly notice!
Rainy Day activities especially for Children:
The Aquarium – Galway Atlantaquaria
While you might not want to go outside, why not bring the outside in? Let the little ones be blown away by everything from rays to octapus and a range of other sea creatures. The aquarium is all about education, awareness and conservation of our ocean and life under water. Let the little ones learning about native sharks, rays, and crustaceans, as well as other unique species.
Bowling – Planet Galway
Leave the rain behind by visiting Planet Galway. For the kids, there’s bumpers, six pound balls and ball ramps available. While in the “Space Kids” section, there’s also a soft play area with slippery slides, rope bridges, pulleys and a huge ball pool to play in.
Pure Skill Galway – Indoor Sports Activities for all the Family
This 25, 000 sq ft indoor sports and leisure has everything –
- Gaelic Free Kicks
- Soccer Penalties
- Hurling Shots
- Rugby Conversions
- Tennis Volleys
- Cricket Bowling
- Baseball Hits
- Basketball Free Throws
- Golf Putting and Chipping.
That’ll keep the kids busy!
Other Ideas for Galway City in the rain
Go for a swim – it’s not like you can get any wetter!!
If you head to Salthill Beach, no matter the weather, there will be people in for a dip. Why not join them?! Cold water swimming is taking over and it’s not like you can get any wetter? Get the physical and mental benefits and it is a wonderful experience in the rain – I speak from experience!
How often does it rain in Galway?
It rains approximately 232days of the year in Galway which is a stark contrast to 128 days of rain in Dublin. It really is the one thing that would tip the scales to dublin when it comes to Galway vs Dublin!
But the thing is, there is no such things bad weather, just being badly dressed as they say. There is always going to be rain in Ireland, but if you learn to dress appropriately, it won’t impact you too much!
Why does it rain so much in Galway?
Galway city is located right along the west coast of Ireland, along the Atlantic Ocean. Due to the prevailing winds, water vapour is brought inland from the sea and dumped right over Galway, regularly! The weather is very inconsistanc and go from rain to blue skies multiple times a day.
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