Happiness Now: Rainy Day Activities

Rainy days bring colorful flowers – but until there’s a sunny day to enjoy the outdoors, Happy Travelers can immerse themselves in history, art and more at one of these indoor attractions!

An old timey trip to the past awaits you in south eastern Huntingdon County at the Rockhill Trolley Museum. Ride the rails in restored antique trolleys like your grandparents did. For a truly unique experience, try the “Run-A-Trolley” program, where you’ll learn to operate an authentic, antique electric trolley car. You’ll get two hours of one-on-one guidance with an experienced trainer before taking the controls!

Kids will love to get their hands on the many exhibits at Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania. Discover Space is an exciting and growing science museum of interactive exhibits and hands-on programs designed to provide valuable informal science education, especially in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), in a fun learning environment.

Car lovers unite at The William E. Swigart, Jr. Automobile Museum, dedicated to the collection, preservation and celebration of American automobile and cultural history. The museum was inspired by the vehicles and memorabilia collected by William E. Swigart, Jr., an eminent collector who once had nearly 150 cars. Tour the museum of vehicle collections spanning from 1899-1988, including two Tuckers, a Stanley Steamer, 1933 Duesenberg, a DeLorean and several “Herbie, The Love Bugs.”

Opened in 1929 as a tribute to famous sculptor Auguste Rodin, The Rodin features one of the most comprehensive sculpture collections in the world. Now stewarded by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a newfound commitment has been made to preserving the priceless creations housed at the museum. While famous sculptures like The Thinker can be found in the garden, you can follow the history and phases of Rodin’s legendary career through over 140 bronze, marble and plaster sculptures located in the museum’s various exhibits.

Learning is front and center at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, which features a world-renowned school in addition to spectacular galleries and programs. Featuring a variety of rotating exhibits and a permanent collection containing breathtaking sculpture, sketches, watercolors and more, there is always something new to discover. The Academy is the perfect solution for the student in each and every one of us.

Start your engines! With over 40,000 square feet, Autobahn Speedway is the largest indoor go-karting facility in Pennsylvania. Located in Lemoyne, you can challenge your friends to racing with these go-karts that can reach speeds of up to 50 MPH.

Batter up! Each week, BWP Bats® constructs around 2,000 completely hand-made baseball bats from northwestern Pennsylvania red oak and maple trees that have been used by some of the best players in the game, like Johnny Damon. Take the free BWP Bat Factory Tour, where you’ll see how the hardest and most durable wooden bats in the Major League abide by a rigid, 14-step quality control process, from a rough forest log to a finely crafted baseball bat.  

Spend a rainy day immersed in art! The GoggleWorks Center for the Arts is housed in the restored Willson Goggle Factory, a four-story building that takes up an entire city block in Reading. GoggleWorks is home to 35 artist studios, six teaching studios (ceramic, hot and warm glass, jewelry, photography and wood), galleries, exhibits and a movie theatre. Head to the GoggleWorks and observe artists at work, browse exhibits in the galleries, watch glass blowing demonstrations, or take in an art film.

Don’t let a few April showers interfere with your sense of adventure! iFLY King of Prussia offers the thrill of skydiving without a concern for cloud cover, approaching weather fronts or even turbulence (there’s no plane involved at all – it’s all indoors). Even first-timers can safely float on a column of air, free as a springtime bird.

There’s so much to do with the family on a rainy day in Bucks County! Have an artsy day in Doylestown touring the Mercer Mile of Museums, which includes the Mercer Museum, Fonthill Castle and Moravian Pottery & Tile Works. Then, walk across the street to the Michener Art Museum. End the day by catching a movie at the County Theater, a 75-year-old art deco theater in the center of town.

Head to Lancaster City for a double-shot of science fun! Check out the recently renovated North Museum of Nature and Science, including the very cool 41-foot SciDome XD Theater, the hands-on Nature Explorer Gallery and the three-foot diameter iGlobe, with real-time satellite imagery. Spend the rest of the afternoon across town to experience the interactive, hands-on learning environment of the Lancaster Science Factory, dedicated to “Making Science FUN!” Through exhibits, work stations and mini-labs, children can experiment and create as they learn the principles of science and the application of science in engineering and technology.

Spend the day splashing and playing inside at the largest indoor waterpark in the United States, Kalahari Resort! The African safari-themed waterpark offers waterslides, swimming pools and Flow Rider surfing that make for a perfect rainy day for the family.

Make rainy days colorful at the Crayola Experience in the Lehigh Valley, where you’re sure to brighten up your day! Bursting with 25 hands-on attractions, you’ll be able to liven up the day with activities including creating a crayon with your name on it, starring in your own coloring page and so much more. 

Maridon Museum is the only museum in Western Pennsylvania dedicated to Asian art and culture. Tour through the permanent collection of artifacts, which include more than 800 pieces of art and 300 pieces of German Meissen porcelain. The museum, including the building and the objects inside, were a gift from lifelong Butler Resident Mary Hulton Phillips.

Step inside the Zippo/Case Museum in Bradford and experience the story of two iconic American products made right here – Zippo Lighters and case knives. As you tour the museum, you’ll see interactive displays and videos, and you’ll learn about Zippo’s long-time association with Hollywood and rock music. ZAC, the Zippo And Case, is a seven-foot high, audio-kinetic ball machine and a must-see for adults and children alike.

Clyde Peeling's Reptiland in Allenwood is a world-class zoo specializing in reptiles and amphibians from around the world, including cobras, vipers, pythons, alligators, tortoises and frogs! Enjoy modern indoor exhibits showcasing more than 40 species year-round. Check out the Island Giants exhibit, featuring Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizards, basking in the sun and the attention. Stunning naturalistic habitats, fun interactive exhibits, live shows and hands-on animal encounters make Reptiland an educational adventure for the whole family.

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