Watching the clouds roll in over the Sarasota Bayfront.
Afternoon showers are a thing of clockwork during the Florida summer. They keep our grass green, our cars washed, and our umbrellas close-at-hand. But, the good news is that the rains move fast and they never seem to last longer than an hour. Plus, it’s the reason our summer sunsets are so spectacular!
Still, if you are looking to plan a bit of indoor family fun, we are serving up ten top ways to spend a rainy day in southwest Florida.
1. Swap Sun Showers for Circuses
Spend a day at the Ringling Museum! Visit the Howard Bros. Circus Model, Ca’D’Zan, and the Rubens Galleries. Plus, this summer until October 3rd, the exhibit, “Circus Celebrities: Portraiture in the American Circus Poster”, will provide a look at famous early twentieth century circus performers and the art of commercial lithography.
Spend a rain day at the Ringling.
2. I’ll Take One Planetarium Please
The South Florida Museum in Bradenton is the largest natural cultural and history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Among the many exhibits under one roof, you’ll appreciate the Parker Manatee Aquarium, the history/paleontology/archaeology museum, and the Bishop Planetarium. Take a gander at the Planetarium’s show schedule to see programs like “Passport to the Universe” and “Life, A Cosmic Story”.
Take in a wondrous show at the Bishop Planetarium.
3. Rain, Rain Go Away, Come Again as Cabaret
A sure thing in the rain or shine is taking advantage of our area’s many arts and cultural institutions and spending an evening at the theater. Florida Studio Theatre, West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, Players Centre for Performing Arts, or the Manatee Performing Arts Center all have summer programming that will delight while keeping you dry. The 4th Annual Summer Cabaret Festival at the Venice Theatre runs until August 28th and offers a little something for everyone with a variety of music and comedy in a nightclub setting featuring the area’s hottest talent.
4. Go Bonkers for Bowling
Give the booming thunder a run for it’s money by knocking down all ten pins at your local bowling alley. Sarasota is home to both Sarasota Lanes and AMF Gulf Gate; in Venice, practice your arm-swing at AMF Venice Lanes; Bradenton boasts AMF Bradenton Lanes; or in Port Charlotte, take a trip to Treasure Lanes. Visit their websites to discover summer specials!
5. Take a Page Out of Someone Else’s Book
Visit the library and go inside your own imagination with the wonders of books! Some titles you may wish to look for: Splish! Splash!: A Book About Rain by Josepha Sherman, The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng, and Racing in Rain, My Life as a Dog by Garth Stein.
Look up a good book at your local library.
6. Pull Out All the Shops
A trip to the mall makes for a great outing on any rainy day – you can hop from shop to shop and listen to the drops on the roof tops. Visit any number of malls along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Our top pick? The Mall at University Town Center.
Go shopping at the Mall at University Town Center.
7. Grease the Wheels
Bust out your roller skates and get the entire family together at the roller rink! Stardust Skating Center offers open skating, group lessons, and even the ability to book private parties for summer birthdays.
8. We Aim to Freeze
Just because we are subtropical, that doesn’t mean we can’t ice skate with the best of them! Put on your sweater and spend an afternoon at Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex in Ellenton. Check the public skate schedule for available times throughout the week to perfect your triple axel.
Work on your figure eight or Russian split jump at the ice skating rink.
9. Make it a Double Feature
Eat some popcorn and spend a few hours catching a summer blockbuster. Between Finding Dory, Ghostbusers, The Secret Life of Pets, Star Trek Beyond, Jason Bourne, and Suicide Squad, we’re confident you’ll avoid a few overcast afternoons.
10. Watch the Drizzle While You Dine
What’s the fun in watching a summer storm if you can’t see it coming in over the water? Make reservations for Marina Jacks in downtown Sarasota, Dry Dock Waterfront Grill on Longboat Key, Captain’s Table or Laishley’s Crab House in Punta Gorda, Riverside Cafe in Palmetto, and many other waterfront restaurants in Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte Counties.
One final rain day idea? Bust out your laptop or tablet, make a cup of hot tea, and browse Sarasota real estate on MichaelSaunders.com.