What’s a parent to do during a wet, soggy day? Head to one of these indoor spots, that’s what!
We rounded up 35 (yes, 35!) of our favorite indoor places for our Cincinnati Rainy Day Fun Guide:
American Sign Museum
The American Sign Museum is an under-the-radar museum that’s as accessible to kids as it is to adults. Kids will love the spinning signs, flashing lights and pop culture imagery. Definitely schedule your visit around one of the Museum’s daily tours; you’ll learn so much about the history of this awesome art medium.
Behringer-Crawford Museum
Four floors of interactive exhibits and displays highlight Northern Kentucky’s rich history. Be sure to hit up each of the Museum’s “Top Ten Picks,” which include a drive-in theatre and train display with interactive crawl space.
Blue Marble Books
With a Great Green Room (a recreation of the main bedroom in the book Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown), train table and library-level selection of kids’ books, Blue Marble Books is a magical place to spend an afternoon.
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Dayton is more than a museum of science and natural history, it’s also a zoo, aquarium and planetarium. You’ll find all the answers to your kids’ biggest questions at Boonshoft.
Brazee Street Studios
This Oakley art studio offers a range of classes for artists, adults and children of all skill levels, using glass as the main medium.
Carol Ann’s Carousel
Go around and around on this unique Cincinnati attraction by Smale Riverfront Park. Glass doors allow for easy access into the carousel building, making this indoor carousel accessible year-round.
Castle Skateland
Go retro on the next rainy day by lacing up your roller skates for a family skate date! Castle Skateland boasts the largest skate floor in the Tri-State, and provides a bright, clean, safe and friendly atmosphere for the family.
Cincinnati Art Museum
With always FREE admission, the Cincinnati Art Museum makes visual arts accessible and family friendly. The Rosenthal Education Center is an interactive space for families to discover the Cincinnati Art Museum’s collection in a fun, immersive, hands-on and kid-safe manner.
COSI
There are many reasons to visit COSI; live shows, changing exhibits, activities for the kids and so much more. You will never be bored on a rainy day again!
Cincinnati Museum Center
With a Children’s Museum, numerous featured exhibit and the OMNIMAX Theater, there are so many reasons to visit the Cincinnati Museum Center, but #1 is that it’s just plain fun.
Full Throttle Indoor Karting
Cincinnati’s premier indoor go-karting centers. With 2 locations to serve families looking for some racing excitement. We have karts for ages 3-93, our karts are designed to provide age-appropriate racing action. In Tri-County and Florence.
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Joseph-Beth is known for its story times – and working parents can celebrate that both Cincinnati and Crestview Hills now offer Tuesday story times! The Kids’ Area at Crestview Hills is a CP favorite and definitely worth a trip.
Entertrainment Junction
Entertrainment Junction is always a hit for railroad enthusiasts young and old: it’s 25,000 square feet of model trains (that’s half a football field!), and includes over 2 miles of track, 90 G-scale locomotives and 1,000 cars. There’s also a kids’ play area, railroad museum, Expo Center and approximately 1,346 train tables.
IKEA West Chester
It’s no secret we love IKEA – and this Swedish superstore is absolutely a fun place to browse on a rainy day! The Kids’ Department features activity tables, cars and trucks, play tunnels and play mats, making it basically the coolest playroom ever.
Happen, Inc. Toy Lab
Open Saturdays and Sundays, Happen’s Toy Lab is a must for little inventors. Kids can create their own, one-of-a-kind toy from colorful bins of broken donations (how’s that for upcycling?) for just $12. (All the proceeds go to fund the art classes at Happen Inc. — all of which are completely free!)
Krohn Conservatory
It’s always spring in Krohn Conservatory – and their seasonal shows are something you can’t miss! This year’s Butterfly Show, The Butterflies of Bali, is a surefire cure for the rainy day blues.
*Note: Krohn Conservatory re-opens May 8; timed-tickets will be required.
Lazer Kraze
With laser tag, video games, trampolines and virtual reality games, Lazer Kraze offers varied experiences that can cater to many different interests and keep your kids engaged and entertained for hours!
Liberty Center
The mall is always a tried-and-true rainy day activity, and Liberty Center makes it infinitely more fun with the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Discovery Zone. The playground has a “flying pig” theme, which can be found in everything from the walls to the massive, pig-shaped play structure. It’s free to visit, and across from the play area, the MidPoint library recently opened a full-service branch, making Liberty Center a satisfying afternoon for kids and parents.
Lily Pad Play
For the 6-and-under crowd, this indoor space in O’Bryonville is a must! The sign is bright green; the space is sunny and light, with natural-colored play structures and lots of soft, inviting spaces. Kids will love the indoor rock wall, natural wood play structure, and whimsical wheely bugs. Parents will love Lily Pad’s clean environment, daily classes and welcoming staff.
Main Event Entertainment
This unique attraction is for children and adults and guarantees hours of fun and excitement. The “main event” at Main Event is bowling: black lights, lasers, music and more will keep your kids entertained frame after frame. Bowling not your thing? Virtual reality, laser tag, rock climbing, karaoke and so much more can become your own main event.
Main Library MakerSpace
With a button maker, 3D printer, MP3 recording room, sewing stations and even a self-publishing book machine (!), the Main Library MakerSpace is a place to let your imagination run wild. Bonus: most activities are either free or a (very) nominal fee!
Mosaic Climbing
This indoor climbing center is amazing. Memberships, classes, camps — Cincinnati climbers of all ages will love Mosaic Climbing!
Newport Aquarium
Newport Aquarium is filled with a wide variety of creatures to watch, learn about and even (in some cases), touch. Exhibits epitomizes what the Aquarium does best, as it allows for up-close, hand-on exploration
Northland Ice Center
Ice skating in the spring? Why not? Northland Ice Center is a year-round indoor rink offering lessons, all-ages hockey and open skating.
Recreations Outlet
Trampolines, a basketball court, and rows and rows of giant, indoor playground equipment. Recreations Outlet is an absolute favorite place on a rainy day. Pro tip: Their Charitable Hours Special lets kids play on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings for a $4/kid!
Reds Hall of Fame Museum
It’s baseball season, so what better way to spend a rainy day than at the Reds Hall of Fame Museum? Plenty of interactive areas for kids are available, including a booth where kids can don headsets and practice their Marty and Joe skills!
Run, Jump and Play
Now this is a true indoor playground: wall-to-wall swing sets, slides, monkey bars, rock walls and trampolines offer loads of rainy day fun. Centrally located in Blue Ash (right off 1-71), Run, Jump-n-Play is the perfect indoor solution for kids who just want to run around at the playground!
Scene75
Go-karts, virtual reality, mini bowling and lazer tag – Scene 75 is a destination for year-round indoor fun! Located in Dayton and Cincinnati, both locations have been named Top 3 Family Entertainment Centers in North America and Dayton’s holds the title of #1 Family Center in North America.
Sharon Center
The Sharon Center is sure to be a big hit on a rainy day. There are animals, story times, crafts and an entire indoor play place housed at this Great Parks gem. (Please note a Great Parks Vehicle Permit is required for park entry – at $10/year, it’s a total steal!)
Silverlake The Family Place
Silverlake’s 55,000 Sq. Ft. Active Entertainment Center is unlike anything else in the Tristate. Ropes courses, rock walls, ziplines, duckpin bowling, a trampoline park and more make Silverlake a unique and fun place to spend a rainy day. Silverlake does require a membership, but you can check it out with a free day pass!
Taft Museum of Art
If we had to describe the Taft Museum in one word, it would be delightful. In addition to a series of ever-rotating displays, this art museum boasts lots of kid friendly activities and includes Free Admission Sundays. Definitely stay for lunch in the café – there are several kid-approved options and the staff is super friendly.
The Silver Diva
The Silver Diva offers a fun, kid-friendly alternative to the typical craft time experience. Kids ages 6 and up can hand stamp their own necklaces, bracelets, rings or keychains.
Wonderland Playground
The best place for little kids to burn energy! Wonderland has it all- a soft play area for babies, toddler climbers, ninja ropes courses and larger than life climbing slides!
Calendar of Events
As always, check out our fun filled Monthly Calendar!