Indoor Things to Do in Adelaide When It Rains

Adelaide winters have a habit of washing out your plans. The barbecue is off, the beach is out and someone suggests the movies again. Before you settle for another two hours in the dark, here is a list of indoor things to do in Adelaide that actually get everyone off the couch and talking about it afterwards.

1. Drive a Race Car on a Full Motion Simulator

We are a little biased, but hear us out. At Sim Racing Adelaide in Richmond, five minutes from the CBD, you climb into a full motion racing rig with a direct drive wheel, real pedals and a seat that moves with the car. Pull on a VR headset and you are sitting in the cockpit at Bathurst, Monza or Spa.

It works for almost any group. Couples race each other for bragging rights, mates run a mini championship on four rigs side by side and families put the kids on Rainbow Road with the driving assists switched on while the adults chase lap times. No licence or experience is needed and it is indoors, warm and dry all year round. Sessions start at $40 for 30 minutes and you can book online.

Want to know more? See what VR racing feels like or have a look at the F1 simulator.

2. Escape Rooms

A good escape room is sixty minutes of arguing with your friends about a padlock and loving every second of it. Adelaide has plenty, from horror themes to family friendly puzzles. Great for groups of four to eight and a solid option when half the group does not want anything physical.

3. Ten Pin Bowling and Arcades

The classic. Shoes you would never wear anywhere else, a scoreboard that never lies and an arcade next door for when the bowling gets competitive. Works for kids, works for a late night with mates.

4. Indoor Rock Climbing and Bouldering

If you want to actually move, Adelaide’s indoor climbing gyms are a proper workout disguised as fun. Bouldering needs no ropes or experience, so it suits first timers. Most gyms run kids sessions too.

5. Galleries, Museums and the Library

North Terrace has the Art Gallery of South Australia, the South Australian Museum and the State Library all in a row. They are free to wander. A slow morning there followed by lunch in the city is a very good rainy Sunday.

6. Indoor Go Karting

Electric karts on an indoor track scratch a similar itch to sim racing, just with a helmet and a lot more bruised ribs. If you are tossing up between the two, the simulator gives you real race cars and real world circuits, go karting gives you the wind in your face. Plenty of people in Adelaide do both.

7. Cooking Classes, Pottery and Workshops

For a date night or a group that wants something calmer, a cooking class, pottery session or cocktail workshop is a great way to spend a wet afternoon and you walk out with something to show for it.

8. Trampoline Parks and Play Centres

If you have younger kids and need to burn energy, trampoline parks and indoor play centres are the answer. Not so much for adults, but that is what the coffee counter is for.

9. Cinemas, Just Not the Usual One

If it really has to be a movie, make it a gold class session, a drive-in on a dry night or one of Adelaide’s smaller independent cinemas. Same film, better story.

Rainy Day Ideas by Group

• Date night: sim racing head to head, then a cooking class or dinner in the city.
• Mates: a racing championship on four rigs, an escape room or bowling.
• Family with kids: trampoline park, museum or racing with the assists on and Thomas the Tank Engine loaded up.
• Teens: VR racing, climbing, escape rooms.
• Work team: a sim racing team building session with a tournament and a winner at the end.

Make the Rain Work for You

Adelaide does not get many wet weekends, so when one lands, make it count. Sim Racing Adelaide is open 7 days from 10am til 10pm at 12 Reese Avenue, Richmond, with free parking on site. Call 0455 355 366 or book online and turn a washed out day into the fastest one of the year.

Frequently Asked Questions