Rainy Days

The Jurassic Coast has much to offer for visitors. It is, however, inevitable that there will be days when the weather isn’t quite what you were hoping for.

To help you out, we have compiled some of our top rainy day activities, where you can hide from the weather whilst still enjoying the best of the Jurassic Coast.

Explore our museums and visitor centres

We are lucky enough to have a wide variety of museums and visitor centres across Dorset and East Devon. These fascinating places are perfect for whiling away the hours whilst it tips it down outside.

Top museums on or around the Jurassic Coast include The Etches Collection in Kimmeridge and Dorset Museum in Dorchester. Many of the area’s museums have impressive fossil collections, including Bridport Museum, Lyme Regis Museum and Sidmouth Museum in East Devon.

The coast also plays host to some superb visitor centres, many of which are free to enter. Wherever you’re headed, be sure to check your destination’s opening times before you head out.

All this rain is making me hungry…

Luckily the Jurassic Coast harbours plenty of places to eat whilst hiding from bad weather (Please note – these places are just as nice, if not better, when experienced on sunnier days!). Here are some of our favourites.

The Square & Compass is a hidden gem in Worth Matravers, just outside of Swanage, and a great starting or finishing point if visiting the Spyway Dinosaur Footprints.

Hive Beach Café is a family-run café and local institution, located at Burton Bradstock in west Dorset. Both child and dog-friendly, it’s a great location to watch the sea on a rainy day whilst wrapped up with a hot chocolate, or tucking into a big plate of fish and chips.

The Anchor Inn at Seatown is a highly awarded pub which boasts some truly stunning views of the Jurassic Coast. It makes the perfect spot to hide from bad weather, with open fires and great food and drink. Children and dogs welcome.

Over in Devon, Otterton Mill is one of the top 20 oldest businesses in the world! It’s the perfect location to stop off whilst visiting east Devon locations such as Beer, Seaton, Sidmouth or Exmouth. And let’s be honest – you can’t go wrong with one of their award-winning Devon Cream Teas!

Top Rainy Day Activities

Rated the third-best aquarium in the UK, the Lyme Regis Aquarium gives you the opportunity to get up close with the wide variety of sea creatures found along the South West coast, as well as finding out about the area’s maritime history.

A great way to avoid any bad weather is Beer Quarry Caves. The caves have been worked on since Roman times, and were still active up until the 1920s, leaving behind vast caverns. Guided tours cover the history of the stone excavation, as well as the human stories of those that worked within the quarry.

Swanage Railway is a step back in time, taking you across the Isle of Purbeck on heritage steam trains. By breaking your journey, you can also enjoy the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum at Norden Station, and take in the sights of the remains at Corfe Castle Station.

Explore the Local Area

Of course, if the weather doesn’t faze you, there are plenty of Walks that you can take, as well as more adventurous outdoor Activities such as Kayaking.

However, always be sure to Stay Safe if you do decide to explore the coastline on rainier days, taking particular care around the cliff edges and coastal paths.

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Dorset Museum

Address

High West Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XA

Telephone
01305 756827

enquiries@dorsetmuseum.org

Dorchester

Come and explore 250 million years of history at the Dorset Museum!
Located in the centre of Dorchester, this award-winning Museum is one of the cultural centres of Dorset with four themed galleries, special exhibitions area, a library and a café.
Durlston Country Park

Address

Lighthouse Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2JL

Telephone
01929 424443

Swanage

Located one mile from Swanage, Durlston Country Park is a 280 acre countryside paradise with stunning views, hay meadows and coastal downland, the historic Great Globe and a wealth of bird and wildlife including regular sightings of dolphins.
Sidmouth Toy & Model Museum

Address

The Old Chapel, Chapel Street, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 8ND

Telephone
07858 448444

Info@sidmouthtoymuseum.com

Sidmouth

The Sidmouth Toy & Model Museum first opened in August 2020. The museum contains the collection of vintage and modern toys and models collected by Ian and Rebecca Gregory over a period of 40 years.
Lulworth Cove Visitor Centre

Address

Main Road, West Lulworth, Dorset, BH20 5RQ

Telephone
01929 400587

West Lulworth

The displays, animations and films in the Lulworth Cove Visitor Centre tell the story of Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, two of the most iconic geological features on the Jurassic Coast.
Lyme Regis Museum

Address

Bridge Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3QA

Telephone
01297 443370

Lyme Regis

Enjoying a stunning seafront location on the world-famous Jurassic Coast with fantastic views over Lyme Bay.
At Lyme Regis Museum you’ll find fossils galore in the new interactive geology gallery, a new learning centre (great fun for families),…
Portland Museum

Address

217 Wakeham, Portland, Dorset, DT5 1HS

Telephone
01305 821804

Portland

Visit Portland Museum and find out about the history of quarrying on Portland, and the world renowned building stone which has been used in many iconic buildings around the world including St Paul’s Cathedral and the UN buildings in New York.
The Etches Collection

Address

Kimmeridge, Dorset, BH20 5PE

Telephone
01929 270000

Kimmeridge

The Etches Collection: Museum of Jurassic Marine Life opened in the village of Kimmeridge in October 2016. The museum houses the remarkable collection of one man’s passion, bringing to life the stories from deep time through an amazing collection of…
The Fine Foundation Wild Chesil Centre

Address

Ferrybridge, Beach Road, Portland, Dorset, DT4 9XE

Telephone
01305 206191

Portland

At The Fine Foundation Wild Chesil Centre, you can learn more about the formation of this huge barrier beach and the rich wildlife and history associated with it.
The Fine Foundation Heritage Centre, Beer

Address

Sea Hill, Beer, Devon, EX12 3EE

Beer

Come to the Fine Foundation Heritage Centre Beer to discover the story of the local geology, from the pebbles on the beach to the famous Beer Stone, used in buildings all over the country... and even for experiments in space.
Wareham Town Museum

Address

Town Hall, East Street, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 4NS

Telephone
01929 553448

Wareham

Wareham Town Museum's geology display shows how the Wytch Farm oil field (the largest onshore oilfield in western Europe) is closely linked to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
West Bay Discovery Centre

Address

West Bay Rd, West Bay, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 4EN

Telephone
01308 427288

Bridport

West Bay Discovery Centre tells the story of West Bay past and present featuring information, static and interactive displays, oral history and walking trails. There is something of interest for all visitors and ages. It also aims to provide…
Fairlynch Museum

Address

27 Fore Street, Budleigh Salterton, Devon, EX9 6NP

Budleigh Salterton

At the Fairlynch Museum (one of only a few thatched museums in the UK), you can find out about the ancient red cliffs of Budleigh Salterton which bridge the Permian/Triassic boundary, when the greatest mass extinction ever happened!
Swanage Museum & Heritage Centre

Address

The Square, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2LJ

Telephone
01929 421427

Swanage

In the Swanage Museum and Heritage Centre, formerly the old seafront market building, you can see dinosaur footprints and discover more about the local stone industry, as well as the eminent Victorians from Swanage who all had their roots in the…
The Fine Foundation Wild Seas Centre

Address

Kimmeridge, Dorset, BH20 5PF

Telephone
01929 481044

kimmeridge@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

Kimmeridge

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Wild Seas Centre sits on the shoreline of beautiful Kimmeridge Bay in the Purbeck Coast Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ), created to protect the very special marine life here.
Beaminster Museum

Address

Whitcombe Road, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3NB

Telephone
01308 863623

info@beaminstermuseum.co.uk

Beaminster

Beaminster Museum in West Dorset is a small museum of local history, which visitors from far and wide have declared "delightful" and "fascinating", with plenty to see and do for all ages.
Sidmouth Museum

Address

Hope Cottage, Church Street, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 8LY

Telephone
01395 516139

Sidmouth

At Sidmouth Museum you can see rare reptile fossils and amphibian bones which have been found on the beaches, including the remains of the Rhynchosaur, a curious herbivore reptile.
Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre

Address

Lower Sea Lane, Charmouth, Dorset, DT6 6LL

Telephone
01297 560772

info@charmouth.org

Charmouth

Visit Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre to see our amazing fossil collections and find out how to discover your own fossils on the beach. Our guided fossil hunting walks are a great family day out on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
Honiton Museum

Address

High Street, Honiton, Devon, EX14 1PG

Telephone
01404 44966

Honiton

At Honiton Museum come and see the Honiton Hippo and even remains of elephants - 140,000 years ago, conditions here were similar to what we associate with parts of Africa today. Fossils from the inland area near Honiton are much younger than those…
Bridport Museum

Address

South Street, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3NR

Telephone
01308 458703

Bridport

The small Jurassic Coast gallery in Bridport Museum boasts some wonderful specimens of local fossils including ammonites, starfish and even a plesiosaur. All of these specimens were discovered just a few miles from the museum and show how amazingly…