Rainy Day Doings
The gardeners among us welcome rainy days, knowing that without enough moisture the Cape would be bereft of many of the plants and flowers that make it beautiful. For those on vacation, however, a rainy day can be challenging, especially if there are children involved. While you might be content to curl up in your cottage with a good book listening to the rain drum musically on the roof, a few hours of that will drive even the calmest child stir-crazy. Coloring books and puzzles will work only so long--after that you'll be forced to pile the family into the car in search of adventure. Here are a few of our favorite rainy-day activities; many of them are listed in this chapter.
Libraries: Every town has one, and on rainy days, the children's librarians expect crowds and often schedule extra activities accordingly. See the Yellow Pages in the phone book or look in the gray pages under individual towns for the address and phone number of the library nearest you.
Don't
let a rainy day get you down - a Cape bookstore will keep you entertained
for hours.
Photo: Peter Barnes
Bookstores: We love to browse in bookstores on rainy days. A few of our favorites are Parnassus Books in Yarmouthport (great for old books), Armchair Bookstore in Dennis (which has an especially appealing children's section), Compass Rose in Orleans, and Cabbages and Kings (another great one for kids) in Chatham.
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History: This Brewster museum will keep children--and adults--amused for hours. It is busier than usual on rainy days, but the plus side is that you're sure to meet other families to chat with.
Cape Cod Discovery Museum: Right on Mass. Rt. 28 in Dennisport, this is a great place to take kids rain or shine--but especially rain! Ditto for the Cape Cod Children's Museum in Falmouth.
Cape Cod Mall: Expect crowds at this Hyannis mall on rainy days, but at least it's a diversion. There are plenty of shops, plus three anchor stores (see our Shopping chapter) and a lively food court. Just about everybody on the Cape goes shopping when it rains, but at least at the mall you can park your car instead of driving from shop to shop--driving can be a real nightmare on a rainy summer day.
Arcades: If you can stand the noise, bring your kids to Ryan Family amusements, located in Cape Cod Mall and in South Yarmouth and Buzzards Bay.
Movies: Look for matinees, which are generally cheaper than evening shows. If you've got access to a VCR, rent a movie and stay in. Stock up on popcorn first!
Bowling: This is more popular than you might think, and it's a great family activity, especially when skies are not sunny.
Beaches: As long as it's not stormy, there's nothing wrong with a walk at the beach in the rain. We especially like going to the beach when there's a light mist falling, and fog gives the shoreline a mystical, ethereal look. Best of all, there are no crowds!