Indoor Activities for Any Weather
If you are a repeat visitor to Westerly, you know that the weather can change quickly. You check the forecast and see sun, you pack for beach days, and then you wake up to rain. It happens, but rainy days at our New England bed and breakfast can be just as fun as the sunny ones, if you know where to go.
Here are our favorite things to do in Westerly, RI, on a rainy day.
Start with Art and Culture
The Westerly Museum of American Impressionism (79 Watch Hill Rd, Westerly, RI 02891) is worth an entire morning or afternoon. The museum opened in October 2025 and features over 150 paintings from Dr. Thomas and Cynthia Sculco’s 40-year collection. The galleries are organized by artists’ colonies, Rockport, Old Lyme, Ogunquit, Cos Cob, and there’s a room dedicated to French Impressionism and Monet. The building sits on Watch Hill Road overlooking Babcock Cove, so even on a gray day, the river views through the windows are beautiful.
The Artists’ Cooperative Gallery of Westerly (14 Railroad Ave, Westerly) operates as both a gallery and a community arts center. They showcase rotating exhibitions from regional artists, host workshops, and run programs for all ages. Stop in to see what’s showing, browse the work, and maybe bring home a piece that reminds you of your trip.
Black Duck Gallery (25 Broad St., Westerly) features fine art, handcrafted furniture, and local artisan work. The gallery has a mix of paintings, sculptures, and functional pieces, so you’re likely to find something that catches your eye.
Discover Local History
The Living Sharks Museum (47 High St, Westerly) is a unique collection of artifacts from around the world that detail and preserve the story of the shark. The museum showcases shark history, evolution, and cultural significance through its curated collection. It’s open seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day, so if your rainy day happens during summer, it’s worth a visit.
Babcock-Smith House Museum (124 Granite St, Westerly) is a historic colonial home from 1734 in Westerly. The house was owned by Dr. Joshua Babcock, Rhode Island’s first Chief Justice and a friend of Benjamin Franklin. Guided tours walk through period rooms and tell the story of the Babcock family and colonial life in southern Rhode Island.
Housed in a historic 1901 armory building, the Westerly Armory Museum (41 Railroad Avenue, Westerly) focuses on local military history with exhibits on Rhode Island regiments, equipment, uniforms, and photographs spanning from the Civil War through modern conflicts.
The Old Lighthouse Museum (7 Water St, Stonington) is housed in the 1823 lighthouse building at Stonington Point. The museum covers local maritime history, the Battle of Stonington during the War of 1812, and the area’s fishing and shipbuilding industries. You can climb to the top of the lighthouse for views over Stonington Harbor.
Mystic Seaport Museum (75 Greenmanville Ave, Mystic) is the largest maritime museum in the United States and is one of the best stops for a rainy day in Mystic, CT. The museum has indoor galleries with maritime art, ship models, and exhibits on New England’s seafaring history. You can tour historic vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship in the world. While parts of the museum are outdoors, the indoor exhibits and ship tours keep you mostly dry.
Catch a Show
The historic 1926 United Theatre (5 Canal St, Westerly) was restored and reopened in 2021 and now hosts movies, concerts, comedy shows, and special events throughout the year. Check their website for current showtimes and performances.
The Granite Theatre (1 Granite St, Westerly) opened in 2000 in a beautifully restored Greek Revival Church building originally constructed in the 1800s. The space has been transformed into an intimate performance venue with live theater, plays, musicals, and special performances throughout the year.
The Misquamicut Drive-In (316 Atlantic Ave, Westerly) is open May through October and operates in most weather conditions, though severe storms or lightning can lead to cancellations. It might not be a typical rainy day activity, but there’s something romantic about having the rain fall all around you while you stay nice and dry.
Find Your Next Read
Westerly Library in Wilcox Park (44 Broad St, Westerly) is one of those historic New England libraries that makes you want to stay for hours. The Victorian building features reading rooms with comfortable seating, beautiful architecture, and local history exhibits. Pick up something to read, spend time in the quiet spaces, or just appreciate the architectural beauty of the building itself.
Martin House Books (10 Canal St, Westerly) is an independent bookstore with old-school library charm. Browse the shelves, find something new, and sit down with coffee to start reading. Inside, Cafe 1888 serves coffee, tea, and light food, making it an easy place to spend a rainy afternoon.
Explore the Local Craft Beverage Scene
Visit Grey Sail Brewing Company’s (65 Canal St, Westerly) taproom for rotating taps of its fresh beer brewed right next door. Try a flight to sample several, or settle in with a pint. The atmosphere is laid-back, the beer is local, and it’s a good spot to wait out a storm.
If you’re more into wine, Stonington, CT, has three wineries within a few miles of each other. Stonington Vineyards (523 Taugwonk Rd, Stonington) has been making wine from Connecticut-grown grapes since 1987. Their tastings walk through current releases with notes on each wine, and the tasting room has vineyard views even when it’s gray outside.
Saltwater Farm Vineyard (349 Elm St, Stonington) focuses on estate-grown wines with European varieties adapted to Connecticut’s climate. Modern tasting room, knowledgeable staff, and they pour generous tastings. Jonathan Edwards Winery (74 Chester Maine Rd, North Stonington) specializes in cool-climate wines and offers tastings year-round.
If you’re visiting later in the year, B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill (129 N Stonington Rd, Mystic) is one of our favorite things to do in New England in the fall. Watch the old-fashioned press in action, pick up fresh cider and cider donuts, and browse local products in their shop. Even on a rainy day, the smell of apples and cider makes it worth the visit.
Try Something New
Paint Your Own Pottery
Get Fired Up (7 W Broad St, Pawcatuck) is less than a mile from the inn in nearby Pawcatuck, Connecticut. This paint-your-own pottery studio lets you pick a mug, bowl, plate, or decorative piece, paint it however you want, and they fire it in the kiln. You can pick up your finished piece in a few days, or they’ll ship it home. It’s one of those activities that sounds simple but ends up being more fun than expected. Plus, you leave with something tangible from your trip.
Escape Rooms for Problem Solvers
Mystified Escape Rooms (14 Clara Dr, Mystic) offers a perfect rainy day activity for couples or groups. Choose from themed rooms where you solve puzzles and work through challenges to “escape” within 60 minutes. The rooms change periodically, so even if you’ve been before, there might be something new.
Wellness and Relaxation
Zen Zone (58 High St, Westerly) offers yoga, sound healing, and meditation classes in their salt cave. Check their website for the current class schedule. A yoga or meditation class on a rainy afternoon can reset your whole trip.
Learn About Marine Life
The Mystic Aquarium (55 Coogan Blvd, Mystic) is an excellent year-round rainy-day destination. The aquarium features indoor and outdoor exhibits with beluga whales, sea lions, African penguins, and a variety of marine life. Plan for 2 to 3 hours to see everything.
Go on a Shopping Spree
Downtown Westerly has antique shops, boutiques, and specialty stores spread along High Street and Canal Street. You can duck in and out of shops without being outside for long. The antique stores have everything from vintage furniture to jewelry to collectibles. The boutiques carry clothing, coastal home decor, and gifts.
At Old Mystic Village, all the stores are close together, so even during a light rain, you can stay pretty dry visiting the village. There are over 60 shops and restaurants, everything from clothing boutiques to home goods to specialty food stores.
Watch Hill has upscale boutiques and shops, though many close for winter. During the busy season (late spring through early fall), you’ll find clothing stores, jewelry shops, home decor, and gift boutiques. The village is compact, so you can walk the whole thing in 20 minutes, longer if you’re actually shopping. Bay Street is the main shopping area. On a rainy day, you can pop in and out of shops, then grab lunch at one of the restaurants.
Stay In at Margin Street Inn
Sometimes the best rainy-day plan is no plan at all.
Stay in at Margin Street, watch the rain drift across the windows, and slow the day down. Curl up with the book you brought along or let the steady patter of rain on the roof lull you into an afternoon nap.
Our common spaces are perfect for this kind of quiet moment. Settle into a chair by the fire in the main sitting room, wrap your hands around a warm cup of coffee or tea, and watch the storm roll through town. There’s no rule that says every hour of a trip needs to be filled.
The sunporch is another favorite spot when the weather turns gray. Pour a glass of wine, sink into a comfortable chair, and spend the afternoon watching the rain fall softly across the gardens and lawn.
You came here to relax. Sometimes a rainy day is simply the universe giving you permission to do exactly that.
Making Rainy Days Work
The secret to a good rainy day is letting go of what you planned and being open to what’s actually available.
You might discover a museum you didn’t know existed. You might spend three hours in a bookstore instead of 30 minutes. You might have an afternoon at a winery that turns into the highlight of your trip. Rain forces you to slow down, and slowing down is often exactly what you need.
If you’re planning a trip to Westerly and worried about the weather, don’t. We’ve been helping guests navigate rainy days for years, and we’ve seen how good those days can turn out. Pack an umbrella, (or use one of ours) keep your plans flexible, and trust that there are plenty of things to do in Westerly, RI, no matter what the weather does.
Book your stay at Margin Street Inn, and we’ll help you choose the best rainy-day activities based on your interests and how long the weather is expected to last. Sometimes you need a full-day plan. Sometimes you just need to know where the good coffee is.