The 100+ best bad weather ideas in Switzerland

Our 30 best bad weather ideas for Switzerland

Even though there's a saying that there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes, sometimes you can't possibly deny the persistent rain and thick fog.

If you are looking for something fun to do with your children, with the family, alone or with your friends, our ideas will help you.

At the top of this page you can navigate through the bad weather ideas all over Switzerland and book your ticket right away. In this article we will go into more detail about 30 ideas that you can do in bad weather. By the way, there are also tips for which you don't have to book an entrance ticket or travel far.

Indoor activities when the weather is bad outside

Of course, indoor activities are perfect when the weather is bad. So here are some ideas on how you can spend your day indoors and where you can travel to.

Visit an escape room

While you and your friends or family tackle one exciting, tricky puzzle after another to escape from the room you're locked in, you won't be able to pay any attention to the weather. Time will fly by and maybe the sun will be shining again by the time you have completed your mission.

• Book escape rooms in Switzerland

Go surfing

Yes, you can actually surf in Switzerland. And indoors at that. If you're only afraid of the water in the form of rain and don't mind getting wet, indoor surfing could be a good option for you. Whether you are a professional surfer or a beginner is irrelevant. There are courses for every level. With a surfboard under your arm and flip-flops on your feet, you're guaranteed to feel like summer, even if it doesn't look like it outside.

• Oana Surf - the artificial city wave for surf training

Look at Switzerland in miniature

Just because it's bad weather outside doesn't mean you can't explore Switzerland. Right next to the Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen is the Smilestones. In this miniature world, which is reminiscent of the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, a lovingly designed Switzerland with many details awaits you. So if you're looking for a bad weather program nearby, you don't have to go further than Smilestones.

And while you're there, why not visit the Rhine Falls afterwards? When it rains, the waterfall is even more impressive than it already is.

Visit the Glasi Hergiswil

On the shores of beautiful Lake Lucerne, the "Glasi Hergiswil" glass factory has been producing its beautiful products by hand for over 200 years. On the museum tour you will learn everything about the history of this fascinating craft. Of course, there is also a window where you can watch the professionals at work and a factory store where the glass products are sold.

Treat yourself to a spa day

If homemade yogurt masks and salt-olive oil scrubs are too far for you, you can spend a few relaxing hours at a spa. Whether it's a sauna, a massage or a bubble bath, the bad weather will soon be forgotten. Some spas are located on mountain tops, like the one on the Rigi, and others you'll find in hotels or in cities.

• Spa and wellness offers in Switzerland

Visit a chocolate factory

If you can't replenish your endorphins via the sun, at least chocolate will take care of that. So visit a chocolate factory and watch your happy hormones get going again. In Switzerland, there are several chocolate manufacturers that have set up a visitor center. You'll quickly forget that it's bad weather outside and you might miss something important.

• Chocolate factories in Switzerland
• Ticket Chocolarium in Flawil

Visit a cheese factory

Chocolate and cheese go hand in hand in Switzerland. If you're more of a salty type, a visit to a show dairy might distract you from the bad weather. We have written a detailed article about cheese factories in Switzerland for you. Maybe there is one near you?

Spend a day at the museum of transport

The Museum of Transport in Lucerne is the most visited museum in Switzerland. And for good reason. There is so much on offer that you can easily spend a day in the exhibitions about the means of transport of the past and the future, in the planetarium with a journey into space, in the Swiss Chocolate Adventure or in the cinema with the largest screen in Switzerland. The weather is completely irrelevant.

Go to a museum

A visit to a museum is an absolute classic when the weather is bad and is always a good idea. Whether it's raining, snowing, foggy or just cold. If you have a museum pass - for example in the form of a Raiffeisenbank bank card - you can enjoy free admission to over 500 museums.

In our article about 15 extraordinary museums in Switzerland you will find even more inspiration for a museum visit of a special kind.

Let off steam in a swimming pool or water park

Swimming pools and water parks are a popular option when the weather isn't behaving the way you'd like it to. Pack your swimsuit and plunge into the waters.

• The 13 most exciting water parks in Switzerland
• Splash and Spa Ticino
• Alpamare Pfäffikon
• Säntispark Abtwil

Visit a zoo

Even if zoos don't only have indoor areas, they are a good opportunity to escape the weather for a while. This way, you can check right in with the animals to see how they behave in bad weather. Do they hide in a hole, brave the conditions, or take a nap inside under a cozy tree?

Watch a movie in the cinema

Fixated on the screen, a portion of popcorn in hand and a good company next door will quickly make you forget that the sun decided not to show itself today. Plan a spontaneous visit to the cinema and watch a good movie to escape the weather. At the Museum of Transport in Lucerne, for example, you have an exciting 3D evening program of feature films or an afternoon screening of documentaries.

Immerse yourself in a virtual world

If you don't know what to do in bad weather, you always have the option to escape the real world and dive into a virtual one. At VRillant you can choose between different games that will definitely distract you from the current weather. The games in Lucerne and Zurich have poetic names like Tower Tag, Jungle Quest, Alice in Wonderland or Rotten Apple.

• Virtual Games in Zurich
• Virtual Games in Lucerne

Become a professional in making coffee

If you like coffee and have always wanted to know how baristas master their craft so perfectly, you'll love a barista course. There are providers all over Switzerland who will be happy to show you how to become a pro. During a taster course, you'll get an insight into the world of coffee and learn all about the origin, handling and preparation of this popular drink.

Take part in a creative workshop

You never stop learning. Even bad weather can't change that. If you want to learn something new, like making jewelry out of silver, painting ceramics or pouring concrete, get inspired by our workshops. Nothing makes you forget the weather easier than when you concentrate fully on something. And if something beautiful is created in the process, all the better. Or?

• Creative workshops all over Switzerland

Play a round of paintball

Bad weather and many resulting hours on the sofa can accumulate a lot of energy. An ideal outlet for this energy is a visit to a paintball arena, where you shoot paintballs at your opponent. There are different providers in Switzerland that offer indoor and outdoor paintball. Invite your friends and plunge into the colorful fun. But be careful! You should bring a certain pain tolerance and a readiness for bruises.

Become a professional coffee maker

If you like coffee and have always wanted to know how baristas master their craft so perfectly, you'll love a barista course. There are providers all over Switzerland who will be happy to show you how to become a professional. A taster course will give you an insight into the world of coffee and teach you all about the origin, handling and preparation of this popular drink.

Play a round of paintball

When the weather is bad and you spend hours on the sofa, a lot of energy can build up. An ideal outlet for this energy is a visit to a paintball arena, where you shoot paintballs at your opponent. There are various providers in Switzerland that offer indoor and outdoor paintball. Invite your friends and throw yourself into the colorful fun. But be careful! You should have a certain pain tolerance and be prepared for bruises.

Have fun in an indoor amusement park

Indoor amusement parks are the perfect place to keep your children busy. Whether it's bouncing on the trampoline, on the climbing wall or in a parkour zone, nobody gets bored here.

Go to a climbing gym

Climbing is a wonderful sport that you can do both indoors and outdoors. If the weather doesn't permit a trip to the mountains, you have the option of proving your climbing or bouldering skills as Spiderman or Spiderwoman in a climbing gym. If you don't have any equipment, you can hire it from the climbing gym and start your fight against gravity.

Take a look at the largest gemstone collection in the world

In Uznach in the canton of St. Gallen you will find the largest gemstone collection in the world. The gemstone center is over 2400 m² in size. Here you can admire an incredible wealth of precious, glittering and shiny stones. If you wish, you can buy a specimen that you particularly like as a souvenir. As the gemstone center is not a museum, gallery or exhibition, you don't have to pay admission. You can simply walk past and enjoy the bright colors. The unpleasant weather outside will soon be forgotten.

Visit the tropical butterflies

In the Papiliorama in Kerzers, there are over 1000 butterflies to see over an area of 1200 m². While it rains cats and dogs outside, you can watch the tropical creatures go about their daily lives in the dry. The 120 plant species in the tropical climate under the spacious dome will immediately transport you to another world.

Afterwards, the Nocturama awaits you, where you can observe the nocturnal animals. A bright full moon night is simulated here during the day, when numerous animals such as bats, sloths and raccoons come out of their hiding places.

Outdoor activities in bad weather

Outdoor? Yes, outdoor!

While everyone is heading to the safe and dry, you can take a chance and venture outside on an adventure. There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad preparation. Therefore our recommendation: Bring the right equipment.

With warm and rainproof clothes, some spare dry clothes, waterproof shoes and an umbrella, you'll be ready for anything. To estimate how waterproof you need to equip yourself, it helps to take a last look at the weather forecast before you go.

Go to Europapark

Have you ever been to Europapark and had to wait in line for over an hour at your favorite ride? If the weather is bad, that won't happen to you. Unless the weather is absolutely hideous or it's pouring rain, a day at Europapark can be a good bad weather option. Dress warmly and waterproofly, take a layer of spare clothes and you will hardly think about the bad weather because of the joy of the short waiting times.

If it does get too cold or wet, you can watch one of the many high-quality shows, visit an indoor roller coaster or take a break in one of the many restaurants.

Go on a kayak tour

At first glance, kayaking seems to be something you do only when the weather is nice. But the lake is shrouded in a particularly mystical atmosphere when the sky is overcast and the raindrops hit the water beside you. Well dressed, a few hours in a kayak - on a guided tour or on your own - is an impressive experience.

• Kayak tours in Switzerland

Walk in a cave

Caves have one advantage. They are mostly waterproof, except for a few leaks, and have more or less the same temperature all year round. So you will definitely be spared from rain and the fog will not be able to penetrate inside the cave. The St. Beatus Caves on Lake Thun, the Hölloch in the canton of Glarus, the Bärenhöhle on Monte Generoso or the Nidlenloch in the canton of Solothurn are just a few caves that you can visit even in bad weather.

• Visit the Hölloch, the largest cave in Europe in Muotathal
• Train ticket to Monte Generoso

Admire a waterfall

Waterfalls are also dependent on rain. So if it hasn't stopped raining for a few days, a visit to a waterfall can be very impressive. Incidentally, the Rhine Falls are particularly impressive when the masses of water have been accumulating for several days and cascading down the Rhine. But the Trümmelbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen or the Reichenbach Falls in Meiringen are also very impressive during or after rainfall.

Go hunting for puddles

Puddles are in high season when the weather is bad. If you're a kid or want to unleash your inner child once again, slip on your wellies and jump into any puddle you can find. With a warm shower, dry clothes and a hot cup of cocoa waiting for you at home, it doesn't matter if you're dripping wet afterwards.

Take a boat trip

Even on a boat, bright blue skies are not a must. In cloudy weather, a boat trip can be a mystical and impressive experience if the view is not completely blocked by fog. The round trips are best if you want to stay completely dry. There is also the option of combining your ride with a brunch or a delicious lunch. With the right wind and weather protection, you can venture onto the outside deck in between and then warm up again inside the ship.

• Boat trips in Switzerland

Indoor activities in bad weather for home

You don't necessarily have to leave your home and plan a bad weather activity away from home. There are also some things you can do in your own home. Here are our tips for you.

Bake a cake

When was the last time you baked a cake? Or dropped off some homemade cupcakes for your neighbors? If the weather is dampening your spirits, the delicious smell of a freshly baked cake or the sight of lovingly decorated cupcakes can brighten your day again.

Practice your hand lettering

Writing beautifully takes practice. If you created a folder on Pinterest a long time ago with all the beautiful lettering that you would like to try out, now is the time. Design a beautiful card or write a saying that you can put on your fridge.

Design a photo book

Are the photos from your last but one vacation still lying around in a box or are they just sitting in a folder on your computer, unsorted? Then it's high time to indulge in the beautiful memories and compile them into an album.

Organize a murder mystery dinner

If it's raining, storming, snowing, foggy or a tornado has just passed, the scene is set for an exciting evening with friends where you solve a mysterious murder. Buy a playset, cook something delicious and invite your friends over for a murder mystery dinner.

Enjoy a good movie

Annoying weather is perfect for watching your favorite Netflix series or a good movie without feeling guilty. With a bowl of popcorn and a comfy blanket, nothing stands in the way of your cozy morning, afternoon or evening of cinema entertainment.

Pamper yourself with a homemade spa

There are plenty of recipes for homemade yogurt masks or scrubs. Look in your pantry and fridge for spa-worthy ingredients, find your favorite recipe online and treat yourself to a pampering wrap while the weather outside does its thing. Incidentally, a face mask with Greek yogurt, a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of cocoa powder makes for particularly fine skin.

Plant a herb garden

A small herb garden for the balcony is surprisingly easy to make. All you need are a few cardboard cups or other containers, some soil and a few herb seeds, which you can buy in specialist shops. And since plants need water to grow, perhaps the rain is even justified today?

As you can see, even when the weather is bad, there are plenty of opportunities for you to keep yourself and your family busy. Choose your favorite activity and show the weather that you are not impressed.

Because the sun will surely shine again.