Rainy days in St Andrews
St. Andrews is lucky to be listed as one of the sunniest places in Scotland but when it does rain, we’ve got you covered. Between St. Andrews, the East Neuk and Dundee you will find plenty to do indoors for when the weather gets in the way of your perfect holiday.
Museums
St Andrews museum is sat inside a beautiful Victorian mansion. The museum explores the heritage of the town’s medieval past, as well Scotland’s first university. The University of St Andrews also has its own zoology museum of Natural History, which is a survival of an Edwardian teaching building and opens to the public for the season in the Spring. The admission to both is completely free and is a great day out for history lovers.
Further along the coast in the beautiful village of Anstruther, the Scottish Fisheries Museum is a wonderful insight into what the East coast of Scotland is famous for. The buildings in which the museum is housed dates back to the 16th century, with the courtyard itself being used for fishing since the 14th century.
The Centre of Golf Excellence, formerly known as the St Andrews Indoor Golf Centre, is based in the Home of Golf and is a golfer’s home away from the courses. It’s fitted with the latest in golf technology and staffed by expert PGA Professionals.
Driving Range – St Andrews Links : The Home of Golf is open daily from 6:30am, last balls 8pm. For more info please contact the Golf Academy via email or by phone on 01334 466631
Byre Theatre
The Byre Theatre – A vibrant artistic and cultural hub in the heart of St Andrews
The Byre Theatre is located on Abbey Street, just off South Street which is walkable from the vast majority of our accommodations located in town. The epicentre of all things artsy in Northeast Fife, the Byre is a vibrant hub open all year round with a programme of events, shows, conferences, music and learning. Be sure to keep an eye on their what’s on page to keep up to date with events. They also have an excellent relaxed café, open daily from 10am serving a range of home-baked goodies, paninis, sandwiches, soup and hot or cold drinks. They’re even dog friendly too.
St Andrews Aquarium | Family Day Out | St Andrews, Fife
St Andrews aquarium is nestled on the town’s seafront adjacent to West Sands beach. With everything under one roof (minus the seal enclosure), the aquarium is the perfect place to spend a gloomy day, with a great diversity of both mammals and sea creatures. There is plenty to fill the majority of your day. They offer a great range of activities for an additional cost such as seal, penguin and meerkat feeding experiences. Please note, for these particular experiences the minimum age requirement is 8.
If you purchase a day ticket, you are free to come and go as you please throughout the day (great for when the weather is fluctuating, you’ll have a safe zone!)
Spa/Gym
A great way to enjoy a cold and miserable day is in the comfort of a spa. We are lucky to be surrounded by fabulous hotels who have great spa and gym facilities, and our guests can enjoy special offers at the best of these.
Fairmont Hotel
Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland – Luxury Hotel in Scotland (United Kingdom)
The Fairmont Hotel is situated along the coast around a 5-minute drive from the centre of St Andrews. Their facilities include a pool, jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and fitness suite. Our guests will receive discounted access at the following rates: to view these, please look at the ‘offers’ page on our website.
The Old Course Hotel
Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa | St Andrews
The famous Old Course hotel is renowned for its excellent spa facilities, including a rooftop hot tub with the most incredible views.
East Sands Leisure Centre
East Sands Leisure Centre – Fife Sports and Leisure Trust (fifeleisure.org.uk)
For those of you with children, East Sands leisure centre is great for keeping kids entertained when weather stops the outdoor fun. They have a large pool which is a suitable depth for slightly older kids, as well as a pool of paddling depth for the younger ones. They also have flume slides as well as disco swim evenings where they set up large inflatables in the pool, creating a child friendly ‘total wipeout’ course.
Secret Bunker
Scotland’s Secret Bunker – Visitor attraction of Scotland’s best kept secret
Previously Scotland’s best kept secret, the bunker lies beneath the innocent Scottish farmland accessed via a 450ft tunnel. Lying 100ft underground, the blast proof doors protect the 24,000 square feet of secret accommodation purposely built during the Cold War to safeguard Scotland in the event of a nuclear attack. The Secret Bunker is located 7 miles along the coast from St Andrews and is a truly mesmerising look into how Scotland would have coped in the event of an attack with many rooms left as there were, including command rooms where local bombing attacks were recorded and reported, as well as a BBC broadcasting studio which was fully equipped for emergency broadcasts.
The Secret Bunker is open from 1st February – 31st October.
Distilleries
As everybody knows, Scotland is famous for its Whiskey. Fife has a long distilling history dating back to 1494. Nowadays, St Andrews and the East Neuk are home to ‘younger’ distilleries and craft breweries producing exquisite local drinks.
Kingsbarns Distillery and Visitor Centre
Kingsbarns Distillery and Visitor Centre Home Page
Kingsbarns distillery is nestled along the charming coast of Kingsbarns (if you didn’t already guess), adjacent to its famous golf course. The whiskey and gin distillery sits inside an 18th century farm steading which features and exhibition, as well as tours, tastings, a shop and a café.
Eden Mill Distillery St Andrews
Eden Mill Distillery St Andrews | Premium Scottish Whisky and Gin – Eden Mill US
Founded in 2012, Eden Mill is home to all things Gin in St Andrews offering a wide variety of flavours, from fruity to botanical, they’ve got them all! The distillery is located in Guardbridge around a 10-minute drive from the centre of town. Unfortunately, they are currently going through a refurbishment so distillery and brewery tours are on hold. You can however still take part in their blendworks gin school experiences at the Old Course Hotel, where they offer a Coastal Gin Flight or Eden Mill Single Malt flight experience in a private tasting room. The experience lasts between 1-2 hours.
Soft play
The best way to occupy (and tire out) younger kids when the weather is miserable is at a soft play centre and we have a few within a short drive that are definitely worth a visit. The Wee Kingdom in Cupar is around a 15-minute drive away and has a large two story play frame with a slide and ball pool, enough to provide hours of entertainment for children up to the age of 11. Just over the Tay Road Bridge, the Fun Factory in Dundee is another great day out if you have younger children with a slightly larger play area than the Wee Kingdom. There is a café too for the adults to enjoy food and drink while the children play until their heart is content.
For families with slightly older children (and adults who act like big kids), Ryze in Dundee is the only one of its kind in the area, with a sea of oversized trampolines as well as giant inflatable assault courses, it is the perfect day out for all ages. There is also a café that provides a great range of food.
Dundee
With Dundee only a 25-minute drive away, it is a great city to explore with your family and is home to many indoor activities to enjoy.
Tenpin
Tenpin Dundee | Bowling Dundee | Indoor Activities
Tenpin Dundee is the place to be on a rainy day, with plenty of indoor activities to choose from under one roof. From bowling to laser tag, to pool tables and escape rooms there will certainly be something here for everyone to enjoy. For children of younger ages, there is also a soft play on the property.
Hot food is served on the premises and there is a cocktail bar too for anyone who fancies a drink! We would recommend that you book a slot if you would like to play a game of bowling (especially during the weekend) to avoid disappointment.
Dundee Science Centre
Dundee Science Centre – STEM Exhibits & Interactive Learning
Explore an arena of discovery at the Science centre, where six engaging displays bring science to life. There is something to pique everyone’s interest here, from amazing inventions to the human body’s inner workings. The venue is also available to hire for special occasions.
There is an onsite Café, filled with child-friendly and baby snacks available. Here you will also find a lego table and wall.
Team sport (Go Karting)
Dundee Indoor Karting | Go Karting Scotland | Scotkart | TeamSport (team-sport.co.uk)
Team sport offers go karting for both adults and juniors (over 8s) With the track being completely indoors, it is the perfect excursion for those looking for a fun, adrenaline-filled activity on a rainy day. Alternatively, the facility also offers Laser Combat, which can accommodate groups of all ages. We would recommend booking a slot online as there is often the possibility of securing an online discount this way.
There is the possibility to purchase food and drinks on site, with the options of a hot food menu, a buffet menu and an exclusive kids’ menu.
V & A Dundee Museum
Opened in 2028, the V & A Dundee is the first design museum in Scotland. The museum structure is also something to have a look at, its unique design was inspired by the Northeastern Scottish cliffs which form the shape of the museum. The showcasing at the museum often changes, therefore we would recommend having a look on their website to see what is on.
If you would like to have a bite to eat whilst visiting, there is an option to book into the Afternoon Tea which combines the traditional Scottish Afternoon tea with a Japanese influence. Please note to attend you are required to book 24 hours in advance.
Pottery (Ferry Potty)
Paint-Your-Own pottery studio, Ferry Potty is situated in the charming seaside town of Brought Ferry. Groups (and dogs) of all ages are welcome to let their imaginations run wild whilst creating their very own painted pottery masterpiece. Walk-ins are welcome; however, we would recommend booking a slot to avoid disappointment as the space is on the smaller side.
