15 fun things to do on a rainy day in Lincoln

1. Take a tour inside Lincoln Cathedral

Lincoln Cathedral is the city’s crown jewel, and if it’s your first time visiting Lincoln, it’s probably one of the main reasons you are are. Once the tallest building in the world, the cathedral standing on the city’s high hill can be seen for many miles around from Lincolnshire’s flat plains.

The cathedral is just as impressive on the inside, and taking a walk around it is one of the best ways to spend a rainy day in Lincoln.

If you are visiting any day except a Sunday, then a one-hour floor tour is included with entry. You will learn the fascinating stories behind the quirks of the cathedral like St Hugh’s Shrine, the beautiful rose windows, Henry Willis’ last pipe organ, and of course the legendary Lincoln Imp.

For an extra £7.50 you can take other tours at various times of the week, like a roof tour, stained glass tour and historic graffiti tour. Check out our complete guide to Lincoln Cathedral for a full lowdown before your visit.

2. Step back in time at the Victorian Prison

The second-most famous building in the city is Lincoln Castle, and within its grounds stands the infamous Victorian Prison. A cruel method known as the “separate system” was implemented here to punish prisoners through silent reflection by keeping them in complete isolation.

Even the prison’s chapel was designed so the prisoners could only see the chaplain and not each other.

The prison and its cells have been carefully restored to show the stark conditions in which prisoners were incarcerated, including children as young as eight.

A combined ticket lets you explore both the Victorian Prison and the Magna Carta Vault, meaning you can also use your rainy day in Lincoln to see an original copy of Magna Carta, one of the most important legal documents in English history.

See our guide to visiting Lincoln Castle for everything you need to know.

3. Learn history at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life

While the cathedral and castle showcase Lincoln’s medieval past, you can learn about the city’s more recent history at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life, which tells the story of the last two and a half centuries in the county.

Free to enter, this museum is a real gem, set in a Victorian barracks originally built in 1857. It features authentic reconstructions of city streets from the olden days, and artefacts of the celebrated local military history and agricultural machinery.

There is also an interactive nature to the museum. And if you’re looking for something to do in Lincoln with kids when it rains, this is the perfect place, as it features a special children’s trail and ‘Historic Hunters’ playground.

You can spend a surprisingly fun couple of hours at the museum while staying comfortably warm and dry.

4. Check out Lincoln’s excellent art galleries

Lincoln has a highly underrated art scene, with several excellent galleries dotted around the city, from small, independent studios to larger exhibition spaces.

Art legends like JMS Turner and LS Lowry visited Lincoln and were inspired by the city, and you can find examples of their works here, or explore the creativity of the fantastic community of local artists.

The Usher Gallery is Lincoln’s most famous and will celebrate its centenary in 2027. Named after local businessman and collector James Ward Usher, it houses a huge collection and there is always a new exhibition to see. The gallery is run together with the Lincoln Museum, and you can find out what’s coming up on the combined website.

Other great galleries in Lincoln include Harding House, St Martin’s and the Little Red Gallery (where my Dad bought a 40th birthday gift for me that is displayed proudly above our mantlepiece at home!). See our guide to Lincoln’s art galleries to find which might chime best with your style.

5. Paint pottery at the Little Pottery Studio

It was only recently that we discovered the Little Pottery Studio in Lincoln and the workshops it hosts. I was looking for a 9th anniversary gift for Lisa, for which the traditional theme is pottery. Lo and behold I discovered this place just around the corner from where we live!

We went to one of their special themed pottery painting workshops, and you can see the results above (this was before our creations went into the kiln, I might add… the colours come out much brighter afterwards!).

Tucked away in an old office building next to Tritton Retail Park, this delightful little place is a short drive outside the city and provides the perfect way to spend hours of a rainy day in Lincoln. You can take part in pottery painting sessions five days a week from Wednesday to Sunday, and there are classes for both adults and children.

6. Go all-day gaming at Gutterball

Looking for a livelier social activity in Lincoln when it rains, perhaps with a group of friends? There are so many options these days, with a variety of gaming experiences having opened in the city over the last few years.

One of these is Gutterball, among the newest of Lincoln’s experience spaces, featuring an array of group activities. You might guess from the name that it features ten-pin bowling, but you also play the likes of shuffleboard, beer pong, interactive darts and pool.

We had a great evening out with Lisa’s work friends at Gutterball on the week it first opened. It’s a lot of fun! The dark lighting, bright neon colours and blaring music give the place a lively night out feel, but it’s open throughout the day, seven days a week (it opens at 10am on weekends and midday on weekdays).

7. Try escape rooms, urban golf and more at the No Work Club

No Work Club was very much the trendsetter for the wave of group entertainment complexes that have sprung up in Lincoln. It was the first on the scene.

Situated on Vulcan Park at an industrial estate to the east of the city, No Work Club has transformed a giant warehouse into a hub of fun and gaming. It began with escape rooms and urban golf, but they have since added axe throwing, shuffleboard, interactive darts, air hockey and a lot more.

We’ve been going to No Work Club for years now, and we love it! The 18-hole urban mini-golf is great fun, with impressive props like a police car, a sawn-in-half mini and a festival portaloo. I’ve lost count of the times we’ve been axe-throwing here as well, which is the perfect way to release that pent-up energy at the end of the work week.

There are six escape rooms to try. We were pleased with our plunder on the High Roller Heist, where the goal is not to escape but rather to steal as much money as possible!

Check out our full review of No Work Club to get a sense of what you can expect here and the various activities you can try on your rainy day out in Lincoln.

8. Take a barista school at 200 Degrees Coffee

Fancy using your rainy day in Lincoln to become a coffee-making aficionado? If the timing aligns, you can do just that at 200 Degrees Coffee.

This fledgling coffee shop chain and roaster began in Nottingham, but has spread all over the UK in just a few years. When you try a cup of their coffee, you might see why. It’s one of our favourite places to stop for a cuppa and cake on the Cornhill Quarter.

There are various barista schools to try at 200 Degrees, ranging from coffee fundamentals to intermediate, as well as specialised classes like latte art. Typically there is at least one class each week, so you might get lucky on your rainy day in Lincoln.

If you would rather just hang out with a great cup of locally roasted coffee, you can instead check out our guide to the best coffee shops in Lincoln.

9. Release your energy at a trampoline park

For something a bit more energetic, how about stepping in from the rain for some trampolining? Jump Inc has a trampoline park on the outskirts of the city. In fact, it’s right near the Little Pottery Studio if you want to combine two very different activities on your rainy day in Lincoln!

Jump Inc opens all day from 9am (except Thursdays, when it has reduced hours from 3–7pm). You can book an open jump for 60, 90 or 120 minutes. This gives you access to a whole bunch of features in addition to the trampolines, like ninja courses, cages and inflatables.

This is a very popular option for families with kids, but there’s no reason adults can’t go for it too!

10. Hang out and catch live music at Stack

We are spoilt for choice now in Lincoln when it comes to entertainment, food and drink, and Stack is a place that brings all three! The former St Marks railway station building, which dates back to 1846, has been transformed into a multi-outlet social space.

Stack features a blend of street food outlets, bars and various hangout spaces, including an outdoor terrace and an indoor performance space with a giant stage. You can catch live music here, often through the daytime.

Check the Stack entertainment schedule to see what’s coming up.

11. Take in a matinee at New Theatre Royal

Not many entertainment venues from the 19th century are still around, and Lincoln has just a single one: the New Theatre Royal. Built in 1893, this is what you might call a proper old-school theatre, and its makeover in recent years has kept alive the sense of history.

You can read about the theatre’s journey in our story about how the New Theatre Royal rediscovered its former glory.

Still going strong after two world wars, a typhoid epidemic and of course the Covid-19 pandemic, the theatre has a busy schedule of plays, comedy, musicals, dance, and all sorts of other live acts.

Many shows have matinee performances, and on some Saturdays through the year you can take guided backstage tours. Having seen the impressive backstage setup myself, I can definitely recommend!

12. Catch a movie in comfort at Everyman

To be honest, whenever we think about what to do in Lincoln when it rains, our first thought is often the cinema. We have an Everyman Cinema in Lincoln, and since it arrived, Lisa and I haven’t gone anywhere else for the big screen.

If you aren’t familiar with Everyman, the concept is pretty simple. Large, comfy chairs (basically sofas), with food and drink served to you while you wait for the movie to begin. And the drinks options include beer and cocktails.

An added bonus of the Lincoln Everyman is the setting. From its outdoor terrace you get great views over the Cornhill Quarter below, and the cathedral up the hill. And on those rainy days, there’s a very nice lounge area inside for a drink or two before or after the movie.

13. Go for a classic Lincoln afternoon tea

You can’t go wrong with a classic afternoon tea in Lincoln. It flies under the radar, but tea rooms are a bit of a speciality here, with over a dozen independent ones dotted around the city.

Many of the traditional-style tea rooms are in the uphill area, within close proximity of the castle and cathedral. Both Bunty’s and Bells on Steep Hill do a great afternoon tea, as does Grayz Tea Room just around the corner off Bailgate.

You can read our guide to the best tea rooms in Lincoln to get a feel for which might fit your style the best.

14. Indulge in a charcuterie board at Vino Marina

Now for my favourite type of slow food experience. Wine, meat and cheese! There are some nice wine bars in Lincoln city centre, but we haven’t had a charcuterie board anywhere better than at Vino Marina, which is about a 10-minute cab ride away at Burton Waters.

Vino Marina is run by a lovely couple called Karolina and Stephen, and they and the team will be more than happy to recommend a bottle or food pairings.

Open from 11am from Wednesday to Sunday, the atmosphere at Vino Marina is perfect for a cosy, relaxed and indulgent afternoon with friends, as mellow music plays softly in the background. You will soon forget about the rain.

For more about this gem of a place, read our behind-the-scenes story: Wine by the water: is Vino Marina Lincoln’s best-kept secret?

15. Treat yourself to a bottomless brunch

If in doubt, go for a bottomless brunch! I’m not sure if that’s a real saying, but if not, it should be. This might be the ultimate indulgent rainy day activity in Lincoln, and there are a lot to choose from.

We really like the brunch at Turtle Bay in the Cornhill Quarter. We don’t often recommend bigger chain outlets on Lincoln and Beyond, but Caribbean food is rare in Lincoln, and this place nails it.

The “Beach Brunch” at Turtle Bay includes a choice of classic plates like island eggs, sweetcorn hash and folded rotis. Or you can go for the Full Caribbean, featuring jerk sausages! It’s available 10am–5pm Sundays to Fridays, and until 3pm on Saturdays.

If you want somewhere with a more local feel, Craft Lincoln cocktail bar does a very good bottomless brunch 12–7pm on Thursdays to Sundays. Another one we like is the Tipsy Teapot, which began in King’s Lynn, but Lincoln is its second home.

By the time you have finished your bottomless brunch, either the rain will have stopped or you simply won’t care any more!