What to do on a rainy day in England

Considering it rains quite a lot in England, compared to some parts of the world, it's a wonder that we can't always think what to do with ourselves when the weather is inclement.

This hub was inspired by a friend who complained that she was bored on a rainy bank holiday and couldn't find anything to do, so I decided to write a list for her. I thought I should split the list into two parts - the first is for people who are stuck at home, the second is for those who might be on holiday, and sitting in a boring hotel room, a caravan - or, worse still, a tent!

This is what I came up with, in no particular order:

Being stuck at home doesn't have to be boring. Even if you decide to do household chores you can try to make it fun!

1. Put on your favourite music, and dance around while you spring clean your house. Music always makes it more enjoyable.

2. Dim the lights, make yourself some popcorn, and watch a good old movie.

3. Play an old-fashioned board game with your family. My favourite is Scrabble!

4. Write a hub for HubPages

5. Do a jigsaw puzzle

6. Clear out your cupboards - donate unwanted items to your local charity

7. Write to all your elderly relatives that you only get in touch with at Christmas, or phone up some old friends for a long chat

8. Do some DIY, fix broken items or spruce up a part of your home that has been neglected

9. Hobbies - everybody has one, whether it is a craft, music or cooking. If you don't have one, do some research and find one that interests you.

10. Read a good book. Just sink into a novel or read something educational.

We all pray for good weather when on holiday, but it is something out of our control. If you are on holiday and it is raining, it can depend an awful lot on where you are, but hopefully at least one of the suggestions below will give you an idea.

1. Find the local museum - nearly every town has one, and will provide an interesting insight and background about the area you are staying in.

2. Go to an art gallery or craft workshop. An internet search should find those in your area and give you details of current exhibitions.

3. The local library or tourist information centre will be able to tell you about any local events that may just be prepared for rainy weather. A lot of outdoor shows will have marquees or undercover events - just in case!

4. Many outdoor activity centres will cater for rainy weather too, they usually have indoor play areas and pets corners, and are ideal for families. Places such as Crealy Park and Woodlands Park in Devon are both good fun, whatever the weather.

5. Visit some caves - it doesn't rain in a cave! Cheddar caves and Wookey hole (both in Somerset) are excellent days out, even in wet weather.

6. Go swimming at the local pool. You're going to get wet if you go out - one way or another!

7. Go to a nice old country pub, and have a traditional English pub meal by a roaring log fire

8. Get on your waterproofs and your boots and go for a walk in the country or along the beach. There's actually something rather nice about being out in the countryside in the rain, it's a lot quieter than usual, everything looks so green and fresh, and the fresh air might do you good! Stay on designated footpaths though, or you might get lost if visibility is poor, and keep away from slippery paths on cliff tops!

9. There's always the cinema - it's warm and dry, and you might get to see a great movie.

10. Stay in your accommodation, write your postcards, read all the holiday pamphlets on offer and plan what you're going to do, just as soon as the rain stops.

Have fun!

I'm sure there are many, many, more things you could do. Please feel free to share your ideas in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you like to do on a boring rainy day. Also see below for links to some great ideas from other hubbers.