Rainy days

Where to find rainy day attractions

Sunny days at Lime Tree Holiday Park are always magical, but on those rainy days when the weather isn’t quite so perfect, there are plenty of fascinating and fun attractions in the area to keep you occupied and entertained. For more information see…..

Culture vulture

Amazing historic houses abound in the East Midlands. Everyone should visit Chatsworth House, garden and farmyard (DE45 1PP, 16 miles, 26 mins) – we can’t recommend it highly enough! Historic Haddon Hall (DE45 1LA, 18 miles, 35 mins) near Bakewell dates back to Tudor times and is full of atmosphere and history or visit The National Trust’s Lyme Park (Disley, SK12 2NR, 15 miles, 28 mins).

Indoor play

Keep your little ones entertained on rainy days at nearby Little Rascals indoor soft play (SK17 7LF, Dew Pond Lane, 2 miles, 6 mins) or visit the toddlers indoor play area at the Pavilion Gardens Cafe (SK17 6BE, 1.6 miles, 5 mins).

Paint a pot

Visit the world famous Emma Bridgewater Factory in Stoke-on-Trent (ST1 3EJ, 23 miles, 44 mins) where you can paint a pot, take a factory tour or browse in their factory shop.

Indoor waterparks and swimming pool

Spend rainy days splashing around at Alton Towers Indoor Waterpark (ST10 4DB, 23 miles, 40 mins) or Waterworld at Stoke-on-Trent (ST1 5PU, 23 miles, 45 mins). There is also Buxton Swimming and Fitness Centre with a 25 metre pool and a small pool, ideal for small children (01298 766142, St John’s Road, SK17 6BE, 1.5 miles, 5 mins).

Watch a film and events

Arm yourself with popcorn, sit back and enjoy the latest blockbuster Stockport Cineworld (SK1 3TA, 20 miles, 40 mins away) or at Chesterfield Cineworld (S40 2ED, 25 miles, 42 mins), or visit the stunning Buxton Opera House (SK17 6XN, 2 miles, 5 mins). Buxton Opera House is one of Britain’s leading theatres with around 450 performances each year including dance, comedy, children’s shows, drama, music, pantomime, opera and even shows on ice!

Going underground

Venture deep beneath the earth, take a cavern tour and explore at the local Poole’s Cavern in Buxton (SK17 9DH, 1.6 miles, 5 minutes) or the Castleton Caverns, Treak Cliff (S33 8WP, 11 miles, 22 mins) or Blue John Cavern (S33 8WA, 10 miles, 17 mins) and Speedwell Cavern (S33 8WA, 10 miles, 18 mins).

Shop ’til you drop

Retail therapy, credit cards at the ready! Visit Buxton’s Cavendish Arcade and Springs Shopping Centre or go further afield. The Into Derby in Derby (DE1 2PQ, 33 miles, 55 mins) has all the usual high street stores, restaurants and a cinema. Masson Mills (DE4 3PY, 21 miles 29 mins) shopping village at Matlock Bath has over 60 shops and a restaurant housed in a historic mill or grab yourself a bargain at the East Midlands Designer Outlet in Mansfield (DE55 2JW, 36 miles, 52 mins).

Revisit your youth

Sudbury Hall and Museum of Childhood (DE6 5HT, 30 miles, 45 mins). Perform your own story, take a look at toys through the ages, go back in time in the Victorian school room or be a chimney sweep and climb up the chimney. You can also take a tour of the 17th century Hall and grab a bite to eat at the Coach House Restaurant.

Discount bookstore

Visit the large discount bookshop, over 22,000 titles, Brierlow Bar Bookstore, Ashbourne Road, Nr. Buxton, (SK17 9PY, 3 miles, 4 mins)

Cheese

Taste some lovely cheese from The Old Hartington Cheeseshop, Hartington, Nr. Buxton, (SK17 0AL, 12 miles, 17 mins)

Chestnut Centre, Owl, Otter and Wildlife Park

Visit the onsite Chestnut Centre cafe for lunch and when the rain stops, have a stroll round the park and see the adorable animals. (SK23 0QS, 7 miles, 14 mins)

Enjoy unlimited tram rides

Visit Crich Tramway Village. Enjoy unlimited rides on the trams, the play areas, tea rooms, shops and masses of indoor space to avoid the rain. (DE4 5DP, 25 miles, 37 mins)

Theme parks

On rainy days try one of our local theme park attractions Gullivers Kingdom (Matlock Bath, DE4 3PG, 21 miles, 31 mins), or Alton Towers Theme Park with the new CBeebies Land (ST10 4DB, 23 miles, 40 mins), or Twin Lakes (62 miles, 1hr 50 mins) perfect for hot or cold days, or Drayton Manor Park & Zoo with the Thomas Land (B78 3TW, 63 miles, 1hr 25 mins).

Carsington Reservoir

The reservoir has everything for all the family with outdoor activities to be enjoyed both on and off the water plus a restaurant, playground, courtyard shops, an interactive exhibition, four bird hides and miles of footpaths and bridleways to explore (DE6 1ST, Near Ashbourne, 20 miles or 31 mins)