Rainy Day Ideas for Traverse City, Petoskey, Charlevoix and Leelanau

I'm looking to help some of my friends put together a list of things to do with kids on a rainy day. I remember my family always waited for a rainy day to hit the museums. We'd be entertained for a couple hours and usually the rain wouldn't last all day. What's missing from my (all too short) list?
Pt. Betsie Marine Museum
Children's Museum in Traverse City
Guntzviller's north of Elk Rapids
Northport Point State Park Lighthouse
Fishtown in Leland
Fort Michilimackinac in Mackinac City
Dennos Museum at NMC in Traverse City
Castle Farms in Charlevoix
Call of the Wild in Gaylord
Andrew Blackbird Museum in Harbor springs
Crooked Tree in Petoskey
Twisted Fish Gallery (not really a museum, but the sculpture garden is good for a cloudy or chilly day) in Elk Rapids
And of course there are always events and such at all the libraries .... what other rainy day ideas are there?

Tags: charlevoix, mackinac city, northport, petoskey, rain, raising kids up north, travel ideas, traverse city

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Permalink Reply by Wanda Repke on March 26, 2009 at 10:33am: There is always a movie. Check out the State Theater downtown Traverse City for a change of pace.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rachel North on March 26, 2009 at 10:40am: Great idea. And I think the State is offering matinee's for a quarter on Saturday mornings ... can't beat that!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by TART Trails on March 26, 2009 at 10:38am: Some hot java from Cuppa Joe and a good book at Horizon Books in Traverse City
A stroll through the Mercado at the Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City
Shopping at Bahle's in Suttons Bay
Going for a run in the rain on the Leelanau Trail in Traverse City.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rachel North on March 26, 2009 at 11:04am: My friend Lisa Gillespie emailed me this advice--
Petoskey of course, has a movie theatre. I have a (nearly) three year old so my ideas evolve around children activities... Raven Hill Discovery Center has some great tours to take advantage of for children... animals, bugs etc. Boyne's Waterpark, Avalanche Bay is also a great time and tuckers them out for a good nights sleep.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steve Timmer on March 26, 2009 at 12:11pm: Head out to GT Resort and play indoor tennis for a few hours.

Or--for daring souls--go up to Aerie Restaurant on top of the tower and get an up close view of the lightning and thunder show; amazing views, especially as storms roll into the area.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Epicure Catering, LLC on March 26, 2009 at 3:40pm: State Theater!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ron Fowler on March 26, 2009 at 5:22pm: You have our weekly Parent Child Lap Sits and Preschool Story Hours (both drop-in programs) on your radar already.

We are adding 6-week Baby Storytimes, beginning March 31, for non-walkers (Tuesdays 10-10:30 a.m.). Registration required since we're limiting to 10 infants/parent for this session. Librarian Lisa Scholl will conduct this developmentally appropriate "class." Please sign up by March 27 at 5:00 p.m. Call 231-758-3112 or email You may try calling after that time, but we may be full.

We have a variety of activities scheduled for spring break week, check the mynorth calendar, the library's event or the Youth pages for dates & times.

The bulk of our programming for elementary age kids and teens is done in conjunction with our summer programs. We like kids to do the reading that they need to do during the summer (in a fun way w/ rewards & prizes), but registration for that is not necessary to attend the events. The elementary program (kids in K-5 now) is "Be Creative @ Your Library." We have crafts, movies, storyteller Eileen DeLorenzo, artist Tom Woodruff, the music of HarpBeat!, Acting Up Theatre Company, The Instrument "Petting Zoo and a Buy One Get One Free Scholastic Book Fair on the docket. Again, check our events calendar, youth pages or the mynorth for details.
Teen activities are still being planned, but so far we have an acting class with Acting Up, a "hands-on" drawing program with Tom Woodruff, a ukulele lessons (ukes provided by Blissfest Music Organization's Ukes For Youth program) with Ron Fowler and a movie about the roles/careers involved with making a movie. We may also schedule a "Lock-in", movies or craft or some combination. This depends upon input from teens at our teen advisory board meetings (2nd Wed of the month at 6:30 in the Basement Meeting Room). The teen theme is "Express Yourself @ Your Library.

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Permalink Reply by Randy on March 26, 2009 at 8:46pm: The Music House Museum, Acme; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rosie Kern on March 27, 2009 at 8:38am: Music House Museum in Acme and the Traverse City Public Library!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jill on March 27, 2009 at 10:08am: I say take a hike in the rain! Teach your kids to enjoy the weather and grab an umbrella! Go down to the trails around the Boardman Lake and watch the waterfowl play in the rain. Another couple of ideas:
*Check out our many and varied art galleries
*Go to a paint your own pottery studio-one in TC and one in Glen Arbor that I know of
*baking and cooking if the weather is so bad you can't go out
*Go to the library and check out the activities there; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jodi Simpson on April 7, 2009 at 2:01pm: I agree, Jill. We don't let a little rain stop us. That's what umbrella are for. In fact, my daughter loves to play outside in the rain--barefooted and in a bathing suit if it's warm or in a slicker and boots if it's chilly. Staging a worm rescue is one of her favorite rainy day activities.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Darren King on April 15, 2009 at 9:03pm: Nice rains are a great way to find Petoskey Stones 'high' up on the beach too...; ▶ Reply to This