What to do in Newcastle when it rains
A wet day in Newcastle is no write-off: spend it among the museums and galleries, browse an indoor market, or linger over coffee somewhere cosy.
Museums
Spend a few hours in the city's museums — many are free, and a rainy day is the perfect excuse to take your time.
- Newcastle Museum 6 Workshop Way, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- Fort Scratchley 1/3 Nobbys Rd, Newcastle East NSW 2300, Australia
- Miss Porter's House 434 King St, Newcastle West NSW 2302, Australia
- Suction pipe Newcastle East NSW 2300, Australia
- LEDA Gallery Unit 2/850 Hunter St, Newcastle West NSW 2302, Australia
- Cooks Hill Galleries 65 Bull St, Cooks Hill NSW 2300, Australia
Art galleries
Duck into the art galleries; they're quiet, warm and rarely busier than on a wet day.
- Newcastle Art Gallery 1 Laman St, Cooks Hill NSW 2300, Australia
- The Lock-Up 90 Hunter St, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- Diabolik Tattoo 372 King St, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- The Creator Incubator 15a/50 Clyde St, Hamilton North NSW 2292, Australia
- Newcastle Art Space 91 Chinchen St, Islington NSW 2296, Australia
- Mitch Revs Gallery 203 Union St, The Junction NSW 2291, Australia
Historic sites
Explore the indoor historic sites and their covered galleries.
- Bogey Hole Shortland Esplanade, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- Nobbys Lighthouse Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- Memorial walk Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- Old Newcastle Train Station 2 Watt St, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- The Lock-Up 90 Hunter St, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- Oyster Bank Shipwreck Walk, Newcastle NSW, Australia
Covered markets
Browse the covered market — street-food stalls, local makers and somewhere dry to graze for an hour.
- Harris Farm Markets Cooks Hill 227 Darby St, Cooks Hill NSW 2300, Australia
- Commercial Fishermen's Co-operative Newcastle 97 Hannell St, Wickham NSW 2293, Australia
- Newcastle City Farmers Market Griffiths Rd, Broadmeadow NSW 2292, Australia
- IGA Stockton Plus Liquor 53 Mitchell St, Stockton NSW 2295, Australia
- Sathiko Groceries / Nepalese, Indian and South Asian Groceries 132 Parry St, Newcastle West NSW 2302, Australia
- Nina's IGA Hamilton 73 Beaumont St, Hamilton NSW 2303, Australia
Cafés
Claim a window seat in a cosy café and watch the rain instead of walking in it.
- McDonald's King Street Newcastle Cnr King &, Steel St, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- Merewether Surfhouse 5 Henderson Parade, Merewether NSW 2291, Australia
- Woolworths Metro East Newcastle 169/185 Hunter St, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
- Autumn Rooms 127 Darby St, Cooks Hill NSW 2300, Australia
- Revolution Sports Park 55 The Avenue, Maryville NSW 2293, Australia
- The Happy Wombat 2/575 Hunter St, Newcastle West NSW 2302, Australia
Indoor shopping
Hit the covered shopping streets and centres — everything under one roof.
- Marketown Shopping Centre 23 Steel St, Newcastle West NSW 2302, Australia
- Junction Fair 204 Union St, The Junction NSW 2291, Australia
- The Junction Village 12 Kenrick St, The Junction NSW 2291, Australia
- Mayfield East Shopping Village Maitland Rd, & East Village, Nile St, Mayfield East NSW 2304, Australia
- Marketown West Shopping Centre 136 Parry St, Newcastle West NSW 2302, Australia
- East End Newcastle 143 Hunter St, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
Venue suggestions powered by Google — tap a name for the map, and always check opening times before you go. 36 places listed; the list refreshes regularly.