Rainy day ideas in Pompano Beach
Most rain here passes in an hour. For the days it does not, here is a plan, indoors and close by.
2-minute walk to the beach
Free parking
Courtyard pool
Book direct
How rain works here
South Florida rain has a pattern. In the wet season, roughly late spring through fall, many afternoons bring a thunderstorm that builds after lunch, pours for a while and moves on. Mornings are often clear. In winter, the dry season, rain is less common but can come with a cold front and settle in for a day.
That means the best rainy-day plan is often just a timing change: beach in the morning, indoors in the afternoon, and back outside for the evening. Lightning is the real reason to leave the sand. The city’s beach has an outdoor weather warning system, and lifeguards may clear the water when lightning is close. Go in and wait it out.
The city’s galleries and cultural center
Pompano Beach runs a small, lively set of arts venues through its cultural affairs department, Pompano Beach Arts. They are a good, low-cost way to spend a wet afternoon.
- Pompano Beach Cultural Center, at 50 West Atlantic Boulevard, has a gallery with rotating exhibitions by regional, national and international artists, and a 300-seat theater for shows and talks.
- Bailey Contemporary Arts (BaCA) is a contemporary gallery with resident artists’ studios upstairs, where you can sometimes watch artists at work.
- Ali Cultural Arts celebrates the history and culture of Pompano Beach’s African American community, with exhibitions, music, dance and spoken word. It opens for events and by appointment, so call ahead.
The cultural center shares a campus with the city library, which is handy if the kids need a quiet hour.
Gallery hours, exhibitions and events change. Check the Pompano Beach Arts calendar before you go.
A show under cover
The Pompano Beach Amphitheater, known as The Amp, has a fully covered seating area, so concerts go on rain or shine unless conditions are unsafe. If there is a show on the night of a soggy day, it is one of the few outdoor plans that still works. See our guide to The Amp for tickets, parking and the bag rules.
The Museum of Discovery and Science
For families, the best rainy-day trip is the Museum of Discovery and Science in downtown Fort Lauderdale. It has more than 30 interactive exhibits, including a hurricane-force wind experience in its storm center, a fossil dig and an Everglades exhibit, plus live animals. Its AutoNation IMAX theater shows 2D and 3D films on a giant screen. Check the museum’s site for hours and tickets, and expect it to be busier on rainy days, for obvious reasons.
The lighthouse museum
The Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society runs a small museum at Hillsboro Inlet Park, also called Roy L. Rogers Family Park, at 2700 North Ocean Boulevard. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 AM to 3 PM, and earlier on tour days. It is a quick, interesting stop between showers. Read more in our Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse guide.
Shopping and a long lunch
A wet afternoon is a good excuse for the shops. Pompano Citi Centre on Federal Highway is close, and Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise is a full afternoon of indoor-ish walking. See shopping near Pompano Beach. Or settle in for a long lunch; our restaurants near the pier page has ideas.
A good day in
Sometimes the best rainy-day plan is not going anywhere. In one of our suites there is a living room with a TV and a full kitchen, so a slow breakfast, a movie and a pot of something on the stove can turn a wet day into a favorite. A studio is cozy for two with a kitchenette for coffee and snacks.
- Do the laundry. The guest laundry is on site.
- Cook the fish you caught yesterday.
- Plan tomorrow’s beach morning, and check the forecast.
- Watch the storm roll out over the courtyard, then go for a swim once the lightning has passed.
A rainy-day plan for families
If you are traveling with kids, a simple order of play helps. Start the morning with a quick beach walk if the sky allows. Head to the science museum or a gallery before lunch, when the storms usually have not yet built. Eat in, then let the afternoon be slow: a movie, a game, the laundry. When the storm clears, the pool and the beach are usually quiet, and the light after rain can be lovely.
What about outdoor plans?
Some places are worth shifting rather than canceling. Butterfly World is mostly outdoors, and its aviaries may close temporarily in heavy rain or thunderstorms, so go in the morning before the storms build. See Butterfly World. Fishing charters may reschedule if the weather turns; ask about the policy when you book. And the beach after a storm is often at its emptiest and best.
For more ideas, browse things to do in Pompano Beach. For the bigger picture of the seasons, see Pompano Beach weather by month.
The Pompano Breeze Standard
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Steps to the sand
Towels, chairs and the beach, a 2-minute walk away.
FAQ
What is there to do in Pompano Beach when it rains?
Visit the city’s galleries and cultural center, the lighthouse museum or the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale. The Amp’s seating is covered for evening shows.
Does it rain every day in Pompano Beach in summer?
Many summer afternoons bring a short thunderstorm, but mornings are often clear. Plan beach time early and indoor plans for the afternoon.
Should I leave the beach during a thunderstorm?
Yes. Lightning is the real danger. Leave the water and the sand when you hear thunder, and wait until the storm has passed.
Where is the Pompano Beach Cultural Center?
At 50 West Atlantic Boulevard, on a campus it shares with the city library. Check the Pompano Beach Arts calendar for exhibitions, shows and hours.
Rain or shine, a place to settle.
A living room, a kitchen and a courtyard pool, a 2-minute walk from the beach. Book direct and pay no platform fees.