The best London activities for a rainy day from puppy yoga to free botanical garden

A rainy summer doesn't mean a boring summer - some of these are even free

It's been an awfully dreary summer so far, with no chance so far of repeating last year's heatwave. Whenever it stops raining, the clouds have been hanging there, weighing on us.

When the heavens inevitably set to open up again, it's easy to be tempted into staying on the couch. But we live in one of the best cities on earth - there are hundreds of things to see outside, even when it's unbearably wet.

Because while secret gardens and the Thames Rockets might not be ideal for the rain, there are plenty of indoor gems waiting to be discovered.

READ MORE: The windproof umbrella perfect for a rainy London summer as it's 'sturdy', comes in 9 colours and 26% off

This exhibition celebrates the life of Vincent Van Gogh and his art. The 360-degree digital art exhibition invites visitors to step into the universe of the Dutch genius with an entirely new way to discover his paintings.

Tickets to Van Gogh The Immersive Experience are available from Fever. Tickets for adults cost £16 plus fees on weekdays and £20 plus fees on weekends. There are also child, senior, student, and NHS discounts available. You can read more about the exhibition here.

You live in London, you've seen all the tourist attractions, we get it. But if you have young children, they could be left amazed after a visit to one of the city's most famous sites.

Sea Life London Aquarium boast fourteen zones to explore, with tickets starting at £35 for adults and £32 for children. You could take children of the same age to Hamleys too, where you'll find seven floors of demonstrations, specialty events and extensive toy displays.

For slightly older children, London Dungeon's 17-stop tour of London’s underworld will teach you all about Guy Fawkes’ Gunpowder Plot, the Curse of the Witch Doctor, the devious Sweeney Todd barbershop and Mrs Lovett’s Pie Shop, and the chilling events of Jack the Ripper’s Whitechapel. You can find more family attractions here.

MyLondon has launched a WhatsApp Community for Notting Hill Carnival 2023.

Through the community, we'll send you the latest news and updates, including practical stuff, like Tube updates and road closures, and fun stuff, like the best parties and events, what to wear and other top tips.

To join our community, you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click here and select 'join community'.

No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the MyLondon team.

We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.

If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. Just click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.

If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice.

Click here to join our WhatsApp Community.

Roller discos are having a resurgence, and Roller Nation is the best of the best. A nightclub with skates rather than a roller rink, Roller Nation is all about falling over without a care in the world. You can read all about the venue here.

When attending puppy yoga as a hangover cure, our editor said: "As their tiny little paws pitter-pattered across the wooden floor, tears ran down my friend and I's faces. The neurotransmitters in my brain fired for the first time since I went to sleep the night before. That feeling... happiness? Flooded my veins, as these little Labradors ran around, jumping on each other, jumping on us. Their eyes full of love."

That kind of dopamine seems appropriate for a rainy day. You can read more about the experience and book tickets here.

Rainy days equal sadness, and Dopamine Land equals happiness. The multisensory experience combines media, technology and play in one place in order to boost dopamine, the so-called 'feel-good hormone'.

It's got a pillow fight room, a ball pit, whacky meditating exercises and a well-stocked bar. You can read more about the experience here.

If the rain is getting in the way of your craving for greenery, fear not - there's no need to head to Kew for indoor botany. Inside the Barbican's brutalist façade lies a tropical garden bursting with life.

It's free to visit and utterly breathtaking. Our reviewer said: "The plants reclaimed this little slice of the estate and turned it into something from Studio Ghibli's Castle In The Sky. The vines effortlessly climbed the grey walls and flowers in all colours succeeded in turning the awfully grey walls into a summery tapestry." You can read more about the conservatory here.

Battersea Power Station, London's hippest new destination, is almost entirely indoors. Now, they've got their very own food hall to rival Camden, Borough, and the other bigwigs above the river.

Our reviewer said: "The choice on offer is Arcade’s USP, allowing diners to fly all over the world without having to leave their seat. Ideal for sharing amongst friends or to gorge alone, much like myself, variety is available in abundance. Here it truly is the spice of life." You can read the full review here.