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10 Things To Do in Jersey Channel Island When It Rains!

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I went on my phone to check the weekend weather for Jersey at Gatwick Airport with the dire hope that the forecast had changed from rain to sun, but it hadn’t! It was still showing rain and cloud all weekend in Jersey! My next step was of course to open google and type in ‘What to do in Jersey Channel Island when it rains?’ and ‘Jersey Channel Island Wet Weather Activities’.

I got a few ideas from this search but not many, therefore following my weekend in Jersey, which luckily was less rainy than anticipated, I wanted to write the post I wish I had found when I searched for things to do when it rains in Jersey, and I guess this is how you have come across this post too?

Jersey is said to be the warmest place on the British Isles thanks to its Southern location close to France, but it is still a British Isle after all and it does rain. Jersey is also known for its outdoor activities like surfing, walking, coasteering, and it’s natural beauty such as its 30 beaches, caves and footpaths.

This was going to be my second time in Jersey, the first time I was blessed with gorgeous weather and it made me wonder, what can I do when it rains in Jersey??

Things To Do in Jersey Channel Island When it Rains

things to do in jersey when it rains
Keep reading for things to do in Jersey when it rains!

1. Visit a Museum & Gallery

I’m not much of a museum person and I’ll be honest in saying that I would have preferred to have spent my Saturday morning out on the beach as planned, however my friend Lucy and I woke up to torrential rain on Saturday morning so we decided to drive from our lovely hotel – Beausite Hotel in Gorey to St Helier. We parked in Sand Street car park (which I would recommend whenever you need to park in St Helier) and visited the Jersey Museum, one of the few museums in Jersey.

In hindsight I was so pleased that the rain forced us to visit the Jersey Museum as it was really interesting reading and learning about the history of Jersey from 250,000 years ago to now (fun fact – it didn’t start off as an island) and I found the ‘Story of Jersey’ 15-minute film really engaging and interesting, this is actually free for everyone too so even if you have limited time or a limited budget I would suggest going to see this film.

As this was my second time in Jersey I was really pleased that I could put some history behind this small island that I have come to really love. I would therefore really recommend visiting the Jersey Museum when you visit Jersey, and even more so on a rainy day.

The Jersey Maritime Museum is just over the road from the Jersey Museum which is a really interactive museum and it looks good for children!

There’s also the Pallot Steam and Motor Museum .

If art is more your thing then Jersey has a contemporary art gallery called Studio 18, there is also The harbour Gallery, the Occupation Tapestry Gallery and CCA Galleries International.

things to do in jersey when it rains museum
things to do in jersey when it rains museum


2. Central Market and Beresford Street Market in St Helier

The Central Market and Beresford Street Market are located in St Helier, they have been there for over 200 years and now sell a range of local goods, produce and crafts.

Both markets are covered making them a great place to explore and wander around when it’s raining in Jersey. They’re open every day from 7:30 am all day except Sunday when they are closed all day.

St Helier is not that big and the Markets are close to both the Jersey Museum and the Maritime Museum so visiting them all will nicely pass a few hours.

3. Jersey War Tunnels

This is a really popular activity in Jersey and luckily it’s perfect for a rainy day. The Jersey War Tunnels tell the story of life in Jersey during the German Occupation. They also have an interactive Escape Room which lasts an hour and would be perfect for a group of friends or family trying to escape the rain!

4. Eat!

Jersey has so many incredible restaurants and cafes and the island is a foodie heaven so why not enjoy a nice long brunch, lunch or dinner to pass the time whilst the rain is coming down outside.

Seafood is incredibly popular and delicious which is a perk of being on an island. Jersey also offers lots of local products such as Jersey Potatoes, Jersey Cream and Jersey Ice Cream.

Places I have eaten in Jersey, love and would recommend are: FEAST in Gorey Bay, Portelet Bay Cafe in Portelet Bay, The Boat House in St Aubin Harbour, Jersey Crab Shack in Gorey,

things to do in jersey when it rains eat out
things to do in jersey when it rains eat out

5. Visit a Beach Side Cafe

Just because you can’t go out on the beach, it doesn’t mean you can’t be by the beach. One of the things I love about Jersey is how every beach seems to have a cafe by it, perfect for enjoying a coffee, a cold beer, ice cream or lunch.

After visiting the Jersey Museum on Saturday morning we drove down the road from St Helier 10 minutes to The Lookout Beach Cafe which gave us a gorgeous view over St Aubin’s Bay and Elizabeth Castle.

I really like the look of the cafes at St Catherine’s Bay and Plemont Bay too so be sure to consider these.

things to do in jersey when it rains eat out
things to do in jersey when it rains eat out
things to do in jersey when it rains eat out

Luckily the rain was starting to pass when I went for lunch at The Lookout Beach Cafe as you can see in my photos which leads me onto..

6. Wait for the Rain to Pass or Visit Another Spot on the Island

As we were told by the lovely lady who works at The Lookout Beach Cafe, the weather in Jersey changes very quickly and we definitely witnessed this as within an hour. It went from torrential rain in St Helier to blue skies and sunshine, however after lunch we drove North to Bouley Bay to do a walk and although it wasn’t raining there it was so grey and misty, not like the view we had at lunch, so I would really recommend not letting the weather get you down and instead heading out around the island to see if the weather is nice anywhere else and you can do this by…

things to do in jersey when it rains beach

7. Drive Around the Island!

If you have rented a car then get in it and have a drive around as you can still see so much of the island and get a really good feel for it in the car.

Jersey is only small – 5 miles by 9 miles but there are so many roads within the island that you don’t end up taking the same road too many times. From the coastline, the inner countryside and the villages that make up Jersey you are bound to fall in love with the island just from the car!


I would really recommend renting a hire when you’re in Jersey as it will make seeing the island a lot easier (although the bus system is very good too!) To compare prices and make sure you get the best deal, I recommend looking on Rentalcars!


8. Tamba Gaming Arcade

This is something a bit different and not very cultural but it would be good for a group of friends or a family. Located in the Waterfront Centre of St Helier, the Tamba Gaming Arcade is free to enter and has over 50 arcade games to choose from!

9. Book a Spa Day

Jersey has a huge amount of spa’s for such a small island so why not relax and enjoy one. Ayush Wellness Spa looks really nice and is located just outside of St Helier, for more options have a look at Visit Jersey’s website here.

10. Get Cosy in a Bar or Pub

If you’re in for a completely rainy day and you’re on holiday why not head to a bar or pub for some drinks? Jersey has so many to offer after all. I really liked the look of the pubs around St Aubins Harbour and St Helier has plenty too!


Have a look at my YouTube Video here from Jersey here!


Thank you to Visit Jersey for hosting me on my trips to Jersey, however, please be assured that all opinions and thoughts are my own. 

 

 

Lala

Sunday 23rd of February 2020

Bless you for writing this blog post! I’m going to Jersey end of next week (for a solo birthday holiday) and checked the weather and it’s raining everyday haha ? I like literally googled “things to do in Jersey when it is raining” and your blog post was the first one that came up and the first one I have read. Thank you so much!! I really appreciate you writing this post and doing all the research. I feel so reassured now after reading your post. You are a star!

TheWanderingQuinn

Sunday 15th of March 2020

You're welcome! I hope you still had a great time there!

Rachel

Friday 17th of August 2018

I would love to visit Jersey! Looks amazing and like there is much more to do there than I would have initially thought. I think I would like the war tunnels and chilling at cafes by the beaches like you did! lovely pictures :)

Velysia Zhang

Thursday 5th of July 2018

The weather looks good. Hanging out at a cafe on the beach would be my option I guess, I think I'm pretty lazy haha

TheWanderingQuinn

Thursday 5th of July 2018

Haha, that’s a good choice! Like I said, just because you can’t be on the beach doesn’t mean you can’t be by the beach! :D