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When the weather isn't nice or it's rainy, staying indoors is the safest thing to do. When you have kids, trying to entertain the kids without a playground or outside activities can be tough. Fortunately, there are options for indoor activities for the kids.

Here Are Some Suggestions on What To Do Around San Luis Obispo County on a Rainy Day:

1. Take the kids to the museum. There are two children's museums in San Luis Obispo County: one in Downtown San Luis Obispo (SLO) and one in downtown Paso Robles. There is also a railroad museum in downtown San Luis Obispo called San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum that is all indoors. It is very kid-friendly.
   • Read my review about the San Luis Obispo Children's Museum in Downtown San Luis Obispo.
     
   • See pictures that I've taken at the Paso Robles Children's Museum.
     
   • San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum is an indoor museum that is located in Downtown San Luis Obispo and right next to the tracks. Read my quick review of the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum.
2. Take the kids to the local library. There are about a dozen libraries in San Luis Obispo County. Our two favorite ones are in Downtown San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande. They both have a nice kid's section with Legos and other activities. Sometimes they even have free special events for kids. During the school year, they have preschool story times during the week days.
   • Read my thoughts about the Downtown San Luis Obispo Library.
     
   • Read my thoughts about the Arroyo Grande Library.
     
3. Take the kids to the Exploration Discovery Center in Grover Beach. It's not a museum but it is a wonderful kid's playing center that is mostly indoors! They have an area focused on STEM, a play grocery section, a play veterinarian section, and more.
   
   See more pictures that I've taken here at Exploration Discovery Center when my kids were younger. I would say this place is most appropriate for kids under 10 years old, in my opinion.
4. If you want a place to eat with a kid's play area, I've taken my kid's to SLO Public Market and McDonald's with a playhouse, Pismo Bowl for bowling and arcade fun, and Hot Shot Billiards and Family Entertainment Center for arcade fun as well.
   • See pictures that I've taken at the SLO Public Market. The kid's play area is upstairs on the second floor in the main building. If my husband is there with me, then he would wait for the food and I'd bring my kids to the play area so they could play for awhile longer. I'd say the toys are more appropriate for preschoolers or little kids.
     
     When they have special events, they do close the entire second floor so keep that in mind.
   • For the Mcdonald's with a playhouse, I only know of one McDonald's in all of SLO County that has it for kids and it's located in Arroyo Grande. Here is their exact address: 410 E Grand Ave, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. It's located close to The Village of Arroyo Grande.
   • Pismo Bowl is a really great place to have fun bowling but my kids especially like their arcade area. They serve food and drinks there. They are located only a block away from the Pismo Beach Pier.
     
   • HotShots Billards & Family Entertainment Center in Pismo Beach has an arcade and an area that sells food at the far end from the entrance. Just keep walking past the pool tables.
5. Take the little ones to the Central Coast Aquarium, located in Avila Beach. It's a small aquarium and I could probably walk through the whole place in 15 minutes, but for the little ones, if they like to observe, they might be able to stay around for awhile longer than that to see all the sea animals there.
   
   My kids have also gone to this aquarium for field trips in Elementary School. I've chaperoned for a field trip at this very aquarium before. Read my full review and see pictures that I've taken at the Central Coast Aquarium in Avila Beach.
6. There is an indoor bounce house in San Luis Obispo County located in Atascadero called HOPS Bounce House. They are open every day except for Mondays.

Reading Suggestions:

• See free seasonal events around San Luis Obispo County throughout the year.
• See more detailed blog entries about things to do for kids in San Luis Obispo County.

Suggested Supplies for a Rainy or Cloudy Day

• Kid's rainboots
• Kid's umbrellas