Sure, rainy days are dreary, but they don’t have to be a drag. You can stay at home and play board games, find a new favorite podcast, or binge-watch a local show. Or grab an umbrella and venture out. D.C.’s indoor venues don’t shut down for a little shower. You might have forgotten what rain feels like, given that the region has been in the midst of a dry spell for more than 20 days. That could all change Saturday night into Sunday, though, when the National Weather Service predicts showers. Forget what you’re supposed to do when the storm clouds hit? Here are 12 ways to pass the time for a couple hours, or even the whole day.

DCist goes indoor skydiving. (Photo by Christina Sturdivant)

TRY INDOOR SKYDIVING: Rainy days are often synonymous with taking it easy, using weather as an excuse to skip out on plans and lay low. But for the most X-treme and death-defying among us, there’s a way to get in your daily dose of thrills even if the sky isn’t cooperating. Jump into a wind tunnel and try some airborne gymnastics at iFLY, an indoor skydiving facility in Ashburn, Va. We gave it a go, and found that it was a surprisingly robust (though very short) workout, with the potential for some real highs. If you’re looking for some lift but still want your feet to have something to touch, check out the area’s flight trampoline parks. It’s exactly what it sounds like—a bunch of trampolines for you to bounce on and realize that your knees really aren’t what they used to be.—Rachel Kurzius

Learn more about indoor skydiving through our firsthand account. Local trampoline parks include Flight in Springfield, Va., Sky Zone in Gaithersburg, Md., and Launch in Columbia, Md.

RELAX WITH JAZZ: What better way to spend a rainy evening than listening to some smooth jazz? D.C. has a revolving door of some of the best local and national acts in jazz. Our music editor has recommended Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society in Brookland for its music and atmosphere, but there are lots of places worth braving the weather for some live entertainment.—Christina Sturdivant

Check out our weekly jazz events listings to get you out of the door.

PLAY A BOARD GAME: Fine, it’s unoriginal, but there’s something to be said for a classic rainy day board game sesh. And sure, you can Amazon same-day a new box to unwrap, but we’d recommend briefly braving the outdoors to peruse the offerings at Labyrinth Games & Puzzles in Eastern Market instead. Alternatively, head to Board Room in Dupont Circle, where you can rent your pick and get a beer to go with it. If board games aren’t exactly your thing, plenty of D.C. bars provide different forms of entertainment: pinball, arcade games, billiards, even indoor miniature golf.—Rachel Sadon

Labyrinth is located at 645 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Board Room is located at 1737 Connecticut Avenue NW, or see our list of the most entertaining bars in the city.

The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum is an awesome off-the-beaten-track spot to check out. Photo via Facebook.

GO TO A MUSEUM: Arguably the most Washington choice for a rainy day, visit a free Smithsonian museum on the National Mall. Maybe even try your hand at scoring same-day tickets to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which just celebrated its one-year anniversary. And if you want to venture off-the-beaten-track, the Anacostia Community Museum, Elmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, and the National Bonsai and Pejing Museum are worth checking out, among other museums away from tourist spots.—Christina Sturdivant

Here’s a full list of 20 off-the-beaten-track museums that we recommend.

FIND A NEW FAVE PODCAST: There are so many good podcasts out there, it’s hard to keep up with them all. Personally, I can’t get enough of Buzzfeed’s Another Round, NPR’s How I Built This, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, 2 Dope Queens, Death Sex & Money, You Had Me At Black, and Politically Reactive with W. Kamau Bell & Hari Kondabolu. Joe Biden even recently launched show. There are also several D.C.-based podcasts worth checking out. No matter your cup of tea, a rainy day is the perfect time to sit back, relax, and listen to other people chat the day away.—Christina Sturdivant

Wanna hear some of D.C.’s best locally made podcasts? We’ve got you covered here, plus a whole set of music specific options.

BINGE WATCH A WEB SERIES: If you require visuals to be entertained, ditch the podcast and check out a web series. While some of them may be filmed on shoe-string budgets, many provide hours of quality laughs and drama. And with your support, a popular web series could be adapted for the small screen. But if you’re into shows that have already “made it,” streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Now are always adding new content.—Christina Sturdivant

Don’t know where to begin? Here are 10 D.C.-based web series to get you started.

If you don’t have a car, you’ll have to bus on up to Georgia and Quakenboos. (Via Google Streetview)

GO THRIFT/VINTAGE SHOPPING: Who needs sunshine when there are deals to be had? My personal choice would be to hop in the car and scour one (or more) of the area’s many excellent outposts of the mega-thrift outlet Value Village—a single shop could easily keep you occupied for hours. There’s a number of other excellent thrift stores that are accessible for the car-less; some of the biggest options in D.C. proper include the Goodwill in Fort Lincoln and Georgia Avenue Thrift in Brightwood. You might even find a cool new umbrella. Plus, there are plenty of vintage shops around town, both dusty and high-end, to go rummaging through. Clothes and furniture not your thing? Check out the city’s many excellent used bookstores and curl up with a good new/old book.— Rachel Sadon

Check out our favorite thrift, vintage, and used book stores.

SEE SOME THEATER: Lying in bed staring at the latest Netflix offerings on your laptop screen somehow lacks the frisson of a live play. Who would have guessed? A rainy evening is a perfect time to scope out D.C.’s multifaceted theater offerings, which range from the bizarre black box to the big-time musicals en route to Broadway. Convinced theater is too high-brow for your liking? Well, may I present the forthcoming Mean Girls musical? Plus, many theater companies offer deals for the under-30 crowd.—Rachel Kurzius

Stay posted on all of the best local theater offerings with our monthly preview.

TAKE A COOKING CLASS: Spend a rainy day perfecting your culinary skills for your next dinner party. The District has a variety of cooking classes from top chefs like Mike Isabella, centers such as the Italian Cultural Society of Washington, D.C., and restaurants like Lebanese Taverna. There are classes for those craving sweets, meatless meals, kid-friendly offerings, and more.—Christina Sturdivant

Intrigued? Find more options on our list of 11 best cooking classes around Washington.

Give indoor rock climbing a go at Earth Treks (Photo via Facebook)

GET IN A (WEIRD) WORKOUT: Can’t go cycling or running outdoors? Use the next rainy day as an opportunity to try a different, weirder workout—something off the wall, say, squash or axe throwing. Or maybe it’s finally time to give indoor rock climbing a go. Think outside the (Crossfit) box.— Rachel Sadon

Here are some unconventional workouts to give a go. Area indoor rock climbing gyms include Earth Treks in Crystal City and Rockville and Sportrock in Alexandria.

FIND A LAUGH: If all different kinds of weather were high schoolers, a rainy day is totally the emo kid. Get over those blues by seeking out some comedy. For a city known for being staid, D.C. has a pretty strong scene when it comes to both stand-up and sketch comedy on both week nights and weekends. Of course, you can find some well-established comedians who drop by for shows (sometimes surprisingly), but there are a bunch of local jokesters choosing to establish themselves here rather than, say, LA or NYC. After all, could you perform a set at Lincoln’s house in one of those cities?—Rachel Kurzius

Check out our suggestions for some of the best places to catch live comedy in the area.

GET LOCKED IN AN ESCAPE ROOM: Pass some time by getting locked in a room with some friends or coworkers. Round up some folks to help you solve clues to finding the key out of the oval office or off the sinking Titanic. There are several variations of the experience in the region, including in Georgetown, Glover Park, Alexandria, Herndon, and H Street NE. No matter which version you choose, it’ll likely to be a great way to exercise your mind on a dreary day. —Christina Sturdivant

Want more details on how Escape Rooms work? Check out how a few former DCist editors and their friends made out a few years ago.