Yorkshire
Rainy day date ideas in Sheffield
Updated
Sheffield has plenty for a wet Yorkshire afternoon. Start in the Winter Garden, warm and green under its timber arches, then walk through to the free Millennium Gallery. Weston Park Museum and Kelham Island Museum are free as well, and the Fat Cat is round the corner from Kelham Island for a pint afterwards. For the evening, see a play at the Crucible, where every seat is close to the actors, or a film at the Showroom. Public is a tiny cocktail bar in the old Victorian gents’ under the Town Hall, so book a table, and Rafters in Nether Green is the one for a tasting menu. Further out, Peak Cavern in Castleton is a cave tour that doesn’t mind the rain.
Our picks
Sheffield Winter Garden
Surrey Street, city centre
Address: Sheffield Winter Garden, Surrey Street, Sheffield S1 2HH- Outdoors
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Wander among palms, tree ferns and thousands of plants from around the world under the huge timber arches of the city-centre glasshouse.
Why it's a good date: A warm, green place to meet in the middle of town whatever the weather. It opens straight into the Millennium Gallery, so you can turn a quick stroll into an afternoon.
Photo: Andrew Tryon, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Millennium Gallery
Arundel Gate, city centre
Address: Millennium Gallery, Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PP- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Browse the free gallery next to the Winter Garden, with Sheffield's collection of cutlery and silverware, Ruskin's treasures and changing exhibitions.
Why it's a good date: The Metalwork Gallery shows off the city's steel-making skill in a way that's surprisingly beautiful. Check what's in the big exhibition space, then get a coffee and walk through to the glasshouse.
Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Kelham Island Museum
Alma Street, Kelham Island
Address: Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, Sheffield S3 8RY- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
See how Sheffield made its steel, from little workshops to the River Don Engine, a colossal steam engine that still thunders into life.
Why it's a good date: Time it for the engine running in steam and feel the floor shake. It's free to get in, and the pubs of Kelham Island are on the doorstep for afterwards.
Photo: Alan Murray-Rust, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
The Fat Cat
Alma Street, Kelham Island
Address: 23 Alma Street, Sheffield S3 8SA- Bar
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Cosy
Settle into the little Kelham Island pub that started Sheffield's real-ale boom in 1981, with ever-changing local beers and a beer garden out back.
Why it's a good date: A proper old-fashioned pub with no music, so you can actually talk. Pair it with the museum round the corner and make a slow afternoon of it.
Photo: Chemical Engineer, Public domain (cropped and resized)
The Crucible
Tudor Square, city centre
Address: Crucible Theatre, 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 1DA- Event
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Big night
- Culture
See a play at the Crucible, where the thrust stage puts every seat close to the actors, or something lighter next door at the Lyceum.
Why it's a good date: Sheffield Theatres' own productions are some of the best in the North. Book ahead, eat somewhere nearby first, and have a drink in the foyer bar at the interval.
Photo: Oliver Mills, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Showroom Cinema
Paternoster Row, near the station
Address: 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX- Event
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Cosy
Catch an independent, foreign-language or classic film at the city's art-deco independent cinema, with a café bar downstairs.
Why it's a good date: A film you'd never find at the multiplex, and a bar to talk about it in afterwards. It's a couple of minutes from the station, so it's an easy date night from out of town.
Photo: Warofdreams, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Weston Park Museum
Western Bank, by the university
Address: Weston Park Museum, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TP- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Explore the city's free museum of natural history, archaeology and art, from a polar bear and a woolly rhino to Sheffield's own story.
Why it's a good date: Easy to wander for an hour without a plan, and free. Walk round Weston Park's lake and bandstand afterwards if the rain stops.
Photo: Adrian Richardson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)
Peak Cavern
Castleton, Hope Valley, about sixteen miles west of the city
Address: Peak Cavern, Castleton, Hope Valley S33 8WS- Activity
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Dog friendly
- Out of town
Take a guided tour into the huge cave beneath Peveril Castle in Castleton, with the largest natural cave entrance in Britain.
Why it's a good date: An adventure that works in any weather, and well-behaved dogs on leads can come too. Book a tour online, then walk up Cave Dale or warm up in one of Castleton's pubs.
Public
Surrey Street, city centre
Address: Public, Surrey Street, Sheffield S1 2LG- Bar
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Big night
- Romantic
Duck down the steps under the Town Hall into a tiny cocktail bar built in the old Victorian gents' toilets, all booths, low light and vinyl.
Why it's a good date: Small, low-lit and a story to tell before you've even ordered. It only seats a few dozen, so book a table, especially at the weekend.
Rafters
Oakbrook Road, Nether Green
Address: 220 Oakbrook Road, Sheffield S11 7ED- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Foodie
Book the tasting menu at the long-standing fine-dining restaurant in Nether Green, with modern, seasonal cooking.
Why it's a good date: The one for an anniversary or a big occasion, in a quiet suburb a short taxi ride from town. Book well ahead and ask about the kitchen bench if you like to watch the chefs.
Quick answers
What can we do in Sheffield when it rains?
The Winter Garden, Millennium Gallery, Weston Park Museum and Kelham Island Museum are all indoors and free. For an evening, there's a play at the Crucible, a film at the Showroom or cocktails at Public under the Town Hall.
Is Peak Cavern worth it in bad weather?
Yes, it works in any weather. It's a guided tour into the huge cave beneath Peveril Castle in Castleton, so book online first, and well-behaved dogs on leads can come too.
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