Unfortunately, snow seems to have more fun activities associated with it than rain. Or at least better marketing. You can sled or snowtube down hills. Skiing. Snowball fights. Or just sit by the fire, bundled up in your snuggly tartan bathrobe and pajamas, and sip hot cocoa while watching it snow out the window.

Rain isn't as widely known for fun ways to get the most out of a rainstorm when you finally get one.

So in the interests of helping someone appreciate the rain even more, what do you find are the best ways to enjoy the rain? How do you maximize your rainy day experience?

Being someone who always loved the rain, I'd initially thought that just hiking in it would be wonderful. But after a while, you sort of get soggy, and cold (not that fun shivery cold you get after a little while in winter rain, but more of the my-fingers-are-numb variety), and the fun wears off.

So I thought back to the times when I most enjoyed the rain. Here are a few possibilities to get the thread started:

• Dining in a restaurant right on the water in the rain. You keep dry (although sitting under a table umbrella is an option if you want to get just a little wet), and you get to listen to the sounds of the rain and watch it hit the river/lake/ocean around you. If you're outside, you get the added bonus of mostly being alone with the rain and quiet.

• Restaurants with a canopy, but outside, are also pretty nice.

• Bundle up and stay warm. Much like snow, I think the ability to stay warm and fairly dry in the rain allows you to get more mileage out of the experience. Getting cold and soggy starts to sap the fun out after a while. Rainproof socks and a jacket in particular are a good idea. (Unless you want to just rush out in regular clothes, giggling like a madman, for a minute or two before rushing back inside. Also fun, but not long enough to be really satisfying, IMO.)

• Walking through a large public park, preferably with exhibits or monuments, in the rain. Large because when you're in a big enough rainy park, not many people are around, and the rain and fog makes it harder to see into the far distance. So the borders of the rest of the world seem to dissolve around you, and you're in a quiet gray bubble with the rainfall and your thoughts. Better with the monuments or exhibits (or something really impressive, like Niagara Falls) because it gives you something else to do. Rain is great, but it's better when it's part of a broader overall experience exploring. Ditto for rainy walks along the beach. And all of these things are just as great at night, as long as the place is safe. I hear some people do this with a transparent umbrella, which I've never tried, but soon will.

• Sitting in a warm car (and warm clothes) in the rain with the windows rolled down, preferably stopped somewhere halfway through a leisurely trip to an exciting place, is fun. Again, makes you feel a little bit like you're a lone traveler to a place nobody else back home knows; the cold of the rain adds an extra nip to the excitement, but you're warm enough that it's a little bit similar to the impervious feeling of sitting by the fire while snow comes down. I imagine that sitting in a tent in the woods during the rain has the same feeling. Could probably mix this with staring across a scenic overlook, wanderer in a sea of fog style.

...What are yours?

Tokyo, Nov 2024

Who drive like this? Wipers are working fine, just enjoying the scenery of this rain, I can see so I’m ok 😆

What a beautiful night :)

Downpour in Vancouver Wa