Rainy Day at Crealy? Here's How We Still Had the Best Day Out

After all the amazing sunshine we’ve had recently, we were a bit gutted when the weather turned just in time for May half term. But we’re pretty used to this weather now, so we haven’t let it stop our plans with friends.

Today we headed to Crealy Theme Park & Resort in Devon, and I’ll be honest – I wasn’t sure how this was going to go as the forecast said it was going to rain all day long. We’ve visited Crealy many, many times over the years, but we usually choose days when the weather is at least dry. Keen to make the most of the return for free within 7 days offer they currently have on, we stuck to our plans and just added some waterproofs to the picnic bag.

And the result?

We actually had a really great day out (or a Crealy great day out if you want to get with the Crealy lingo!). We even found some parts of the park that we hadn’t explored much before and ended up really enjoying them.

What is there to do at Crealy in the rain?

Sooty Land – Indoor Fun for All Ages

We spent a large part of our morning in Sooty Land, the indoor play area. Normally, we just pop in here for a quick bite to eat and a quick play in the more toddler-friendly soft play. But today, we grabbed a table at the back of the soft play and the children – ranging in ages from 3 to 10 – had hours of fun exploring all of the different interactive play tents.

Some of their favourites included:

• Carnival Games Tent – This had two separate screens and loads of foam balls. There were games where characters moved across the screen, and you had to throw the balls to hit them and score points. There was also a paint-splatter game where every ball left a colourful splat on the screen. Any kind of ball game keeps my son entertained for hours!

• Dance Studio Tent – This had a screen playing dance tutorials and plenty of space to practice moves.

• Giant Twister Tent – With a full-size twister mat on the floor and a big spinner, this was great fun for the children to play together.

• Jigsaw Tetris Tent – This was probably the area our group spent the most time in. It was full of large, soft play building blocks that the children could build with, climb over, and jump into.

• Trail Blazer Traverse – This was my personal favourite! It’s a long, light-up climbing wall where you press buttons to “turn off” the lights as fast as you can. It’s timed, so the competition was on! My friend and I had great fun trying to get the highest score. I genuinely need one of these in my house. Crealy, if you're reading this, you need a leaderboard for competitive parents! 😂

• Magi Bricks – A section full of smaller foam bricks perfect for building and knocking down.

There’s also a smaller soft play area ideal for toddlers, a big slide, and a few places to grab food—from hot meals to lighter snacks and drinks.

Outside Sooty Land, there’s a large undercover picnic area with benches. It’s a perfect spot to have your lunch out of the rain. From here, you can also see the driving school and a few of the adventure playgrounds – ideal if you’ve got older children who are happy playing while you watch from the dry. Just pop them in waterproof trousers or all-in-ones and everyone’s happy.

Animal Kingdom

This part of the park is always a hit with my son who loves animals. Today we saw lizards, iguanas, turtles, a crocodile, and our favourite – the tortoises! This section is under cover too, so great for a rainy wander.

Atlantis – Indoor Rides and Soft Play

Atlantis is another one of our favourite indoor areas. Inside there’s:

• Soft play for toddlers and younger children

• Dolphin Drop ride

• Shark Bay ride

• Teacups

• Plane ride

There’s also a little food kiosk serving Costa drinks and sweet treats, which is exactly what we needed after a soggy morning. A hot chocolate and a doughnut really hit the spot!

Atlantis is full of music, happy kids, and a good level of chaos – in the best way. From here, you can also walk through to the arcades and the main Adventure Zone soft play, which is brilliant for older children who like to go off and explore on their own. Ours had loads of fun on the 2p machines and even won some fun little prizes.

What to bring for a rainy day out at Crealy

Here’s what I’d recommend packing if the forecast isn’t on your side:

• Waterproof trousers or all-in-one suits – The outdoor adventure grounds are still open, just a bit wet.

• Spare socks – The floor can get damp in the soft play areas, especially by the slides.

• Spare carrier bag – Even on colder, wetter days, your children will take their coats off. Bring a bag for all the coats, cardigans, and teddies you'll inevitably end up carrying!

Final thoughts

Despite the weather, we had such a fun and full day out at Crealy. It reminded me how much there is to do here beyond the big outdoor rides, and how well set up the park is for all weathers.

Rainy days don’t have to be write-offs – and with a little planning (and some waterproof trousers!), Crealy is still a brilliant family day out.

🎟 Don’t forget: if you visit now, you can return for free within 7 days – perfect if you want to come back for the sunshine too!

You can find out more and book your tickets here: https://www.crealy.co.uk