Don't Let a Bit of Rain Dampen your Frankfurt Adventure! 12 Top Tips for Making the Most of a Rainy Day in Frankfurt am Main.

Great, just what you needed - rubbish weather! You were all set for your holiday in Frankfurt, with loads of plans for what to see and do, and now it’s all up in the air because of the non-stop rain. But don’t worry, we at a&o have some insider tips to make sure your trip to Frankfurt is still a blast, even in the rain.

Rain in Frankfurt isn’t exactly rare and can catch you any time of year. It’s not just autumn and the in-between months that see more rain - it can pour down just as often and heavily in summer too. With sudden downpours, cloudbursts and the occasional thunderstorm, it’s easy to feel like your plans are being washed away. That’s why we’ve put together some handy tips for indoor activities in Frankfurt, so you can stay dry and make the most of your time without waiting for the weather to clear up.

Staying in at the a&o Hostel you’re staying at in rainy weather is (definitely not) the only option! (Unsplash/aminhasani)

1. Don’t Stay in Your Room!

At first, it might seem obvious - sitting in your room and watching TV but this can get dull pretty quickly. So why not head down to the lobby or the bar? You’ll likely find other guests who aren’t keen on braving the bad weather either. Get chatting over a game of air hockey, billiards or table football in the lobby at a&o Frankfurt Galluswarte. Share your plans and ideas over a tasty cocktail or a hot drink at the bar. Make a plan with your fellow guests and motivate each other to explore Frankfurt, even in the rain!

2. No Such Thing as Bad Weather, Just the Wrong Gear

Alright, so you were all set for sunshine and didn’t think to pack a rain jacket. No worries - you can pick up an umbrella or even a rain poncho at a&o Hostels. That way, you’ll be ready for a rainy day adventure. And if you do get soaked, no need to stress. We’ve got a laundry room in a&o Hostels in Frankfurt where you can toss your clothes in the washing machine and dryer, so you won’t have to slip back into wet trousers.

3. Kids Love Puddles – How About You?

Remember how much fun it was to jump through puddles in your wellies as a kid? Little ones can still have a blast, not just outdoors in proper rain gear, but also in the Kids' Corners at the a&o Hostels. Meanwhile, parents can kick back with a hot cup of tea and a good book. It's a brilliant way to spend quality family time at the a&o Hostel.

Children having fun in the rain (Unsplash/xavi_cabrera)

4. Quick Steps to Bus and Train

a&o Frankfurt Galluswarte is right next to the S-Bahn station of the same name, just a 50-metre walk away. a&o Frankfurt Ostend is also well connected - Schwedlerstraße tram stop is just a minute from the hostel. Tram line 11 takes you straight through Frankfurt city centre (Römer, Willy-Brandt-Platz, Hauptbahnhof), so you can get to your destination quickly and, most importantly, with dry feet - no detours or annoying changes needed. As you can see, staying at a&o Hostels means you're always centrally and conveniently located.

5. The World's a Stage

At Willy-Brandt-Platz, you’ll find three venues - Oper Frankfurt, Schauspiel Frankfurt and Die Komödie - each offering a diverse programme, rain or shine. And don’t forget the Alte Oper on Opernplatz. Check out the daily programme or schedule to see if anything catches your eye.

6. Dive Into Frankfurt’s Museums

Frankfurt am Main boasts a rich museum scene with plenty of museums and galleries to explore. While we can't cover them all here, we recommend these three:

• Junges Museum Frankfurt: A hands-on learning museum with free admission for children and young people under 18.
• EXPERIMINTA ScienceCentre: A place where visitors, especially school kids, can dive into science and technology through fun experiments and interactive learning.
• Senckenberg Nature Museum: Discover the incredible diversity of life on Earth, with exhibits on fossils, dinosaurs, sea creatures, insects, evolutionary history and even a reconstruction of the extinct dodo.

For a more comprehensive list of museums, check out the city portal at Frankfurt.de.

Rain in Frankfurt: Time to go to a museum or shopping? (Unsplash/osmanrana)

7. Shop Til You Drop

Thanks to the a&o best price guarantee, you've scored a real bargain, and as an a&o Club member, you’ve even saved up to 25% on your booking. Well done! That means you’ve got some extra cash in your holiday budget to spend without a second thought. The Zeil, between Hauptwache and Konstablerwache, is one of the busiest shopping streets in Germany. With department stores, boutiques and shopping centres offering a wide range of products, you can easily spend a rainy day in Frankfurt shopping. Whether you're after fashion, jewellery, electronics or just a few souvenirs, you’re bound to find something you like.

8. Explore the World’s Plants at Palmengarten

The Palmengarten in Frankfurt isn’t just for botanists. The various greenhouses are dedicated to different themes and regions, offering something for everyone. The palm house, dating back to 1869, is tropically warm and humid and remains one of the largest structures of its kind in the world. There’s even a tropical aquarium, which is a treat for both young and old - not just when it’s raining in Frankfurt. The butterfly house and tropical houses are also well worth a visit.

9. Reach for the Sky in Mainhattan

Frankfurt am Main boasts the most skyscrapers in Germany, with 18 currently standing and two more set to be completed by the end of 2024. How cool would it be to be almost eye level with the rain clouds? The 200-metre-high Main Tower in the heart of Frankfurt makes that possible. You can visit the city's highest viewpoint for a small admission fee, but be aware that there might be weather-related restrictions, like during storms. If the viewing platform is closed, admission is reduced to just 4 euros.

Clouds over the skyline of Frankfurt (Unsplash/muenningmedia)

10. Above the Clouds...

You can go even higher at Frankfurt International Airport. If you’ve had enough of the weather, you can hop on a flight to sunnier destinations. With 40 a&o Hostels across Europe, including in sun-soaked cities like Venice and Florence, you'll always find affordable accommodation. If you’re not in the mood to jet off, you can still enjoy some plane spotting at the airport. The sight of planes taking off and landing, especially with the spray from the wet runway, makes for some fantastic photo opportunities.

11. Love at First Bite

It’s no secret that dining out is a big part of a great holiday. Sure, you can whip up something in the guest kitchen at the a&o Hostel you are staying at, but there’s nothing like being cooked for and served. A must-try in Frankfurt is the local speciality, ‘Grüne Soße’, a herb sauce typically served with hard-boiled eggs and potatoes. You’ll find plenty of German cuisine restaurants around Frankfurt’s Römer, but if you prefer to stay closer to the hostel, here are some great options nearby:

a&o Frankfurt Galluswarte:

• 400 meters to Eliá Restaurant (Greek cuisine) | Frankenallee 111
• 550 meters to Chicago Williams BBQ (American cuisine) | Mainzer Landstraße 167
• 550 meters to Tandoori Mahal (Indian cuisine) | Mainzer Landstraße 309

a&o Frankfurt Ostend:

• 250 meters to Nahar (Moroccan cuisine) | Hanauer Landstraße 160A
• 350 meters to Leuchtendroter (vegan cuisine) | Lindleystraße 17
• 400 meters to Das Leben ist schön (Italian cuisine) | Hanauer Landstraße 198

12. Wellness and Relaxation

If you’re going to get wet, you might as well go all in! Head to Titus Thermen in the north of Frankfurt. With whirlpools heated to 36°C, current pools, adventure pools, multipurpose pools, paddling pools and a sauna area, there’s something for everyone. A grey, rainy day in Frankfurt is the perfect excuse to swim and unwind. And who knows, with a bit of luck, the sun might be shining again the next day, making those walks and excursions around Frankfurt even more enjoyable.

Got hooked?

Then book your trip with a&o to Frankfurt!