It’s true: Even in the summer, the East End isn’t just about beaches and playgrounds. We have museums, art galleries, indoor play spaces, and more. So with that in mind, here are 30-plus ways to stave off rainy-day fever on the East End. And here’s hoping the clouds don’t linger too long.

By the way, paring this list down is no easy task. For more inspiration, see our comprehensive guide to the East End, including our list of 50 great things to do with kids on the East End this summer. If you need accommodations, see our list of the top kid-friendly hotels in the region.

Rainy-Day Activities for Kids on the North Fork

The sea lions at Long Island Aquarium don't rest for rain. Photo courtesy of the aquarium

1. Let’s start our journey in Riverhead, where the deer and the antelope roam. OK, the penguins and the sea lions. The enclosed Long Island Aquarium is the crown jewel of East End aquaculture and is open rain or shine. From special events to just a rainy-day indoor activity, the aquarium has all of the aquatic adventures little ones need to brighten up a day.

2.  For last-minute summer outfits or a head-start on back-to-school shopping, visit Tanger Outlet Center, located off Exit 72 of the Long Island Expressway.

RELATED: Kid-Friendly Nature Walks in the Hamptons and North Fork

Enjoy a tasty treat under the awning at the retro Snowflake Ice Cream Shoppe. Photo courtesy of Snowflake

3. Is there a better place for a vintage cone than Snowflake Ice Cream Shoppe right down Route 25 from Tanger. Try the local favorite flavor, Peconic Swamp Thing — if you dare. More conventional flavors include banana split, mint chocolate chip, cookie monster, and Meadowlark Lemon. 

4. There are a number of kid-friendly wineries with indoor tasting rooms on the East End. Of particular interest to the little animal lover in your life might be Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard, a portion of whose proceeds protect at-risk horses. Vineyard employees educate visitors on horse protection, and families can meet a stable of rescued former racehorses and Arabian horses. Baiting Hollow will customize a birthday party for children of any age.

5. More of a craft beer fan? There are many family-friendly breweries on Long Island, including the North Fork. Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. has a tasting room in Greenport, as well as a restaurant and tasting room in Peconic. Moustache Brewing Co. is right in the heart of Riverhead, just around the block from the Railroad Museum of Long Island.

6. Museums abound on the East End, including the Railroad Museum of Long Island, with locations in Riverhead and Greenport. Train lovers will delight in the model locomotives housed inside restored freight houses and train stations. 

7. Riverhead boasts the first bowling alley to open on the East End in decades. The All Star complex participates in the national Kids Bowl Free program at select times over the summer. By the way, it's not just bowling here: A concession area features arcade-style games, skee ball, air hockey, basketball, and redemption-style games.

RELATED: 11 Great Family-Friendly Museums in the Hamptons and North Fork

All the bouncing and sliding your kid can handle awaits at Safari Adventure. Photo courtesy of the the venue

8. For the little bouncer in your life, Safari Adventure in Riverhead offers 11,000 square feet of bounce houses, an inspiring jungle gym, and an arcade atmosphere sure to delight. There's also a hands-on sensory area and sensory calming spa for children with special needs.

RELATED: Great Things to Do With Kids in Riverhead

Gingerbread isn't just for Christmas: Decorate and eat it all year at Gingerbread University. Photo courtesy of the shop

9. Who says Christmas comes but once a year? Kids can rediscover their holiday spirit at Gingerbread University in Baiting Hollow, where they can sweeten up their days and indulge in a host of edible creations.

10. A half-dozen historic buildings line the Cutchogue Village Green, including the Old House, which dates to the 1690s, and the Old Schoolhouse, which hosted its first class in 1840. Similar buildings line the Southold downtown for kids who are historically curious.

11. At Catapano Dairy Farm in Peconic, kids can cozy up to the animals while parents indulge in artisanal goat cheese and skin care products.

12. The Custer Institute and Observatory in Southold is heaven to those who love to glimpse the night sky. A clear night is better, but wannabe astronomers shouldn’t be disappointed no matter the weather.

13.  Horton Point Lighthouse in Southold, constructed in 1857, blends historical education with hands-on fun. It's open on weekends from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

Celebrate the North Fork's maritime past at the East End Seaport Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

14. You can step back into Long Island’s maritime past at the East End Seaport Museum in Greenport. A new children’s room was recently added to the 750-gallon saltwater aquarium and lighthouse exhibits.

15. Around the corner from the seaport museum is the Village Blacksmith shop, a replica of the shop that serviced Greenport in the 1870s. Kids can see a real blacksmith at work. Tours are by appointment only.

16. What’s better during a chilling rain than a cup of hot chocolate? And Greenport just happens to have one of the East End’s best Euro-coffee shops, Aldo’s on Main Street. Words don’t do his creations justice. Enjoy freshly baked biscotti while you awaken your palette with freshly brewed coffee.

RELATED: 100 Things to Do With Kids on Long Island Before They Grow Up

Grab the brass ring and get a FREE re-ride at Greenport's antique carousel. Photo by Jaime Sumersille

17. We certainly don't want to overlook Greenport's antique carousel, which is fully enclosed and shielded from the rain. Rides are a mere $2, with a free re-ride if you grab the brass ring. The carousel dates back to the 1920s.

18. Sometimes there is no better rainy-day activity than going to the movies. Mattituck Cinemas plays the most recent Hollywood releases. There's nothing like hiding from the rain with a good flick and some popcorn. 

The Big Duck in Flanders tells the story of the East End's agrarian past. Photo courtesy of the ranch

Rainy-Day Activities for Kids in the Hamptons

19.  We've said it before: The Big Duck is kitschy, some might even call it obnoxious, but this Flanders icon is one of the best examples of roadside art in the nation. Docents there boast of its history, the South Fork's agrarian past, and the "battle" waged between Flanders and Hampton Bays over its possession.

20. The Quogue Wildife Refuge is open 365 days a year. If the weather doesn't allow you to enjoy a nature hike, bring the kids indoors for a lecture on the plant and animal life native to the 300-acre preserve.

21. Southampton’s Rogers Memorial Library dates to 1893. More a community center than a traditional reading room, Rogers boasts one of the most engaged children’s communities in all of the East End.

22. The Southampton Historical Museum houses three separate learning centers — the Rogers Mansion, the Pelletreau trade shop, and the Thomas Halsey Homestead, which dates to 1660. Come experience the East End during Colonial times or during the whaling era.

23. That odd, barn-like structure on Montauk Highway at the border of Southampton and Water Mill is, in fact, the Parrish Art Museum, whose collections reflect the diversity of East End life and a fusion of regional and global inspirations. The museum offers regular children’s programming, including open studio time.

24. You’ll know you’re in Water Mill when you see the giant windmill in the town center. Of course, Water Mill’s is not the only windmill on the East End. Why not try a scavenger hunt from Hampton Bays to Montauk, counting the mills as you go?

RELATED: Family-Friendly Museums in the Hamptons and North Fork

Enjoy mini-golf? Try it with a science spin at the Children's Museum of the East End. Photo courtesy of the museum

25. Visitors often overlook Bridgehampton — the “bridge” between Southampton and East Hampton. But Bridgehampton is home to the Children’s Museum of the East End and the South Fork Natural History Museum, must-sees for families with young children.  

26. Light up your child's world with a visit to the Dan Flavin Art Institute, also in Bridgehampton, where kids can view fluorescent light creations for FREE.

27. On the road from Bridgehampton, why not head to Sag Harbor for a trip back to the days when the East End was the capital of the whaling world. The Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum is the White House-looking structure at the top of Main Street and a link back to the community’s history. 

28. The First Presbyterian Old Whalers' Church stands tall as a national historic landmark. Whether you choose to do a Sunday service or weekday stop, there’s a history lesson waiting.

29. Abstract Expressionism might be an abstract concept to a 6-year-old. So why not just let him or her “express” themselves in a drip-painting class at the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center in East Hampton.

30. The YMCA East Hampton Rec Center’s Pre-Teen and Teen Center offers indoor basketball, gymnastics, video game tournaments, swimming, and much more. Membership in any Long Island YMCA is required, but the good news is programs are FREE to members. Know that if your child has special needs the Y is committed to ensuring access through its inclusion programs.

31. What child wouldn’t love a collection of horse-drawn carriages and buggies?  The Roy K. Lester Carriage House Museum and the Amelia Cottage Museum in Amagansett are on the National Register of Historic Places.

RELATED: The Top Beach Playgrounds for Kids in the Hamptons and North Fork

Delight in the adorable characters at Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre. Photo courtesy of A Couple of Puppets

32. Rainy days are perfect for the theater. Treat your kids to a unique puppet show at Sag Harbor’s Goat on a Boat.

33. Finally, what visit to Montauk would be complete without a stop at Montauk Point Lighthouse. Authorized by President George Washington in 1792, it is the oldest lighthouse in New York State and still an active aid in navigation. The spiral staircase takes you to the summit, where, even on rainy days, the view of the ocean is breathtaking.

A version of this article wasc originally published in 2013. Writer Gina Massaro contributed additional reporting.