6 indoor activities for bad weather
Tips for useless Rhineland weather
Indoor activities are made for bad weather. And Düsseldorf has a lot to offer in the indoor sector. It warms your heart, keeps your feet dry and is fun too. Whether it's art or ceramics, ice hockey or surfing, tea time or a pottery course, we have six indoor activities for you that will banish gray rainy days.
Indoor fun in the Rhine Reef
If you long for sand, sea and waves, all you have to do is head to Areal Böhler. In the Rhein-Riff, the largest indoor surf hall in the world, beginners and advanced surfers can surf in standing waves. This means there is no need to paddle out to sea and nothing stands in the way of immediate surfing fun. Surf's up! But you can also practise on dry land: On skateboards with a special front axle that imitate the motion sequence of surfing. The huge sandy area in the old industrial hall is ideal for beach sports such as beach volleyball, spikeball, boules, beach tennis and yoga. With fine sand between your toes, you're sure to feel like it's summer. Pure indoor pleasure.
(Photo: Installation view: Achim Kukulies; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025 for T. Ruff)
Malkasten - An indoor El Dorado
The Malkasten has a lot to offer. This is not only due to the ensemble of buildings consisting of Jacobihaus, Hentrichhaus and the Malkastenforum, which will open in November 2024. The Malkasten is dedicated to the various artistic disciplines of art, performances, readings and concerts, while also putting them up for discussion. The Lido restaurant marks the icing on the cake and provides culinary delights. The Lido also combines art and good food: The colorful interior was designed by artist Rosemarie Trockel. And from the open show kitchen come new interpretations of fine classics such as coq au vin, pasta vongole or veal boiled fillet. If you want to go outside after so much indoors, we recommend a walk through the Malkasten's beautiful, listed private park - it's worth it even when it's snowing.
High tea at the Breidenbacher Hof
Not only recommended after shopping on the Kö: afternoon tea in the lobby lounge of the Breidenbacher Hof. You can sit for tea in the gallery of the luxury hotel and, with a bit of luck, catch a glimpse of stars such as Taylor Swift, Mick Jagger or Harry Styles. Fun fact: Udo Lindenberg tried his hand as a lift boy at the Breidenbacher Hof when he was 16 years old - but his employment ended in him being fired without notice. High tea at the Breidenbacher Hof is served in the British style, including a three-tier etagere with sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, fresh pastries and jam. Incidentally, Tea Master Martina Rademacher answers the very British question of whether the tea or the milk goes into the cup first. And if the tea is not enough, the afternoon tea ends with a glass of champagne.
Hetjens Museum
The Hetjens Museum is a real gem in the heart of the old town. Housed in the historic Palais Nesselrode, Hetjens houses ceramics from all eras and parts of the world. This provides a comprehensive overview in a small space. The collection ranges from rare stoneware vessels to Islamic ceramics, French faience and Meissen porcelain. There are also ceramic works by Düsseldorf artist Thomas Schütte.
For all DIY fans: In December 2024, the new pottery workshop opened opposite on Citadellstraße. It offers courses such as Kintsugi, the Japanese art of restoring broken ceramics, and porcelain casting. Children's birthday parties and ceramic painting can also be booked. In any case, the early bird catches the worm, as the course places are taken up super-fast.
(Photos from left to right: Special exhibition Keramische Werkstatt Margaretenhöhe, photo: Andreas Lange;
Permanent exhibition European porcelain and antique South America, photos: Hajo Drees)
More information about the Hetjens Museum.
Ice hockey with the DEG
Fancy speed, power and atmosphere on ice? The home games of Düsseldorf EG, or DEG for short, are undoubtedly an indoor highlight. Battle cry: Heja, Heja, DEG! In addition to top-class ice hockey, the games of Düsseldorf's traditional club offer a rousing atmosphere. For almost 20 years, the eight-time German champions have been playing their games in the Rather ISS Dome, a modern and comfortable hall with a good view of the puck and players. With almost 9,000 spectators per game, DEG is one of the crowd pullers in the ice hockey league. The team is led by Düsseldorf's Jong Philip Gogulla. Kyle Cumiskey is also a Stanley Cup winner on the ice and Sinan Akdag won Olympic silver with the German national team in 2018.
Holiday on Ice
The last time you were able to enjoy a very special winter pleasure in Düsseldorf was in 2021: ice skating on the frozen Rhine meadows. But if it's not cold enough, there are two ice rinks to choose from. In Benrath, the ice rink attracts visitors with a family-friendly offer. Whether children's birthday parties, ice disco or skating courses, there is something for everyone here. Newcomers can hire skates on site.
The time-honoured ice rink on Brehmstraße was the home ground of DEG for decades - and achieved cult status thanks to its exuberant atmosphere. Things are quieter now. But you can still do wonderful laps and pirouettes on the ice. A winter indoor pleasure that you can enjoy well into spring.
More information about the ice rink in Benrath eissporthalle-duesseldorf.de.
More information about the Brehmstraße ice rink.
Text: Clemens Henle
Photos: Press photos; lead photo: Pottery workshop of the Hetjens Museum, photo: Melanie Zanin)
