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Rainy Day Fun in Columbia

by Rebecca French Smith

This article is presented in partnership with Visit Columbia.

March weather can range from cooler end-of-winter days to warmer spring-like moments with a few rain showers sprinkled in for good measure. When you find yourself kept indoors, there are a few choice activities that can brighten your day.

At Level Up Entertainment, 2300 Bernadette Drive, Suite 228, the owners have created the ultimate arcade with laser tag, bowling and a high-flying ropes course for those seeking an adrenaline boost. If you have an arcade play card from Silverball—the barcade in downtown Columbia—you can use it at Level Up Entertainment, too. With all the activities available there, you’re sure to work up an appetite. Set to open in March, Level Up’s kitchen will serve burgers, pizza and more to snack on. Plus, if you’re 21 or older, adult beverages are available at the full bar.

For a more relaxing activity, make a reservation for an instructor-led painting class at Canvas On Broadway, 706 E. Broadway. It can be fun to express yourself through art, but add in some wine and friends and you have everything needed for a fun experience. There have been works of art created of animals, sports, beaches, landscapes and, of course, Columbia landmarks like the Mizzou columns and the City Hall keyhole. You can host an event for a group gathering, and there are kids’ classes, too. This is a perfect place for both newbies and seasoned artists to get creative and sip on something sweet.

For those who appreciate art, the Museum of Art & Archaeology, 115 Business Loop 70 W, at University of Missouri North showcases galleries and exhibits that are free and open to the public. The museum is open every day except Monday. Scheduled tours for all ages are available, or you can download the “Highlights Self-Tour Guide” online at Maa.Missouri.edu/visit that highlights 12 artworks. There are a plethora of permanent exhibition galleries, but there are also changing exhibits throughout the year.


The puzzles at Breakout CoMo, 218 N. 8th St., provide up to 60 minutes of escape room brain teasers. Each of the five rooms has a unique vibe, pacing and skill set to which they appeal. Smaller groups may like the Mark Twain Museum for quality puzzles over quantity, while larger groups may find the Civil War room an apt challenge to take on. It ranks the highest in difficulty, and guidance from the staff room runner is rarer. Breakout’s newest room, The Orphan, provides new puzzles to unlock. For players and room runners alike, though, seeing the puzzle-solving play out and the solutions the players find make the best surprise endings—whether they get out in time or not.

When you find yourself lacking energy and in need of some physical activity, The Activity and Recreation Center (ARC), 1701 W. Ash St., is the perfect pick-me-up. With a fitness center, indoor track, a gymnasium, fitness classes and an indoor leisure pool featuring a lazy river, lap lanes and a triple-loop water slide, it’s the best place in town to break a sweat and release tension. The ARC will pick you up on days when the winterish weather has you down.

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