Fun Things to do in Dubai

Dubai being a favourite among the adrenaline junkies is a well-known destination for people who love skydiving as it provides a unique one-of-a-kind experience as adventurers get to skydive with the beautiful Pal Jumeirah below them. Many consider this a highlight of the city with many even claiming that no trip can be completed without this electrifying expedition. The Skydive at Dubai is regarded as one of the best skydiving service providers in the world.

Towering at a height of 2,700 feet, the Burj Khalifa is currently the tallest tower in the world. With two observation decks, a Las Vegas-inspired fountain, nine of the city's best luxury hotels and multiple restaurants, this 21st-century architectural marvel must be your number one place to visit when in Dubai or even the UAE. Also, make sure to book your tickets in advance well to avoid last moment hassles.

One of the biggest water parks of Dubai, Aquaventure is located in the Atlantis hotel complex. This amazing water park offers a series of pools, shoots and flumes and a few thrilling rides. Adrenaline pumping Tower of Neptune and the equally exhilarating Tower of Poseidon are some of the key highlights of the park. Visitors can also relax at the Cabanas, have a nice meal at the various restaurants and shop some souvenirs at the many stores.

Located on the ground floor of the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo houses over 33,000 marine life occupying the 10 million liters of water within the tank. Stroll through the 48-meter tunnel, take a glass-bottom boat tour, get wet in a snorkeling cage or go swimming with the sharks.

Dubai Fountain is the world's largest choreographed water fountain located in the beautiful Burj Complex. This dancing fountain surges as high as 150 meters in complete synchronisation to classical, Arabic and other popular world musical numbers. Forming beautiful arcs and jumping to the beats, this fountain was designed by California-based WET, the creators of the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas. The show begins in the evening every day, and the best way to approach it is through the Dubai Mall.

Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort with 22,500 square meters of the indoor ski area. It is the largest indoor ski park in the world. The park has a Snow Park, ski slopes, an ice museum and a skiing academy for those who wish to learn skiing. Apart from the regular facilities, Ski Dubai also hosts various events and concerts and a very cosy eatery called the Avalance Cafe which has a balcony that faces the ski slopes.

Miracle Garden is one of the most beautiful and biggest natural flower gardens in the world. Located in Dubailand, it is spread across a vast area of over 72,000 square meters, the garden is the world's largest natural flower garden featuring over 45 million flowers and plants. The place is a heaven for those seeking nature's beauty in the city. The garden is open only from October to April evey year.

Home to the majestic Black Sea bottlenose dolphins, Northern and Southern American fur seals, and exotic birds, the Dubai Dolphinarium is famous worldwide for its awe-inspiring and interactive shows. Located in Creek Park, a family entertainment and activity park in Dubai, the Dubai Dolphinarium is a major tourist attraction where people from all over the world flock in large numbers all around the year to enjoy exciting marine mammal and bird shows.

Global Village is claimed to be the world's most significant tourism, leisure and entertainment project in UAE. It is the region's first cultural, entertainment, family and shopping destination. The compound has various pavilions dedicated to different countries and also has various shows and events, Ripley's Believe It or Not, carnival and more. It opens from October to April every year.

. At the heart of Dubai is still its desolated desert. And so, to enjoy the desert a bit more effectively, the city presents various Desert Safari options. The experience is one of its kind and worth every penny spent! Visitors can experience desert camping with a delicious Arabian dinner, belly dancers and other traditional performers. Day safaris hold you in for an adventure as you get to try out Dune Bashing, sandboarding, quad biking, camel rides and more.

Established in 2016 in ‘the heart of Dubai’, IMG is the city’s first mega indoor theme park with world-class amenities and entertainment. Situated on the famous Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, this cartoon-themed park sprawls across 1.5 million square feet of amusement park space. Located next to Global village, this entertainment destination is full of live shows, attractive rides, movies and fantastic food options. Popular franchises there are characters from Frozen, Disney, Cars, Marvel, DC comics and more.

Glide up in a Hot air balloon over a serene desert to witness the breathtaking morning skies and mystery of the ocean of the sand. The view of green patches of oasis and a herd of camels makes for a perfect photographic scene. As you rise above the vision of sunset and sunrise, the background of the Hajjar Mountains is overwhelming.

Dubai is studded with a fantastic landscape, be it the skyscrapers or its marvelous architecture; a bird's eye view of Dubai is something to add to your to-do in Dubai. Helicopter Tours in Dubai are widely popular, ranging from 12-22 minute rides; these tours provide breathtaking views of Dubai city. Starting from the Dubai Police Academy Helipad, this tour takes you to Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab, palaces in Dubai and the World Islands, depending on your package. Please note that in peak seasons, one can win a yacht tour free with every booking.

If you are a die-hard fan of Hollywood movies, then the Motiongate theme park is a must-visit. Located in the Dubai Parks and Resorts, the Hollywood Inspired Theme Park has been designed and developed as per the famous movie studios like the Columbia Pictures Studios, DreamWorks Studios and the Lionsgate Studios.

Located in the NAS Sports Complex, the deep dive pool is 60m deep with 14,000,000 liters of fresh water, rightly regarded as the Deepest Pool in the World. Deep Dive Dubai also houses a restaurant, a gift shop and a dive shop. Safety is of the utmost importance; hence, on-spot trainers and lifeguards alongside 56 cameras on the premises are constantly on watch. The underwater film studio is also worth a visit with its life-like sunken walls, cars and environment

Located in the NAS Sports Complex, the deep dive pool is 60m deep with 14,000,000 liters of fresh water, rightly regarded as the Deepest Pool in the World. Deep Dive Dubai also houses a restaurant, a gift shop and a dive shop. Safety is of the utmost importance; hence, on-spot trainers and lifeguards alongside 56 cameras on the premises are constantly on watch. The underwater film studio is also worth a visit with its life-like sunken walls, cars and environment

Created by Dubai’s adventure masters, XDubai, the Xline Dubai Marina is the worlds longest urban zip-line and indeed an thrilling sport that you will ever experience. The Xline at Dubai Marina has also broken world records by being the steepest and fastest zip-line till date. It stretches over a kilometre with an inclination of 16 degrees and an average speed of 80 km/h.

Bungee jumping in a city full of skyscrapers is a must-try when in Dubai. Gravity Zone is Dubai's first permanent bungee operator and takes you as high as 50 meters from where you will free fall! Get the fantastic view of the Dubai cityscape as you free fall to the view of the Burj Khalifa and the magnificent Dubai waterfront. The professionals ensure that everyone is safe and sound while jumping off the tall crane with bungee elastic cords being attached to your body. You can jump solo or with your friends and family in a group of two and double up the fun of this thrilling activity!

Dubai Garden Glow is the world's first park dedicated to glow-in-the-dark. Situated within the Zabeel Park, this place is well known for extraordinary light architecture installations inspired by art objects from all across the world. Images of a giant jellyfish moving in time to the music while floating above the Zabeel Lake has mesmerized both children and adults while the images of a sparkling Burj Khalifa is definitely awe-inspiring. It is open from October to April every year.

Palm Jumeirah, Dubai's magnificent artificial archipelago, is the epitome of beauty created by land reclamation, extending into the Persian Gulf. The archipelago resembles a palm tree with a circle when you take an overhead view of it. It was one of the first major tourism projects in the UAE and currently houses some of Dubai’s top tourist destinations like Atlantis, the Palm, Aquaventure Waterpark and the Lost Chambers Aquarium.

This beautiful park has over 3000 animals from across the globe and has become a popular attraction in Dubai for locals and tourists alike. The zoo is divided into various zones named as 'Villages', and these are classified based on the regions around the world in which the animals are based. They are Safari Village, African Village, Asian Village, Wadi Village, Arabian Village and Kids Farm which is a playground for children to learn about wildlife.

The park is beautifully landscaped with lush greenery, creating a tropical paradise amidst the desert backdrop of Dubai. Wild Wadi boasts over 30 exhilarating rides and attractions, catering to adrenaline junkies and thrill-seekers. The Jumeirah Sceirah is one of the park's most iconic attractions, featuring two tandem slides where riders experience an exhilarating drop at speeds of up to 80 km/h. The waterpark is also known for its unique water roller coasters called "Master Blasters," where riders can navigate through gravity-defying twists and turns.

The Big Red Sand Dune is a dune located 50 kms from Dubai city and offers the perfect opportunity to try some exciting sand sports like sandboarding and Quad Biking. The place is a natural 300-feet high sand dune and is a little secret known by many adventure enthusiasts in Dubai.

Located in City Center Mirdif, with its mega-attraction, Indoor Skydiving, iFly Dubai is a must-visit in Dubai for adventure sports lovers. This ultimate adrenaline booster is the perfect start for beginners, safe for children and thrilling for adults, iFly Dubai helps people understand skydiving with practical lessons and VR-based double skydiving simulators. Besides skydiving, iFly has other activities for tourists, including bungee jumping, base jumping, free fall, VR tales, etc.

The Dubai Frame is the world's largest frame structure inspired by the logo of the World Expo 2020, located in Zabeel Park. The major highlights are the galleries holding audiovisual representations and projections ranging right from the city's origin to the future scape and the glass bridge walkway. From Deira’s Old Town to the Dubai Marina, one can witness a panoramic view of old and new Dubai through the frame.

Not just a beachgoers hub, but a regular spot for watersports enthusiasts, Kite Beach, is the newest beach in Dubai to have a lasting impression on visitors. Wakeboarding, kitesurfing and paddleboarding are a few things that visitors try out when visiting Kite Beach. One can try their hand at volleyball too with the net set upright on the beach.

The Museum of the Future, located in Dubai's Financial District, bridges the gap between the present and the future by blending technology and traditional art forms. It is split into three zones: the green hill, the building, and the void. By bringing researchers, ecologists, financers and environmentalists under its umbrella, the museum aims to create solutions to the possible problems that cities might face in the coming years. 

Feel the immense power underneath your feet in what’s quickly becoming the world’s hottest new water sport: flyboarding! With high-speed jets, rise to the air and strike your iconic poses with Dubai’s famous buildings as your backdrop. Understand the basics from professional instructors, then before you know it, you’re diving and jumping like dolphins — alongside the city’s glorious skyline.

Bollywood Parks Dubai is the ‘first theme park dedicated to the B-town’ in the world! A part of Dubai Parks and Resorts, it is the perfect location to learn and experience what goes into making a Bollywood film and how the Indian movie industry works. Visitors can visit various remakes of famous Bollywood movie sets like Lagaan, have a 4D movie experience to the movie Krish, the Cinema Circle for dance workshops and more.

The Dubai Mall, also known as the home of the Dubai shopping festival, is one of the world's largest shopping malls, with an area of over 500,000 square meters! With more than 1200 stores, a large walk-through aquarium, a world-class ice rink, 14,000 parking spaces and more exciting experiences for shoppers.

Famous for its amazing quality and variety of herbs, spices and flavours, Dubai Spice Souks, also known as Old Souk, is all you need to visit for a visual as well as for a taste treat. The air is filled with a unique blend of smells and aromas. Situated in Deira, visitors can find other products like unique Arabian rugs and lanterns, dried fruits and traditional UAE clothing as well. It is the perfect place in Dubai for souvenir shopping.

The Lost Chambers Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the United Arab Emirates which is located in a five-star luxury hotel Atlantis, The Palm. This aquarium is designed to the theme of the Lost City of Atlantis. With over 65,000 marine creatures from the depth of the Arabian Sea, UAE's largest aquarium is a must-visit for people of all ages, especially families with younger children.