Sunset Dinner Cruise Dubai Marina

Things to Do in Dubai Marina During Your Trip - Attractions & Activities

By Lindsay Eagan

Dubai is a stunning city full of juxtapositions and surprises, in a nation firmly rooted in tradition and Middle Eastern history that has not only incorporated but embraced modernity and innovation.

From the classical courtyards and wooden dhow boats of Dubai Creek's historic district to the gilded boulevards and shining Burj Khalifa of Downtown Dubai, to the aqua blue waters of Palm Jumeirah. The Emirate is a pearl in the desert, offering a host of activities and attractions to entice visitors of all ages.

Travel further into the city, to the thriving pulse of Dubai Marina, one of the Emirate's newer residential and entertainment districts and you'll discover even more fun on your vacation. This picturesque neighborhood is the perfect combination of both beach and cosmopolitan vibes, build on man-made canals and situated on the coast of the Arabian Gulf. Here you'll find shiny modern high-rise luxury apartment blocks, five-star beach resorts, dozens of restaurants, local and international boutiques and shops, and a multitude of running and walking paths for your enjoyment.

If you’re looking for things to do in Dubai Marina during your trip, check out our list of the best local activities and attractions, including...

  • Speedboat Sightseeing Tour
  • Sunset Dinner Cruise at Dubai Marina
  • The Walk and The Beach at JBR
  • Zero Gravity Beach Club
  • Ski Dubai at Mall of the Emirates
  • and more...

Speedboat Sightseeing Tour

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There is no better way to explore the area around Dubai Marina than with a speedboat sightseeing tour by Xclusive Yachts. Your 90-minute action-packed tour will take you on a journey from the Burj Al Arab to the Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis The Palm, to the royal palace, giving you excellent views of the rising tower blocks and the distinct skyline of Dubai Marina.

Along the cruise, admire the grand international yachts moored in Dubai Marina and enjoy expert commentary from your experienced tour guide, who will tell you all about the sites and landmarks you pass by on your cruise. Finally, be sure to snap those gorgeous cruise photographs -- Instagram-worthy without the filters.

Getting In: Speed Boat Sightseeing Tour tickets are included with the Go Dubai pass.

Sunset Dinner Cruise at Dubai Marina

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A wonderful way to spend your evening in Dubai Marina is with a sunset dinner cruise with Xclusive Yachts. You'll be treated like royalty on board this two-hour luxury dinner cruise. Enjoy a catered buffet from the Address Hotel (a premier luxury hotel in Dubai Marina) featuring live pasta stations, international choices, and a dessert bar along with unlimited soft drinks, water, coffee, and tea.

Relax in the comfort of the boat's air-conditioned lower deck or open-air upper deck as you take in spectacular nighttime views of the Dubai Marina landscape. This cruise is an excellent romantic excursion, or a fun opportunity to spend time with family in a peaceful setting. Plus, it's a nice chance to enjoy authentic Arabic and Levantine cuisine.

Getting In: Dubai Marina Sunset Dinner Cruise tickets are included with the Go Dubai pass. If you'd rather watch the sunset before dinner on dry land, try out the Sunset Sensation Tour with drinks included on the Go Dubai pass.

The Walk and The Beach at JBR

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After you've scoped out the sites of the Marina from the sea, give them a closer look from the ground as you stroll down the famous Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) Walk. You're certain to find something to delight in any of The Walk's numerous shops or restaurants, from local flavors and shisha terraces to international brands and outlets that line this busy boulevard.

Towards the end of The Walk you'll find The Beach. This newly built entertainment, shopping, and dining complex is situated right on the Arabian Gulf with breathtaking views of the clear turquoise blue waters from its al fresco restaurant terraces. The Beach is a perfect combination of urban development with coastal flair. You can shop to your heart's content or choose from Turkish, Thai, Indian, Italian, British, French, and American cuisines.

If you're looking for something more outdoorsy, head down to the attached public beach to take full advantage of Dubai's sunny days with a lounge under a private umbrella, sail the coast in a banana boat, or take a splash in the giant ocean water playground.

Getting In: Public access to The Walk and The Beach at JBR is free.

Zero Gravity Beach Club

Your visit to Dubai Marina should also include a stop at Zero Gravity Beach Club. This massive beach club and entertainment compound is one of the area's hottest attractions. By day Zero Gravity is a place of enjoyment and relaxation, where you can lounge under a beach umbrella or take a dip in the club's glass-walled infinity pool. You won't go hungry with an on-site restaurant and bars.

As the launch site for skydivers taking the plunge at SkyDive Dubai you can watch parachutists come in over the beach from your more comfortable perch. When day turns to night the club plays host to some of the best live music and top international acts performing in the city.

Getting In: Admission to Zero Gravity Beach Club is separately ticketed and is not included with the Go Dubai pass.

Ski Dubai at Mall of the Emirates (located near Dubai Marina)

Located a short distance from Dubai Marina, is one of Dubai's original megamalls, Mall of the Emirates. The mall of the Emirates is home to hundreds of shops, from Prada and Topshop to the Emirate's very first Apple store, along with a state-of-the-art 4D mega movie theater multiplex, and the Middle East's first indoor ski resort: Ski Dubai.

Ski Dubai is an awe-inspiring 3,000-square-foot winter wonderland (filled with real snow!) for all ages to enjoy. Whether you're speeding down the twin-track bobsled track or the world's first indoor black diamond run, or rolling down the hills on a giant padded snowball, you'll find something to indulge your inner thrill-seeker.

If you'd rather take it easy, head to the snow cavern -- filled with interactive exhibits and games, this is a nice alternative to skiing and is good for those with mobility concerns. For a great view, take a ride up the chairlift for a sweeping view of the freshly dropped snow. Finally, don't miss out on the daily march of the Ski Dubai penguins, as the resort's most famous inhabitants come out for a strut.

Getting In: Ski Dubai - Snow Classic tickets and Ski Dubai Ski Slope tickets are included with the Go Dubai pass.

Remember to Save on Dubai Marina Attraction Admission

There you go - a few great recommendations for things to do in Dubai Marina during your trip. Admission to a number of these top Dubai attractions and activities are included on the Go Dubai pass. Choose as you go from dozens of top attractions and save on combined admission vs paying at the gate. See all available passes, attractions & prices – Learn more.

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Souvenir stall Dubai
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The best Dubai souvenirs to buy on your next trip

The word souvenir comes from the French for ‘memory’. Find the right souvenir and the memories of your trip to Dubai will live on long after you’ve returned home. What you pick will largely depend on your travels and experiences, but in case you’re struggling for ideas, we’ve put together a selection of the best Dubai souvenirs right here! Finding the best souvenirs in Dubai with Go City There’s no better souvenir than the memories which come with the experience of gazing out across Dubai from the At The Top observation decks of the tallest building in the world or taking a stand-up paddleboard lesson and tour through the waters of the Palm Jumeirah. However, many of us want to remember our trips abroad with a physical memento. The best Dubai souvenirs certainly won’t disappoint, so make sure you leave time to stop by the souks and malls in between using Go City to obtain significant reductions on admission to many of Dubai’s top attractions. So grab a Dubai pass and save while you sightsee!
Ian Packham
A woman tries sandboarding down a Dubai desert dune
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Outdoor activities in Dubai you have to try

With temperatures during its coldest months still hitting lows of 16°C and daily highs of 24°C, Dubai has been attracting those seeking out winter warmth for years. And though images of this constituent part of the United Arab Emirates tend to focus on its modern architecture and air-conditioned malls, there are few limits to getting out and about into the fresh air and sunny skies. Let’s take a look at the outdoor activities in Dubai you won’t want to miss! Desert safaris A dream world of lofty dunes and wandering antelope, Dubai is one of the easiest places in the world to get out into the desert. Just a short drive will have you waving goodbye to the towers of downtown and gazing in wonder at expansive desert panoramas. Don’t worry about having no off-road skills though, there are plenty of guided desert safaris to choose between, combining the experience of capping the dunes in a 4x4 with some time on the back of a camel or sitting around the open fire of a Bedouin camp come evening. If you’re a morning person, you can swap the sunset for the sunrise, with hot air balloons drifting across this ethereal landscape as oryx and gazelles feel the first warmth of the new day. Sailing adventures Before the advent of international air travel, it was the seas and waterways around Dubai that were its lifeblood. Signs of its significance aren’t hard to find, from the design of the Burj Al Arab to the stumpy hand-carved trading vessels called dhow which still dock at wharves within Dubai Creek. Smaller abra remain a popular alternative to the metro system for transporting people between one side of the creek and the other. However, to fully discover the sparkling waters head out on an organized sightseeing tour of the creek or Dubai Marina. Green spaces Dubai may not be known for its parks, but know where to look and you’ll find small pockets perfectly suited for getting away from it all. When it was first inaugurated, Safa Park was on the outskirts of the city. Today its palms and public boating lake are at the heart of it all, with views facing back towards downtown and the Burj Khalifa. Facing downtown from the opposite direction is Zabeel Park, whose grasses also include Dubai Frame. Another alternative is Creek Park, whose length of almost three kilometers is covered in flowers and liberally sprinkled with benches. Amusement parks Straddling multiple past times, Global Village is part funfair and part market, sharing the traditions of 78 different cultures across 26 pavilions. Whilst the replicas of the leaning tower of Pisa and London’s Big Ben are impressive enough, many visitors come for the food alone, since there’s around 200 different stalls in all – a similar number to the dining options at Dubai Mall. For splashing around there’s a couple of great options, with La Mer’s Laguna Waterpark and Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis The Palm leading the way. At Laguna cabanas overlooking the Persian Gulf make it as easy to relax as it is to get the heart pumping with its Free Fall plunge and surf machine. Meanwhile Aquaventure mixes lazy river rides with the twisted slides of aquaconda and over 100 other water-based activities for all the family. Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing Take to the open top deck of a Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus and let the most instaworthy of Dubai sights come to you without having to move from your seat. Stay onboard for the entire route and you’ll get two hours of commentary on attractions including Deira’s Gold Souk and downtown’s Burj Khalifa. Of course, there’s no better way to experience them than by seeing them for yourself. This is actually what a one day ticket allows you to do without having to pay any more to rejoin a later bus. Win-win. Beaches Beaches line Dubai’s coastline and are universally well-kept stretches of sand. Hitting their busiest on the weekends and during holiday periods (which does not include Christmas), they are also relatively popular on warmer evenings. Sundown at The Palm Jumeirah’s Palm West Beach is a particular favorite, since it gives visitors views of the setting sun. Its promenade’s 300 palms are lit up not long after, creating an attractive place for an evening stroll. At other times of day the beach hums with the sound of jet ski engines and speedboats towing inflatables, with wakeboards, efoils and flyboards all available too. Heritage village Created in 1997 but harking back to the time of Dubai’s earliest settlers, Al Shindagha district’s Heritage Village seeks to keep the emirate’s culture and tradition alive for future generations. It provides a space for visitors to explore traditional ways of life in the mountains, on the coast and in Dubai’s desert regions. A living museum, craftspeople such as potters and weavers sit within historic structures, whilst there’s also a functioning fishing village using age-old techniques to haul in the daily catch. Diving A much more modern approach to interacting with the region’s fish stocks is by snorkeling and scuba diving. Dubai itself is short of major dive sites, with Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo one of its top locations. On the plus side, Fujairah – another of the United Arab Emirates – has a number of sites and can be reached by road from Dubai in a couple of hours without having to worry about any passport formalities. Situated on the Gulf of Oman, Fujairah has both natural and artificial coral reefs, with most tours taking divers to Dibba Rock, Martini Rock, Snoopy Island or Inchcape, where species including green turtles, black-tipped reef sharks and clownfish can be encountered. Enjoy the best outdoor activities in Dubai with Go City You don’t have to look too far to find fun in the sun on a trip to Dubai. Nor does it take much searching to find ways of receiving significant savings on admission to many of its top outdoor attractions, since Go City does just that! So whether it’s desert safaris, the amusement parks or diving opportunities, don’t miss your chance to enjoy the outdoor activities in Dubai you just have to try.
Ian Packham
A woman points to the opposite side of Dubai Creek
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The best neighborhoods in Dubai to explore

Often thought of as one seamless city of towering modern skyscrapers, Dubai is actually made up of a series of distinct neighborhoods. Each offers visitors something different, from historic mansions to what’s possibly the world’s most famous building – the Burj Khalifa. But which are the best neighborhoods in Dubai to explore? Where should you spend your time – downtown, Bur Dubai, d3 or somewhere else completely? A lot will depend on your interests, with this guide designed to help you decide. Downtown Dubai – the one not to miss It may be the neighborhood in Dubai not to miss, but you probably couldn’t even if you wanted to. At its center lies the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. A structure three times taller than the Eiffel Tower, it’s visible from 95 kilometers away. The emirate’s pride and joy, the Burj’s 124th and 125th floors contain the At The Top observation decks, standing more than 450 meters above the ground and providing unparalleled vistas through floor to ceiling windows. Return to ground level to take in Burj Lake at its best. Created by the same team behind the Bellagio’s fountains in Las Vegas, its jets dance to a jukebox’s worth of international hits every half an hour from 6PM, featuring stars including opera tenor Andrea Bocelli and king of pop Michael Jackson. Right next door is Dubai Mall, which continues the record-breaking theme of downtown by being the world’s largest. Take your pick of more than 1000 stores and 200 places to eat and drink before delving to the bottom of the Earth’s oceans at Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Al Barsha – little known but with a huge personality Alongside Barsha Heights, Al Barsha doesn’t trip off the tongue like Dubai Marina or downtown, partly because a lot of it forms quiet low-rise residential dwellings. However, within its bounds you’ll find the Mall of the Emirates. Like Dubai Mall, it’s more than just a place to shop till you drop, being the home of the penguins and snow runs of Ski Dubai, totaling more than 22,000 square meters of indoor snow field in one of the hottest places on Earth. At the southern end of the Al Barsha neighborhood lies another climatic surprise, fittingly called the Miracle Garden. Rather less naturalistic than the other great botanic gardens of the world – there’s a giant topiary form of Mickey Mouse amongst other attractions – it still manages to elicit wows from most of its visitors, since there’s 250 million different plants to see, smell and touch. The same complex contains multiple climate-controlled domes forming an ideal habitat for around 15,000 butterflies belonging to 50 different regional and international species. Though thrilling in their own way, the need for an adrenaline rush can be met at IMG Worlds of Adventure theme park a short distance away. Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis The Palm does the same with H2O being the overarching theme – swimwear is the order of the day. Dubai Marina – the best neighborhood in Dubai for nightlife & beaches Water is never far from the center of the action in Dubai, and nowhere epitomizes this better than Dubai Marina. A complex of cafés, stores and high-end apartment buildings edging a completely man made waterway, this traffic-free neighborhood is a good place to relax at any time of day. However, it really comes to life in the evening hours, when expatriate workers returning home take advantage of Dubai’s weather to enjoy a drink or two on an open terrace. One way to enjoy the marina from afar is to drift skyward in one of the plush gondolas of Ain Dubai Ferris wheel. Not to be outdone by the attractions in the other neighborhoods in Dubai, Ain Dubai towers over its international cousins, reaching a maximum height of 250 meters – equivalent to the height of a 75 story building. The wheel is best admired from the Marina’s beaches, facing out into the Persian Gulf. Waterside markets provide further purchase opportunities, whilst the shallows ring with the sound of children having the time of their lives. Cabanas and a range of water sports seal the deal for adults. Bur Dubai – for a sense of old Dubai Is Bur Dubai the coolest neighborhood in Dubai? That’s up to you to decide. Is it one of the best neighborhoods in Dubai to visit to experience its history and culture? There’s nowhere better. Disappearing into residential properties towards its southern end, focus your attention on its northern portions, bounded by Dubai Creek. Stroll along the attractive waterfront at any time of day to disappear back two centuries, or better yet, take to the waters of the creek by kayak to enjoy the sunset in the most evocative part of the city. But to take in one of Bur Dubai’s most important structures, Dubai Museum, you’ll have to stay on dry land. The museum is important not only for its collection of ethnographic objects but also because it occupies Dubai’s oldest building – the Al Fahidi Fort, built in 1787. Not far away a series of historic mansions have also been brought back to their former glory, with several converted into additional museums and public spaces. d3 – Dubai’s design district Tucked into a once unloved semi-industrial area of Dubai enclosed by some of the emirate’s busiest roads, d3 still has the feel of a local secret. The purpose-built home of all manner of independent creatives, its streets are dotted with works of public art and its buildings are crowded with stores, design houses and pop-up exhibitions. This makes d3 a neighborhood in Dubai to escape the hustle and bustle without having to give up those things that make Dubai so special and life worth living, from lazy cups of coffee to November’s Dubai Design Week. Discover Dubai’s neighborhoods with Go City Look beyond the Burj Khalifa and you’ll find neighborhoods in Dubai which tick every box going. It doesn’t matter whether you’re into amusement parks or beaches, history or design, Dubai has a neighborhood worth exploring. Travel with Go City and you can do this whilst saving huge amounts on admission to many of Dubai’s best-loved attractions – including the observation decks of the Burj Khalifa!
Ian Packham

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