Dubai Winter Itinerary| 9+ unique things to do in Dubai, UAE, discover winter-exclusive gems now!
Planning to have a winter getaway to Dubai, UAE? And looking for special things to do in Dubai in winter? This article lists 9+ unique things to do in Dubai, UAE during winter that you might not see anywhere else.
First of all, visiting Dubai, UAE during winter is such a perfect timing and decision! Why am I saying it? Due to the hot arid climate in Dubai, UAE, the summer here is very hot, which can go up to 49 Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) sometimes. Whereas in winter, the temperature is usually around 18 to 30 degrees Celsius (64-86 Fahrenheit), which makes it perfect to do outdoor activities, and enjoy following activities in Dubai, UAE.
List of Contents
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 1: Visit Desert Cafes
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 2: Enjoy Dubai Desert Safari Tour
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 3: Enjoy Sun and Free Dubai Beaches
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 4: Go to Aesthetic Dubai Beach Clubs
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 5: Try Roller Coaster Jais Sledder Located at UAE’s Highest Peak
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 6: Visit Global Village
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 7: Visit Cultrual Dubai Souks (markets)
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 8: Visit Dubai Miracle Garden
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 9: Enjoy Water Slides at World’s Largest Waterpark
- Things to Do in Dubai Winter 10: Visit Iconic Landmarks in Dubai
- Things to do in Dubai winter 11: Save Big with Dubai Shopping Festival's Discount Offers
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 1: Visit Desert Cafes
There are quite a few very special cafes in the desert between Dubai and Sharjah.
Why are they called desert cafes? Because, those are in the middle of nowhere, and surrounded by desert and rock mountains. When you go there, you may feel that you are entering outer space, and most of the time there are mainly local Arabic people enjoying their coffee there, not too many tourists going.
What makes it even more special and precious? Desert cafes only open in winter, because in summer it is way too hot for people going there!
These kind of desert cafe are my favourite finds during my life living in Dubai for 11 months. And I highly recommend you to add these desert cafe on your list of things to do in Dubai and check them out too when you travel to Dubai!
Recommend desert cafes to go in Dubai, UAE
Transportation
As there’s no public transportation going to the desert in the UAE, and it is less likely to find a taxi back to the city from the desert, renting a car and driving by yourselves is the easiest way to go. It usually takes about 1 hour 20 mins to reach there, but don’t forget to check what requirements you need to rent one.
If you are not going to drive by yourself, hiring a driver with a car for the whole day is the easiest option to explore the unique Dubai, UAE views. A four-seater car with an experienced, English speaker driver for 8 hrs is the time effective way, and you don’t need to worry if you can get a car back to Dubai city, plus you can also explore other places together based on your own itinerary.
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 2: Enjoy Dubai Desert Safari Tour
Dubai red dunes desert safari is one of the most popular and fun things to do in Dubai, UAE. If this is going to be the first time for you visiting a desert destination or if you haven’t tried sandboarding, dune bashing and want to experience some of Emirates’ culture (falcon, traditional dance etc), I highly recommend you to try this quality Dubai red dunes desert safari tour! My friends and I enjoyed it a lot.
You can check this article for my detailed review or this 15 seconds short video to get an idea of what to expect from the tour.
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 3: Enjoy Sun and Free Dubai Beaches
Dubai, UAE not only has stunning desert views, but also has beaches for people to enjoy the views of crystal clear ocean and water activities.
Here are some free beaches in Dubai & lesser known secluded beaches near Dubai for you to enjoy beach time on your winter getaway vacation to Dubai, UAE.
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 4: Go to Aesthetic Dubai Beach Clubs
There are many beach bars and restaurants available in Dubai, UAE in winter. Most of them belong to high end hotels, and offer aesthetic design, view of beautiful skyline, relaxed vibes, great food and also alcohol( since hotels are with the licence) for you to enjoy a quality warm winter in Dubai, UAE.
Here are some of the amazing, aesthetic beach clubs/restaurants in Dubai, UAE that I love going to, and keep going back. I’d like to recommend it to you too.
Transportation
you can rent a car with a driver for hours/day or take a taxi/Careem car or take metro plus bus and walk to get to those beach bars/restaurants.
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 5: Try Roller Coaster Jais Sledder Located at UAE’s Highest Peak
You’ve seen it right! There is a roller coaster located at UAE’s highest peak Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah, which means you will see the incredible nature views of the mountain on the ride, and might make you think you are probably in Mars or outer space.
Jais Sledder opened in 2022, so is still relatively new for international tourists. Now that you know about it, and if you are an adventurer, I highly highly recommend you to visit and try it out! This is absolutely one of the coolest experiences you can have when travelling to Dubai, UAE in winter.
Transportation
Same as the desert areas in the UAE, it is good if you are going to drive there by yourself which will take about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Dubai, so i’d suggest to maybe stay in Ras Al Khaimah for a night and explore more of RAK if you do it this way.
But if you don’t plan to drive, then, hiring a car with a professional driver is a relaxed, time and cost effective option, and you can do it in one day without feeling tired of driving. Plus, you can also plan your visit more places near Jais Sledder on the same day.
For more information about Jais Sledder (safety and tickets etc), you can check this detailed article and this short video.
More things to do around Jais Sledder
- Take the world’s longest zipline.
- Enjoy Jebel Jais view at 1484 by Puro cafe and restaurant (this place is very popular, so make sure you reserve seats before you go)
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 6: Visit Global Village
Global Village is a cultural themed park, like a mini world, with 25 countries’ iconic landmarks (replicas) and cultures in one place. You will get to experience cultural shows, carnivals, food from diverse countries, and rides. It is one of the most exciting attractions in Dubai that opens only in winter annually, and it’s great for both children and adults.
Entrance ticket:
You can get your ticket in advance here
Transportation
As the Global Village is in Dubai city, you can get a taxi from your hotel or order a Careem taxi (like Uber) via the App. In this way you can take your time enjoying the attraction at your own pace.
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 7: Visit Cultrual Dubai Souks (markets)
One of the unique and cultural things to do in Dubai is to visit souks(markets) with Arabic cultures and aesthetic vibes. The following souks are some of the best and unique ones that I enjoyed going, if you love cultures, and want to see traditional buildings and feel like you are in the Aladdin movie, I recommend you to check them out!
You can also join this guided tour, to visit Al Fahidi Historical District, Al Seef, Dubai Creek, Gold Souk, Spice Souk and museums, and get a deeper understanding of the local history, cultures and experience the traditional boat & local food. The tour operator is a high rated, quality one in Dubai, I’ve joined their tour before, and enjoyed it.
Transportation
These souks you can go by taxi/Careem directly, or take the metro first to the nearest metro station and then take the taxi from there, however it all located at different areas.
If you prefer travelling in Dubai city without moving around by yourself, you can hire a car with a professional driver to take you around easily or join the guided tour.
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 8: Visit Dubai Miracle Garden
Only opens in winter, Dubai Miracle Garden is the world’s largest natural flower garden where you can see approximately 150 million flowers at one place. You will also see an Emirates A380 flight, a huge teddy bear and more icons decorated with colourful flowers, which is perfect for taking aesthetic photos.
Entrance ticket
You can get your skip the line ticket here in advance.
Transportation
You can take the metro to Mall of the Emirates then take the bus 105 to Dubai Miracle Garden, or get a taxi/Careem taxi to go there directly.
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 9: Enjoy Water Slides at World’s Largest Waterpark
Located at the seaside, Dubai Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark is world’s largest waterpark with diverse slides that are perfect for family, kids, and water adventurers. If you love going to themed parks, waterpark, don’t miss this one!
Entrance Ticket
You can easily book your day pass tickets here in advance to get cheaper deal than at the waterpark.
Sometimes here is even cheaper, I suggest you to compare price from both before booking.
Things to Do in Dubai Winter 10: Visit Iconic Landmarks in Dubai
In Dubai city there are various spectacular landmarks and modern architecture worth visiting.
The best of the best one for me is the relatively new one that started welcoming tourists in 2022- Museum of The Future. The oval shape with Arabic calligraphy words design on it is so unique, sophisticated, elegant and beautiful. For me, it is the most unique building in the world. If you are wondering what the UAE image the future will be, you have to go inside the museum and see it. As Museum of the Future is a very popular attraction, make sure you reserve your tickets here before going!
For more Dubai iconic landmarks, you can can join a high rated city tour to visit some of the iconic landmarks in Dubai, or see them from the sea by joining the cruise
Things to do in Dubai winter 11: Save Big with Dubai Shopping Festival's Discount Offers
If you love shopping and happen to visit Dubai in winter, don’t miss the chance to explore the incredible sales offers during the Dubai Shopping Festival. Throughout this event, numerous large malls(Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Marina Mall & more) as well as independent brands provide fantastic deals for shoppers. Dubai also hosts exciting events, light shows, and fireworks displays during this time.
The dates for the 2023-2024 Dubai Shopping Festival are from December 8, 2023, to January 14, 2024. Don’t miss it.
I wish you a great winter holiday in Dubai, UAE! Enjoy!!
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