Let's get together: The best group activities to try in Dubai

The more the merrier…

Dining out with your mates in Dubai is fun and all, but there’s so much more to try than just eating at a cool restaurant. Below you will find some of the best group activities to try paintballing, go-karting, karaoke, pub quizzes and more.

From the thrilling to the quirky, these group activities prove why some things are just better shared…

Crack on some indoor fun

Number of people: 1+

GLITCH in Al Ghurair Centre spans 40,000 square feet of pure fun and is the perfect place to stay active during the summer months. With more than 30 action-packed attractions, including an indoor roller glider, there is never a dull moment here. Challenge your friends to a rock-climbing race, take on the obstacle course and face off in a variety of arcade games, including bowling, foosball, air hockey and more.

GLITCH Arabia, Al Ghurair Centre, Deira, open 10am to 10pm Sun to Thurs and 10am to 12am Fri and Sat, Dhs39 for the Discovery Pass, Dhs49 for the Explorer Pass, @glitcharabia

Bounce away

Number of people: 10+

This trampoline park is a one-of-a-kind indoor activity where you can let your spirit free and freestyle away. It’s called the home of freestyle, quite literally, and a game of the trampoline is lava would not work here, because it’s trampolines galore. There are also airbags and adventure challenges to create a fun, playground environment. Group sessions are available to book or if you can splurge, you can even book out the entire venue.

Book here. 

Bounce, various locations across the UAE, starts from Dhs150 for an all-day pass, bounce.ae 

Battle of the lasers

Number of people: Maximum 10

For the really competitive cookies out there, Laserdome at the Dubai Autodrome is the place to be. You can take your friends head-on in an exhilarating, high-stakes (just for the vibes) game of laser tag and see who comes out of top. The 400 square metre arena is designed as a medieval dungeon maze with glowing lights and artificial fog, so the game is indeed on. Priced at Dhs65 for a 15-minute session.

Book here. 

Laserdome, Dubai Autodrome, Tel: (04) 367 8700, dubaiautodrome.ae

Take a swing

Number of people: Maximum 6

Topgolf Dubai is the ultimate destination to kick back with your friends, dine and relax while also having some challenging fun. Whether you’re a pro golfer or a bambi-esque beginner, you’re sure to have a good time. Bays can be rented out on an hourly basis with unlimited shots. The venue also offers lessons in golfing, if you’re looking to seriously take up the sport. Starts at Dhs140 per hour per bay.

Book here. 

Topgolf Dubai, Emirates Golf Club, Tel: (04) 371 9999, topgolfdubai.ae 

Wake up and board

Number of people: Maximum 5

Early risers can take full advantage of the glassy waters by Dubai Marina and get a lesson in wakeboarding from the team at Sea Riders. They’ll take you out by The Palm and crank up the Bob Marley tunes while you take it in turns to cross the wake behind a Master Craft wakeboard boat.

Book here. 

Marina Mall, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily 6am to 6pm, starts at Dhs600 per hour. Tel: (0) 52 840 3587, searidersuae.com

Smash smash baby

Number of people: 20+

Group therapy? Perhaps… Smash Room invites you to unload that heavy stress with your pals, offering a variety of discounts depending on the size of the group. Electronics, glass items and guitars – you can pick your target for the day and let out those emotions. It’s a safe space for you and your friends to get rid of any frustrations.

Book here. 

The Smash Room, Umm Suqeim Street, Al Quoz Industrial 4, prices start from Dhs69. Tel: (0)58 198 2323. thesmashroom.com

Get artsy

Number of people: Varies

Located in Al Quoz, Wild Paint House has transformed an industrial warehouse into a home for creativity, where you can graffiti the walls, unleash your creativity on a spinning blank canvas or make a UV masterpiece. There are six activities to get involved in: splat, spin, swing, pour, neon and graffiti. Prices start from Dhs160, with the experiences available to book individually, or group together for an afternoon of artistic exploration. All are designed as fun-filled, expressive ways to play with paint.

Book here. 

Wild Paint Studio, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1, 2pm to 8pm Weds to Fri, 10am to 10pm Sat and Sun, prices from Dhs160. Tel: (0)56 145 9689, wildpainthouse.com

Get spooked

Number of people: Maximum 6

We would like to preface this by saying that after visiting this attraction you may end up peeking behind the shower curtain every time you enter the washroom in deep paranoia – don’t come at us. Hysteria, located in Dubai Mall, is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but if you’re up to the scares, it’s good fun. Priced at Dhs105 and visitors under 16 are recommended not to enter. We shall pray for your vocal cords.

Book here. 

Hysteria Haunted Attraction, The Dubai Mall, Tel: (0) 52 223 0966, hysteria.ae 

Indulge in some boardgame fun

Number of people: Unlimited

Located in the heart of Circle Mall JVC, all game fanatics can get involved in over 1,000 board games, puzzles and mandalas, costing only Dhs40 for unlimited usage. Guests won’t get hungry or parched, with an extensive menu of salads, burgers, pizzas, snacks, sharing platters, smoothies, milkshakes and of course – coffee.

Dice Board Game Cafe, Circle Mall, Jumeirah Village, Dubai, Mon to Thur 10am to 10pm, Fri and Sat 10am to 12am, Tel: (0)4 582 0108, dice-cafe.com

Crack a puzzle house

Number of people: Maximum 6

Think your pals are a smart bunch? Put them to the ultimate test at Escape Quest. This JLT venue sees punters locked in rooms, stripped of their bags and phones and given an hour to solve puzzles, crack codes and find keys. For a list of all the escape rooms in Dubai, head here.

NoWayOut Escape Rooms, HDS Business Centre, Cluster M, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, Dhs145 per person. Tel: (055) 876 2465, nowayout.ae

Sing at a karaoke bar

Number of people: Maximum 20

Sometimes you just want to belt out Bon Jovi hits at the top of your lungs with your mates, and at this Tecom spot you can do just that by renting out a karaoke room. It’s a great choice for night owls.

Kung Korean Restaurant, Byblos Hotel, Tecom, Dubai, 10.30am to 1am, Tel: (04) 432 7966, bybloshoteldubai.com

Live out your Formula 1 dreams 

Number of people: Maximum 5

Dubai Autodrome’s kartdrome offers a fleet of leisure karts that deliver an excellent racing experience. The venue has both indoor and outdoor karting areas. The 1.2km international standard circuit features no less than 17 corners, plus a bridge and tunnel to add to the excitement.

Book here. 

Dubai Autodrome, Dubai Motor City, Dubai, Tel: (04) 367 8700, dubaiautodrome.ae 

Let’s get quizzical

Number of people: 1+

The cool quiz on the block features five rounds of ten questions. Categories include current affairs, entertainment, sports and a general knowledge ‘boffins’ round with a bit of music and mystery thrown in.

The Huddle, Al Barsha and Bur Dubai, Dubai, Tues and Wed 8.30pm, (0) 50 100 7065, @thehuddleuae

Get bowled over

Number of people: Maximum 5 per lane

One of the biggest in the land, you’ll find 16 lanes here and plenty of serious strike-seekers, with tournaments, leagues and competitions running regularly. Want some more bowling centre options? Head here.

Dubai Bowling Centre, Al Quoz 1, Al Meydan, Dubai, Fri to Sat 10am to 1am, Sun to Thu 10am to 12pm, Tel: (04) 339 1010, bowlingdubai.com

Get hands on with ceramics

Number of people: 1+

Limba is your one stop shop for getting hands on with your gang and coming away with a cute keepsake. The studio provides you with a plain ceramic, and you have a few designs to choose from. Get artsy and paint away while you sip on the their drinks .

Limba Ceramics Cafe, Mirdif Avenue Mall, Sun to Thurs, 10am to 8pm, Fri to Sat, 9am to 8pm, Tel: (0) 50 120 9005, @limbaceramics

Arcade slay

Number of people: 1+

777 is the ultimate adult playground. The new bar, arcade and entertainment venue is sure to be the perfect new bar in Dubai that will keep you busy beyond a drink at the counter. We’re talking bowling, arcade games, skeeball, and shooting hoops.

Triple 7, Radisson Blu Canal View, Business Bay. Strictly 21+ 777dxb.com @triple7dubai

Skate away

Number of people: 1+

RollDXB is a sweet vintage dream, with the discotheque music, the massive flashing disco ball and the colourful graffiti everywhere. You can gather up your gang and occupy the rink for a rollerskating session. Doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out or you’re already professional – we can help each other out.

RollDXB, Marina Cubes, Port Rashid, Fri to Tues, 11am to 11pm, @rolldxb

Challenge each other with lasers

Number of people: 1+

Adventure has a new name in the UAE, or a new surname at least… We present to you, Adventure Island. Now open at Bahar Plaza on the JBR, and with phasers firmly set to stun, Adventure Island contains a pair of box-fresh Dubai attractions in Laser Island and Pixel. It’s basically a version of laser tag, set between neon paint and black light – and cast across an intersecting network of nooks and camp-friendly crannies. Pixel is ‘the floor is lava’ IRL, with the feel of an upgraded immersive 4D version of Nokia’s classic Snake.

Adventure Island, Bahar Plaza Level 1, JBR, Mon to Thu midday to 10pm, Fri to Sun, midday to midnight. adventureisland.ae

Go Mario Karting IRL

Number of people: 1+

Chaos Karts, now open in an old warehouse opposite Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz, is an on-track racing concept that looks and feels very much like Mario Kart IRL. It features industry-leading projection technology to fuse the worlds of go-karting and augmented reality to create a real-life video game that goes beyond 4D and 4K. Go-karting is all the rage, but when the sun is raging down, doing it outdoors might be  bit tough. Enter: this indoor track where you can have double the fun.

Al Quoz, next to Al Serkal Avenue, Mon to Wed and Sun 10 am to 10 pm, Fri to Sat 10am to midnight, from Dhs179. chaoskarts.ae

Take over an adult playground

Number of people: 1+

This entertainment bar is more than just an arcade – some intense sports such as axe throwing, darts, beer pong – the works. Boom Battle Bar is for all those fun-lovers who want to do something a little different from the usual arcade games. This is the first international outpost of the much-loved entertainment bar. All this fun with delicious cocktails at hand and you can challenge your mates for a test of the friendship. This is a big kid’s dream.

Boom Battle Bar Dubai, DoubleTree by Hilton JBR, The Walk, open Sun to Thu 4pm to 1am and Fri and Sat 4pm to 2am. @boom.dxb

Take a cake decorating class

Number of people: 1+

This cute artisanal bakehouse space in Al Quoz is the perfect place for a wholesome, sweet (quite literally) date, where you can learn how to decorate cakes together and spend some quiet, one-on-one time. There’s a bunch of workshops happening at regular intervals.

Rise Bakehouse, Al Quoz, Mon to Sat, 9am to 6pm, Tel: (0) 58 574 7324, @rise.bakehouse 

Take on an escape room challenge

Number of people: 2-7 players

Band together and try to crack these escape room games at Game Over. Now open in Nakheel Mall, 12 escape rooms, 11 virtual-escape games and a board game café with over 50 options to choose from. There’s a bunch of genres to choose from, be it adventure, mystery, horror, fantasy and more. It’s the ultimate bonding activity.

Game Over, Nakheel Mall, Palm Jumeirah, Sun to Thurs, 10am to 10.30pm, Fri and Sat, 10am to 12am, Dhs140, Tel: (0) 4 577 3289, @game_over_dubai

Go scuba diving

Number of people: +1

This is a bucket list activity and you can do it with your best mates. Deep Dive Dubai has the worlds largest indoor pool for diving, with the terrifying depth of 6o metres. Of course, if you’re an experienced diver with a license you can go all the way and explore, but if you’re beginner or looking to get into diving, the expert instructors will guide you through the whole process.

Deep Dive Dubai, NAS Sports Complex, Dubai, daily, 9am to 6pm, Tel: (0) 4 501 9444, @deepdivedubai

Go loco at Loco Bear

Number of people: +1

If you’re looking for an indoor supersized, super-fun entertainment venue that is ideal for everybody in the family, allow us to introduce you to Loco Bear. The brand new Al Quoz outpost is complete with *inhales deeply* laser-tag, rock-climbing, VR experiences, bowling, shuffleboard, obstacle courses, a trampoline park, soft play, slides, arcade games, and so much more, there are two floors of cafes, popcorn and ice cream stalls, a slime room with a glow in the dark slime area – do we need to carry on? The best part it, prices will start from Dhs10.

Loco Bear, Al Quoz 2, in soft opening. @locobear.dxb

Make pasta from scratch at Sagra Italian Pastifico

Number of people: +1

More than just a cute new pasta restaurant that has opened its doors in Dubai, the space is first and foremost designed for pasta making workshops. The workshop is two hours long and will helo you learn how to make delicious fresh pasta all on your own. The class is split into three, learn about the history and traditions of pasta, then get hands on and make your own pasta dough and styles. Lastly the most important part – tasting the homemade pasta.

Sagra Italian Pastifico, Road 3, Jumeirah, Dhs250 per person sagrairalianpastifico.com

Sail away

Number of people: +1

If you want to learn an exciting new hobby with friends or make the most of the stunning Arabian Gulf from a unique perspective, then Wind Rises’ sailing experience is a great place to start. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or dipping your toes into the world of sailing for the first time, this experience promises thrills, stunning views, and a whole lot of joy.

Wind Rises, Port Rashid, Dubai. Weekdays from Dhs200 per person, weekends from Dhs380 per person. From Dhs1,020 for full boat. Tel:(0) 58 106 50 26. @windrisesdubai

The Quiz Room

Number of people: +4

The Quiz Room concept draws from the trivia style experience, where you can participate with friends, family and colleagues and go head to head for laughs. All you have to do is form a team, grab a podium and press the buzzer to answer the questions, just like you would in a real game show.

The Quiz Room, @quiz_room_ae

Images: Social and supplied