Top outdoor attractions to visit in Dubai before summer hits
Consider this your early warning…
Dubai is starting to get warmer. And before you know it, the 45-degree weather will be back. While some of the top attractions in Dubai remain open year-round, the outdoor ones will shut their doors and will only re-open once the peak of summer has passed – usually around September or October.
So, if you’ve been planning that outdoor attraction visit and haven’t yet gotten around to it, this is your last call.
Dubai Miracle Garden
Dubai’s most floral space closes its doors over the summer for two reasons. The boiling temperatures are one main reason, but it also closes as the park prepares and plans for its next season. If it’s been a year or two since you’ve visited, the attraction has expanded the Smurf’s Village and has added in floral tunnels and lighting attractions. Once the summer has passed and the cooler weather has once again settled onto the city, the gates will reopen at Dubai Miracle Garden – usually at the start of the last quarter of the year. If you’re heading online to book tickets, currently the last date you can book is June 15, 2025 (but stay tuned, as this may change.)
Dubai Miracle Garden, Al Barsha South 3, Dubailand, Tel: (04) 422 8902. dubaimiraclegarden.com
Global Village UAE
This month, we will all have to bid farewell once again to Global Village. The popular attraction receives millions of visitors every year who walk through their doors to enjoy the park’s vibrant atmosphere, shows, food stalls, and unique shopping opportunities. Before you go, find out more about what’s new here and purchase your tickets here. At the moment, Global Village UAE is scheduled to close on May 11, 2025, but they have extended their closing dates in the past – but we will have to wait for the announcement. Stay tuned.
Global Village UAE, Dubailand, Dubai, ticket prices from Dhs25. globalvillage.ae
Hatta Wadi Hub
Hatta is one of those spots you just have to visit before summer arrives to really soak in its beauty without breaking out in a sweat. However, if you’re doing the long(ish) drive down for Hatta Wadi Hub, take note as the adventure hub closes on May 15. ‘What’s at Hatta Wadi Hub?’, you ask? It’s a spot that will heal every adventure seeker’s soul. There’s archery, the net walkway, the mountain biking trails, a zorbing track, horse rides, and so much more.
Dubai Safari Park
Dubai Safari Park is home to about 3,000 animals. At the park, you will find tigers, gibbons moon bears, lions, elephants, giraffes, camels, Arabian onyx, Arabian wolves, mountain gazelles and much more. When mercury levels rise, the park closes its doors to protect the health of the animals (and visitors, of course). This season, at the moment you can only book tickets until June 1, 2025. Purchase tickets here.
Dubai Safari Park, Al Warqa, Hatta Road, Dubai, dubaisafari.ae
Ripe Market
Everyone’s favourite outdoor market for all things vintage, small business, artisanal, homegrown, and gourmet shuts down in the summer (for obvious reasons). Ripe Market is a weekend affair, pitching tents in the Police Academy Park on Saturdays and Sundays with pop-up stalls, food vendors, classes and workshops, entertainment, and loads more to see and do. It’s the go-to spot if you’re looking to support local, stock up on fresh foods and produce, or just chill. It’s a fun day out with your family and friends and definitely different from the typical mall crawling we must resort to come summer. The last weekend to check it out is Saturday, May 10 and 11.
The Ripe Market, Academy Park, Al Sufouh, Tel: (0)4 315 7000. @ripemarket
Check these out, too…
While the below outdoor attractions don’t close as such over summer, they are definitely more enjoyable when it is cooler. So, schedule in some time to use the last few weeks of winter to enjoy them…
Love Lakes
Perhaps the most well-known man-made lakes in Dubai, the interlocking hearts of the love lakes have garnered plenty of interest and visitors since it was first revealed a few years ago. The Love Lakes can be found in Al Qudra Oasis and are best seen from an aerial view. On land, you can enjoy a walk here or take in the sunset, and possibly even do a picnic – just don’t leave a mess behind, okay?
Al Qudra Lake
If you’re looking for the perfect picnic spot, Al Qudra Lake might just be it. These artificial lakes in the heart of Dubai’s desert are best enjoyed in the cooler months when you can camp by the lakefront, take a ride down the Al Qudra Cycling track or enjoy some bites from the food trucks. It’s also a great place to spot native Dubai wildlife in their natural habitat including desert foxes, oryx, and a number of bird species, including some on the endangered list, such as the steppe eagle and the Asian houbara.
Images: Social and supplied
