25 Top Free Things to do in Dubai 2024

 

List of 25 things to do for free in Dubai: The glittering city of Dubai has a lot on offer for an amazing vacation. When you think of what you should do in Dubai as a tourist, the attractions that come to your mind do burn a hole in your pockets. But it doesn’t mean that Dubai is a disappointment for those traveling on a budget. We have some good news for you. You can still have a whale of a time in Dubai for many of its major attractions are free.

Here are 25 things that you can do in Dubai for free- things that make you see the city beyond its glamour and glitz.

Explore Dubai’s Tradition & Culture, it’s Free!

If you know the places where to look, you can soak in the rich Emirati culture in Dubai. The city is a very interesting mix of the old and the new modern world. Yes, as you explore Dubai’s old life, you’ll see glimpses of an era that has been left behind, but not forgotten. Here are a few options for you.

Take a Walk on the Streets of Al Seef

Situated by the Dubai Creek, the Al Seef in Dubai was renovated and given a new lease of life by Meeras. The old meets the new here as you take in the beauty of the creek’s pristine waters. You should keep a tab on the free activities that are a part of the exciting festivals that are held here. Reaching the place is easy as it’s easily accessible by public transport.

• Location: The Dubai Creek’s Al Seef district
• Timings: Saturday to Wednesday, 10 am to 10 pm and Thursdays and Fridays, 10 am to 12 am

A Tour of the Bur Dubai Grand Mosque

Situated in the heart of one of Dubai’s oldest neighborhoods, the Bur Dubai Grand Mosque is a magnificent structure. If you’re interested to know more about the mosque, do book one of the guides who work for the Islamic Information Centre. Be careful about being sober and decent here as is expected at all religious places.

• Timings: Sunday to Thursday- 9 am to 11:30 am

Enjoy the Beautiful Street Art at Al Karama

The Al Karama Street is a very vibrant place and you’ll get to see one of the best displays of street art that Dubai has on offer. On 18b street, you’ll see beautiful larger-than-life murals painted intricately. There’s an ambitious mission to give the old buildings at Al Karama a facelift. As a part of that grand mission, there are 24 exquisite pieces of art on display across the streets.

• Location: Old Dubai

Take a Free Road Trip from the Alserkal Avenue

If you haven’t had your fill at Al Karama, Alserkal Avenue should be on your itinerary next. Free road trips are organized by the Al Quoz gallery district all across the UAE including the city of Dubai. This road trip will take you to Dubai’s latest art exhibitions, screenings, art shows, live performances, and more. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience Dubai’s art world without having to spend a penny.

• Location: Al Quoz

Pour over Some Books at a Beach Library

Here’s your chance to catch up with some reading without skipping a visit to the beach. Yes, you can check out the latest offerings from your favorite authors at one of the city’s free beach libraries. These libraries are located on several of Dubai’s public beaches including the Al Mamzar Corniche and Umm Suqeim 1. Reading is the best hobby one could have and the books at the beach libraries come free.

Drop by at the Souks in Dubai

While shopping of course isn’t free, a walk through Dubai’s traditional markets, the souks is a wonderfully entertaining experience that carries no costs. You would love to take a few snaps with the colorful trinkets, garments, spices, or gold as the backdrop. Do take a walk through the Dubai Spice Souk, the Old Souk Dubai, and the Deira Gold Souk.

• Location: Multiple places
• Timing: Till 9 pm

Set your Pulse Racing at the Camel Racing Festival

You’ll love watching the “ships of the desert” trying to go one up on the other at the much-celebrated Camel Racing Festival of Dubai. While the festival is visited mostly by locals, you’ll be charmed by their friendliness and warmth. The camels have robot jockeys atop them and they are chased by their owners in their 4×4 SUVs. This does make for a very unique experience and the best part, it’s free!

• Location: Al Marmoom

Hang out at the Outdoor Spots

If you are a person for the outdoors, Dubai doesn’t disappoint you either. With lush green parks, wildlife, and more on offer, Dubai has many outdoor places that you may visit. We have picked the best ones for you.

Go on a Picnic at Any of Dubai’s Free Parks

The beautiful parks dotting Dubai are an ideal place for a picnic with your family and friends which is surely one of the best things to do in the city for free. Yes, this is the place for that perfect barbeque gathering with your close ones where you can take in marvelous views of the glittering buildings that stand tall. There are facilities like the Al Barsha Pond Park and the Burj Park where entry for all is free.

Visit a Beach

A visit to any of the public beaches in Dubai is a good free leisure option. The beaches in Dubai offer more than just a stroll by the sea. There are various facilities like volleyball courts, running tracks and skate parks which help you to de-stress. The JBR Beach, the Kite Beach, and the Jumeirah Beach are some of the more popular beaches in Dubai.

• Location: Many locations
• Timings: Varies from the beach to beach

Here is the list of Dubai’s best beaches.

Camping at Al Qudra

The Al Qudra Lake is counted as one of the best camping sites in Dubai. Pitch up a tent inside the park and light a campfire during the night when it gets pretty chilly. What’s the best part about it? All of this comes free! It’s a wonderfully relaxing experience at this park as you gaze at the stars lying beneath the clear skies.

Barbecuing at the Al Qudra Lake

A very popular place among visitors planning a sumptuous BBQ outing, the Al Qudra Lake is surely one of the best places where you could hang out for free. This place is a very popular destination among both the residents of Dubai and tourists during long vacations like Eid. The Al Qudra Lake, mind you, is more than just barbecuing and camping. There’s a lot more on offer like bird spotting.

• Location: Al Qudra
• Timings: Open all-day

Cycling on the Free Cycling Tracks

The free cycling tracks of Al Qudra should be a must on your bucket list if you’re looking for some exercise without having to dish out a penny. Take in the serene beauty of the Al Qudra Lake while cycling along merrily. While you can bring your own cycle, you can rent one too from Trek Dubai. Take your pick from the 18km long track or the 50km longer one which takes you to the Bab Al Shams Resort. There are other places to offering free cyclings like the Nad Al Sheba Cycle Track or the Dubai Autodrome which allows visitors to use their track only on certain days each week.

• Location of the Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park: Muscat Street, Dubai
• Location of the Dubai Autodrome: Motor City, Dubailand

Explore Dubai’s Historical Attractions

Before the discovery of oil and its phenomenal growth, Dubai used to be a small hamlet with its economy relying on pearl-diving and fishing. Explore what life in Dubai used to be before the city became a land of opulence dotted with towering skyscrapers. Do visit the historical places of Dubai for a trip down memory lane. All of this for free!

Drop by at the Hatta Heritage Village

The Hatta Heritage Village gives you a peek into Dubai’s interesting past. This is the best place to be in to know what Dubai used to be before oil exploration changed its destiny and made it the glitzy and glamorous business and tourism hub that it is today. There are forts, towers, and citadels here. Don’t skip a visit to the ‘Bait Al Wali’ which used to be the residence of Dubai’s former ruler.

• Location: Hatta
• Timings: Saturday to Thursday- 7:30 am to 8:30 am and 2:30 pm to 8:30 pm on Fridays

Museum of Traditional Architecture

Once the home of his Highness Sheikh Juma bin Maktoum, this happens to be an almost 100 years old museum. The museum has on display an array of traditional tools and ornaments that would be used to build and decorate houses in the UAE decades ago. That makes it the ideal place to learn about Dubai’s old architecture. Entry to the museum is free.

• Location: Al Fahidi Street, Bur Dubai
• Timings: 8 am to 2 pm (Sunday to Thursday)

Visit Dubai’s Free Museums

If it’s an educative outing you’re planning for your kids, a visit to Dubai’s free entry museums is a very good idea. Museums like the Coin Museum and the Coffee Museum located in and around the Bastakiaya area are very interesting places to visit in Dubai and tell a lot about the UAE’s history and culture. Get to know more about the place you’ve chosen as your holiday destination at these museums.

• Location: Al Fahidi Historical District
• Timings for Coin Museum: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, Sunday to Thursday, and closed on Fridays and Saturdays
• Timings for Coffee Museum: 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday to Thursday, and closed on Fridays and Saturdays

The Camel Museum

When in Dubai, it’s a must to learn more about the ship of the desert’, the camel. Yes, you can do so for free at the Camel Museum for free. The majestic camels have been an intrinsic part of Dubai’s history and culture forever. The museum is a great place to know how Bedouins would make their way through the vast deserts with their camels for company.

• Location: Al Shindagha Historical Area, Bur Dubai
• Timings: 8 am to 2 pm, Sunday to Thursday

There are other free things to do in Dubai too!

You’d be surprised to know that Dubai still has more for you that comes free. Here are some other places to drop by at after you’ve visited the museums and the places of natural wonder.

Visit the La Mer

The La Mer is yet another wonderful place to visit in Dubai that doesn’t need you to pay anything at all. The place has unique installations and street arts that are a bright splash of colours. All of this ranks La Mer as one of Dubai’s top selfie spots. To splash around a bit in some water, there’s La Mer Beach that has a range of exciting watersport activities that’ll keep your whole family entertained.

• Timings: 10 am to 10 pm, Sunday to Wednesday and 10 am to 11 pm, Thursday to Saturday

Strike a Bond Forever at the Love Lock Bridge at the Yard

This place is perfect for a romantic date with your special one that is friendly on your pockets too. Get yourself a lock and have your initials engraved on it along with those of your dear one. Place the lock to the bridge and then throw the keys into the water. The two of you are bound into a life of togetherness forever.  That’s romantic, isn’t it? Again, if love isn’t what you have on your mind, you may still visit the place as it has other activities to offer you as well.

• Location: Al Khawaneej last exit D89
• Al Seef Timing: Open all-day

A Stroll along the Marina Walk

The waterfront and the yachts that dock here make for a stunning view that you can’t take your eyes off. The Dubai Marina Walk is a very popular place among tourists and Dubai’s residents alike. A relaxing walk along the beautiful waterfront is a wonderfully calming experience. For a bit of exercise, you may go jogging along the waterfront too.

• Location: Dubai Marina
• Timings: Open all 24 hours

View the Ain Dubai at Bluewaters Island

A recently added attraction to Meraas destinations, the Bluwater Islands is yet another tourist hotspot where you won’t have to spend anything at all. This is where Ain Dubai, the city’s largest observation wheel is. The iconic restaurant, the Chef’s Palace is here too. The metro offers a smooth journey to this destination with the DMCC being the closest station.

• Location: Off the JBR Coast
• Timings: Open 24 hours

Riverland Dubai

The Riverland Dubai inside Dubai Parks and Resorts takes you back in time. You get a hang of life of medieval France or the Americas of the 1950s. There’s also the India Gate with Asia as its theme. Added to this is the 19th-century style piazza, the Peninsula. While entry to this magnificent place is free, you’ll have to pay for parking.

• Location: Dubai Parks and Resorts
• Timings: 4 pm to 12 am, Monday to Sunday

Take a Walk along with The Pointe, the Palm Jumeirah

If it’s a free experience of the spectacular waterfront you’re seeking, this is the place to be in. The Pointe at the Palm is a nice place for a relaxing stroll as you take in the spectacular views of the lavish hotels and other attractions of the luxurious Palm Jumeirah. The promenade of 1.5kms. is a lovely place to take some snaps at and there are many options for dining here.

• Location: Palm Jumeirah
• Timings: Open all 24 hours

The Dubai Festival City

The Festival City comes alive after the sunset with the IMAGINE show, a visual treat of lights, a unique audiovisual spectacle. This is yet another breathtaking experience that you won’t ever forget and it’s for free! This is counted among one of the world’s largest screen projections that are coupled with lasers and pyrotechnics creating a dramatic effect.

• Location: The Dubai Mall
• Timings: Every one hour from 6:30 pm to 11:00 pm

Dubai’s Dancing Fountains

The most popular of all the free destinations in Dubai, the Dancing Fountains below the Dubai Mall welcome you with a mesmerizing show. This is the largest choreographed fountain system in the world. Watch it come alive to the songs of Whitney Houston and Celine Dion making your evening truly special. You’ll be amazed by how the fountains dance to the songs in perfect synchronization.

• Location: The Dubai Mall
• Timings: Every half hour from 6 pm to 11 pm

The Love Lake

The Love Lake offers a unique experience of the desert. Supposed to be one of Dubai’s most romantic spots, the Love Lake has its entire flora and fauna designed to spell out ‘Love’ coupled with two hearts. This is one of Dubai’s more recent attractions and it welcomes visitors with shaded areas and fire pits. There are washrooms too.

• Location: Al Qudra Lake

Conclusion

You must have been pleasantly surprised by the plethora of free attractions that the otherwise opulent city of Dubai has on offer. Each of these places offers a lot of fun and excitement. What’s more, the museums leave you richer with knowledge. Do let us know which attraction you loved the most. We would love to hear from you!