Things To Do at the Dubai Mall: Attractions at Dubai Mall
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Enjoy all the things to do at the Dubai Mall, the world’s second largest shopping complex. This guide will help you build a perfect Dubai Mall itinerary to make sure you see all the best Dubai Mall attractions.
Dubai is home to the second-largest mall in the world, The Dubai Mall. The massive mall is more than just shopping (although there is plenty of that too). Inside the air-conditioned mall, which can best be described as an indoor city, you will find enough activities to fill an entire vacation. Here we list a few ideas to get you started.
We used the wonderful Go City Pass to save loads of money on attractions across Dubai and in the Dubai Mall. Check it out by clicking this affiliate link: Go City - Dubai
Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is one of the headline attractions at Dubai Mall, with a walk-through tunnel of sharks and rays that ranks among the best indoor attractions in Dubai. If you’re building a list of things to do at Dubai Mall for families, this checks every box for kids attractions in Dubai while still wowing grown-ups.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Tickets: GetYourGuide
A central feature of the mall is the huge glass wall that allows you to peer inside the giant aquarium. The view is completely free and is almost always filled with a crowd of onlookers.
For an up-charge, you can pay to walk through the sea tunnel for a closer and less crowded look into the tank that is home to sharks, rays, and other wonders of the sea. The ticket also allows you to walk through the small, but enjoyable Underwater Zoo. The underwater zoo is home to a small collection of animals including giant crocodiles and sea otters.
The Dubai Mall Waterfall
You’ll hear it before you see it—the four-story Dubai Mall Waterfall, a striking art piece with diving figures and one of the easiest free attractions Dubai offers inside the mall. Add it to your “things to see in Dubai Mall” list for a peaceful break between shops without spending a dirham.
Map: Google Maps
Another spectacle of the mall is the waterfall. The man-made cascading water feature traverses the entire four levels of the mall. It is a true work of art adorned with sculpted divers.
It is also free to visit. It’s a great place to relax for a few minutes between shopping trips or other activities. The sound of the constant flow of water is an instant relaxer.
Dubai Ice Rink
Skate 90 minutes on the Olympic-size Dubai Ice Rink for a chill break from the desert heat and a standout pick among indoor attractions in Dubai. It’s one of the most fun activities at Dubai Mall for couples, friends, and families, with skate rentals included.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Tickets: Viator
If you were to tell someone that you went ice skating in Dubai, they would likely be quite confused. The desert city is known for daily temperatures well over the 100 degrees Fahrenheit mark.
For a fee, you can get a ticket to skate for 90 minutes on the Olympic-sized ice rink. Skates and thick socks are included in the admission fee.
The Souk at the Dubai Mall
Wander The Souk for a dose of Old Dubai style—lantern-lit corridors, jewelry boutiques, and perfumeries make this one of the most atmospheric attractions in Dubai Mall. Even if you’re window-shopping, it belongs on any guide to things to do in the Dubai Mall and delivers great photos for free.
Map: Google Maps
A fun corner of the mall to explore is The Souk. It's the part of the mall that feels the most like you're still in the middle east. The corridor of shops is themed to resemble a traditional market like the ones you could find across town in Old Dubai.
The shops are mostly filled with jewelry and perfumes.
Go to the Top of the World’s Tallest Building
Enter Burj Khalifa “At the Top” from inside the mall for bucket-list skyline views that turn your day of attractions at Dubai Mall into a once-in-a-lifetime memory. For golden hour or after-dark city lights, time your ticket for sunset to double-dip on night attractions in Dubai.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Tickets: GetYourGuide
Also located in the mall is the entrance to the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. The aptly named “At the Top” viewing platform is reached via a series of elevators starting inside the mall.
The shockingly tall building is even more impressive when you’re at the top viewing other tall buildings from above. All of Dubai is on display from the impressively high vantage point. The view is not to be missed.
The Dubai Mall Fountain Show
Stake out a spot by the lake for the Dubai Fountain, a music-and-light spectacle every 30 minutes in the evening and one of the ultimate free attractions Dubai visitors shouldn’t miss. Pair the show with a Burj Khalifa projection and you’ve got premium night attractions in Dubai without opening your wallet.
Map: Google Maps
After spending some of your day visiting the top of the Burj Khalifa, the best way to cap off your visit to the mall is by attending the fountain show. The show happens every 30 minutes nightly between 6-11 pm. It’s best to get yourself a good viewing spot a few minutes early.
The fountain show happens in a giant man-made lake outside of the mall near the base of the Burj Khalifa. The fountain show is a light and sound spectacular with projection mapping on the Burj Khalifa. It’s a heck of a thing to see!
How To Get To The Dubai Mall
Ride the Metro to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station, then follow the air-conditioned walkways straight into the action—easily the simplest way to reach things to do at Dubai Mall. Taxis and rideshares can drop you at the doors, while abundant parking makes it painless if you’re driving.
If you’re riding the subway system in Dubai getting to the mall is quite easy. There is a subway station called The Dubai Mall. Once you exit the station you will enter a series of elevated pedestrian walkways. After 10-15 mins of walking, you will enter the mall. The walk from the subway station to the mall entrance is much longer than you might expect, so plan accordingly.
The mall has plenty of available parking. The fastest way to the mall is via taxi or rideshare. Your driver will be able to let you off on the doorstep of the mall.
How Much Time To Spend at The Dubai Mall
Plan at least a half day to cover the big hitters—Aquarium, Burj Khalifa, and the Fountain show—but a full day lets you mix shopping with more indoor attractions in Dubai like the Ice Rink and VR experiences. To stretch your budget on attractions at Dubai Mall, buy timed tickets in advance or use a city pass for bundled, cheap attractions in Dubai.
We would suggest the minimum time to spend at the mall is a half day. Depending on what you want to see, you could spend as many as two days here, especially if you like to shop.
It is a good idea to buy tickets in advance to the attractions as there is often a long line for tickets. We used the Go City Pass which included many of the attractions in the mall and even included dinner at a very nice restaurant in the mall.
Check out some other suggestions for your trip to Dubai on our list of 10 Things to See in Dubai.
