Your ultimate AC-filled bucket list for staying cool and fabulously entertained.
When the Middle Eastern summer hits its humidity peak, Dubai’s indoor world becomes your playground, where the only thing melting down is your thirst for fun.
Whether you’re running from toddlers, dates, or drought-level heat, here are 27 spectacular indoor escapes to keep you frosty, feisty, and fabulously distracted this summer.
Read on for your Insider list…
1. Activate (City Centre Mirdif)
Neon-lit gaming meets real-life cardio. Nine high-energy rooms turn competition into calorie-burning fun.
From AED 95; Mon–Fri 10 am–10 pm; City Centre Mirdif.
2. Active Games UAE (Al Quoz)
Ever outran a ghost in a real-life Pac-Man maze? You will here — while getting your heart rate slammed.
From AED 160; timed maze; Al Quoz.
3. Air Maniax (Al Quoz)
Bounce castles gone serious: obstacle runs, mind-bending inflatables, zip-lining, laser-tag arenas… over 20k sq ft of airborne insanity.
From AED 90; opens noon weekends earlier.
4. Battle Kart (DIP)
Battle Snake-inspired roller-kart chaos. It’s Mario Kart meets adrenaline, minus the Mushrooms (maybe).
From AED 160. Open Mon-Thu 2pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 1pm-2am; Sun 1pm-midnight.
5. Bounce (Al Quoz)
Wall-to-wall trampolines: front flips optional, laughter guaranteed.
From AED 90. Open Mon-Sat 10am-9pm; Sun 10am-8pm.
6. Chaos Karts (Al Quoz)
VR go-karts with the vibes of Mario Kart come to life. 11+ and ready to fly.
From AED 140.
7. Dubai Bowling Center (Al Quoz)
Pins, alley nostalgia, projector-fed classics in 1980s style glory lane.
Prices vary. Open Mon-Wed 10am-midnight; Thu-Sun 10am-1am.
8. Dubai Butterfly Garden (Al Barsha)
15,000 butterflies flutter around you in climate-controlled bliss. Shh — they might land on you.
From AED 60. Open daily from 9am-6pm.
9. Mille Miglia Gallery & Café (Al Quoz)
Ferrari pit wall from the F1 glory days plus memorabilia to fuel your petrolhead soul. Free entry.
Free entry. Open daily 10am-9pm.
10. GLITCH (Deira)
Arcade, roller-glide, VR, ninja course. Basically: if it’s active, they’ve got it.
Game prices vary. Open Mon-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sun 10am-midnight.
11. House of Hype (Dubai Mall)
100+ Insta-able rooms: walk into a video game, wander into a dreamscape, then walk out 500 photos richer.
From AED 149. Open Sun-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-midnight.
14. IMG Worlds of Adventure (City of Arabia)
Epic indoor theme park with Marvel, dinosaurs, Cartoon Network and boulevard bliss.
From AED 365, kids go free. Open Sun-Thu noon-10pm, Fri-Sat noon-11pm.
15. KidZania (Dubai Mall)
Tiny humans run entire cities — firefighter, surgeon or DJ in a classroom soaked in AC.
From AED 195. Open Sun-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-11pm.
16. Loco Bear (Al Quoz 2)
Everything under one roof: trampolines, climbing, VR, roll-gliders… just say “free entry” and log on.
Free entry. Bands from AED 250. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-11pm; Fri-Sun 10am-11pm.
17. Museum of Candy (Oud Metha)
Slide into gummy pools, learn sugar facts and sip infinite ice cream. Warning: brings out your inner child.
From AED 119 (adult), AED 99 (child). Open daily 10am-10pm.
18. Parkour DXB
Teach kids to scale life— indoors and padded. The original viral extreme sport goes tame-safe.
Opening times and prices vary. Al Quoz, Port Rashid and JVC.
19. Ribambelle (Bluewaters)
Playful café with slides, ball pits, candle-making, craft zones—meal and play included.
From AED 95 (child, weekdays), AED 150 (child, weekends). Open daily 9am-10pm.
20. SENSAS (Al Quoz)
Wacky challenges in pitch darkness and sensory overload. Great for team builders and photo ops alike.
From AED 150 (child), AED 180 (adult). Open Mon-Thu 10.45am-10pm; Fri-Sun 9.45am-11pm.
21. Super Duper Studio (Al Quoz)
DIY merch, glitter, braids, and a mini-talent makeover station. Let your inner diva shine.
Prices vary. Open Tue-Sun 10am-7pm.
22. Mallathon
Walk four malls in one morning — AC track ready; your Fitbit will get roasted stats but your calves will flourish.
Daily, until Sun Aug 31, 7am-10pm. Various locations.
23. VR Park (Dubai Mall)
Gobble up VR sci-fi, visit alternative realities and trippy Dubai 2.0—all indoors and futuristic AF.
Free entry. Open Mon-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sun 10am-midnight.
24. Wavehouse (Atlantis)
Arcade, bowling, hammer games, sugar sundaes — almost like a night out at the boardwalk.
Bowling is AED 370/hr. Open daily noon-11.30pm
25. ARTE Museum (Dubai Mall)
Draw wildlife, watch it animate on screens, sip tea-infused mocktails—art museum goes high-tech.
From AED 149 (adult) AED 79 (child). Open daily 10am-10pm.
26. AYA Universe (Wafi City)
Ball pits under stars, neon gardens, waterfall rooms — you see this, you post it, you glow.
From AED 135. Open Sun-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-midnight.
27. Museum of Illusions (Al Seef)
Huge optical illusions: hallucinate shrinking, giant heads, vortex tunnels — memories made here.
AED 90 (adult), AED 65 (kids aged 3-15). Open Mon-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sun 10am-11pm.
