Things to do in Deira Dubai that you shouldn’t miss out on

Similar to other areas of Dubai, there are many fun things to do in Deira. You can purchase ornate pieces from Gold Souk, visit the Women’s Museum, live your racing fantasies at Xtreme Simulation or take a stroll around the Deira Clocktower. Check out to know what more Deira has to offer you.

List of best things to do in Deira Dubai

Deira is one of the established regions of Dubai that has witnessed several changes when it comes to the emirate’s urbanization and socio-economic development. The community is home to many historical wonders of Dubai. 

The incredible outlets, restaurants and markets located in this area speak volumes about the heritage of the city. Try some of these activities in Deira to soak up the culture of this beautiful city. 

Try a traditional Emirati meal at Aseelah 

There is no doubt that Emirati cuisine has a lot of unexplored treats. You can try a variety of Arabic and Middle-Eastern dishes at Aseelah, one of the finest Emirati restaurants in Dubai. 

The restaurant features a mix of traditional and modern dishes that range from date-stuffed chicken leg to Aseelah’s special chicken harees.

Most of the dishes are made from a local spice mix called bezar. It contains a blend of cumin, fennel, cinnamon and dried chillies, which adds a unique flavour to the food.

• Location: Level 2, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, Baniyas, Dubai
• Timings: 12:30 pm – 03:00 pm, 07:00 pm – 02:00 am
• Price: AED 280 for two
• Contact: +971-4-526-0978

Enjoy the outdoors with a shisha session at QDs

QDs is a fun creek-side lounge deck where you can sip your favourite cocktails and enjoy shisha, amidst beautiful views of Dubai’s skyline.

You can chill out either in low-slung couches or at the restaurant-style seating area, enjoying the sight of the lit-up dhows floating by.

The place has plenty of drinks to offer. You can enjoy the pints of mixed drinks at AED 48.

QDs food menu is vast. It contains a blend of Mediterranean, Arabic mezze, and seafood dishes. There is even a generously portioned banana split sundae that you can relish while listening to the music played by the DJ.

If you head here on a matchday, you can even enjoy live sports at the massive TV screens.

• Location: Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Deira
• Timings: Sun-Wed: 05:00 pm – 02:00 am, Thurs-Sat: 05:00 pm – 03:00 am
• Price: AED 460 for two
• Contact: +971-4-295-6000

Waterfront Market

Waterfront Market is the best place for those who want to buy fresh produce in Dubai. You can find an immense selection of fish from any of the 435 stalls selling raw cuts there. 

If you love meat, towering piles of fresh beef and lamb are available too. You can pick your cut in any quantity you need. You will be given fresh meat right from the butcher’s block at a reasonable price. 

You can also purchase spices of very high quality from Deira’s Waterfront Market. From cumin, cardamom, zaatar, and tahini to plenty of international mixes such as barbecue and marinade powders, you can find a wide assortment of spices here.

If you venture a little further, you can also find fruits. A bunch of fruits costs just AED 1, so bulk shopping is a good idea when you visit this attraction in Deira. 

The place isn’t all about the food. You can even find clothes, books and a variety of exotic perfumes.

One of the things to do in Deira when you unwind after a long day of shopping is visiting the restaurants at the Waterfront Market. The place is home to Costa and Dome cafe, Papa Johns and Paluto Restaurant by Chef Boy Logro, all of which can easily help you refuel.

• Location: Al Khaleej Road, Opposite Dubai Hospital, Corniche Deira
• Timings: Open 24 hours
• Contact: +971-800-627538

Walk around the Al Hamriya Park

Located in Al Hamriya, Al Hamriya Park is a family-friendly park in Dubai. Offering plenty of electric rides in a lush, green environment, it is an incredible retreat for your kids.

• Location: Al Hamriya St, Deira
• Timings: Sun-Sat: 08:00 am – 10:00 pm
• Contact: +971-4-269-2954

Read at Hor al Anz Library

If you love to read, you can spend hours lost in your favourite book at Hor al Anz Library. Established in 1989, this haven of books contains works of both eminent and emerging writers. You can find fiction and non-fiction books in Arabic as well as English.

The library has a separate section for children that contains a reading hall and an activity room with audiovisual facilities. If you want to inculcate a lasting-love for reading in your child, drop by this peaceful place in Dubai.

The membership is valid only for UAE nationals and residents, UAE registered companies and GCC nationals. However, people from all over the world, can come and read books, newspapers and magazines there. 

Besides Hor al Anz Library, there are many other public libraries in Dubai. You can subscribe to them as well.

1. You can avail membership of all public libraries at AED 50 for 5 years with only a refundable security deposit of AED 150 (for individuals) and AED 200 (for families). 
2. For children, however, the membership is free with a deposit of AED 75.

• Location: Deira, Dubai
• Timings: Sat-Thurs: 08:00 am – 08:00 pm, Fri: closed
• Contact: +971-4-266-1788

Enjoy bowling game at Dubai International Bowling Centre Deira

A fun retreat for bowling enthusiasts, Dubai International Bowling Centre caters to budding bowlers and seasoned leaguers alike. It has 36 state-of-the-art bowling lanes where players coming from different areas of the city can have the ultimate bowling experience.

More than just lanes, this gargantuan bowling alley has billiards tables and arcade games that can test the skills of the players in a cool ambience.

You can also rent shoes and socks – shoes for free while socks at AED 4 per pair.

• Location: Al Mamzar, Dubai
• Timings: Mon-Sun: 09:00 am – 01:00 am
• Prices:

1. Per game: Weekdays: AED 15, Weekend: AED 18
2. Per lane/hour: Weekday: AED 105, Weekend: AED 126

• Contact: +971-4-296-9222

Shop at Deira City Centre Shopping Mall

With a wide range of shops, restaurants and VOX Cinemas, the City Centre Deira shopping mall offers the best shopping, dining and cinematic experiences. If you’re a shopaholic, you should definitely stop by this mall. 

Deira City Centre has a variety of high-end stores such as Aldo, Accessorize, Forever 21, and Mango. You can buy one-off gems as well as the casual clothing items from there.

City Centre Deira cinema is also famous for offering an incredible movie experience, so you can check it out as well. Other than that, if you’re coming with your kids, you can visit one of the branches of Magic Planet there. 

The mall has a Carrefour supermarket, bowling alley and an entertainment centre along with a large number of anchor stores. It has a pharmacy and a textile shop as well. And that’s not just it, there are plenty of things to do in City Centre Deira that you can be excited about!

You can also move around the mall. There are many places to visit near City Centre Deira such as Al Garhoud and Oud Muteena parks. 

• Location: 8th Street, Dubai
• Timings: Sun-Wed: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm, Thurs-Sat: 10:00 am – 12:00 am
• Contact: +971-4-295-1010

Play golf at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Situated right on the iconic Dubai Creek, Golf and Yacht Club offers you the best sports facilities in Deira, Dubai. It provides you with an opportunity to opt for any of the three courses: The Championship Course, Park 3 Course and The #minigolfdubai Course.

The Championship Course is an 18-hole course that provides a fun challenge to golfers across 6967 yards while Park 3 is a 9-hole course designed especially for beginners. The #minigolfdubai Course is relevant to people of all ages. Juniors below 18 can opt for this course at AED 40.

The place also has an array of lounges and restaurants where you can enjoy delicious food, looking at the panoramic views of Dubai Creek. Cielo Sky Lounge and Boardwalk Restaurant are the most notable ones.

• Location: Baniyas Road, Dubai
• Timings: Mon-Sat: 08:00 am – 02:00 am
• Contact: +971-4-295-6000

Hop aboard Al Mansour Dhow

You can sail for two hours aboard Al Mansour dhow on the Creek. Earlier used as a cargo vessel, the beautifully-crafted dhow offers an array of Arabic and International dishes.

You can soak in the views of the city across the waterway from your dhow while listening to live music played by the Arabic band. The soft furnishings, rugs and twilight lights on the dhow are there to add further to your experience. 

• Location: Opposite Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, Baniyas, Dubai
• Timings: Sun-Sat: 08:00 pm – 10:30 pm
• Prices: AED 370 for two
• Contact: +971-4-526-9089

Take an abra ride at Dubai Abra Station

Crossing the Dubai Creek by abra (water taxis) is something that entices both visitors and residents alike. The water taxis run every few minutes across Dubai Abra Station along with the other three stations.

You can take a ride aboard a bustling abra and explore the popular creek that parts Bur Dubai from the lifeblood of the city – Deira. Each water boat carries 20 passengers at once. The journey takes just about five minutes but the experience is worth it – you can enjoy the spectacle of old and new Dubai while passing by buildings and minarets. 

• Location: 32 3A St, Deira
• Timings: 05:00 am-midnight
• Price: AED 1

Explore the souks in Dubai Deira

Fancy shopping a little bit at Deira? Visit the gold and spice souks in Dubai. At gold souq, you can buy every kind of jewellery from lavish gold necklaces to pearl earrings. While, at spice souq, you can buy cardamom, saffron, nuts, and plenty of other aromatic herbs.

Away from the main thoroughfare of the spice souk, you can also take a glimpse at the tiny shops which are selling plastics, groceries and other household items.

Location: 

1. Spice Souq: Between Baniyas Rd, Al Ras Rd & Al Abra St, Deira
2. Gold Souq: Sikkat Al Khail St

Timings: 

1. Spice Souq: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
2. Gold Souq: 09:30 am – 09:30 pm, Fri: 04:00 pm – 09:30 pm

Al Mamzar Beach Park

Located in the residential area of Deira, Al Mamzar Beach Park is a popular tourist spot in Dubai. You can do plenty of things to enjoy your day there.

If you want to know about fun activities to do at Al Mamzar Beach Park, check out our blog that mentions some of the most interesting things to do there.

• Location: Al Mamzar, Deira
• Timings: 

1. Sun-Wed: 08:00 am – 09:00 pm
2. Thurs-Sat & official holidays: 09:00 am – 10:00 pm

• Contact: +971-4-2966-032

Explore the museums in Deira

Deira is home to some of the best museums in Dubai. You can check out Dubai Women’s Museum, Naif Museum and the Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili. Women’s museum has a gallery that showcases the work of established as well as emerging artists. While Naif Museum offers an insight into the history of Dubai Police Force.

Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili exhibits an original collection of poems of the poet Mubarak bin Hamad bin Mubarak Al Manea Al Oqaili, his documents and other precious artefacts of the late nineteenth century.

• Location:

1. Women’s Museum: Al Sabkha, Gold Souq, Deira
2. Naif Museum: Near Burj Nahar Park, Deira
3. Museum of the poet Al Oqaili: Al Ras Area, Deira

• Timings:

1. Women’s Museum: Sat-Thurs: 10:00 am – 07:00 pm
2. Naif Museum: Sun-Thurs: 08:00 am – 02:00 pm
3. Museum of the poet Al Oqaili: Sun-Thurs: 09:00 am – 02:00 pm

• Contact:

1. Women’s Museum: +971-4-234-2342
2. Naif Museum: +971-4-227-6484
3. Museum of the poet Al Oqaili: +971-4-515-5000

And this brings an end to our list of the best things to do in Deira. We hope that you will explore many different activities on this list.

Besides Deira, there are many other areas in Dubai where you can spend quality time with your family. For instance, there are many activities to do in Downtown Dubai. You can soak up the beautiful views of the Burj Khalifa, shop at the Dubai Mall and enjoy the performances of various artists at Dubai Opera there. 

Similarly, there are many things to do in one of the most glitzy areas of Dubai – Dubai Marina. You can enjoy Al Fresco dining at Pier 7, go for deep-sea fishing adventures and explore Dubai from a different lens in a special sightseeing tour there. To check out what more you can do there, read our articles that cover more incredible activities to do in Dubai Marina. 

Sheikh Zayed Road is one of the main thoroughfares of Dubai. Many locals and tourists come here to engage in different activities. It has a massive indoor maze and one of the largest indoor ski resorts in the world. Have a look at the major attractions on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Have a knack for art? Then you should definitely check out City Walk – it is famous for its street art. Besides exploring art, check out what more things you can do at City Walk.

To cap it all off, extreme things to do in Dubai are ideal for adventure seekers. These activities are highly popular among local and global tourists..