Looking for some free activities to do in the UAE? We have put together 5 of the best free outside activities for you to do this winter.

Visit a festive outside market.

Christmas Markets in Dubai are back! These are the perfect place to get you in the festive mood, whilst enjoying being outside. Whilst you are there you can pick up that special little something for your loved ones, sample some Christmas treats and even meet Santa!

There are lots of options, but here are 7 of top choices:

Ripe Market:

Ripe Market at Academy Park is transforming into a festive market with fabulous artisanal stalls, tasty food as well as activities and displays to entertain both adults and children alike. Experience the magic every weekend from 26 November to 25 December https://ripeme.com/ripemarket

Marina Souk:

plenty of stalls selling the perfect gifts for your loved ones. The souk can be found at various locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Follow them on Instagram @marinasouq for updates on dates and locations.

Jebel Ali School Market:

4pm – 8pm November 25at Jebel Ali School, Damac Hills. See the school transform into a Winter Wonderland. Hosted by Dubai 92’s Catboy and featuring fayre games, train rides, a carousel, food trucks and a festive market. https://jebelalischool.org

Seva Experience:

3 December, from 9am to 7pm at Jumeirah 1. The holistic Seva Experience will be hosting another Seva Market where a select number of vendors will be offering their unique products. With a focus on all things holistic, essential oils, kombucha, candles and Seva’s own products will be on offer. The complimentary festive hot chocolate sounds like a delicious treat! @sevaexperience

Studio One Hotel:

The Big Festive Switch On will take place on 25th November, from 4pm, at the Studio One hotel in Dubailand. Entertainment from Gems Metropole Choir, market stalls and hot chocolate will be on offer as you wait for the festive lights to be turned on at 7pm https://studioonehotel.com/offers/tree-lighting

Global Village:

OK so this one is not free, but it is cheap at Dhs15 per entry. Given how much there is to see and do at Global Village we think it’s worth it. There are a whole array of market stalls, selling products from every corner of the globe. And whilst you are there you can enjoy various shows, the fun fair and food from pretty much everywhere. Open 4pm to 11.30pm Saturday to Wednesday and 4pm to 12.30am Thursday & Friday from October to April. https://globalvillage.ae

Bab Al Shams Desert Resort:

This one is also not free, but the Dhs50 to enter sounds worth the spend! Children will receive an encounter with Santa, as well as a free gift. Adults some mulled wine and other delicacies on arrival. A Christmas choir, over 50 market stalls and a 40 christmas tree await you at this desert winter wonderland. Taking place daily between 10-21 December from 6pm to 10pm https://babalshams.com/winter-wonderland

Get Down to the Beach

The UAE is blessed with lots of accessible, beautiful beaches . Our favourite beach is Al Sufouh, which confusingly goes by many names. We know it as Black Palace Beach, because it is nestled near a Royal Palace. Other people call it Secret Beach, because the entrance to the beach can be a little tricky to find!

The beach is manned by lifeguards, but doesn’t have any facilities. The beach feels very rustic, despite being in the heart of a bustling city. If you go to the far left of the beach the views of the Burj Al Arab are lovely – the perfect place to snap a family shot with the iconic building in the background.

Expo 2020

Expo offers free tickets for anyone under 18 or over 60. Housekeepers and nannies also get in for free (they need to take their residence visa to show proof of status). You can find exceptional ticket deals for anyone who falls outside those categories.

Once inside you can also take advantage of freebies that different pavilions are giving away. The freebies vary from pavillion to pavillion and change daily. Offerings vary from one day to the next. We enjoyed biscuits in Belgium, luggage tags in Antigua and Barbuda and ice creams in Kuwait!

Our favourite giveaway is the free coffee that several of the pavilions offer. We of course particularly liked the Italian coffee, but we also had fun sampling what Rwanda and Ethiopia had to offer.

There are free shows and parades on all the time. Until the end of November, the excellent Riverdance are performing a special 25th Anniversary show that is free for all Expo ticket holders. https://www.expo2020dubai.com/

Certain ticket holders can avail free PCR tests. These are only needed if you are unvaccinated. Day ticket holders are entitled to one complimentary PCR test. Whilst monthly ticket holders can avail up to 3 free PCR tests.

BBQ in the desert

BBQing in the sand must be one of our most loved things to do in winter in the UAE. Jump in the car, find a spot and enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding dunes. In Dubai one of the most accessible desert bbq spots is Al Qudra. At times this part of the desert can get busy, but this is because it is very accessible and you do not need a big 4×4 vehicle to find a suitable spot.
Our top tips include:

Keep your trainers on to avoid the risk of a scorpion sting. This is especially important as it starts to get dark.
Take a torch with you if you plan to stay after dark. We also like to wrap our children in battery operated fairy lights. Perfect for not losing children!
Remember to take a lighter and tongs for the BBQ with you
Don’t forget to bring plenty of water with you
Do not light a fire directly on the sand. Instead use a fire pit.
Take all your garbage away with you
Remove all fire pit remains. Coals can stay hot under the sand for a very long time and burns are a real risk.
Keep your eyes peeled for camels and other desert wildlife!

Get fit and active

Getting our exercise in is something we take seriously at Jump Fitness Dubai. Dubai offers a range of free fitness activities that you can take advantage of all year round. These include free trial classes at various gyms – we loved our free trial at Orange Theory. Free skate parks, like the fabulous one at DAMAC Hills. Or one of our faves; cycling. You can cycle at one of the dedicated cycle tracks dotted around Dubai, or in a Dubai Municipal Park, or in your community. This month things ramps up a gear with the launch of the 5th year of the Dubai Fitness Challenge 30 x 30, from the 29 October to 27 November.

Visit https://www.dubaifitnesschallenge.com/en/ for more information and inspiration on how to get moving.

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