Rainy day · Dubai · United Arab Emirates
6 things to do in Dubai when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dayneferrera, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Museum of the Future, Dubai Mall and Alserkal Avenue. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 12–15 hours across 6 areas; 2 are free. January is usually the wettest month, with about 2 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 12–15 hours
- Areas
- Sheikh Zayed Road, Downtown Dubai and Al Quoz
Dubai on a rainy day
Museum · Sheikh Zayed Road
1.Museum of the Future
Book a morning slot and photograph the exterior from the Emirates Towers side of Sheikh Zayed Road.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Experience · Downtown Dubai
2.Dubai Mall
Go on a weekday morning, and use the air-conditioned walkway from Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro station.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Free
- Food
Neighbourhood · Al Quoz
3.Alserkal Avenue
Visit on a weekday afternoon when most galleries are open, and have lunch at one of the avenue's cafés.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Museum · Jumeirah
4.Etihad Museum
Save it for the heat of the afternoon, when indoor sights make most sense.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Experience · Al Barsha
5.Ski Dubai
Book the penguin encounter in advance; it is the highlight for many children.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
- Rainy day
Museum · Bur Dubai
6.Al Shindagha Museum
Combine it with a walk along the Al Seef waterfront and an abra ride across the creek.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Sheikh Zayed Road | Museum of the Future | 2 hours |
| Downtown Dubai | Dubai Mall | 2–4 hours |
| Al Quoz | Alserkal Avenue | 2 hours |
| Jumeirah | Etihad Museum | 1.5 hours |
| Al Barsha | Ski Dubai | 2–3 hours |
| Bur Dubai | Al Shindagha Museum | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 2 free, 2 low cost, 1 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Museum of the Future. The longest visit is Dubai Mall; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Museum of the Future: Timed tickets must be booked online and sell out at weekends.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Sheikh Zayed Road): Museum of the Future, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Downtown Dubai): Dubai Mall, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Al Quoz and Jumeirah): Alserkal Avenue → Etihad Museum, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Al Barsha and Bur Dubai): Ski Dubai → Al Shindagha Museum, at least 4 hours.
The wettest months
- January: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 2 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warm, sunny days around 24°C and cool evenings; peak season, with the Dubai Shopping Festival in full swing.
- February: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 2 rainy days, very busy crowds. Some of the most pleasant weather of the year, ideal for the beach, the desert and outdoor dining.
- March: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 2 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and sunny with the sea warming up; still comfortable for outdoor sightseeing.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown Dubai — The Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall and the fountain shows
- Business Bay — Canal-side towers next to Downtown at lower prices
- Al Barsha — Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai and mid-range hotels
More of Dubai
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Dubai?
Museum of the Future. Opened in 2022, the torus-shaped building wrapped in Arabic calligraphy is one of the city's most photographed.
+Which of these are free in Dubai?
Dubai Mall and Alserkal Avenue.