Melting already? These indoor spots in Dubai will save your summer plans
Whether you're in the mood for a little action or feeling something more creative (hello, pottery classes and escape rooms). We've rounded up the coolest indoor spots in Dubai to keep you entertained.
So if you're trying to stay cool, cute, and completely unbothered this summer – we've got you sorted.
Swingers
Swingers Dubai is your ultimate playground for good times. Think retro mini golf, cheeky drinks, street food vibes, and killer views that keep the party going all night. Come for the games, stay for the buzz (and the legendary neon-lit photo ops). Whether you're out on a date or rolling deep with your crew, this spot serves up fun, flavor, and zero stress.
📍 Bluewater's Island.
🕐 Open daily. Monday – Wednesday, 4:00 PM – 1:00 AM, Thursday – Friday, 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM. Weekends open at 12:00PM.
🔗 swingerscrazygolf.ae
Wavehouse
Wavehouse is basically your summer moodboard come to life – bowling lanes, arcade games, live music, and even a wave simulator if you're feeling beachy but not trying to melt in the actual sun. Go for the games, stay for the vibes (and the loaded milkshakes, trust). Whether it's date night or just a chaotic hang with the girls, this is your go-to for fun without the heatstroke.
📍Atlantis, The Palm
🕐 Open daily, 12:00PM – 11:00PM.
🔗 atlantis.com
Boom Battle Bar
Boom Battle Bar is where you go when you want to let loose. Think axe throwing, darts, good drinks, and a vibe that just keeps you coming back. It's perfect whether you're looking to challenge your friends or just hang out and soak in the energy. Great tunes, easygoing crowd, and fun that actually feels like fun.
📍 DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai, Jumeirah Beach
🕐 Open daily. Sunday – Thursday 4:00 PM – 1:00 AM, Friday – Saturday 4:00 PM – 2:00AM.
🔗 boombattlebar.com
Brass Monkey
Brass Monkey is serving serious good vibes. Think bowling lanes, all the arcade games, and plenty of space to kick back enjoy some drinks and the banging tunes. Great vibes, tasty snacks, and nonstop fun – what more could you want?
📍 Bluewater's Island | City Walk
🕐 Open daily. Monday – Wednesday, 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM, Thursday – Friday, 4:00 PM – 3:00 AM. Weekends open at 12:00PM.
🔗 brassmonkeysocial.com
Roll DXB
Roller DXB is bringing all the retro fun – think neon lights, smooth moves, and a soundtrack that'll have you skating like you've been doing it forever (even if it's your first time on wheels). Whether you're out with friends, on a cute date, or just in the mood to vibe and roll, this place is all about good energy and great times. Lace up and get spinning.
📍 Mina Rashid, Dubai
🕐 Open daily. Monday – Thursday 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM. Friday 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM, Saturday – Sunday, 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM.
🔗 rollerdxb.com
Cinema Akil
Cinema Akil is the spot for anyone who loves movies but wants something a little different – cozy seats, cool indie films, cult favourites, and fresh releases that you don't usually find in big chains. Grab some popcorn, get comfy, and enjoy a chill vibe that makes every movie night feel special.
📍 Alserkal Avenue, Warehouse 68 17th St, Al Quoz.
🕐 Check their schedule online
🔗 cinemaakil.com
Limba
Limba is giving major hands-on creativity meets chill vibes energy – and yes, it's as fun as it sounds. Get creative, get your hands dirty, shape your own pottery, and let your imagination run wild. It's the perfect way to try something different and unwind all at once.
📍 Mirdif Avenue Mall, First Floor.
🕐 Open daily. Sunday – Thursday, 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM, Friday – Saturday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM.
Battle Kart
BattleKart is giving major IRL Mario Kart meets retro Nokia Snake energy – and yes, it's as fun as it sounds. Hop in an electric kart, race your friends, dodge obstacles, and play immersive games all projected onto the track. You can team up, go rogue, or just vibe. It's the perfect way to cool off and unleash your inner gamer girl this summer.
📍Dubai Investment Park, 74 Street.
🕐 Open daily. Monday – Thursday 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Friday – Saturday 1:00 PM – 2:00AM. Sunday 1:00 PM – 12:00PM
🔗 battlekart.com
Activate
Activate Games UAE is the world's first active gaming experience. Think VR, motion tracking, and high-energy games where you're the player, moving, jumping, and totally immersed in the action. It's like being inside your favourite video games IRl. Perfect if you're looking for something different, get moving, and have a blast with friends.
📍 City Centre Mirdif, Level 1, Next to Little Explorers.
🕐 Open daily. Monday – Friday 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Saturday – Sunday 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM.
🔗 playactivatemena.com
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Raised in Chicago and on a mission to reconnect with his roots, ElSaffar arrived in London fresh from six months of fruitless study in Iraq. 'I went to Baghdad at a very difficult moment – 35 years of dictatorship, 12 years of sanctions, and it was a very tense time politically post 9-11,' remembers ElSaffar. Moreover, all the teachers he approached refused to take a novice Arabic speaker seriously. When it became clear a second invasion was inevitable, ElSaffar decamped to London and tracked down Al-Saadi, who took him on as a student. 'Hamid was my dream teacher because he would sit and teach me, phrase by phrase, and he wouldn't let me move on until I mastered it,' adds ElSaffar. The knowledge he gleaned enabled ElSaffar's later experiments with Arabic music – witnessed in Abu Dhabi with a performance of his 17-piece Rivers of Sound ensemble at NYUAD in 2016. In 2018, ElSaffar repaid the favour, bringing Al-Saadi to the US on an Artist Protection Fund Fellowship. Now based in Brooklyn, New York, Al-Saadi has held teaching positions at Sarah Lawrence College and Rutgers University, and lectured through institutions including Lincoln Centre, the Smithsonian and Kennedy Centre. His greatest influence may have been on stage, leading Safaafir, the only Iraqi maqam ensemble in the US – a family affair featuring ElSaffar on santur, his sister Dena ElSaffar on violin and joza, and her husband Tim Moore on percussion. It was this group that recorded Maqam Al-Iraqi via ElSaffar's continuing Maqam Studio preservation initiative. The 87-minute, four-track album is named after its first piece, a maqam of longing Al-Saadi composed since moving to the US, based on a text by the highly regarded Iraqi poet Ni'mah Hussain. 'I lived in exile for seven years,' adds Al-Saadi. 'I missed my homeland, my people – the essence of longing comes from the poem and the text.'
