July doesn’t lie when it comes to promising a summer of great concerts, great food and a great time. Yes, it’s a sauna out there, and everyone you know is probably vacationing elsewhere in the world, but chin up! The city’s less crowded and quieter, which means you can get reservations easily at almost all restaurants and entertainment spots. And traffic is practically non-existent *sheds tears of joy*. We’ll take the win where we can, guys. If you’re still not convinced this is a fabulous time of year to be in Dubai, allow us to change your mind with our list of things to do in July.
1. Clock up on deals, activities and entertainment at Dubai Summer Surprises
Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) is back for its 27th edition and as always, the annual summer festival has some cracking good shopping deals and bargains up its sleeve. This time around too, Modhesh World has set up shop in Dubai World Trade Centre with a ton of funfair games, live shows for kids, concerts, meet and greets with DC superheroes and plenty of roaming entertainment. Click here for full list of events
2. Eat your heart out at Dubai Summer Restaurant Week
Dubai Summer Restaurant Week returns for 2025 with a smorgasbord of dining deals and offers that let you dine at the city’s best restaurants for discounted prices. More info here.
3. Book an AED 99 staycation deal at Rove Hotels
The boutique hotel chain is running a one-week flash sale that will let you bag a stylish staycation in one of Rove’s many properties in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah. Find more info here.
4. Enjoy free ice cream at Dubai Airport when you fly Emirates
Passengers travelling through the Dubai International Airport‘s Terminal 3, catering primarily to Emirates, are in for a sweet treat – free ice cream. Scoops of the scrummy dessert will be handed out from a quaint cart to all travellers so they can cool off before soaring off on their holidays. More info here.
5-14. Celebrate World Chocolate Day with Dubai’s best chocolate desserts
Chocoholics, we’ve got you covered from the best hot chocolate in town to the most decadent cookies, so you can ring in World Chocolate Day on July 7 in style. Find the full list here
15. Have a wild sleepover in an indoor rainforest
This is the slumber party to rule all slumber parties. Although we doubt there’ll be much slumbering when you’re surrounded by 3,000 exotic animal and plant species. Green Planet, the indoor biodome in City Walk, has restarted its ‘Camping in the Rainforest’ experience, and it’s one you want to sign up for this summer. From late-night guided tours to breakfast sessions of feeding animals, this camping experience is for night owls who want to answer the call of the wild. Find details about tents and activities here.
16. Hop over to Alserkal Avenue for free rides in a cute tuk-tuk
The cute little electric three-wheeler will be a permanent fixture at the Al Quoz arts and culture district until August. The idea is to save visitors from having to walk around in the scorching heat while they move around the arts and culture hub carrying their shopping or takeaway meals. There’s always the added advantage of the tuk-tuk being an adorable prop for some really cool snaps for your social media. More info here.
17. Sweat it with ice blocks at this new summer workout
Gym Nation has launched an icy new workout class open to members and non-members alike all through July. Titled ‘Coolest Class in Dubai’, this one will see you push blocks of ice instead of weight plates and lift buckets of ice instead of dumbbells. The coolest part, though, is that these classes are absolutely free. Sign up here
18. Step out of the sun and into the cool glow of an indoor candlelight concert
Light up your summer evening by making musical memories at this fabulous candlelight concert paying tribute to Coldplay. The Majlis Madinat Jumeirah will echo with piano renditions of Clocks, Fix You, Yellow and other memorable tunes from the iconic British band’s back catalogue, played by pianist Stanislav Fedyuk.
📆: July 12
📍: Majlis Madinat Jumeirah
🎟️: AED 150 per person ; Get tickets here
19. Take a walk in digitised nature at Arte Museum
Stunning digital artwork projected from ceiling to floor recreates surreal landscapes inspired by nature using light, sound, and scent to create a multi-sensory effect. Get tickets here
20. Explore the depths of the Titanic at this VR exhibition
Your heart will not just go on; it will hammer against your chest with excitement at this virtual reality experience that immerses you in a journey of the doomed yet iconic shipwreck. You’ll feel like you’re diving through the wreckage, then travel through time to 1912, where you can experience the glamorous trans-Atlantic cruise ship as a passenger. To quote Jack, you will feel like the ‘King of the World’.
📅: Until September 30
📍: Active Games, 6A Street, Al Quoz, Dubai
🎟️: AED 99 per person, get tickets here
21-22. Dash through the malls at these indoor running races
This July, we’ve got two reasons to sprint through the malls besides killer DSS deals and sales. Both of them are fun indoor mall races to stay fit and beat the heat. Catch the Summer Mall Run at Ibn Battuta on July 13, running laps on the ground floor. Or sign up for the Dubai Hills Mall Indoor Run powered by SKECHERS on July 20.
23. Take a trip to Brazil at Saddle Cafe’s new themed pop-up
Every summer, the homegrown dining concept Saddle Cafe wows Dubai residents with a fresh new pop-up that transports them to far ends of the world without leaving the city. After delighting diners with the hot air balloons of Cappadocia, Turkey in 2022, Hawaii’s beaches in 2023, and Valencia’s sun-soaked beauty in 2024, they’re bringing the upbeat energy of Brazil to Dubai in July 2025. The Portuguese colonial decor reminiscent of Rio’s streets is matched by a tropical menu that truly captures the carnival spirit with acai coconut gelato and refreshing limeade.
24. Step inside the world of PAC-MAN Live
Enter the classic retro video game in this augmented reality version where you run from hungry PAC-MAN’s ever-open maw while dodging ghosts, collecting power pellets without being glued in front of a screen.
📅: Until July 31
📍: Active Games, 6A Street, Al Quoz, Dubai
🎟️: AED 140 per person, get tickets here
25. Attend a spellbinding concert by Shreya Ghoshal
Indian playback singer Shreya Ghoshal is back to serenade Dubai with her dulcet voice this July. You’ll be treated to a musical mix of ballads like Sun Raha Hai, Bollywood dance anthems like Chikni Chameli and Afro and Arab-pop hits from the versatile, multilingual singer who’s collaborated with French singer Tayc (Yimmy Yimmy)and Moroccan popstar Saad Lamjarred (Guli Mata).
📆: July 19
📍: Trade Centre Arena, DWTC
🎟️: AED 195 per person, buy tickets here
26. Do some artisanal shopping at Ripe Market’s indoor pop-ups
Homegrown brands get their spot in the limelight at Ripe Market’s summer pop-ups at two malls – Town Centre Jumeirah and Times Square Center. Browse through fashion finds and accessories or stock on gourmet food and artisanal crafts. More info here
🗓️: Every Saturday and Sunday until August 17
⏰: 10am-10pm and 10am at Town Centre and 10am to 7pm at Times Square
📍: Town Centre Jumeirah and Times Square Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road
27-35. Celebrate French National Day at these magnifique French restaurants in Dubai
July 14 is French National Day, also known as Bastille Day. Whether you’re French, French-speaking or a francophile whose vocabulary hits a wall at ‘bonjour’ these 9 French restaurants will delight you. From lip-smacking moules frites to boeuf bourguignon and crumbly croissants, there’s something here for everyone and these eateries embody the je ne sais quoi vibe of Parisian life.
36-38. Cool off with a delicious summer swim at these night beaches in Dubai
Are you a self-confessed water baby? Then you’d like to H2know that 3 fabulous beaches in our seaside city now allow night swimming, giving you nocturnal things to do in Dubai this July once the sun sets. There’s also a public beach that is Dubai’s first pet-friendly beach. That means you get to not only enjoy some dreamy moonlight swims this summer but also splash around in the waves with your canine and feline friends. Ain’t Dubai life a beach?
39. Drop by the Dubai Dates Festival
The Dubai-Al Ain highway is going to sprout a sweet feast this July – the Dubai Dates festival. This event organised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center celebrate the palm tree’s significance in Emirati culture and teaches visitors about the variety of dates, harvesting and cultivation combined with fun activities. Register here
🗓️: July 25 to August 1
📍: Qaalat Al Remal, Dubai-Al Ain Road