4 Unusual Things to Do in Dubai (From Someone Who Lives Here)

Every Dubai itinerary I see online looks the same: Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame, dinner at the fountains, a desert safari, the Miracle Garden if you're here in winter. There's a reason for that — those experiences are genuinely great. But after five years of living here, hosting visitors, and saying yes to every collaboration that doesn't bore me, I've built a different shortlist. These are four activities I've actually done, more than once for most of them, and they're the ones I quietly recommend when someone tells me they've already ticked off the obvious stuff.

A note before we start: I'm including the official websites and the practical details I can confirm. Prices change, packages get tweaked, and seasonal closures happen — always book direct through the official site to be sure.

1. Be an astronaut for a day — iFly Dubai

The first time I floated four metres above the ground in a glass tunnel with 200 km/h wind underneath me, I understood why astronauts train in wind tunnels. There's no plane, no parachute, no jump — just you, a flight suit, and the strangest two minutes of weightlessness you'll ever experience.

iFly Dubai sits on the third floor of the Play Nation area at City Centre Mirdif. It's the world's first double vertical wind tunnel and the first indoor skydiving facility in the region. The setup is straightforward: a 20-minute safety briefing, you suit up (jumpsuit, helmet, goggles, earplugs — all provided), and then you get your tunnel time with a one-on-one instructor inside the chamber.

What surprised me: it's harder than it looks. Holding a stable belly-to-earth position takes core strength I didn't know I needed, and your instinct to flail against the wind is the exact wrong move. Trust the wind, relax, and you fly. Fight it, and you wobble.

Who it's for: Honestly, almost everyone. The minimum age is 3, the weight limit is 115 kg, and you don't need to be fit. Skip it if you're pregnant, have a shoulder injury, or have a recent back issue.

What to know before you book:

• Arrive 30–60 minutes early for the waiver and gear-up

• Wear loose comfortable clothes underneath — the tunnel gets chilly

• Cameras and phones aren't allowed inside, but iFly takes photos and videos you can buy separately

• Packages range from a first-time two-minute flight up to 60-minute coaching sessions — book on iflyme.com for current rates

My tip: Don't book five flights as a beginner thinking you'll get five full sessions. Multi-flight packages split tunnel time across flights, so each individual flight is shorter. Two flights is the sweet spot for a first-timer — enough to actually progress, not so much you tire out.

2. Channel your inner Tarzan in a Ghaf forest — Aventura Parks

If you'd told me before I moved here that Dubai had 35,000 square metres of native Ghaf tree forest with 24 ziplines running through it, I wouldn't have believed you. Aventura Parks is genuinely one of the most surprising things about this city — a proper outdoor adventure park hidden inside Mushrif Park, about a 30–40 minute drive from Dubai Marina depending on traffic.

The setup is a series of aerial circuits — tightropes, wobble bridges, spider nets, ziplines — running between Ghaf trees at varying heights and difficulties. You get a harness briefing, choose your circuit based on what your body can handle, and then you're on your own for up to three hours.

I did the Extreme circuit and underestimated how much my forearms would burn by the end. The Discovery circuit is gentler and good for kids or anyone testing how comfortable they are with heights. Don't underestimate Jacob's Ladder — it's the hardest single element in the park and requires a partner.

Who it's for: Anyone who likes being outdoors and isn't terrified of heights. Minimum height to wear a harness is 1.15m; Extreme circuit is 16+.

Critical to know:

• Aventura closes during the Dubai summer (roughly mid-May to early September) because the heat makes the activity unsafe. Check aventuraparks.com for the reopening date before planning a visit. If you're reading this between June and August, save it for autumn.

• Wear closed-toe flat shoes — sandals will get you turned away at the harness desk

• Clothes you don't mind getting dusty

• Phones are allowed and encouraged

• The Ghafé restaurant on-site does Mediterranean and comfort food (I'll write a separate review once they reopen for the season)

My tip: Go on a weekday afternoon if you can. Weekends get busy with school groups and families, and you'll spend half your time waiting for the obstacles to clear.

3. Bend reality for an hour — Museum of Illusions Dubai

I'll be candid — I was sceptical about this one before I went. The Museum of Illusions has locations in dozens of cities globally, it's heavily marketed to tourists, and on paper it sounds like a kids' attraction. I was wrong. It's smarter than it looks, and the photo opportunities are genuinely creative if you get past the slight gimmick of the concept.

The Dubai location is at Souk Al Seef in the Heritage Area along Dubai Creek — itself worth combining with the visit, because Souk Al Seef is one of the few parts of Dubai where the city's older character is intact. The museum is split into three sections: illusion rooms (the Ames room, the rotated room, the infinity room), interactive installations, and a gallery of holograms and optical illusion images. Plan about 60–90 minutes inside.

The Vortex Tunnel is the standout for me. You walk across a stationary bridge while a rotating cylinder of light surrounds you — and your inner ear genuinely cannot reconcile what your eyes are seeing. I felt seasick on solid ground. The Ames room is the second favourite — it makes one person look twice the size of another standing two metres away.

Who it's for: Couples on a slow afternoon, families with kids 5+, anyone visiting Al Seef anyway, or anyone who needs Instagram content that isn't another mirror selfie at the Burj. Not exciting for under-3s — they won't get the illusions.

Practical details (confirmed on the official site):

• Address: Heritage Area, Souk Al Seef, Dubai Creek

• Open Monday to Thursday 10am–10pm; Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10am–11pm

• Ticket prices: Adult (16+) AED 90, Child (3–15) AED 65, Family (2 adults + 2 kids) AED 250, Senior 60+ AED 75

• Closest metro: Burjuman (Red Line) or Sharaf DG (Green Line)

• Parking in the Al Seef Mall basement on the Heritage side

• Book on museumofillusions.ae

My tip: Go on a weekday morning if you can. Weekends get crowded, and many of the best illusions only work properly when the room isn't full of people queuing for photos behind you.

4. Be a game-show contestant for an evening — TEPfactor Dubai

This is the most under-the-radar of the four, and I think the most fun. TEPfactor is hard to describe cleanly — closest comparison is the old French game show Fort Boyard, or Crystal Maze for anyone who grew up with British TV. You and your team (2 to 6 people) move through 21 themed rooms, each with a different physical, mental, or coordination challenge. You score points, unlock clues, and race to the final chest.

The four skill categories are agility, strategy, precision, and focus — so even if one person in your group is unfit and another can't do logic puzzles, you'll each find rooms where you carry the team. That balance is what makes it work as a group activity. There's no single superstar.

I did this with three friends and we underestimated how exhausted we'd be after 90 minutes. Some rooms are physical — climbing, balancing, crawling. Some are pure brainwork. Some require steady hands and patience. By the end you've laughed, argued, and discovered things about your friends you wouldn't from a dinner.

Who it's for: Groups of friends, couples on an unusual date night, corporate teams, or families with kids 8+. Not for solo visitors — the whole point is the team dynamic.

Practical details (confirmed on the official site):

• Location: Bahar Plaza, Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR)

• Open Monday to Thursday 2pm–10pm; Friday to Sunday 12pm–12am

• Pricing: Adults AED 129/hour, kids 8–11 AED 99/hour (minimum 1 hour)

• Kids 8–11 must be in a team with at least one adult; ages 12+ can play independently

• Wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothes

• Book on tepfactor.ae

My tip: Allow at least 90 minutes — most teams want longer. And don't all rush to the same room at the start; split into pairs and divide the rooms, regroup with notes. That's how you actually score well.

Final Thought

None of these is a replacement for the obvious Dubai attractions — they're additions for when you've done the obvious ones, or when you live here and need something genuinely different for visitors. iFly and the Museum of Illusions work year-round and in any weather. Aventura is autumn-to-spring only. TEPfactor is the easiest to slot into a JBR evening.

If you only have time for one and you're visiting in winter, do Aventura. If you're here in summer or short on time, do iFly. If you're with a group looking for an unusual night out, do TEPfactor. If you've already booked an Al Seef walk, add Museum of Illusions.