Things to do in November
November would be the best month to visit Dubai. The city is bursting with excitement; the alfresco season is here; everything is open now after the summer, but the question is.. Where should we begin?!
From live shows, to family destinations, sports events, eating out and more, we’ve tracked down the 13 coolest things to do in November in Dubai.
1. Get active with Dubai Fitness Challenge
The sixth annual event, Dubai Fitness Challenge, kicked off on Saturday, October 29th. The month-long fitness festival is an initiative launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.
The Dubai Fitness Challenge will run until November 27, encouraging residents to take up 30 minutes of activity a day for 30 days.
Dubai Ride, a flagship event of Dubai Fitness Challenge, returns on Sunday, November 6 and will give cyclists the chance to ride traffic free on the city’s busiest streets. Cyclists can choose a 12km bike ride down Sheikh Zayed Road or a 4km family route through Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard. The race is free to attend but you need to pre-register.
Dubai Run, described as the “world’s largest fun run,” will return on Sunday, November 20. Participants can choose between a 5km route for families and a 10km route for athletes, with both starting next to the Museum of the Future at 6.30am. The event is again, but you need to pre-register at Dubai Run website.
You might also like: Register for Dubai Fitness Challenge 2022
2. Soak up the views at a brand new beach club
Beach club season is here! Atlantis, The Palm’s beautiful beach club, White beach has just reopened with a new diamond-shaped pool and six luxury cabanas, each boasting its own private plunge pools and secluded lounge space.
The outdoor restaurant has been extended with a sandy open-air shisha terrace. If you wish to have some sumptuous Mediterranean cuisine, head straight to White beach Dubai.
The venue is touted as Dubai’s high-energy destination for a thorough day to night experience, abuzz with soundtracks from the renowned DJs, including Bob Howard, DJ Ad and DJ Moky. International percussionists Walter Scalzone and Rocky along with dancers and acrobats are also part of the entertainment team.
White Beach entry ticket to the pool and beach: Dhs250 weekdays with Dhs100 redeemable and Dhs300 weekends with Dhs100 redeemable on food and beverage.
White Beach, Atlantis the Palm, Palm Jumeirah. Daily 10am to 8pm, (0)4 426 0700.
3. Enjoy the longest toboggan ride in the region at Jebel Jais: Jais Sledder
November is the best time to visit the Jebel Jais mountains in Dubai and enjoy a toboggan ride that runs down the Hajar Mountains, for all thrill seekers and adrenalin junkies.
Jais Sledder at Jais Adventure Peak, a 885-metre toboggan ride is the region’s longest toboggan ride. It is an alpine coaster, that sits comfortably on a low-slung track and capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 km/hr, with each rider having their own braking system. As you sit close to ground, it feels like the speed is multiplied ten-fold. The total ride takes about eight minutes to cover 1,840 exhilarating metres of hairpin curves and undulating waves.
Timings: 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Ticket prices:
- Adult Ticket: AED 40 (Single Ride) | AED 90 (Three Rides)
- Adult+Child Ticket: AED 60 (Single Ride) | AED 125 (Three Rides)
Note: All guests must be at least 3 years old and at least 135 cm in height. If you purchase a three ride ticket, you need to complete all three rides on the same day.
You might also like: Top 10 things to do in Jebel Jais
4. Dubai Design Week 2022
Dubai Design Week is back for its eighth season at Dubai Design District (d3), which is an annual festival celebrating innovation and creativity from the Middle East and North Africa region. This year’s theme is ‘Design With Impact,‘ which explores how design plays a role in creating a sustainable future.
It will take place from November 8 to 13. During the week, individuals and organisations are invited to express design through exhibitions, installations and other experimental mediums.
One of the headline events of Dubai Design Week is Downtown Design. Get ready to be wowed by the best of regional and international creativity at Downtown design, which will be held from November 9th to November 12th on the waterfront terrace of d3.
You might also like: 5 best outdoor cinemas in Dubai for open-air movies under the stars
5. Watch Calum Scott Live at Dubai
UK artist, singer and songwriter, Calum Scott is returning to Dubai with his brand-new album Bridges. He will be performing on Saturday, November 19 at the Hard Rock Cafe Dubai in Dubai Festival City Mall. You can sing along to hit singles The Way You Loved Me and Goodbye, Again, as well as other originals.
The ticket rate starts from Dhs299. Note: You will have to be 21 and above to attend the concert.
Nov 19, doors opens at 7PM, Hard Rock Cafe, Dubai Festival City, (0)4 232 8900.
6. Cherish supercars at Gumball 3,000
The world’s biggest supercar rally, Gumball 3000 will take place in UAE and Oman for its 23rd edition from Saturday, November 12 to Sunday, November 20. Car fanatics can motor down to Burj Park on Saturday, November 12 to admire an iconic display of 100 elite sports cars as well as attend the live music festival.
Additionally, a line up of international DJs and a flag drop ceremony will mark the official start of the rally.
Nov 12-13. Downtown Dubai
7. Watch the FIFA World Cup 2022
There is no denying that football fever has settled in, and many fans are gearing up for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The much awaited tournament kicks off on Sunday, November 20 at 8PM, with host nation Qatar facing Ecuador.
For the football fans who can’t make it to Qatar to watch the games, check out the World Cup fan zones in Dubai.
You might also like: Dubai among six cities to host FIFA Fan Festival during FIFA World Cup 2022
8. Visit Dubai’s biggest Porsche event: Icons of Porsche
Icons of Porsche, is set to return to Dubai Design District for its second edition on November 26 and 27, after making history in 2021 with a whopping 7,000 attendees gathering at The Slab in Dubai Design District.
In this year’s Safari theme, Porsche will showcase the brand’s adventurous side to the attendees. The 17,000 sqm outdoor event will feature the biggest display of classic Porsches in the region, as well as Instagrammable artwork installations from renowned artists, popular F&B vendors and talented entertainment acts, including multi-instrumentalist Walter Scalzone, turntable talent Dj Lituik, and award-winning pianist Aleksandra Kristic.
Attendance is free, but you need to pre-register.
Nov 26-27. Icons of Porsche, Dubai Design District.
9. Explore this gorgeous immersive exhibition at Efie Gallery
Efie Gallery, the Dubai-based contemporary art gallery specialising in artists of African origin, presents In the Cool of the Day, an exhibition of new works by Ghanaian artist Yaw Owusu from Wednesday, 19 October to Tuesday, 20 December 2022.
Yaw Owusu repurposes found objects into remarkable works that explore the complexities of currency, symbolism, and meaning.
His new exhibition In the Cool of the Day at the Efie Gallery, explores his fascination with coins, utilizing the Ghanaian pesewa, as well as the US penny and the Emirati fil.
Timing: Tuesday to Sunday, 11AM to 7PM.
Efie Gallery, Unit 2 Al Khayat Art Avenue, Al Quoz, (0)4 252 4182.
10. Global Village
Global Village has reopened on October 25 for its 27th season. The 27th season celebrates 90 cultures with its 27 pavilions, including two new pavilions from Qatar and Oman.
The new season has introduced ‘Road of Asia’, a new pedestrian street featuring 43 kiosks from 13 Asian countries. There’s also House of Fear, the scariest haunted house in the region, and Diggers Lab, a hydraulic digger experience located at the entrance of Carnaval.
More than 175 rides, games and attractions will also be lined-up, including the new Global Village Big Balloon, a one-of-its-kind Helium Balloon Ride providing spectacular 360-degree views across Global Village and the wider surroundings.
Ice skating at Global Village: Global Village season 27 launched a new eco-friendly outdoor Snowfest Ice rink. Situated at the entrance of the Carnaval, visitors will be provided with all the equipment needed including the skates, skating seal aids for the children, and a pair of fluffy socks. Tickets to go ice skating will cost you Dhs40 for 20 minutes.
Timing: Open daily from 4:00PM until midnight; Fri-Sat 4:00PM to 1:00AM.
Ticket prices:
Value ticket : AED 20 at the gate & AED 18 online (valid from Sunday to Thursday).
Any Day ticket: AED 25 at the gate & AED 22.50 online (Any day).
Exit 37 , Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (311), Dubailand
11. Experience “Dinner in the Sky”
Located at Skydive Dubai, the gravity-defying “Dinner in the Sky” concept has arrived in the UAE with a bang, and you simply cannot miss this exclusive opportunity. Take home a bunch of unique selfies along with unforgettable memories!
Enjoy a lavish meal 50 metres above the ground while you soak up the gorgeous views of the city skyline, surrounding waters and Palm Jumeirah. The table and the seats gently spins during this splendid 90 minutes dining experience.
The Dinner in the Sky in Dubai is open for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner on both weekdays and weekends. Artful Dining by Le Meridien Mina Seyahi and The Westin Dubai are responsible for the menu, which ranges from burrata salads to Middle Eastern mezzes.
Dinner in the Sky cost per person starts from AED 599.
Skydive Dubai, Al Seyahi St, Dubai Marina, 058 819 3296
12. Visit Al Shindagha Museum’s Perfume House
A unique opportunity to travel back in time and discover the ages-old methods of Arabic perfume-making can be found at the Perfume House on Dubai Creek within the recently renovated Al Shindagha neighborhood.
The exciting 5-hall tour, each with a different educational theme dedicated to perfume, is open daily to the public at The Perfume House, Al-Shindagha Museum, Dubai and is just 15AED for adults, 10AED for children and free for children under the age of 5.
13. Dine at a Drake-backed chicken joint
LA popular Dave’s Hot Chicken opened in Dubai a month back, welcoming diners firstly to JBR, The Walk and now to Motor City. I have to admit, their fried chicken is ridiculously tasty!
The Armenian-owned hugely popular food concept boasts Drake as a major investor. Drake isn’t the only major investor either—both Samuel L Jackson and Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner are major stakeholders.
So how does it taste? Specialising in hot chicken tenders and sliders, there are seven spice levels to choose from: No Spice, Lite Mild, Mild, Medium, Hot, Extra Hot and Reaper. How HOT can go? And, if you want to try the Reaper, you need to sign a waiver first, seriously! The chicken comes with Dave’s pink-hued sauce, a pot of honey – with other sides like house-made kale slaw, mac and cheese, and crispy fries or cheese fries.
With combo deals starting at around Dhs52, tenders come on sliced bread with pickles and slaw, while sliders come with potato buns and slaw.
