Generation Z, who were born between 1997 to 2012, are a curious lot who reportedly prefer making memorable experiences over buying material possessions during their travels. This mindset allows them to have more engaging and authentic experiences no matter where they are and fosters a sense of community and belonging that evades so many of us.
If you’re part of this diverse cohort and are travelling to Dubai soon, pack your itinerary with the following experiences that will leave you fulfilled and awed.
This futuristic museum is a gateway to what is yet to come and its architecture evokes these sentiments. The circular building represents humanity, the green mound atop it represents the earth and the void represents the unknown future. There are seven floors dedicated to different exhibitions: three floors focus on outer space resource development, ecosystems and bioengineering, and health and wellbeing, while the other floors showcase near-future technologies in the health, water, food, transportation, and energy sectors. The last floor is dedicated to children. The exhibits combine immersive theatre and themed attraction, making it one of the best places for Gen Z youngsters to check out in Dubai.
Once an industrial area in the centre of Dubai, Alserkal Avenue is now home to over 70 contemporary art galleries, visual and performing arts organisations, designers, home-grown and entrepreneur-led businesses, and community spaces. It is the first such precinct of its kind to exist in the UAE and invites visitors to stop by for independent movie screenings at the arthouse theatre of Cinema Akil or see local thespians take to the stage at the performing arts venue of The Junction. From checking out contemporary galleries like Carbon 12, Leila Heller Gallery and Gulf Photo Plus, to attending a painting class at thejamjar, working out at a boutique gym called CRANK, and fuelling up on speciality brews at the hipster-inspired café of Nightjar Coffee Roasters, Alserkal Avenue is a popular hangout spot for Gen Z.
Gen Z live life to the fullest and enjoy trying out new things, which is why you will find them in fun and eclectic cafés and restaurants like the Brass Monkey, Wavehouse Dubai, the Hive Board Game Café and the Unwind Specialty Boardgame Café. All of these places foster community interaction and relaxation which is what makes them so appealing. Hive has over 500 strategy, mystery and card games, hundreds of books, and a plethora of workshops and events at any given time. Unwind indulges in people’s nostalgia and revisits board games that bonded family and friends together with their selection of 500+ games and learned “Game Masters” at hand. Wavehouse at Atlantis, The Palm offers surfing, bodyboarding and bowling experiences alongside world-class gastronomy while Brass Monkey has retro arcade games, billiards tables, bowling lanes, virtual reality racing car simulators and more to keep visitors occupied.
The Dubai Water Canal is a 3.2km-long waterway that extends from Dubai Creek in Old Dubai through Business Bay, before finding its way back to the Arabian Gulf. The manmade channel, which opened in 2016, meanders through the centre of the city and invites visitors to run, walk and cycle along the 6.4km waterfront on either side of it. You can also hop aboard one of the many abra boat rides that make their way along the canal's calm waters for an especially leisurely afternoon. Also adorning the waterway are five pedestrian bridges, offering key vantage points to take in Dubai’s glimmering skyline. One of these, known for its distinctive purple-hued archway, was renamed the Tolerance Bridge in November 2017. The best time to visit is early morning when the sun comes up or around sunset.
Similarly, The Viewing Point in Dubai Creek Harbour is Dubai's newest observation deck, offering panoramic views of the magical Dubai Creek and a stunning skyline backdrop. The city's top attractions are visible from the new vantage point, including the Burj Khalifa and Sheikh Zayed Road, as well as newer structures such as the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. The uniquely designed bridge is made of painted steel and allows visitors to witness the city's many different sides as the day progresses—from a peaceful sunrise and the daily bustle of boats going about their business to a beautiful night-time vista after sunset.
Dubai is home to some exciting adventure parks and rides where you can fully savour the thrills of being young. IMG Worlds of Adventure is an indoor theme park the size of 28 football fields. Featuring four zones, including one dedicated entirely to the Jurassic era, the temperature-controlled park has more than 20 rides and attractions, including "The Velociraptor," one of the tallest and fastest rollercoasters in Dubai which propels guests to 100 kilometres in 2.5 seconds. Motiongate Dubai is a Hollywood-inspired adventure land featuring around 30 rides inspired by memorable action and animation films, including “Ghostbusters,” “John Wick,” “Shrek” and “The Hunger Games.” There are three zones dedicated to legendary film studios such as Dreamworks, Lionsgate and Columbia Pictures here. Meanwhile, PlayDXB in Dubai Mall is the largest indoor virtual reality park in the world. There are more than 30 exhilarating rides that blur the lines between perception and reality spread over two floors. It caters to solo and multi-player experiences themed around horror, sports, adventure and more.
Sing Your Heart Out At Karaoke: Who doesn’t love a karaoke night out with friends? From Lucky Voice Dubai and the Kung Korean Restaurant to The Other Office Karaoke and Mr Miyagi’s, there are plenty of places in town to gather together and sing the classics you and your friends grew up with.
Challenge Your Friends To A Race: Fasten your seatbelts and experience the thrill of burning rubber at the Dubai Autodrome. This fully integrated motorsports facility includes an FIA-sanctioned 5.39-kilometre race and driving centre. Groups with a competitive spirit can speed through the Kartdrome for about 17 corners on a 1.2-kilometre track. Those on the hunt for more fun can also sign up for a round of laser tag at the 400 square kilometres indoor arena. Designed as a glowing medieval maze, it's an ideal haunt for game nights. The building also houses a race school as well as a retail plaza.
Zip With XLine Dubai: They have the longest urban zipline and their branch at Dubai Marina offers twice the number of lines so that friends and family can ride in tandem. The XLine flies over land and water at up to 80 kilometres per hour and takes you from 170 metres from top to the ground level. Look out for the Princess Tower and Cayan Tower on your way down.
Brush Up On Your Golf: Spanning more than 60,000 square feet with a rooftop terrace, Topgolf Dubai offers interactive golf games, live music, dining and more. The three-level entertainment venue at Emirates Golf Club promises plenty of fun for every visitor, whether they are a golf aficionado or not. Book any of the 96 climate-controlled hitting bays and score points with the micro-chipped balls against your friends. The bays also have fun games to keep visitors engaged such as the beginner-level “Angry Birds” and the intermediate “Top Shot.”