UAE weekend fun: 6 epic indoor gaming activities to unleash your playful, competitive side

Ready to level up your weekend in the UAE? Indoor gaming venues across Dubai and beyond offer the perfect escape from the heat and a playground for your competitive spirit. From racing go-karts at thrilling speeds to stepping into immersive virtual reality worlds, these spots promise endless excitement and fun. It’s time to break free from routine and embrace your playful side with games that challenge your skills, speed, and strategy. Here are five epic indoor gaming activities that will keep your energy high and your weekend unforgettable—no controllers required.

1) Boom Battle Bar

There’s no shortage of games here, but if you’re smart, and maybe a little bit competitive, start with a round of crazy golf. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and the perfect icebreaker. Still riding that competitive streak? Head over to the shuffleboard tables and see who’s got the steadiest hand (and the sharpest banter). Once the scores are in, send the loser straight to a karaoke booth for a solo performance. Bonus points if it’s a dramatic ballad.

This spot is a solid all-rounder when it comes to letting loose and having fun.

Age restriction: Over 21s only
Opening hours:

• Sunday to Thursday: 4pm – 1am

• Friday to Saturday: 4pm – 2am

Location:
DoubleTree by Hilton, Jumeirah Beach, Dubai Marina

2) Chaos Karts

Ready to relive your Mario Kart glory days? This high-octane go-karting experience throws you straight onto a real-life version of Rainbow Road—minus the banana peels (thankfully). It’s fast, furious, and feels exactly like being inside the game. Drift, dodge, and take aim at your rivals as you race for the win. Got what it takes to cross the finish line first? There’s only one way to find out.

Prices start from Dhs112.
Timings: Open from Monday to Thursday, 1pm to 11pm; Friday and Saturday, 11am to midnight; Sunday, 11am to 11pm.
6A Street, Al Quoz.

3) Loco Bear

Forget picking just one activity, this place is a full-blown playground for anyone who refuses to sit still. One minute you’re scaling a climbing wall, the next you’re bouncing sky-high on a trampoline or zipping across the ceiling on a roll glider. And just when you think you’ve caught your breath, it’s game on with a VR headset and a whole new world to conquer.

It’s big energy, all indoors, and all about diving headfirst into fun like you used to, no schedules, no rules, just pure, unapologetic play.

4) Roll DXB

Ready to roll back in time? RollDXB brings retro skating into the modern era with a glow-up that’s hard to resist. This vibrant indoor roller rink serves up major throwback energy—think light-up skates, pulsing music, and neon signs begging for a photo op.

Don't worry about not being an expert. Ease into the vibe, that is all about fun, not perfection. Beginners can ease into the groove with newbie classes every Saturday morning, designed to help you build confidence before you show off your moves.

• Prices: From Dh65

• Opening hours:

• Mon–Wed: 11am–11pm

• Fri: 11am–12am

• Sat–Sun: 10am–11pm

  Location: Marina Cubes Street, Dubai Maritime City, Port Rashid

5) Activate

Game on, Dubai, Activate, the hit Canadian active gaming experience, has landed at City Centre Mirdif, and it’s here to settle scores in the most adrenaline-pumping way possible.

Step inside and you’ll find nine high-energy game rooms, each one combining physical challenges with fast-paced tech, lighting up like something out of a retro console—only this time, you are the controller. Dodge lasers, hit light panels, race the clock, and outscore your friends in challenges that test both brains and reflexes.

It’s fitness meets fun, with a serious throwback glow. And trust us, by the end, you’ll either be gloating… or demanding a rematch.

6) VR Park

Ready to shoot zombies, skydive off skyscrapers, or drive like a maniac… all without breaking a nail? VR Park at Dubai Mall is the fantasy playground you didn’t know you needed. It's immersive, wild, and the kind of place where “is this real?” becomes your inner monologue. From motion simulators to escape rooms in space, this is Black Mirror but fun. Great for a day out friends, kids, or solo gamers flexing their reflexes. No sweat, no sunburn, just full-on tech-fueled thrill rides in glorious air-conditioning.