UAE: 5 things to do this weekend in Dubai and Abu Dhabi during the long holiday

Dubai: Tomorrow, Friday, June 27 is a public holiday for the Hijri New Year and with the weekend right after, UAE residents are in for a three-day paid break.

If you would rather not be stuck at home with nothing to do, don’t worry, there is still plenty happening across the country, and the best part is, most of it is indoors. Make the most of it, because this is the last public holiday you will get for a while.

Dubai’s summer heat doesn’t have to stop your beach plans. Head to one of the city’s public beaches offering free night swimming under floodlights.

From sunset to sunrise, you can take a dip at Jumeirah 2 Beach, Jumeirah 3 Beach and Umm Suqeim 1 Beach. Each of these spots is equipped with 800-metre light towers and is supervised by lifeguards for safety.

Bring a picnic, cool off in the water, or simply relax on the sand under the stars. It’s one of the most popular free things to do in Dubai this summer.

Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) returns from June 27 to August 31 2025, bringing 66 days of shopping deals, staycation offers, family fun and live entertainment across the city.

This year’s festival opens with free concerts at City Centre Mirdif and Dubai Festival City Mall. Catch performances from Arab artists including Al Shami, JadaL, Reina Khoury, Abri and Noel Kharman this weekend.

Beyond the music, DSS offers daily raffles, dining promotions and discounts at major retail outlets. It's a great time to make the most of summer in Dubai, whether you're shopping, staying in town, or simply looking for a day out.

Planning to be in Abu Dhabi? Don’t miss the return of SeaWorld Yas Island’s Electric Ocean Festival, running from June 28 to August 31.

The park transforms into a glowing marine world with silent discos, live shows featuring breakdancers and aerial artists, glow-in-the-dark face painting and neon art stations for kids.

SeaWorld will be open daily from 10am to 8pm during the festival.
Tickets: Dh375 for adults and Dh320 for children.
Book online: seaworldabudhabi.com

Another must-visit in the capital is teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, an interactive, multi-sensory museum located in Saadiyat Cultural District.

This 17,000 sq.m. space invites visitors to engage with large-scale art installations featuring butterflies, cloud formations and floating mirror balloons. The immersive exhibits combine science, art and technology—and change each time you visit.

The museum has dry and wet zones, with textured floors designed to mimic organic natural shapes. According to the creators, this makes the experience feel more connected to nature.

Open daily.
Tickets: Dh150 (adults), Dh115 (youth aged 13–17), Dh50 (children aged 4–12).

Movie fans and theme park lovers can take advantage of a special 40% discount at MOTIONGATE™ Dubai throughout June.

In celebration of the return of How to Train Your Dragon to cinemas, Roxy Cinemas has teamed up with the park to offer discounted entry for Dh199 when you show your movie ticket stub.

Ride the Dragon Gliders, meet Toothless, train like a Viking and refuel at the Dragon Flame Grill, all in cool indoor comfort.