Things to do near The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa
Downtown Dubai is the one district where you can leave the car keys at the hotel. Here is how to spend a day — and an evening — around the world's tallest building, starting from our doorstep.
Start early on the boulevard
Mornings are the best time to walk Downtown, especially between May and October when the midday heat makes long walks uncomfortable. Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard loops around the district for roughly three and a half kilometres, lined with cafés, shaded terraces and the residential towers that frame Burj Khalifa. From DAMAC Maison Mall Street you are already on Dubai Mall Street; from our Business Bay addresses — Distinction, Canal Views and Cour Jardin — Downtown is roughly one to two kilometres away in a straight line, an easy taxi hop or a ride on the daily shuttle to The Dubai Mall.
Begin with breakfast on the boulevard or in your apartment kitchen, then walk towards Burj Park, the green space at the foot of the tower. It is the best ground-level spot to photograph Burj Khalifa without a crowd in the frame.
Burj Khalifa: going up
At 828 metres, Burj Khalifa has been the tallest building in the world since it opened in 2010. Its observation decks are sold as 'At the Top' experiences, with the main decks on levels 124 and 125 and a premium lounge higher up on level 148. The entrance is on the lower ground floor of The Dubai Mall, and tickets are sold by time slot.
Two practical tips. First, book your slot online in advance: prices are usually lower than at the counter and sunset slots sell out first. Second, go either early in the morning, when the air is clearest and the city is still waking up, or in the hour before sunset if you want to see the skyline switch from daylight to lights. Allow around 90 minutes including queues and the lift ride.
The Dubai Mall in a few hours
The Dubai Mall is one of the largest shopping and entertainment destinations in the world, and trying to see all of it in one afternoon is a mistake. Pick what matters to you. Families should head to the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, whose giant tank wall can be seen for free from the ground floor, and to KidZania, the indoor city where children play at grown-up jobs. There is an Olympic-size ice rink, a large waterfall atrium with diver sculptures, and an indoor souk area for gold and perfumes.
Shopping is easiest on weekday mornings. If you are staying with us for several days, consider doing the mall in two short visits instead of one long one — it is a few minutes away and your apartment is the best place to drop the bags.
The Dubai Fountain at night
The Dubai Fountain sits on the Burj Lake between The Dubai Mall, Souk Al Bahar and the tower. Its choreographed shows of water, light and music are free to watch from the lake promenade. In the evening the shows usually run every half hour, and there are also early afternoon shows; schedules can change for events and during Ramadan, so check the current times before you plan dinner around them.
The promenade in front of the mall gets busy, especially at weekends. Quieter viewing points are the bridge towards Souk Al Bahar and the terraces of the restaurants around the lake. Guests in the Two Bedroom Suite Burj & Fountain View and the Diplomatic Three Bedroom Suite at DAMAC Maison Distinction see the show from their own balcony — see the suite.
Dubai Opera and Souk Al Bahar
Dubai Opera, the dhow-shaped venue on the opposite side of the lake, hosts opera, ballet, concerts, comedy and family shows throughout the season. Even without a ticket, the walk to the Opera District is pleasant in the evening, with restaurants that face the tower.
Souk Al Bahar, the Arabic-style market building next to the lake, is worth a slow walk for its arched passageways and fountain-view terraces. It is a good place for dinner after the shows.
Eating around Downtown
Downtown has every kind of table, from food-court counters in The Dubai Mall to restaurants with terraces facing the fountain. For a relaxed lunch, the cafés on the boulevard are the local choice; for dinner with a view of the shows, book a terrace table around the lake well ahead at weekends.
Staying in an apartment changes the rhythm of a city break: many guests do breakfast and an early dinner at home and keep restaurants for one special evening. Supermarkets inside The Dubai Mall and around the boulevard make shopping for the kitchen easy, and every DAMAC Maison hotel has its own restaurant and in-room dining when you do not want to go out at all — see our dining page.
A simple one-day plan
Morning: boulevard walk and Burj Park. Late morning: Dubai Aquarium from the mall's ground floor. Lunch at the mall or back at the apartment. Afternoon: a rest at the pool — rooftop at Distinction, in the courtyard at Cour Jardin, over the canal at Canal Views. Sunset: At the Top. Evening: Dubai Fountain shows and dinner at Souk Al Bahar or the Opera District.
If you would rather not plan, ask the Maison concierge: the team books tickets, arranges a car and tells you which shuttle to take. Ready to stay in the middle of it? Check availability across our five addresses.
