In 2025, a host of new spots opened or gained popularity — from tech-driven playlands and foodie paradises to adrenaline pursuits and creative waterfront hangouts.

Here’s a quick guide to the latest attractions you must check out on your next trip.

1. Dopamine Land

A completely new way to explore fun, Dopamine Land is a multisensory experience that blends interactive art, technology, and playful installations in one vibrant space.

A room inside Dopamine Land with neon lights and virtual effects. Photo: Dopamine Land FB

Designed to spark joy and curiosity, this immersive attraction invites visitors to wander through themed rooms filled with colours, textures, lights, and virtual effects that appeal to all ages. From tactile adventures to neon-filled chambers, Dopamine Land offers a refreshing break from traditional sightseeing and is perfect for families, friends, or anyone who loves eye-catching photo opportunities.

2. Grand Hyatt Water Park

Located within the Grand Hyatt Dubai, this water park brings splash-filled fun to the heart of the city. Spread over 20,000 square metres, it boasts 16 exciting attractions, including high-speed tower slides, a lazy river, a wave pool with a sandy beach area, and one of the region’s first FlowRider triple surf simulators.

Where high-energy slides meet five-star comfort, this experience blends splashy thrills with luxury amenities. Photo: Grand Hyatt Dubai FB

Unlike the massive standalone parks, this offers a more boutique, high-end experience that combines the thrills of a water park with the luxury amenities of a five-star hotel.

Whether you’re seeking thrills or looking to relax in a private cabana, the park has something for everyone — and its central location helps you to mix a water-park day with other downtown Dubai activities.

3. Marsa Boulevard

If you love waterfront vibes and great food, Marsa Boulevard is Dubai’s latest outdoor lifestyle destination. Nestled in Marsa Al Khor along Dubai Creek near Festival City, this picturesque promenade brings together creative cuisine, art installations, pop-up shops, and seasonal experiences — all with a backdrop of water views and serene ambience.

In its latest season, Marsa Boulevard brings together new dining concepts, striking art and stylish cultural pop-ups in one waterfront stretch. Photo: Visit Dubai website

In its newest season, Marsa Boulevard showcases an evolving lineup of restaurants and cafes led by local and international chefs, plus Instagram-worthy art and chic cultural events. It blends trendy dining concepts like BLU Pizzeria and Maison Matcha with fashion pop-ups and live art.

Open typically from October to May, it’s an ideal choice for evening strolls, relaxed dining, and laid-back evenings under the sky.

4. Balloons at the Palace

For those seeking a sky-high dining experience without a skyscraper, Balloons at the Palace at Jumeirah Al Qasr is the answer. Dubai’s desert landscape is legendary, and the ride takes that beauty to new heights.

The balloons offer sweeping views of the Burj Al Arab and the Arabian Gulf, paired with refined dining moments. Photo: Jumeirah Al Qasr FB

Guests dine in elegantly decorated hot-air balloon baskets anchored to the hotel's upper floors. While the balloons stay safely grounded, the elevation provides stunning, unobstructed views of the Burj Al Arab and the Arabian Gulf, making it a top choice for afternoon tea or a five-course dinner.

5. Sensas Dubai

Tucked away in the Al Quoz industrial district, Sensas brings a brand-new kind of adventure to Dubai, inspired by the original French “Sensory” experience.

This interactive attraction challenges visitors in groups of 4 to 15, to navigate a series of activities that test their sense of taste, touch, and smell—often in complete darkness. Think puzzle solving, teamwork games, and multisensory mazes that make you think as much as move.

Sensas introduces a fresh, sensory-driven adventure to Dubai, inspired by the original French experience. Photo: Sensas Dubai FB

The most unique feature of Sensas is that every successful challenge completed by a team earns "charms" that are converted into a donation for local charities supporting people with disabilities.

6. House of Hype

Located inside Dubai Mall’s Chinatown area, House of Hype is one of the most talked-about new indoor entertainment hubs in the city. This immersive 100,000-square-foot playground is a "City of Dreams."

It features dozens of futuristic zones, vibrant visual worlds, interactive experiences, and surprise live performances. From neon-lit streets and digital art installations to fashion and gaming corners, the venue is designed to entertain all ages — and make your social-media feed pop.

Inside the House of Hype. Photo: House of Hype FB

With 25 surreal worlds to explore, visitors can walk through neon-lit Tokyo streets, record music videos in AI-powered booths, or shop for exclusive "phygital" (physical and digital) gear.

It’s also dotted with quirky snack spots and shopping boutiques.

7. PAC-MAN Live Experience

Nostalgia meets cutting-edge tech at Active Games in Al Quoz. Gamers will love to try the PAC-MAN Live Experience — a real-world twist on the classic arcade game.

Pac-Man live experience brings back 80s arcade era. Photo: Pac-Man UAE

Visitors navigate a full-scale maze using floor projection technology where they physically become Pac-Man, chasing challenges, running through glowing corridors to collect "pellets" while dodging digital ghosts controlled by other players or AI.

The stunning neon visuals are straight out of the 1980s arcade era. After the maze, themed cafés and photo spots keep the retro fun going.

8. Chaos Karts

For adrenaline fans, Chaos Karts (also at Active Games) delivers a karting experience like no other. Imagine real go-karts racing on digitally lit courses where virtual effects, power-ups, and themed tracks transform a simple race into an AR-style gaming session. Without the need for helmets or special gear, this attraction blends physical racing with gaming-style thrills — perfect for groups and thrill-seekers looking for something new in Dubai’s entertainment scene.

Chaos Karts merges real-world racing with immersive, game-like thrills. Photo: Chaos Karts FB

9. The City Gaming Center

Dubai’s gaming culture is booming, and The City Gaming Center in Al Quoz is the ultimate hub. It features the UAE’s first "VR Empire" experience, which incorporates heat, wind, and motion to make virtual reality feel tangible.

The City Gaming Center introduces the UAE’s first VR Empire experience, using heat, wind and motion to bring virtual worlds to life. Photo: The City GC FB

Equipped with high-end PCs, consoles, VR zones, and competitive arenas, this center offers casual play, tournaments, and immersive multimedia experiences. Beyond VR, the center boasts top-tier RGB gaming rigs, private PlayStation 5 suites, and a social area with billiards and an on-site café.

Whether you’re into high-score challenges or VR adventures, it’s a must-visit for tech lovers and gaming enthusiasts.

10. Bustronomy

If you want to see the city and enjoy a gourmet meal simultaneously, Bustronomy offers a literal "moveable feast" — a luxury fine-dining tour on a double-decker bus. Unlike any regular meal or city tour, this experience lets you enjoy signature cuisine aboard a panoramic bus with a glass roof as you travel past Dubai’s most famous landmarks, including the Burj Khalifa, Museum of the Future, and Burj Al Arab.

Bustronomy lets you sightsee and dine at the same time, pairing gourmet food with a moving double-decker experience. Photo: BusTronomy FB

Each table is equipped with an interactive audio-pen guide and pre-recorded commentary in multiple languages adds cultural insight to your journey, blending delicious food with fascinating city stories and stunning views.