Ski
(http://www.skidubai.com). dubai now has its own snow skiing centre. located in the new mall of the emirates moe, on the sheikh zayed road, it offers both skiing and snowboarding. the slope is quite large for an indoor area. all equipment is available for hire. although it is -4°c inside, you don't need to bring a jacket because they supply pretty much everything except gloves and a hat which you can buy right there. a 2 hour pass costs dhs180 plus dhs20 for a locker.
Wild Wadi
(http://www.wildwadi.com). wild wadi park is the perfect place for the entire family to spend a day as well as being a great way to beat the heat and enjoy the day away from the bustle of the city. located close to the hotels and resorts of jumeriah beach, the park has water rides, slides, and a lagoon that's hidden away. you'll enjoy waterfalls, out of the way swimming holes, and a tidal pool.
Global Village
Happens annually and is operated by dubai land, this usually happens during winter; from late november to late february. countries around the world gather and set up a small village in the outskirts of dubai, each country/region has its own pavilion with a unique replica of their famous landmarks. this is usually like a flea market where you can get souvenirs from almost every corner of the earth for a bargained price and experience as if you're in that certain country for at least 10 minutes of your life even if you're 10,000km away. raffles for cars and gold bars also happen. you'd see the hieroglyphics of egypt, temples of thailand, forbidden city of beijing, the eiffel tower and many more. admission is usually 5aed.
Dubai has set up a free-zone Knowledge Village (http://www.kv.ae/) to house institutes and universities, providing both on-line and in-class training. The city also has the American University in Dubai (http://www.aud.edu).
Beaches and sea
There are endless water-sport opportunities as dubai has some of the whitest and sandiest beaches in the world. ocean temperatures range from 22°c in winter up to 35°c in summer, there are few wave breaks and the strong winds can make swimming difficult. the water is also very salty so many prefer to use their hotel swimming pool. diving activities have been severely affected by offshore construction work for the palms and the world; consequently, long boat trips are necessary to reach wreck sites. alternatively, one can make the 90 minute road journey to the east coast emirate of fujairah or the sharjah enclave, khor fakkan, for top class diving on coral reefs supporting extensive marine life.
Dubai Creek Cruise/Ride
The dubai creek is the foundation from which dubai grew. it originally served as a port for trading vessels plying to and from india, africa and the middle east. today a bit of the old shipping culture still remains. in and around the creek one can see some of the original buildings that have served as customs houses and defense structures. you can book a ride on the creek with a dinner cruise or even rent a private boat to take you on a hour long ride up and down the creek.
Golf
It may be a desert, but a lot of money and water is spent on irrigating opulent golf courses. alternatively, for a more local flavor, try sand golf!
Hot Air Balloon
Great fun seeing all the sand dunes and mountains early in the morning or during sunset.
Dubai Zoo
Jumeirah road. an outdoor zoo near to the beach. considering the extreme temperatures during the summer months, there are plans to bring the zoo indoors. the zoo is not worth visiting as the number and variety of animals are few, and housing conditions are also appalling. animals are trapped in cages too small for them to take more than a few steps, and are frustrated and bored. admission 3aed.