Dubai Fountain Show Times: Best Spots & Tips for Families

Expert tip – Just before the show is about to start, small Fountain Lights and the Burj Khalifa itself start to flicker on and off, creating a beautiful twinkling star-like effect in anticipation. So it’s super easy to tell when a show is about to start.

Where to watch Dubai Fountain show?

It is also free to watch from here & stroller-friendly.

If you have kids, this is my most recommended free spot to watch. As it’s less crowded and there’s a large number of spots to choose from along the entire fence, so it’s much easier to find a less crowded spot.

Plus, there’s space for the kids to run around while they’re waiting for the show without fear of losing them!

Dubai Fountain Boardwalk

If you don’t mind spending a little bit of money, I highly recommend either Dubai Fountain Boardwalk.

This will get you super up close to the action with uninterrupted views, however I wouldn’t recommend with very small children as it is floating on water. Strollers are unlikely to be allowed.

Burj Lake Abra Ride

If you have children or want something special for you and your partner, then the Dubai Fountain Lake Ride is a magical experience.

It’s also one of the most unique ways to watch the Fountain’s really up close, but it does cost a little bit more money.

Book a Burj Lake abra ride 🚤

Restaurants with a Dubai Fountain View

Of course there are too many places to fully cover so I’ve created a specific guide to all the restaurants with the best view of Burj Khalifa here that also covers my top recommendations for Dubai Fountain.

You can also choose to dine in the Burj Khalifa too however be aware that while this is an amazing panoramic view of the Dubai Fountains it is from slightly further away. So it can be more difficult to hear the music from this location.

The music is an important part of the performance so you don’t get the full experience if you can’t really hear how the water is synchronised.

Best restaurants for families to eat with a view of Dubai Fountain

• Time Out Market – Located in Souk Al Bahar, they have an outdoor terrace area which overlooks Dubai Fountain. They have a kids menu and casual vibe with amazing food.
• Social House – Located in Dubai Mall on the Lower Ground floor offering a mix of international food plus healthy options. I’ve ate here so many times I’ve lost count, one of my personal faves! Sadly no kids menu but does have small bites available.

Where is Dubai Fountain located in dubai?

The Dubai Fountain is located in the centre of Dubai called Downtown Dubai.

Here you’ll also find Dubai Mall, Dubai Waterfall, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Ice Rink, Dubai VR Park, Kidzania, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo plus other Dubai attractions.

How to get to Dubai Fountain

There are multiple modes of transport to get to the Dubai Fountain, you can choose by car, taxi, metro or bus.

Car

Both Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar offer free parking for up to 4 hours, for the full information you can read my article on the Dubai Mall Parking charges. However be aware that with Souk Al Bahar you must get your parking token validated!

Not all restaurants offer token validation, so it’s best to check before you eat somewhere. The advantage of Souk Al Bahar parking is close to the Dubai Fountain.

My personal favourite car park for seeing the Dubai Fountain is the Cinema Parking as you use their less crowded car park lifts to go straight to the lower ground floor or park on the lower floor itself. This is perfect if you have a stroller / pram!

For lower ground floor follow the signs for Waitrose.

To get to Dubai Fountain from here, head into Dubai Mall, walk past Waitrose and turn left. Follow the signs for Dubai Fountain and head straight out the big rotating doors, past Five Guys. This takes you right to The Dubai Fountain and Souk Al Bahar Bridge.

You can also choose to use the valet for an additional cost. You can choose between the Dubai Fountain Valet parking or Fashion Avenue Valet parking, as both are close to the Dubai Fountain.

Expert tip – My most recommended way to get around Dubai is by hiring a car, it’ll save you money in taxis and Dubai is a very car friendly city. Especially with children, it’ll make your life a lot easier!

🚗 Check best rental car prices from TRUSTED companies 🚗

Taxi

You can use any of the taxi app services in Dubai, such as Careem or Uber to get a taxi from wherever you are stay and be dropped very close to the Dubai Fountain. If you use Careem you can order an RTA (now DTC) taxi which is cheaper than the Lexus taxis you’ll see everywhere.

Careem also has kid-friendly taxis available with car seats available in the boot, the driver will install for you when they pick you up.

If you tell the taxi driver you want to go to Dubai Fountain, they will drop you off at the valet roundabout that is very close to the Salt restaurant. Be aware, this area is drop off only so you can’t get a taxi from here.

Expert tip – If you want a rear-facing car seat however, you’ll need to hire one yourself. I’ve seen the occasional model that can be turned rear facing but it’s a lottery what turns up & most taxi drivers will install them front facing automatically.

Metro

The Dubai Metro is a convenient way to get to Dubai Mall as you’ll avoid all the traffic and trying to find a parking space on the many floors of Dubai Mall car park.

You also don’t have to worry about losing your car in the giant car park!

The only downside of the metro is that it is a long walk from the station to the Mall. The walkway is air-conditioned with travelators, but it still takes around 10 to 15 minutes to walk to the entrance.

You’ll then need to take the escalators or lift down to the lower ground level and follow the signs to Dubai Fountain, which is another 5 minutes (It can be longer if there’s a queue for the lift).

If you have younger children, they may struggle to walk the 20 mins there and 20 mins back plus all the standing watching The Fountain also. (If they’re anything like mine, they somehow they have no issue running around the house for 2 hours but ask to be carried after 5 mins of walking!)

Bus

If you’re using one of the Hop on and Hop Off Dubai Bus Tours, then you can easily just jump off at the Dubai Mall stop which is available on both routes from both providers.

Book tbe best hop on hop off bus tickets 🚌

If you’re planning to use a Dubai RTA bus, then there is the F13, F41, 50, 27, 28 & 29. All of these stop close to Grand Parking which is by Galleries Lafayette and Bloomingdales. So it is at the opposite end of Dubai Mall from the fountains.

If it’s too far to walk, you can get an indoor EZ Taxi which is a long golf buggy that drives through the mall dropping people off. It is 20 AED or 30 AED for a return from one end to the other end and can fit 3 adults with 2 children. You’ll find EZ taxis across Dubai.

Dubai Fountain show Tips

Here are some of my best tips for visiting the Dubai Fountain:

• Visit during the week and earlier evening shows for a less crowded experience
• Pack comfortable shoes, as you’re likely to do a lot of walking and standing
• Wear loose comfortable airy clothes (this applies to most activites in Dubai)
• Pack a bottle of water especially if you plan to watch in the free spots where it get hot & crowded
• Bring snacks to enjoy outside (As a parent, that’s a given anyways but there are also small ice cream stands and other options available on the promenade but they are pricey)
• Head to the area you’d like to watch and once the lights start to sparkle, head towards the lake fence to reserve a good spot
• Take a power bank as you’ll likely be taking a lot of photos & videos (You can also rent a power bank in Dubai Mall)
• Lots of restaurants and cafes are happy to charge your devices, you can also give them a G Type plug with a cable and they’ll find somewhere to charge it for you also
• Many restaurants have outside areas but the majority of outdoor tables are done on a first-come come first-serve basis
• Many restaurants in Souk Al Bahar have smoking areas on the outdoor terraces which prohibit those under 18
• Plan bathroom breaks as the ones inside Dubai Mall are a good walk away & many restaurants inside Dubai Mall don’t have their own toilets

Burj Khalifa light show

Another option to see while you are in the area is the Burj Khalifa light show, which can be enjoyed in between the times you are waiting for the Dubai Fountain show. My favourite place to watch in Souk Al Bahar Bridge.

Some information about the Burj Khalifa light and laser show:

• Starting from 6:15 pm till around 11:15 pm
• The light show lasts around 5 minutes
• The show features the world’s largest LED screen, lasers and music
• The show is free to watch and is best viewed from Burj Khalifa Lake at Dubai Mall
• Themes of the show change throughout the year depending on events, holidays and other occasions.

Dubai Fountain Information & Facts

The Dubai Fountain is a choreographed fountain system set on a 30-acre lake called Burj Khalifa Lake. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Dubai.

The fountain cost around $218 million US dollars to construct and complete.

The songs change for each show ranging from Lionel Richie to Classical Arabic songs.

The Dubai Fountain was designed by WET Design, a California based company who also designed the fountains for The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Dubai Fountain also has an issue of losing water due to the heat, so Hitachi were bought in to design an advanced sewage water system using the water from Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.

Final thoughts

The Dubai Fountain Show is one of those rare activities in Dubai that’s spectacular, family-friendly, and completely free. With the Burj Khalifa light show right after, it’s an evening your kids will remember long after the trip.

If you’re visiting Dubai with your family, make sure to include this in your itinerary and if you want to make it extra special for your family, consider booking the Abra ride on Burj Lake for a front-row experience.

Book a Burj Lake abra ride 🚤

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Before you go, check out some of my other helpful Dubai articles:

• The best hotels with views of the Burj Khalifa for your perfect stay in Dubai
• Restaurants with a Burj Khalifa view and Dubai Fountains to watch the show
• The best view restaurants in Dubai to enjoy a meal in every location
• Facts about Burj Al Arab and how to see Burj Al Arab without dining there
• Visit the Burj Khalifa and alternatives to At The Top viewing deck
• Dine inside the Burj Khalifa with these 9 restaurants for a unique experience

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