City Walk

What City Walk is like

City Walk is a modern lifestyle district in the Al Wasl community, close to Al Safa Road, Al Wasl Road and Sheikh Zayed Road. It opened to the public in February 2016 and covers more than 900,000 m² of shops, restaurants, apartments, offices and car showrooms. Meraas was the main developer; the official website now says the destination is managed by Merex Investment Group.

Its streets are designed for walking, with wide pavements, palm-lined boulevards and outdoor terraces. Visit Dubai describes the boulevards as European in style. In the evenings, especially in the cooler months, the district fills with people eating out and heading to shows at the arena.

City Walk also has its own smart police station, opened in 2017, which offers police services around the clock. The district is home to Canadian University Dubai and the regional headquarters of the delivery company Talabat, as well as residences and hotels.

What to see and do

• Street art: artists from around the world have painted large murals on walls across the district, making it an open-air gallery.
• The Green Planet: an indoor tropical rainforest in a glass bio-dome with more than 3,000 plants and animals, including sloths, bats and birds. You take a lift to the fourth floor and walk down a spiral path through the canopy, midstory, forest floor and flooded rainforest levels, past a 25 m tall artificial tree and a waterfall. Since 2022 it has exchanged animals with Dubai Safari Park for welfare and breeding programmes, and the building holds LEED green-building certification. Overnight camping inside the dome has also been offered. Visit Dubai lists day tickets from AED 155; see our attractions for details.
• Coca-Cola Arena: the region's first fully air-conditioned indoor arena, opened in June 2019, with room for up to 17,000 people. It hosts concerts, comedy, sport and is home to Dubai Basketball, the city's first professional sports club, which brings EuroLeague and ABA League games to Dubai. Buy tickets only through the arena's website or its listed partners.
• Roxy Cinemas and family entertainment: the district has a cinema and several play and games venues for children.
• Al Khazzan Park: a small solar-powered park nearby with a 40 m water tower, a playground and a café-library.

Getting there and around

By car, City Walk is reached from Sheikh Zayed Road via exit D71 towards Jumeirah, at the Al Wasl and Al Safa Road junction. For The Green Planet, Visit Dubai suggests the Red Line to Business Bay and then a taxi or bus; routes 7, 14, 28 and 81 stop within walking distance. Visit Dubai also describes Coca-Cola Arena as a short walk from the nearest metro station, so check a journey planner such as the RTA's S'hail app for the best stop.

Visit Dubai puts the arena about 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport. Visit Dubai notes that beach hotels in Jumeirah are less than 10 minutes away by car.

Where to eat

There are indoor and outdoor restaurants throughout the district. The C2 area is a licensed dining quarter with places such as Daikan Izakaya and the steakhouse Rare. Visit Dubai also points to Michelin-starred restaurants a short drive away, including Orfali Bros and 11 Woodfire.

Practical tips

• Check the Coca-Cola Arena events calendar before you go; big shows bring large crowds.
• The Green Planet is indoors and air-conditioned, which makes it a good option on hot days.
• Walk the murals in the late afternoon, when the light is softer and the pavements cooler.
• Combine City Walk with a beach afternoon in Jumeirah or a trip to Downtown Dubai.