Things to do in Sharjah: the best places to visit by car

Parking in Sharjah before you set off

Most places in this guide are in districts with paid public parking, charged from 8:00 am to midnight. Zones with yellow signs are free on Fridays and official holidays; zones with blue signs are charged every day. The Sharjah parking guide explains the fees and how to pay by SMS.

For the other places below, the official pages do not mention parking, so plan on the public paid parking around them.

Around Khalid Lagoon

The lagoon is the easiest place to start: five of Sharjah’s best-known attractions sit around the same stretch of water, a short drive apart.

• Al Noor Island: a landscaped island with a butterfly house, art installations, light displays after dark, a café and a nature playground. Passes are sold online.
• Al Majaz Waterfront: a lagoon-side promenade with the Sharjah Fountain show, a splash park, play areas, a jogging track, boat tours and a long row of restaurants.
• Al Qasba: a canal-side district between Khalid and Al Khan lagoons, with a theatre, the Maraya Art Centre, play areas, boat rides and restaurants.
• Al Montazah Parks: home to the Pearls Kingdom water park on Flag Island. Its amusement park, Island of Legends, was listed as opening soon when we checked.
• Central Souk (Blue Souk): the blue-tiled landmark souq with more than 600 shops on two levels, known for jewellery, carpets and crafts.

Heart of Sharjah and the museums

The heritage district on the Corniche is best done on foot from one parking spot: the souq, the old houses and two major museums are within walking distance of each other.

• Heart of Sharjah: the restored old town of coral-stone houses, souqs and museums. Its guided heritage tour needs booking in advance.
• Souq Al Arsah: a covered, air-conditioned traditional souq with coral-brick walls, a coffee house and craft shops.
• Bait Al Naboodah: a pearl merchant’s courtyard house from 1845, now a museum, opposite Souq Al Arsah.
• Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization: more than 5,000 artefacts in seven galleries, in the former Souq Al Majarrah on the Corniche.
• Rain Room: a Sharjah Art Foundation installation where the rain stops wherever you walk. Book ahead, because weekend and holiday slots sell out.
• House of Wisdom: a library and cultural centre built for Sharjah’s year as World Book Capital, on the airport road by University City.

Places to visit in Sharjah with family

For children, start with the Aquarium and the Science Museum, then add a water park or the lagoon playgrounds depending on the weather.

• Sharjah Aquarium: local marine life, a touch pool and feeding sessions, in Al Khan beside the Maritime Museum.
• Sharjah Science Museum: more than 50 hands-on exhibits, with shows and workshops.
• Al Montazah Parks: the Pearls Kingdom water park, with free parking all day.
• Al Majaz Waterfront and Al Noor Island: the splash park and play areas at the waterfront, and the nature playground on the island.
• Sharjah Safari: African wildlife in themed zones near Al Dhaid, seen from guided safari vehicles and a walking area. Tickets are sold online; check its site for opening dates before you drive out.

The Sharjah Discovery Centre appears in many family lists, but the Sharjah Museums Authority lists it as closed until further notice.

A one-day route around Sharjah by car

If you have one day, do the heritage district in the morning and the lagoon in the evening. That order keeps the walking for the cooler hours and puts you at the water when the lights come on.

1. Morning, Heart of Sharjah. Park once, using the museums authority’s parking map, and walk between Souq Al Arsah, Bait Al Naboodah and the Museum of Islamic Civilization.
2. Late morning, Rain Room. It is in the same Al Majarrah area. Book a slot in advance and build the morning around it.
3. Afternoon, Al Khan. Drive to Sharjah Aquarium, which lists visitor parking, and carry on to Al Qasba for lunch by the canal.
4. Late afternoon, Central Souk. The blue-tiled souq sits by the lagoon, on the way to the waterfront.
5. Evening, Khalid Lagoon. Finish at Al Majaz Waterfront for the fountain show, then go on to Al Noor Island, over the footbridge behind Al Noor Mosque, for the light displays.

With a second day, give the morning to the Science Museum or the water park at Al Montazah if you have children, or drive out to Sharjah Safari near Al Dhaid. Keep SMS parking ready on your phone: you will pay for parking at most of these stops.

Day trips from Sharjah by car

Two trips are worth a full day. Both destinations are in the emirate of Sharjah, and there are no tolls on the way.

Off-road driving is not allowed in Darb Rent cars. Please stay on paved roads; desert sand, dunes and unpaved tracks are off-limits. For a desert experience, drive to the Mleiha Archaeological Centre by road and join one of the centre’s own tours, which use its guides and 4x4 vehicles, or book a licensed tour operator.