Things to do in Dundee

Cultural attractions

Dundee is a UNESCO City of Design, which means you'll be surrounded by creativity and innovation.

You can immerse yourself in the world of art and design at the acclaimed V&A Dundee, an iconic architectural masterpiece. It's Scotland's first design museum.

For theatre enthusiasts, the Rep Theatre provides a diverse line-up of performances. It is home to Scotland's own full-time company of actors who produce their own shows. It's also visited by solo artists, comedians, operatic societies, and ballet troupes.

Near City Campus, Dundee Contemporary Arts centre (DCA) celebrates art and cinema. It hosts an annual film festival, and has frequently changing exhibitions and independent films.

The McManus Art Gallery & Museum offers a glimpse into the city's rich history and heritage. Other visitor attractions such as the Verdant Works and the RRS Discovery focus on specific aspects of Dundee's industrial and maritime heritage.

If you're looking for even more things to do in the city, Creative Dundee have put together a crowdsourced guide to the city with 99 things to see and do in Dundee, as well as information on exhibitions, creative spaces, public art, and performances in Dundee.

Sport and entertainment

Dundee has a wide range of things to do if you're looking for something more active.

Watersports

Wild Shore, just a couple of minutes from the city centre, is a water sports and aqua park. You can have a go at activities such as wake boarding, stand up paddle boarding, and wild swimming, or take on the challenge of the floating obstacle course.

Climbing

We've also got indoor climbing at Avertical World, where you can do both roped climbing and bouldering. New on the scene is Block10 Bouldering which offers 558m2 of bouldering wall and stand alone comp wall.

Golf

Dundee is conveniently located near to several scenic golf courses.  You can tee off on the world famous courses of St Andrews and Carnoustie, or play somewhere a little lower key.  

Ice sports

Dundee Ice Arena offers skating sessions, curling, and ice hockey, and is also the home to Elite League Ice Hockey team the Dundee Stars.

Football

For football fans, we've got two football clubs in Dundee - in fact, the grounds are only 0.2 miles apart making them the closest grounds in all of the UK. You'll find dark blue Dundee FC and tangerine Dundee United FC. Both clubs have long and proud histories and you'll find a great atmosphere at their stadiums on a Saturday afternoon. 

Bowling

Tenpin Dundee is our new bowling alley. You'll also find karaoke, laser tag, and escape rooms there, as well as pool tables, arcade machines, and table tennis.

Get adventurous

If all of this still sounds a bit tame, you can try gorge walking, sea kayaking, coasteering, and even dry slope skiing with Ancrum Outdoor Centre. Some of their activities involve excursions up to the Arbroath cliffs, where you'll be able to swim in whitewater, against tidal currents, rock hop, jump off cliffs, and scramble over boulders to explore the coast.

Shopping

Dundee's shopping scene is as diverse and inviting as the city itself. We have all the main high street shops that you would expect in a city of this size, suiting a variety of budgets. These include Next, Superdry, River Island, Primark, H&M, and Marks & Spencer.

You'll also find a treasure trove of independent shops and boutiques near to the campus. These showcase the city's creative spirit and entrepreneurial flair, offering handcrafted goods, vintage finds, and one-of-a-kind pieces you won't find anywhere else.

If you're after more luxury brands, the town of St Andrews is a short bus ride away. There you'll find stores which offer a selection of designer labels and high-end brands.