People sometimes question whether or it’s a good idea to travel to destinations like Dubai as a family; rest assured, this city has great activities for visitors of all ages! In fact, you could say that the emirate has become one huge theme park for younger visitors who will think everything is both surprising and totally amazing. Who wouldn’t like to visit dozens of places that hold world-records? Our only recommendation if you’re travelling with your family is to organise the trip well and try to book interesting tours while also putting aside some time to relax or do something fun for younger family members. If you’re going to spend several days in Dubai, you’ll have time to do heaps of activities without rushing.
The city has all the tourist attractions you could want so, depending on your preferences and budget, alternate culture, fun and sport with relaxation, leisure and down time at your hotel. Food is another big worry of parents but again, there’s nothing to fear; while Arab cuisine uses lots of spices and has different flavours to Western food, the city is also home to numerous restaurants that serve Western dishes. Eating a pizza or a delicious hamburger is a treat you can also enjoy when you’re on holiday. Below we recommend the perfect activities to enjoy in Dubai as a family.
- Caminar entre tiburones
- Conquistar el Burj Khalifa
- Bailar juntos en la fuente de Dubái
- Vivir una aventura en el desierto
- Disfrutar de la playa en familia
- Pasar un día en parques temáticos o acuáticos
- Dónde dormir en Dubái
Walk among sharks
A good way to kick off your family holiday in the city is by visiting Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo in Dubai Mall, the biggest shopping centre in the world. You’ve never seen an aquarium this size before, with a tank that is 11 m high, 20 m wide and 50 m long and is filled with sharks and thousands of fish. The aquarium can be viewed from outside but what’s really impressive is walking through the tunnel, 11 m beneath the water’s surface. The aquatic zoo is also highly recommended; it’s divided into various rooms that contain different water-based ecosystems (Tropical Jungle, Rocky Coast and Ocean). Children will be astonished to see crocodiles, otters, piranhas and more – they won’t want to leave!
Conquer the Burj Khalifa
The huge Burj Khalifa tower will thrill visitors young and old, and conquering the summit of the tallest building in the world will feel like a real achievement for imaginative children. They’ll love ascending to the viewpoints to enjoy a bird’s eye view of this great city. The lifts travel so fast they won’t have time to be scared or feel vertigo. The viewpoints are located on the 124th, 125th and 148th floors, so although the building is 828 m tall, you’ll actually reach a height of 555 m. If you fancy treating yourselves, book a table at the highest café in the world, The Lounge Burj Khalifa, on the 152nd, 153rd and 154th floors.
Dance by the Dubai Fountain
This is one of the most hypnotic shows in Dubai – and it’s free! The Dubai Fountain is at the foot of the Burj Khalifa and every day between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., every half an hour, it puts on a choreographed show of light, water and sound that is guaranteed to impress. Watch it from the shore of Burj Lake; the fountain is in the centre and has spouts that shoot 140 m up into the air. You could also enjoy the show from a boat by booking the Dubai Fountain Lake Ride experience.
Go on a desert adventure
This family activity is highly recommended because of the remarkable desert landscape that can be reached in just over half an hour, and its huge contrast with the city of skyscrapers. Once there, you can choose different activities depending on your children’s age, including racing at top speed through the dunes in a 4×4, sandboarding, riding a camel, going in a hot air balloon or simply visiting a camp. This last option is almost always part of a desert adventure because you’ll visit the camp to have dinner and enjoy cultural shows with music and dancing.
Enjoy the beach as a family
If you’ve already spent several busy days doing tourism at theme parks or on desert adventures, perhaps the time has come to take a breather and get some rest. Kite Beach is one of the best beaches to visit with children; as well as being able to play in the sand and do water sports, you can also grab a bite at beach bars when the kids get hungry, play in an adventure park, skate in the skate park and jump on trampolines. The beach has changing rooms, showers and even WiFi. Parents won’t be bored either, thanks to the constant show of people doing kitesurfing and the wonderful views of the Burj Al Arab.
Spend a day at a theme park or water park
Visiting a theme park is one of the biggest treats out there for children, so don’t let them miss out on your holiday! Dubai has plenty of options to choose between, starting with the famous IMG World of Adventure, an indoor space dedicated to Marvel and Cartoon Network characters. The city’s water parks are also great fun, such as Wild Wadi and Aquaventure Water Park. If you’d like the day to be educational too, take them to Green Planet, which recreates a jungle with over three thousand plants and animals.
And even though it’s not technically a theme park, don’t forget to take a ride in the Ain Dubai Ferris wheel to enjoy almost forty minutes of impressive views. Each cabin fits 20 people so, as you can imagine, it isn’t exactly small…
Where to stay in Dubai
Dubai has every kind of accommodation option so you can choose to stay in a hotel or an apartment if you’d like more privacy. A great recommendation if you’re travelling to Dubai as a family is the Barceló Residences Dubai Marina, a modern tower in Dubai Marina with 253 exclusive apartments, a gym and no shortage of swimming pools. Another option if you’d like an apartment is Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel, a fantastic five-star complex on Palm Jumeirah, one of the artificial palm islands. It has 285 apartments, and 279 hotel rooms and suites. The complex also has a private beach, swimming pools and restaurants, etc. Everything you could need to take it easy after a busy day exploring the city.
There are also other options to choose between, such as the Occidental Al Jaddaf, a four-star hotel with 365 rooms and suites that has good connections to Dubai Downtown; the Occidental Dubai Production City, near Dubai Expo; and the Occidental Sharjah Grand, on the Sharjah beach front, very close to Dubai.
