Dubai is one place you should check off your bucket-list, just because… and if you do decide to go to Dubai, know your kids are going to have an epic adventure!
Dubai has been continuously voted the most metropolitan city in the world with its array of modern shopping complexes, soaring skyscrapers, fantastic cityscapes and cosmopolitan culture. This modern destination encompasses all luxury facilities and establishments and hosts a number of exquisite restaurants, cafes and family diners.
With so many things to do and places to see in Dubai UAE, it might just be the best place to take your family to during your holidays. Here are the top things you can do with children in Dubai UAE:
Here are a list of 15 top things to do with your kids in Dubai.
1. Visit Palm Jumeriah – a tree-shaped man-made island
Dubai has a number of man-made islands surrounding its main city. Palm Jumeriah is one of those islands. The Palm Jumeriah is designed to resemble a palm tree, and therefore strips of land are laid in an orderly fashion that would give off the look of tree branches if viewed from above.
These are attached to a singular road that extends from the middle of the archipelago. This archipelago also stretches into the Persian Gulf. Visiting Palm Jumeriah is one of the few free things you can do in Dubai as there is no fee to enter the island
A few activities that you can do with your children in Palm Jumeriah include taking a yacht or speedboat trip around the island, touring the nearby waters, or visiting the numerous restaurants and attractions that are located on the pier over the water.
2. Go on a desert Safari tour
Dubai’s deserts have been glamorised more than any other island in the world. From famous movies showcasing the wonders of riding a camel or having lunch in the middle of the Arabian desert, to stars participating in dune bashing, taking a desert safari tour is one of the best things to do in Dubai with your children. Luckily, this is an activity that does not have an age limit and therefore, children and toddlers are equally welcome to experience this exciting tour.
Most desert safari packages include lunch, typically BBQ done while you’re in the desert. You can also book packages that include riding camels to tour the desert or surf on the sand dunes. You can also choose to ride quad bikes through the desert, or if you are adventurous enough and need an adrenaline rush, participate in a dune bash which involves your experienced driver riding the waves of the dessert as fast as possible without the car toppling over.
3. Visit the Dubai Marina
The Dubai Marina is a specific district in Dubai that is particularly close to the Dubai airport thus making it a place you can travel to right after you land in Dubai. This cosy neighbourhood is best known for its al fresco dining availability and small sandy areas of land where you can relax.
The Dubai Marina is also located near to other monuments in Dubai, such as the Mall of the Emirates and the Burj Khalifa thus making the Dubai Marina a rather convenient place to stay.
For your kids’ entertainment, Dubai Marina offers the coolest things to do in Dubai – from speedboat sightseeing tours to visiting the Zero Gravity Beach Club, you will have plenty to do and see in Dubai with your children.
Also, walking down along the routes of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai Marina is an absolute-must if you want to get a feel of the local community.
4. Visit Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest tower
The Burj Khalifa is considered to be one of the wonders of the world – it is the world’s tallest skyscraper and a landmark in Dubai. Visiting the Burj Khalifa is one of the top things to do in Dubai, as this place holds many wonders for parent and children alike.
The Burj Khalifa Park located here offers different settings and activities for kids and adults including water features, gardens and fountains. Whether you’d like to take a cool dip with your children or roam around and spot different specifies of plants and shrubs, the Burj Khalifa has all sorts of entertainment for you and your children.
5. Shop at The Dubai Mall – a huge mall with an indoor park
Kids are not ones to patiently wait around while you shop, and so Dubai Mall makes sure that there are facilities to entertain the kids as well. The Dubai Mall is one of the largest malls in the world, and includes floors of different shops and entertainment spots. If your kids are looking for the craziest thing to do in Dubai, take them to Kidzania in the Dubai Mall where your kids will encounter the real world in its most fun-looking replica.
They’ll be able to choose careers, build teams to solve ‘worldly’ problems and run an entire city. They can also visit the Dubai Dino Mall where they’ll be taken into the “heart of the land” where dinosaurs used to live and see the real skeletons of dinosaurs on display.
If you have kids who are older and too cool to hang out with toddlers, you can drop them off at the SEGA Republic at Dubai Mall. This is an indoor theme park that includes fun rides from roller coasters and rope courses to arcade games.
The Dubai Ice rink is also another feature that is a must visit for families while here, particularly on humid days since you can cool off with your kids while also having fun over gliding through an artificial ice rink. Children are given stability penguins to help keep them upright on the ice rink.
No doubt the Dubai Mall is one of the most fun malls in the world for kids and their families.
6. Explore the Green Planet Indoor Rainforest
The Green Planet Indoor Rainforest is famous for having the world’s largest artificial tree. To get to this tree, visitors have to cross a rope bridge. This alone makes this place worth visiting! And the waterfalls connected to the tree makes a visit to this rainforest an otherworldly experience for kids and children.
This specific replica of a rainforest is an attraction to show children what living in a real ecosystem looks like. With more than 3000 flora and fauna existing in this artificial habitat, this indoor rainforest completely immerses you into the wilderness – one which your children may not be able to visit in real life just yet, but are still able to experience through this attraction.
Designated parts in the rainforest have different animals living in them, such as the Bat Cave which is home to bats, creatures of the night. Other living creatures that inhabit this rainforest include: South American toucans (birds), tree-toed sloths, tree boas, butterflies, and lizards.
7. Visit the iconic Jumeirah Mosque
One of the places you must visit in Dubai UAE is the Jumeriah Mosque since it’s the most iconic landmark in Dubai. This mosque was said to have been built in the mediaeval times and constructed entirely of white stone. Jumeriah Mosque is best visited during dusk since that is when its beautiful architecture lights up the brightest.
You can get tours of the mosque as well as learn more about the Islamic tradition while you’re here. You can also take photographs of the mosque as well as get a chance to eat samples of traditional Arabic delights when you visit.
8. Get wet at Atlantic, Wild Wadi, and Yas Waterworld Waterparks
One of the best things to do in Dubai with kids for a day or two is to visit one of the many theme parks around the city. The Wild Wadi water park in Dubai is one of the must-visit places in Dubai as it features one of the tallest free-fall slides in the continent. It’s also one of the most fun things you can do in Dubai, especially since the water slides are available for different age groups and so no one is ever left behind in the fun.
Yas Waterworld is another water park that you must visit just because it has the world’s first hydro-magnetic tornado waterslides. It also has so many other fun experiences for kids and adults.
So if you’re in Dubai and need to cool of some desert heat, these waterparks are the perfect places to visit with your kids.
9. Enjoy a hot beach day
The weather in the United Arab Emirates can harsh to western travellers who aren’t used to the high temperatures and heat that is usual here. But the city of Dubai and the country of UAE has found ways to keep tourists, residents, and citizens cool especially during the hotter months of the years.
With a number of different man-made beaches within the city of Dubai along with beach clubs, it is easy to forget the uncomfortable heat while relaxing beside a beach. These man-made beaches typically comprise of white sand and infinity pools as well as music and bars depending on which beach you visit. Most of these beaches are family-friendly so your kids are never left out of the fun.
10. Haggle at some local souks (markets)
While Dubai has been connoted with luxury, the beauty of this diverse city is that you will still be able to find incredibly affordable goods in the local souks. These souks are usually street vendors and street markets that sell anything you might need, from clothing, souvenirs, ornaments to even phone cases.
Even though these may not be of a top-notch quality, they are still good enough to be used. However, the best part of these souks are the incredible bargains that you can get if you are able to hold your position and fight for a lower price. Don’t worry about coming off a bit stubborn – this is the traditional way of doing things in the local souks in Dubai.
11. Explore marine life at The Dubai Aquarium
If you want to enjoy a fun and educative experience with your kids, you can also take them to the Dubai Mall Aquarium tank which is in indoor underwater zoo with scores of different sea creatures.
From the typical sharks and stingrays to the more exotic specifies of animals, this park lets you and your kids learn and explore the different flora and fauna that can be found in Dubai as well as all over the world.
12. Ski at the Mall of the Emirates
Ski Dubai is one of the most exciting activities that you can participate in with your kids while in Dubai. This particular entertainment spot includes a variety of features, including the chance to ski down snowy slopes, snowboard, go on a zip line, relish the view from a chairlift ride and more.
If your kids aren’t at the right age for a skiing trip, you can also have snowball fights from on top of the slope. Other activities include the Mountain Thriller ride and meeting adorable penguins in the Gentoo and King Penguins section.
13. Visit Burj Al Arab – the world’s only seven-star hotel
Sitting on top of an island, this sail-shaped hotel is only 7-star rated hotel in the world. Noted as Dubai’s most iconic hotel and architectural landmark, the Burj Al Arab is the most luxurious and modernised hotel that you’d ever visit.
While it may not be the cheapest attraction in the world, it is still the most captivating landmark in Dubai. You don’t have to stay here, but you can visit to take pictures.
14. Enjoy a light and music show at The Dubai Fountain
With water that soars about 900 feet in height, the Dubai Fountain is one of its kind in both construction and features. It is the location most watched event in Dubai – the Dubai Laser Fountain Show which is the trademark feature of the city as well as the nation itself.
The show is choreographed and uses elements of light, water and fire – and watching this event, is a mandatory thing to do in Dubai at night.
15. Explore Old Dubai, Bastakia
Old Dubai harnesses the vibrant culture that is often masked away by the glitz and glamour of the typical metropolitan landscape in Dubai. With traditional markets outlining the streets, delicious local meals and incredible cultural experiences – Old Dubai culminates the beauty and authenticity of the locals.
Known chiefly as the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Old Dubai encompasses historical elements that capture the pre-modernised landscape of this Arabic city. You can take your kids out to go explore the different heritage sites that are spread around this place or take an Abra ride to roam the area on a specially made boat. When you visit Dubai, be sure to visit Old Dubai to get a glimpse of what Dubai used to look like before it was modernized.
And lastly, save money on your trip with the Go Dubai kids and adults card
This article is part of our popular series, Place To Go With Kids!
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