Dubai is often associated with young people enjoying the city’s nightlife or with wealthy businessmen striking major deals in its financial district. You might be surprised to discover the huge assortment of family-friendly attractions and activities that are available in the United Arab Emirates’ most popular tourist city.
Sightseeing: The Best Attractions for Families
As in most other tourist capitals of the world, there are no restrictions for kids in the vast majority of Dubai’s attractions, meaning you can easily go sightseeing around the city or even in the neighboring emirates.
Covering all the places that are worth visiting deserves a separate feature-length article, and we have such a post in our blog. You can use it post to learn more details about each attraction, so here, we will only list the must-see destinations you should consider for a family trip:
- Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest skyscraper;
- Palm Jumeirah – the famous palm-shaped island;
- Global Village – a park, where you can discover international culture;
- Miracle Garden – a park with stunning flower installations;
- Dubai Water Canal – the beautiful canal passing the Dubai Marina neighborhood.
Even though not all these places might be interesting to young kids, children are still allowed to visit. Many of these attractions also have kid-friendly venues on their territory or in their immediate vicinity.
Outdoor Activities
Active families who love spending their holidays outdoors will have numerous opportunities to do so in Dubai. Water sports ranging from diving to paddleboarding are available on virtually any public beach, and even though not all of them are suitable for young children, there are plenty of other things youngsters can do on a beach. We have also recently made a post about the best public beaches in Dubai.
If you prefer hiking, there are many trails available in the outskirts of the city. Perhaps the best option would be the Hatta Dam lake and the Hatta Wadi Hub located nearby. The lake is stunningly beautiful, and the mountains around it will allow you to enjoy the views from an impressive height. As for the Hatta Wadi Hub, it is a tourism center, where you can stay for a night and enjoy various outdoor sports. The best point about this attraction is you won’t need any equipment: everything is available at rentals right here, so all you need to do is to drive to the location.
Amusement Parks and Other Attractions
If you’re looking to spend an entire day with your family, amusement parks or water parks might be the most convenient option to do so. Needless to say, they are designed specifically to accommodate both adults and kids, so all family members will be equally entertained during the visit.
There are dozens of small amusement parks scattered around the city, but if you’re searching for some truly outstanding experiences, here are the places to visit:
- IMG Worlds of Adventure – a large park with roller coasters and themed zones;
- Motiongate Dubai – a park in the city with 27 rides designed for different ages;
- Bollywood Parks Dubai – a themed amusement park with 26 rides;
- Legoland Dubai – a kid-friendly park with smaller rides and tons of activities;
- Ferrari World Abu Dhabi – a Ferrari-themed park with rides and merch in the neighboring emirate.
The situation with water parks is almost exactly the same. There are many small water parks along the coastline, and even some hotels have their own slides, but to spend an entire day outside, you should visit one of the following places:
- Aquaventure Waterpark – the largest park in Dubai, located on the famous Palm Island;
- Wild Wadi Water Park – a huge park near Palm Jumeirah with 16 water slides and 3 pools;
- Legoland Water Park – a smaller selection of slides on the territory of the amusement park;
- Laguna Waterpark – a more secluded water park with 5 slides.
Another popular choice for tourists with kids is to visit the Dubai Zoo. Even though it is not open in summer, it offers some amazing family-friendly experiences in all other seasons. They offer multiple kinds of safaris and even interactions with some exotic animals, giving the younger visitors some unforgettable impressions.
For kids from two to fifteen years old, it is also possible to visit the Children’s City located in the northern part of Dubai. This complex offers a huge range of activities for youngsters, where they can try out different roles, make new friends, and learn more about science, space, and other subjects in an interactive and engaging way.