Dubai with kids

Best things to do with kids

Landmark · Downtown Dubai

1.Dubai Fountain

The choreographed fountain on the Burj Khalifa Lake shoots jets of water up to about 140 metres high to music, with shows every half hour through the evening and a couple at lunchtime. It is free to watch from the lakeside promenade, the Souk Al Bahar bridge or restaurant terraces.

Watch from the Souk Al Bahar bridge, or take a short boat ride on the lake for a closer view.

Time needed

30 minutes

Cost

Free

• Free
• Iconic
• After dark
• Kids
• Couples

Experience · Downtown Dubai

2.Dubai Mall

One of the largest malls in the world, with more than 1,200 shops, the Dubai Mall also holds the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, an Olympic-size ice rink and a dinosaur skeleton in its souk-style atrium. The aquarium's giant viewing panel can be seen free from the ground floor.

Go on a weekday morning, and use the air-conditioned walkway from Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro station.

Time needed

2–4 hours

Cost

Free

• Shopping
• Kids
• Rainy day
• Free
• Food

Experience · Al Barsha

3.Ski Dubai

Inside the Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai keeps real snow on an indoor slope with several runs, a snow park for tobogganing and a colony of penguins that visitors can meet. Winter clothing is included with tickets.

Book the penguin encounter in advance; it is the highlight for many children.

Time needed

2–3 hours

Cost

Expensive

• Kids
• Active
• Rainy day

Theme park · Palm Jumeirah

4.Aquaventure and the Lost Chambers

At Atlantis The Palm, the Aquaventure water park has dozens of slides, a long river ride and a private beach, while the Lost Chambers Aquarium leads through tunnels of sharks, rays and tropical fish.

Arrive at opening on a weekday, and visit in the cooler months when queues on the open-air slides are bearable.

Time needed

Half a day to a full day

Cost

Expensive

• Kids
• Active
• Outdoors

Theme park · Dubailand

5.Global Village

Open from about October to May, Global Village gathers pavilions representing dozens of countries, with food stalls, handicrafts, funfair rides, stage shows and fireworks on some evenings. It is busiest at weekends, when families come for dinner and shopping.

Go on a weekday evening, eat your way around the pavilions and check the fireworks schedule.

Time needed

3–4 hours

Cost

Low cost

• Kids
• After dark
• Food
• Shopping

Garden · Al Barsha South

6.Dubai Miracle Garden

Open from autumn to spring, this flower park arranges tens of millions of blooms into hearts, arches, castles and a full-size Airbus A380 covered in flowers.

Visit in the late afternoon in November or December, when it is cooler and the displays are freshest.

Time needed

1.5 hours

Cost

Low cost

• Kids
• Photo spot
• Outdoors
• Nature

Beach · Umm Suqeim

7.Kite Beach

A long, free public beach with kitesurfing, beach volleyball, food trucks and cafés, a running track and views of the Burj Al Arab. Lifeguards watch over the designated swimming areas.

Swim only between the flags, and come early in the morning in the warmer months, before the sand heats up.

Time needed

Half a day

Cost

Free

• Free
• Kids
• Outdoors
• Active

Viewpoint · Downtown Dubai

8.Burj Khalifa – At the Top

At 828 metres, the Burj Khalifa has been the world's tallest building since 2010. The At the Top observation decks on levels 124 and 125 look over the city, the desert and the Gulf, and a higher deck on level 148 adds a lounge experience. The base sits beside the Dubai Fountain and the Dubai Mall.

Sunset slots cost more and sell out; an early-morning visit is cheaper and often clearer, before the haze builds.

Time needed

1.5–2 hours

Cost

Expensive

Book ahead

Book timed tickets online in advance, especially for sunset and on winter weekends.

• Iconic
• Views
• Kids
• Architecture
• After dark

Rainy-day ideas

• Dubai Mall — Go on a weekday morning, and use the air-conditioned walkway from Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro station.
• Museum of the Future — Book a morning slot and photograph the exterior from the Emirates Towers side of Sheikh Zayed Road.
• Ski Dubai — Book the penguin encounter in advance; it is the highlight for many children.

Where families should stay

Family travel tips

• Visit between November and March for outdoor activities; in summer, keep beach time to early mornings.
• The Metro has a section for women and children, and malls have family rooms and changing facilities.
• Dune-driving safaris have age and health restrictions; choose a gentler desert trip with young children.
• Most public beaches have lifeguarded zones; swim only between the flags.
• Restaurants and hotels welcome children, and many beach resorts have kids' clubs.

Day trips for families

• Abu Dhabi (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car or bus) — The UAE capital's highlights are the white-marble Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, open to respectfully dressed visitors, the Louvre Abu Dhabi beneath its latticed dome on Saadiyat Island, and the Qasr Al Watan presidential palace.
• Hatta (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — Dubai's mountain enclave in the Hajar Mountains offers kayaking on the turquoise Hatta Dam, mountain-bike trails, a heritage village and lodges for overnight stays, with cooler air than the coast in winter.
• Al Ain (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — The UAE's garden city has a UNESCO-listed palm oasis threaded with ancient falaj irrigation channels, Al Jahili Fort and a winding road up Jebel Hafeet with views over the desert.
• Ras Al Khaimah and Jebel Jais (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — The northernmost emirate has quieter beaches and the mountain road up Jebel Jais, where a long zipline sends riders soaring above the valleys and temperatures are noticeably cooler than on the coast.

When to go with children

The best months overall are November–March. December–February are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.

Questions travellers ask