Dubai is a glittering metropolis filled with adventure and fun, perfect sunshine, and among the best hotels in the world, but did you know it’s also very family friendly with a long list of amazing activities bound to keep all ages entertained? And we’re not just talking your standard family activities, but the world’s largest waterparks and theme parks just waiting for you to dive in. Here are five family friendly activities that will make a holiday to Dubai this Easter or summer the best one yet.
- Aquaventure Waterpark
The world’s largest waterpark and one of Dubai’s most popular tourist attractions, the Aquaventure Waterpark houses famous, record-breaking rides and attractions with over 1km of extended private beachfront and fantastic water slides and playgrounds. Enjoy 105 water slides, including Leap of Faith, Aquaconda and the family favourite, Surf’s Up wave rider. Thrill seekers can go on a Shark Safari surrounded by countless sharks or take a journey on a fun-filled adventure and learn all about marine life with the Mini Marine Biologist Programme. There’s fun for the whole family with mini and junior adventures, kids can explore the world’s largest kids’ zone with 16 attractions including the world’s first kids’ rally-racer and the tornado slide. To find out more and book your tickets, visit https://www.atlantis.com/dubai/atlantis-aquaventure/aquaventure-waterpark.
- Dubai Parks and Resorts – featuring Legoland
Made for children and the young at heart alike, Dubai Parks and Resorts is like the Disneyland of Dubai and is the largest integrated theme park of the Middle East. Featuring a fantastic array of mega theme parks including Motiongate, Bollywood Parks and JumpX – the world’s largest inflatable park, a trip to Dubai Parks and Resorts will create memories that last a lifetime. Legoland also sits within Dubai Parks and Resorts, where kids aged 2-12 are in for a treat. Adjacent to Legoland Water Park, it’s a real land of intrigue where visitors can opt to brave the adventurous rides and rollercoasters or discover building experiences and interactive play across different lands. Check out https://www.dubaiparksandresorts.com/en for more info.
- Desert safari
A trip to Dubai is not complete without a visit to the vast desert. And for lots of laughs and gasps of exhilaration, a desert safari is a must for a family trip to Dubai. One of the cities’ most adventurous activities, there are loads of options to suit every level of adventure-seeker, from dune-bashing in a 4×4 driven by a professional, to sandboarding, quad-biking, camel riding and simply dining in the desert – it really is an adventure the kids will love. Available to book via many tour operators including Arabian Adventures and Sonara Camp, you can even choose to make the experience last all night and camp beneath the starts for an unforgettable experience. Arabian Adventures recently relaunched its Jeep Adventure Safari due to popular demand, a great option that highlights the ‘hidden gems’ of the UAE from the comfort of a Jeep with an expert Safari Guide on hand to share local knowledge. Buhais Geology Park is the ideal starting point where visitors are taken back in time to the origins of Arabia. Itineraries can be designed according to preference with optional add-ons such as hiking so this makes for a great day out taking in the best of the country’s desert landscape in a single day. For more: https://www.arabian-adventures.com.
- Oli Oli
A fresh concept boasting a range of inventive and interactive activities for children, Oli Oli is aimed at 2-11 year olds and is split into eight galleries each complete with its own theme including mechanics, water play and sensory exploration. Dubai’s first experiential play museum, the spacious indoor sanctuary was lovingly designed and inspired by ideas of educators, artists, development psychologists and museum experts from 12 countries and offers hands-on activities that inspire positive play and foster curiosity and imagination. Check out https://olioli.ae/ where you can learn more.
- Kite Beach
What would a sun holiday be without a little beach fun for the whole family? You can have all the fun of a typical beach experience – and much more at Kite Beach, one of Dubai’s most popular beaches and one of the most beautiful and well-maintained beaches in the Gulf. There is plenty to do with kite surfing, paddle boarding, a running track, skate park, volleyball, kids’ waterpark, outdoor gym, adventure park and plenty of food trucks. If the little ones still have energy to burn, they can explore an obstacle course and climb high above the sandcastles at Wire World, and enjoy a jungle full of active fun. There’s also a “bungee injection” for the brave and even tiny tots can get in on the action with a special course just for them – the “acro branch junior” – designed especially for kids under 100cm.
Explore more benefits with Emirates if travelling before end March
You can save on your Dubai getaway with Emirates and take advantage of its incredible, beaches, dining and events using My Emirates Pass. Customers travelling to or via Dubai anytime until 31 March 2023, can explore the city for less and enjoy exclusive discounts and benefits at hundreds of retail, leisure and dining outlets by simply showing the Emirates boarding pass.
Get booking
Emirates currently offers a twice-daily service from Dublin to Dubai. Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Office, via travel agents or through online travel agents.
