Dubai is known for its status as a rising business center, but what many overlook in this conversation is the fact that it’s also an incredible place to vacation. But in a city full of towering offices and fancy hotels, are there really kid-friendly activities? What will your youngest family members see in this place?
In fact, Dubai is peppered with fantastic, child-oriented activities – so many that it’s hard to pick our favorites. If we had to narrow down the list, though, we’d pick these 4 spots as the absolute best Dubai has to offer for the elementary school set.
Romp In The Snow
Dubai is classified as a tropical desert, so you wouldn’t exactly expect to find snow there – unless you know about Ski Dubai, the world’s largest indoor winter park. With activities ranging from skiing to bobsledding, not to mention with penguins on view, kids and adults alike find the juxtaposition of desert and snow delightful and strange. Kids must be age 2 and up to play at Ski Dubai, but beyond that, this is no-limits fun.
Enjoy LEGOLAND
It’s hard to imagine a child who doesn’t have a deep affection for Legos, the ubiquitous building block – and with such pop culture hits as the Lego Movie, many adults also look on them with fondness. That’s why your next trip to Dubai should absolutely include a visit to LEGOLAND Dubai, home to over 40 Lego-themed rides, a Lego model of the Dubai skyline, and highlights of the factory process where kids can see how their favorite building blocks are made. It’s a great time for kids of all ages.
View Palm Island
Kids seem to have an undeniable attraction to big buildings, and Dubai is home to some of the tallest in the world, many with incredible views. But while most boast a lovely skyline, if you’re going to take your kids to the top of one tower, make sure it’s one with a good view of the Palm Islands.
The Palm Islands are a series of manmade islands off the coast of Dubai designed to look like giant palm trees; currently there are two, Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali, with a third still on the drawing board. Luckily, since you can actually see the Palm Islands from space, any major coastal tower should give the kids a good look at these artificial wonders.
Have Some Good Wet Fun
On the opposite end from Ski Dubai is the much more to-be-expected Wild Wadi Water Park. After all, in this tropical climate, things get hot so you’ll need to cool off and the snow isn’t for everyone.
Wild Wadi Water Park is more than your average waterpark. It’s home to an enormous water rollercoaster, a huge wave pool, and terrifyingly fun water slides – and it has plenty to offer younger, less daring visitors as well.
Before you schedule a visit to Wild Wadi Water Park with the whole family, get in touch and ask about their schedule. Because Dubai is a predominantly-Muslim area, one night a week the park is typically only open to women, girls, and boys under age 8.
As you can see, whether the kids are tagging along on your next business trip or you decide to make Dubai your next vacation stop, everyone will have a great time. This is a city that works hard and plays hard, but the kids can just play hard. Isn’t that what vacation – and childhood – is for?
