Dubai’s Best Family Attractions for Your Next Holiday

Dubai has long held its reputation as the world’s premier playground, boasting stunning beaches, world-class shopping, dining, golf and architecture yet the glittering Emirati also manages to appeal to children as much as it does to adults. An array of top-notch family-friendly establishments has surfaced in Dubai over the years that have had the world-travellers looking towards the cosmopolitan city to cater to their family vacations.

If you too are considering Dubai for your next family adventure, here are the top five attractions that you can’t miss visiting:

Dubai Parks and Resorts

A collection of four theme parks and a common themed dining and retail area constitute Dubai Parks and Resorts. Together these five entertainment zones – Motiongate Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai, Legoland Dubai, Legoland Water Park and Riverland Dubai boast an array of family-friendly attractions that guarantee fun times for the whole family. The largest integrated leisure and theme park destination in the Middle East, Dubai Parks and Resorts is a wonderland for fans of motion pictures, Bollywood and Lego. The thrilling rides, larger-than-life studios and interactive shows keep the visitors busy all through their stay here.

IMG Worlds of Adventure

An ideal place to escape the heat, IMG Worlds of Adventure is an indoor amusement park, segregated into five zones – Cartoon Network, Marvel, IMG Boulevard, the Lost Valley – Dinosaur Adventure and the Novo Cinema. Children will have the time of their lives here riding exhilarating roller coasters and other rides designed around their favourite cartoon characters and marvel superheroes including the Hulk, Spiderman, The Powerpuff Girls and Ben 10 whereas adults can sign up for the thrill of their life at the haunted hotel where the surroundings keep changing and some unexpected surprises are waiting at every turn.

Dubai Miracle Garden

Spread over 72000 square meters, the Dubai Miracle Garden makes for a stunning retreat in the heart of Dubailand. Flowers of different types and colours, approximately 50000 in number, are scattered across the garden, making for a spectacular vision. Amazing flower patterns are visible throughout the garden including a heart-shaped pathway and pyramids of flowers. The park also has the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest flower arrangement to its name. The 3D butterfly garden, boasting 9 stunning domes where beautiful butterflies of varied shapes, colours and sizes live, is one of other alluring attractions of the garden. The Dubai Miracle Garden, however, is a seasonal attraction and remains closed during the Dubai summer.

OliOli- Interactive Children’s Museum

Your children will love it at the OliOli- Interactive Children’s Museum that focuses on learning through fun, entertaining and engaging mediums. Featuring over 8 galleries and over 40 exhibits, the museum remains one-of-its-own-kind of family-friendly destination in the Middle East. Some of the popular attractions here include Toshi’s Nets, the Future Park, The Cars & Ramps Gallery as well as the Forts and Dens area. Children are encouraged to create music and art pieces using their imagination and with the simplest of material available at all these places.

Ski Dubai

A mountain-themed indoor ski resort, one of the first of its kind in the Middle East, Ski Dubai is where your whole family can try skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing adventures. Located in the popular Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai also arranges for thrilling activities and shows for family visitors including a giant ball run, jumping a 10ft. ramp, spiralling down the tube slides as well as sightseeing in the chairlift. The bonus is that you can meet, interact and click pictures with Ski Dubai’s newest residents – the Snow Penguins here.