- Travel tips
- 7 August 2020
Dubai for families: why is it a top choice
Regardless, Dubai is a top choice. It is one of the unique and most contradictory cities of the world, built in the void of the desert. Dubai is the choice for everyone, even for families, which want to spend some days of pure fun in complete safety.
In Dubai, there are many activities for families and there is plenty of choice according to everyone’s tastes. Of course, it is not a cheap destination, but in the city where “almost everything” is possible, it could not be different. Moreover, going to Dubai when in Europe is winter, and there is spring, the sun always shines, gives you many positive vibes.
In Dubai, comfort for children, but not only
The flight to get there was immediately a good omen. The Emirates gifts the children with toys or stuffed animals as soon as you board, like many other airlines.
Once I arrived at my destination, I decided to go and eat a pizza (like a good Italian!): while waiting for food, the waitress brought a booklet to colour with the relevant colours. In almost every restaurant that I frequented, we always received little presents, from puzzles to various games, which entertained my daughter. Little details that made the difference during the entire holiday to keep children busy and entertained with something that seemed new everytime to them!
If playing is for children their primary concern, the fact that this can be done in complete safety and cleanliness is an important guarantee for adults. Cleanliness usually reigns in the capital of the Emirate States; I saw them cleaning some streets with water and soap, where you could practicaly eat on them.
It is a safe city, where you can move with absolute tranquillity, walk in wide pedestrian areas, and take efficient means of public transport. Personally, taxi is still the best means to move around because it is cheap (considering the cost of living in Dubai) and it is comfortable if you are moving with pushchairs or other things for children. Many supermarkets are open 24/7 and the well-developed concept of delivery is very useful. If your children are hungry at any time, there is no problem, you just have to download the “Uber Eats” app and that is it. Really good restaurants to simple take away fast food chains delivering to your doorstep, they are all available!
Families with children: basic ideas on what to do in Dubai
Many places are forbidden for children, starting with the various resorts where there are areas exclusively dedicated to adults or beaches closed to minors. Despite this, alternatives to do with kids do not lack.
Here are some basic ideas that I suggest based on my experience:
- First, Dubai is full of amusement parks: the most famous ones are concentrated in a specific area (called “Dubai Parks and Resorts”) situated just outside the city. Here you can find LEGOLAND, a stage that you cannot miss if you are a lover of Lego bricks; Motion gate , where you can live an adventure in the world of the Columbia Pictures and Bollywood to experience an Indian film set.
- Visit the dancing fountains (Dubai Fountain) located on the Burj Khalifa artificial lake: thanks to the spectacular choreographies and the rhythm of the music, the younger (but also the older) will be amazed.
- Visit one of the many waterparks: Wild Wadi Water Park and Atlantis are two of the most famous ones, where there is no lack of any kind of fun with water. At Atlantis, you can combine many activities together but also some hours alone: moms in a luxurious SPA, dads having a drink at various beach parties and the little ones at the supervised mini club with a very large play area.
- Walk in the huge shopping centres: it could seem a piece of common advice, but inside you can find everything for the kids (we are talking about centres among the largest in the world). Like miniature trains, dedicated areas with games of any kind or the “Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo”, an aquarium decked in three floors where you can swim among fishes.
Fill your Dubai vacation with a kids-only program
As said before, the choice of things to do with children is very wide, but in a hypothetical 4-5 days stay (the ideal days for this city in my opinion), the above-described activities are more than enough.
In addition to what described before, do not forget other experiences to share with the family.
For example, the long walk in the pedestrian area (called “The Walk”) at the Dubai Marina along the artificial harbour. Under some bridges, you will find playgrounds, where the children can play and you can breathe in the shade, which in Dubai is a primary asset!
Besides, if you get too tired, just dive into the sea just in front of it.
Last but not least, I recommend an early morning adventure in the desert dunes. I am not talking about the “extreme” excursion with the sandboard or the reckless driving on dunes; but a camel ride and a soft tour with a private Land Cruiser in the desert is a memory that will last forever (especially if you see a desert for the first time) and for the kids will be something exciting and extraordinary.
In Dubai, fun reigns for young and older in complete safety. In a few days, you can do many completely different things: you can even take your family skiing, to the sea and the desert, all in the same day!
If you want to spend with the family a few days of leisure, Dubai is undoubtedly a top choice that will not disappoint you.

Christian Zocca
Travel blogger by passion. I am putting out my authentic experiences in travelling.