What to do in Dubai with children

Larger than life in all respects, Dubai defies logic on many levels. Taller, bigger, faster, more luxurious, ultra- modern, the list of superlatives almost changes by the day as this emirate seeks to stay ahead of its rivals. It does therefore make for an exciting family holiday.

Although we normally prefer more culturally rich places and each time we go we say that's our last we are set to go back again. By far our favourite part of Dubai is the Creek where you can see it’s more traditional side.

It is however an easy and safe place to explore with children and a great stop over on a longer trip. If you are using it for this purpose choose your hotel wisely as depending on your length of stay some of the hotels are quite a distance from the airport and as a country it is not the cheapest. If you are looking for a winter sun option or a great first trip as a family the relatively short flight time makes it a good option compared to some of the long haul places that offer sun in our winter months.

There is so much to do in Dubai with kids but I have chosen our favourites, we love to explore the outdoors, especially when it’s sunny so I haven’t included the numerous indoor soft play centres, or the many theme parks.

Desert safari adventures

An early morning or evening desert safari (depending on your favourite time of the day) give a glimpse into traditional and modern desert activities. Children as young as 2 can take part in the sand dune driving, which is a hair raising and exhilarating experience. The tyre of the vehicle we were in came off and we watched in awe as 2 men replaced it in the middle of the desert.

Sand boarding and camel riding are two of the activities that you can also take part in as you prepare to watch the sun rise/set.

Dinner at a Bedouin Camp

We had dinner as part of our desert safari, but depending on your choice of activity you can also take part in this separately. You are driven to a traditional bedouin camp where you enjoy an evening of traditional food, culture and music underneath a canopy of stars. Some camps even have the option of an overnight stay.

Lost Chambers Aquarium

It is difficult to describe and do justice to the huge wall of aquariums that feature alongside the entrance to this amazing attraction. This will be on your route to breakfast if you are staying at The Atlantis on the Palm and entry to the Aquarium is included with your stay. Even if you are not staying here the Aquarium is well worth a visit with the little ones. With sharks, rays and colourful fish there are 21 exhibits to explore all based around finding the lost city of Atlantis.

Atlantis Aquaventure and Marine Park

Like any water park there are lazy rivers, tube slides and hair-raising vertical drops (exiting underneath a shark tank). Whilst this is a great day out in itself we really liked the animal encounters at the Marine Park. With resident dolphins and sea lions there are a number of ways to get up close and personal with these amazing creatures.

Dubai Fountains

The daily fountain show is a spectacle that can be seen from everywhere around the lake at the Dubai Mall. It makes a nice backdrop if you are having dinner in one of the restaurants around the edge, but is also a nice thing to go and see on its own. If you are planning to have dinner and see the fountains, be sure to request a table with a view and be warned that you could be surrounded by spectators for each of the shows.

The show takes place every half an hour from 6pm until 11pm, to a different piece of music each time. If you would rather visit in the day time when it is arguably less busy there are also 2 lunchtime shows.

Burj Khalifa

Visible from almost everywhere in Dubai, your whole visit is an experience. With interactive displays as you queue, even the lift is an experience with flashing lights and facts as you travel in the world's fastest lift. Although we have never tested this theory it is said that you can even see the sunset twice if you go at the right time of the day, once from the bottom and then again from the top. An evening visit will also give you the opportunity to see the fountain show up high.

Beach

There is endless amounts of fun to be had on beaches with little ones wherever you go. The beaches here are no exception. Many of the hotels, especially those on the Palm have their own private beaches, there are also a number of public beaches which offer activities and a change of scenery. From the restaurants and bars that line La Mer, the children's splash park of Kite Beach or a walk along Jumeriah Public beach,

Dubai Creek

This is our favourite part of Dubai, this is where you get a real sense of old Dubai. The bustling river comes alive with the Abras that cross the river. It is a really authentic journey as you all balance around the outside of a wooden box on the open sided boat, to make the short trip across the river. We even balanced our little boy asleep in his pushchair on the boat.

The labyrinth of streets alongside the river are where you see people going about their daily life, from the gold souk to the traditional restaurants which serve amazing fish dishes at a fraction of the prices of the city.

For more inspiration on Dubai Holidays with kids or some great hotels recommendations give us a call on 0118 336 0363 or email info@littlepeoplebigadventures.com to reach us personally.