Five to six decades ago, Dubai was a place most people travelled to for employment. Then, it was a simple fishing village that survived on pearl diving and the discovery of oil. And fast-forward to 2023, . When Dubai is a sprawling metropolis. That has all the comforts and luxuries of the modern world. And is one of the top shopping destinations of the world. What’s more surprising is that Dubai is home to some of the world’s record-breaking buildings and attractions. And there is so much to see, do, and experience in Dubai that it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world now. Families especially love visiting the city as it has numerous attractions for people of all ages. So, these are the top 5 places you must explore in Dubai with your family.
Global Village Dubai
Global Village Dubai is one of the most awaited seasonal attractions in Dubai. It is a huge part of the Dubai Shopping Festival and is the ultimate family-friendly destination in the city. Global Village Dubai aims to celebrate the cultures, traditions, and specialties of the entire world.
Pavilions: The venue of Global Village Dubai is divided into 26 pavilions that represent 96 countries. You will find stalls and markets of different countries that sell handicrafts, special products, and snacks from the places they represent. For instance, you get to buy spices from Iran, dates from Saudi Arabia, carpets from India, archaeological artefacts from Egypt, jewellery and accessories from Lebanon, etc. You will also get to see cultural dance and music performances from various countries here.
Entertainment: While Global Village is a haven for shoppers, it is not the only thing to look forward to. The place hosts entertainment programs almost every day. Traditional cultural programs, dance performances, and concerts happen on the main stage regularly. One show you must not miss is the stunt show where the performers will not fail to dazzle you with their jaw-dropping stunts. More than 40,000 shows await you here, which include special programs for kids, street shows, music concerts, and events.
Carnaval: Experience the joy of rides and games with your family at the Carnaval. Akin to a fun fair, Carnaval consists of more than 17 games, rides, and attractions, including more than 125 arcade and skill games. From classic arcade games like throwing darts and shooting hoops to the new-age virtual games, there is something for people of all ages here.
Ripley’s Believe it or Not: This is one of the star attractions of Global Village Dubai. Ripley’s Believe It or Not is a unique museum with exhibits representing historical artefacts, art, comic book superheroes, and incredible stories from around the world. While some of the exhibits are interactive, you will also find awe-inspiring out-of-the-box exhibits here.
Multiple Cuisines: The true highlight of Global Village Dubai is the multiple cuisines it has on offer. The place is home to more than 200 restaurants, café, and street food stalls offering food from across the world. You will get to try a variety of foods from almost all the countries in the world. The recent addition to the food section here is the Railway Market, exclusive for desserts. Designed like a colorful candy land, you will get to eat all kinds of sweets and desserts here.
Global Village Dubai keeps on updating and adding new attractions every year. The latest entry is the floating markets of Thailand. You will also get to enjoy wonderful fireworks here.
Type of Attraction: Seasonal (October to April)
Timings: 4 pm to 12 am (weekdays) and 4 pm to 1 am (weekends)
Entry Fee: AED 22
Dubai Safari Park
The Dubai Safari Park adds a touch of nature in the highly modernized city of Dubai. It is spread around 294 acres of land in Al Waqra. The wildlife park has more than 3000 animals and 250 species of animals, including 78 mammals and several carnivores, reptiles, and birds. Dubai Safari Park is divided into several villages, each home to different geographical locations in the world.
Arabian Desert Safari: This area represents the vast desert land of Arabia, and you will find animals belonging to the desert here. Arabian gazelle, Arabian wolf, sand gazelle, addax, mountain gazelle, and oryx are some of the desert animals to see here.
Explorer Village: The Explorer Village is like an African wildlife safari. The safari journey lasts for 45 minutes and gives you the chance to see animals of the African and Asian continent. You will get to see cheetah, giraffe, tiger, deer, brown lion, etc., here.
Asian Village: Right from its architecture to its inhabitants, the Asian Village will give you a glimpse of the Asian continent. The wildlife species here are Moon bear, gibbon, Mandarin duck, and Southern Cassowary.
African Village: The African Village truly represents the rich wildlife of the African continent. The African elephant, African white lion, chimpanzees, spotted hyena, gorilla, and lemur are some of the animals living here.
Kids’ Farm: The Kids’ Farm is both a petting zoo and farm where kids will have a great time petting and feeding animals like ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats, etc. The place also has a variety of birds like Amazon parrot and African love birds.
Al Wadi: After all the jungle adventures, the Wadi is a place to relax, enjoy delicious food, and have a picnic. You will find different restaurants, cafes, and food kiosks serving an array of food and snacks here.
Experiences: A visit to Dubai Safari Park is not just about seeing the animals. You also get to meet and interact with them. You can sign-up for giraffe, rhino, and bird feeding sessions here. Live shows are also popular at the Dubai Safari Park.
Type of Attraction: Permanent
Timings: 9 am to 5 pm
Entry Fee: AED 50
PS : If you are wondering about the cost of travel to Dubai , do checkout our article on how much it really costs to visit Dubai. And tips on how you can make a budget trip to Dubai.
Dubai Mall
Spending your holiday in a mall may sound ridiculous, but not when it is the Dubai Mall. The largest mall in Dubai (and the second largest in the world) offers more than just shopping. In fact, you can spend an entire day here without buying anything.
Retail Stores: This shopping mall is a haven for shoppers. It is home to over 1200 retail stores selling everything, including clothes, accessories, jewellery, footwear, furniture, electronics, etc. You will find some of the celebrated international brands like Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Bloomingdale’s, Jo Malone London, etc., here.
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo: The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is easily the most popular attraction in Dubai Mall. The place is spread around two floors and houses more than 140 species of animals. The aquarium tank is the largest in the world and has over 30,000 aquatic animals. The place also offers special experiences like animal encounters, diving sessions, and feeding sessions.
Play DXB: Play DXB is an indoor virtual reality zone where you can take part in more than 30 adventures and rides that will take you to the world of augmented and virtual reality. While most games and attractions here are for adults and older children, there is a separate play area for the little ones too.
Dubai Fountain Show: The Dubai Fountain Show happens right outside the Dubai Mall, on Burj Lake. One of the largest fountains in the world, the show starts in the evening and occurs every 30 minutes. Standing on the edge of the fountain, you will get to see a marvellous performance as the fountain dances to the tunes of music with colourful lights for company.
Burj Khalifa: The entry to the tallest building in the world is through the ground floor of the Dubai Mall. With the entry tickets, you can ride on the world’s fastest elevator to enjoy an incredible view of the city from the observation deck on the 124th or 148th floors.
KidZania: KidZania is another indoor theme park meant for kids aged between 6 and 16 years. It is a miniature city where kids can take up the role of adults and try their hand at different professions. They can become firefighters, doctors, nurses, newsreaders, engineers, construction workers, shopkeepers, etc., and also earn money in the form of KidZos (KidZania currency).
Apart from these, Dubai Mall has a huge indoor ice-skating rink, where you can learn and enjoy ice skating. There is also Hysteria, which is a scary haunted house. Dubai Mall also has a large food court offering different kinds of cuisines.
Type of Attraction: Permanent
Timings: 10 am to 11 pm (weekdays) and 10 am to 12 am (weekends). Individual attractions may have different opening and closing hours.
Entry Fee: Free, but you will have to pay for individual attractions and of course, your shopping too.
Dubai Miracle Garden
Dubai is a land of miracles; after all, how can you explain the architectural and technological advancements it has made in such a short time. Perhaps the true example of Dubai’s geniuses is the Dubai Miracle Garden, the largest natural flower garden on earth, located in a desert city. The garden is spread around 72,000 square meters area and has over 150 million flowers and plants.
Emirates A380: Dubai Miracle Garden has honored the flagship airline of Dubai, Emirates, by creating a floral Emirates A380. The jumbo, double-decked jet is made with more than 500,000 fresh flowers and plants.
Floral Clock: An innovative exhibit at the Miracle Garden is the huge floral clock. It is made of colorful flowers and actually tells the time.
Floating Lady: The Floating Lady is one of the most incredible attractions of this garden. Floating in the sky, facing skywards with her long hair flowing down, this lady is covered in exotic flowers.
Smurfs Village: The Smurfs Village is the newest addition to the numerous exhibits of Dubai Miracle Garden. Here you will get to see the adorable blue creatures in their village made of mushroom-shaped houses.
Lake Park: Get ready to experience the explosion of a myriad colors at Lake Park. The combination of water and numerous floral structures, including pretty houses and gardens make it look like paradise.
Heart Tunnel: Walk through a pathway that is covered with huge floral hearts. It is a popular spot in the garden for photographs and selfies.
Disney Avenue: Disney Avenue is a favorite among the young and the young at heart. Here you will find huge floral structures of the classic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Pluto, Goofy, etc. In fact, the Mickey Mouse structure has won the Guinness World Record for the largest topiary art in the world.
The Dubai Miracle Garden also has a Butterfly Garden, home to more than 15,000 butterflies, which is open to the public all year around.
Type of Attraction: Seasonal (October to March)
Timings: 9 am to 9 pm (weekdays) and 9 am to 11 pm (weekends)
Entry Fee: AED 75
Atlantis Aquaventure
The best time with family is when you have unlimited fun without any stresses of the real world. Atlantis Aquaventure is the perfect place to spend quality time with family. It is located within the premises of Hotel Atlantis, the Palm, the crowning glory of Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah.
Aquaventure Waterpark: The star attraction of Atlantis Aquaventure is clearly the Aquaventure Waterpark. It is considered the largest water park in the world and offers around 105 state-of-the-art slides and attractions. Right from surfing in the wave pool to sliding down through a shark lagoon, this waterpark takes water adventure to another level. There is also a fun and adventurous separate splash area for the little ones.
Water Sports: The Aquaventure Waterpark gives guests access to a private beach that gives you a great view of the Dubai skyline and the chance to try out some water sports. Get ready to try a range of motorized and non-motorized water sports, including speed-boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, jet skiing, etc.
Atlas Village: If you and your kids are interested in underwater life and underwater beings, Atlas Village is the place you must head to. Here you get to have a variety of interesting experiences with South African fur seals and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. You can enjoy dolphin encounters as well as swim, kayak, and paddle with these friendly mammals. You can also book tickets for Sea Lion Dip & Play and Sea Lion Meet & Greet.
The Lost Chambers Aquarium: The Lost Chambers Aquarium provides you with the ultimate underwater experience. Apart from strolling around the ten zones of the aquarium to watch the 65,000 marine animals, you will also be able to enjoy unique experiences like Shark Safari, Shark Snorkel, Aquatrek Xtreme, etc.
Attraction Type: Permanent
Timings: 10 am to 6.30 pm
Entry Fee: Starts at AED 315 (will depend on the attractions you want to visit)
Dubai is a treasure trove of family-friendly attractions; all you have to do is pick the ones that resonate with your family’s interests.