Dubai Itinerary for Families

Dubai is loaded with all sorts of action-packed adventures for you and your travel crew. Although it wasn’t much more than sand dunes and a couple of buildings just a few decades ago, Dubai is now a sprawling city that’s a perfect vacation spot for people of all ages. If you’re looking for different activities to try out during your visit, you’re in luck!

We’ve created a comprehensive Dubai itinerary for families. Here it is:

Day One: Go up to the Burj Khalifa Observation Deck, then explore Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. You can also opt to spend some time at the Dubai Mall. Either way, you should finish the day at the Dubai Fountain.
Day Two: Take your kids to Ski Dubai or Flip Out Trampoline Park.
Day Three: Spend the whole day at Legoland, IMG Worlds of Adventure, or Dubai Miracle Garden.
Day Four: Explore the Old City of Dubai.
Day Five: Enjoy some family-friendly Night Tours at VP Park or Zabeel Park.
Day Six: End your vacation with a nice relaxing day at Wild Wadi Water Park, Kite Beach, or Jumeirah Beach and Dubai Marina.

You’ll also learn a handful of helpful tips to get the best deals and enjoy your stay in Dubai as much as possible. Without further ado, let’s dive into the detailed itinerary below!

Day One: Burj Khalifa Observation Deck, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, Dubai Mall, Dubai Fountain.

The Burj Khalifa Observation Deck is one of the most interesting places to visit in Dubai. Heading to the top of this magnificent structure will allow you to see the breathtaking views of the city. Apart from being popularly known as the world’s highest tower, the Burj Khalifa is also a great place to visit with your family.

Once you get to the top of the tower, you’ll be able to see the blue ocean in the distance, contrasted by the wind-shaped sand dunes that stretch as far as the eye can see. If you find yourself on the 125th floor, you’ll be able to access the observation deck that sits a staggering 465 feet above the ground.

If you have a young family, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of low ticket prices. Children under 4 years of age can join you on the tower for free, while kids 4 through 12 are discounted. Anyone above the age of 12 costs the standard ticket price. Remember that costs vary depending on the season, day of the week, and other variables.

If you use the fast track entry system, you’ll be able to skip the long lines and get right to the observation deck on the 125th floor. There’s also a deck to visit on the 124th floor as well. If you buy the top-tier pass, you’ll be able to go all the way up to the 148th floor to see even more of the unforgettable landscape.

After you are done with the Burj Khalifa Observation Deck, try out Dubai’s Mall, where the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo are found on the ground floor.

With over 3,000 sharks, manta rays, and other animals, your whole family can soak in the experience right next to the glass. If you’re looking for a bit more of an adventurous stay, you could ride the glass-bottom boat or go snorkeling in the crystal-clear water below.

Note: The tickets usually cover your visit to the Underwater Observatory and Zoo, the Aquarium Tunnel, the glass-bottom boat, and the Submersible Simulator. Unfortunately, pregnant women and children below 3 years of age are not permitted to go on the glass-bottom boat rides.

Once you and your family are done with the aquarium adventure, you can have some lunch at one of the many food courts inside the Dubai Mall. There are also countless shops to buy clothes, shoes, tech gear, and more. You could even visit the gold souks for a fantastic gold-filled shopping experience.

Before you go back to your hotel, finish the day’s tour at the Dubai Fountain, which is just next to the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall. Shooting hundreds of meters into the air, the water is accompanied by beautiful Arabic music throughout the night. Despite the invaluable tranquility of the fountain, it’s virtually free to enjoy.

Burj Khalifa Observation Deck

Opening hours: 9 am to 11 pm
Nearest Metro Station: Burj Khalifa Station (About 10 minutes)
For the best views, visit the observation decks on the 124th, 125th, and 148th floors.

Dubai Mall Restaurants and Cafes

Opening time: Most of them are from 8 am to 12 am.

Dubai Fountain

Performances during the day: From 1 pm to 1:30 pm
Fountain timing on Fridays: 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm
During the evening: 6 pm to 11 pm

Day Two: Ski Dubai, Flip Out Trampoline Park

For a fun morning, take your family to Ski Dubai, the third-largest indoor ski slope in the world. Situated in the Mall of Emirates, this slope has a wide variety of activities for you all to try out. Enjoy skiing, snowboarding, or toboggan for up to one hour each. After that, you can relax on a chairlift ride and relax with the incredible views of the city and surrounding nature.

Snowball fights, ice castles, snowmen building competitions, and a plethora of other snow-packed amenities await your arrival. Don’t forget to visit the friendly snow penguins, either!

Tickets for the snow park and the slope vary depending on how long you want to stay and how many people are in your family. The same applies to the snow penguin visits, although you can pay a little bit more to have an up-close and personal meet and greet of a lifetime!

The Flip Out Trampoline Park is a great place to head to if you want to blow off some steam and explore the exhilarating jumps available throughout the area. Dodgeball, volleyball, and trampoline football are just a few of the jump-filled sports that you can partake in with your family.

Don’t worry, though; The park is very kid-friendly. There’s a mini foam pit that’s filled with foam cubes where children can enjoy a harmless time. If that’s not enough to keep your kids entertained for hours on end, you could take them to another place called the Double Decker Kids Arena.

This one-of-a-kind arena has small trampoline mats with customized springs to ensure that your kids are safe at all times. Your children also get to enjoy the flip-out underground basement that has basketball hoops and hanging punching bags.

Bubble soccer, archery tag, and all sorts of other fun adventures await you and your family at the area. The price of admission varies depending on their age. Children under 5 years old get the lowest prices, while those above the age of 5 cost only a little bit more. You can combine game packages to get a better deal if you plan to stay longer.

Ski Dubai

Opening hours: 9 am to 10 pm
Nearest Metro Station: Mall of the Emirates substation (30-40 minutes by train and 15-20 minutes by taxi.)

Flip Out Trampoline Park

Opening hours: Sundays to Wednesdays 12 pm – 9 pm while Thursdays to Saturdays from 10 am to 10 pm.
Nearest Metro Station: Noor Bank Metro Station (It’s within walking distance).

Day Three: Legoland, IMG Worlds of Adventure or Dubai Miracle Garden

There is no better place to spend your third vacation day than the world-famous Legoland. Although it’s primarily made for children, this park has plenty of activities for you to enjoy as well.

Start at the factory to see how Lego bricks are made. You’ll even get a unique Lego brick as a souvenir! The factory is also home to The Big Shop, a store filled with fun toys for kids.

They can buy unique gadgets and Legos for themselves and for their friends back home. Other interesting shops to visit are the Minifigure Market, Corner shop, and Pick-A-Brick. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the Lego characters walking through the park for a chance to take a picture!.

Next, head out to the Lego City zone for the kids to play with toy aircraft, boats and watch them pretend to save a burning building. You can’t miss visiting the MINILAND where 20 million Lego bricks are used to make Dubai’s skylines.

Before you leave the park, make sure you stop by and check out the Legoland Water Park. With over 20 water slides and attractions, your family will have the time of their lives. Later on, have a bite to eat at one of Legoland’s restaurants, cafes, or the delicious Ice Factory. If you book online, you’ll be able to take advantage of discounted prices.

After visiting Legoland, head over to the exciting IMG Worlds of Adventure, Dubai’s biggest indoor amusement park. The park has five incredible places to get on thrilling rides, popular characters to meet, and plenty of dining options. From Cartoon Network to Marvel, and Lost Valley to IMG Boulevard, the possibilities are endless.

If you’re looking for a slow-paced afternoon, kick back and relax in the natural beauty at the Dubai Miracle Garden. This magnificent attraction is made of 150 million flowers in full bloom. With over 72,000 square meters of breathtaking scenery to view, it’s no surprise that this garden has its name in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Your kids will also have a blast as they admire the floral sculpture of Airbus A380, Mickey Mouse, and dozens of other sculptures.

Note: The garden is only opened to the public from November to mid- February due to maintenance purposes.

Legoland

Opening hours: From 10 am to 6 pm
Duration: 4 hours
Nearest Metro Station: UAE Exchange (15 minutes)

IMG Worlds of Adventure

Opening hour: 11 am to 8 pm or 10 pm.
Duration: 4- 5 hours
Nearest Metro Station: Mall of the Emirates station (23 minutes)

Dubai Miracle Garden

Opening hours: Weekdays from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm while on the weekends it opens from 9 am to 11 pm.
Duration: 3-5 hours
Nearest Metro Station: Mall of Emirates (10- 15 minutes)

Day Four: Explore the Old City of Dubai

If you want to get a true look at this thriving town, you should drive to the Old City of Dubai. Explore the historical story behind this attraction by visiting Dubai Gold Souk in Deira. Lined with hundreds of jewelry stores, you can’t help but admire the gold, diamond, platinum items showcased in every direction.

When you are done with the gold souk, learn even more at the Dubai Museum. Here you will discover Dubai’s past and its original heritage. Finish the educational day by taking a stroll through the Al Bastakiya Quarter, the oldest residential quarter in Dubai. Walk through the narrow maze-like streets and let the whole family be completely mesmerized by the old architecture and wind tower buildings.

Before you leave the city, take an inexpensive boat ride across the gorgeous Dubai Creek. Apart from sharing a traditional boat known as an ‘abra,’ you get to experience pleasant waterfront views, swarming flocks of Guano birds, and relax to the sound of the rippling waves.

Dubai Gold Souk

Opening hours: 10:00 in the morning to 10:00 at night from Saturday to Thursday. However, on Fridays its open from 4:00 in the evening to 10:00 at night.
Duration: About 2 hours

Dubai Museum

Opening hours: 8:30in the Morning to 8:30 in the evening from Saturday to Thursday, afternoon pm to 8:30 pm on Fridays.
Duration: 15 -30 minutes

Dubai Creek

Operating hours: 5 am to 12 am

Day Five: Night Tours at VP Park or Zabeel Park

Dubai’s nightlife is definitely worth experiencing if you have extra time. There are many places to visit, such as VR Park. The park is the world’s biggest indoor virtual reality park, making it a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike. It’s found inside of Dubai’s Mall, where your kids can play more than 30 different games.

From solo online adventures to multi-player games, you’d be surprised how many hours can fly by! When you’re all finished up, relax at the PVRK Café and try out their delicious treats and drinks.

It’s no secret that Dubai is warm throughout the year. If you want to get away from the night heat, spend a couple of hours at Chillout Ice Lounge. This building is the first ice lounge in the Middle East. Located at Times Square Centre in Dubai, you can eat hot food in the cold atmosphere.

The diverse menu usually includes soup, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, juice, sandwiches and a variety of desserts. The entire lounge is decorated with beautiful ice sculptures. You might even forget that you’re in the middle of the desert! Make sure that you wear cold-weather clothing since it’s almost always less than freezing in the lounge.

VR Park

Opening hours: 9 am to 12 am (Monday to Thursday), 9 am to 1 am (Fridays)

Duration: 3 hours

Chillout Ice Lounge

Opening hours: 10 am to 10 pm

Duration: 1 hour

Day Six: Wild Wadi Water Park, Kite Beach or Jumeirah Beaches and Dubai Marina

During your final day in Dubai, escape the heat with your family at the Wild Wadi Water Park. Offering over 30 interesting rides and attractions, this water park is one of the largest in the Middle East.

Aside from the racing slides, Soup Journey, and water guns for the little ones, there is also the Tantrum Alley and Burj Surj for adults to have a bit of fun as well.

For a sportier atmosphere, take your family to Kite Beach off Jumeirah Road. Kite surfing, beach volleyball, tennis, and kayaking are just a select few exciting activities that you can all take part in.

Even if you’re not up for a day of adrenaline-pumping fun, you can rent lounge chairs and umbrella to gaze out at the ocean.

Another beach to relax on is Jumeirah Beach, which is a beautiful white sand beach with bathrooms, outdoor showers, drinking water, and other basic facilities. This beach is free to visit, and it’s lined with luxurious hotels, clubs, restaurants and recreation centers.

Wild Wadi Water Park

Opening hours: 10 am to 6 pm

Getting there: A short walk from Jumeirah Beach

Kite Beach

Opening hours: 10 am to 10 pm

Nearest Metro Station: Noor Bank Metro Station (Redline)

Jumeirah Beach

Opening hours: 7:30 to 10:00 pm till 11:00 pmGetting there: Bus no. 8 from Gold Souk Station (at Palm Deira subway station)

Essential Tips for Family Travelers in Dubai

Buy flight tickets in advance: We all know that buying tickets beforehand is the best way to avoid crowded terminals and frustrating delays. However, you’ll also be able to save quite a bit of money if you book several months prior to flying. It also allows you to ensure that you’ll sit with your family as a group during each flight.

Book your hotel in advance: Dubai is one of the most popular cities to visit in the Middle East. Not only is it filled to the brim with excitement, but it’s also the result of decades of wealth and next-generation architecture. If you want to guarantee your stay at one of the city’s fine hotels, always book a few weeks or months in advance.

Visit between October and April: October through April is considered winter in Dubai, but thanks to the desert heat and ocean breeze, the temperature never gets too cold. In fact, rain isn’t very common in the area either. You can avoid millions of summer tourists by booking your vacation during the winter.

Avoid Public Display of Affection (PDA): PDA is not permitted in Dubai. The city has a strict set of rules based on religion and moral principles, and failure to cooperate can lead to jail time, fines, and suspensions or bans from returning. On that note, thoroughly research the law and regulations since they’re bound to be different than most other countries and cities.

Dress Modestly: Following the previous notion, everyone who accompanies you on the trip must wear modest clothing. Transparent, short, or otherwise revealing clothing will get you in trouble with the authorities. You might not be sent to jail, but you could be asked to change, leave, or pay a small fine.

What to Bring with You

If you’ve never been to Dubai, you might be wondering what you should wear or pack for your arrival. After all, the previously mentioned restrictions could seem a bit alarming. Don’t worry, though; You can wear anything that’s not considered skimpy, revealing, or eye-catching in the sense that it’s too sensual.

Other than that, there aren’t very many limitations to clothing and apparel. In fact, jewelry is welcomed in the country since it flaunts gold, diamonds, jewels, and other luxurious amenities throughout the area. Watches, wristbands, purses, backpacks, fanny packs, and headbands are also acceptable.

Note: Dubai isn’t any more dangerous than most other countries, but it’s always a good idea to try to not look like a tourist. Thieves tend to target people who look confused, out of place, or those who are carrying bulky opened bags. Do yourself a favor and research the area online before you arrive so you know where you’re headed once you get there.

Finally, Dubai is incredibly hot, so make sure you drink enough water while you’re there. The ocean might make the temperature a bit deceiving, but it’s one of the warmest cities in the Middle East. As a simple tip, try to drink a cup (eight ounces) of water before you leave your hotel room and between each attraction.

Also, if you’re visiting one of the many ice-filled amenities, dress warm! The last thing you want is to end up feeling freezing cold because you forgot to wear the proper clothes. Although it’s in the desert, the interior temperature of these attractions is as cold as snowy mountains and ice caves.

Is It Expensive to Travel to Dubai with Your Family?

Dubai is known for its unmatched architecture, water-filled spectacles, flashy cars, luxurious hotels, and rich government. It’s easy to see why potential travelers might be fearful of the rising costs that seem to keep so many people away. Have no fear; Dubai isn’t researched for high-class, wealthy people.

There’s definitely a way to spend $10,000+ when you’re traveling to Dubai, but you can cut costs and unwanted expenses by mapping out your vacation before you get there. As mentioned above, buying your flight and booking your hotel in advance will save you money right away.

Another way to enjoy a low-cost vacation in Dubai is by trying all of the free or cheap amenities. For example, you could start off with a morning on the beach, ride the boat around the canal, and listen to music by the famous water fountain without spending more than $10 USD. Add a few meals each day, and there’s no reason why you and your family can’t have an inexpensive trip of a lifetime to this wonderful city.

Conclusion

As you’ve probably noticed, Dubai is an excellent destination for anyone and everyone. Whether you’re traveling by yourself or with your family, there’s more than enough to do. This itinerary will guide you through the most exciting activities that the city has to offer, but there’s still so much more to see.

The only true way to understand what a city feels like is to go and visit. Dubai is brimming with entertainment and hidden gems, so why not give it a try? You could expand your future itineraries to develop your own, or feel free to print out this page and take it with you like a free guide!

Throughout this article, you should’ve learned the following:

Enjoy the city view and the surrounding areas at Burj Khalifa Observation Deck.
Spend countless hours at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo and watch dozens of sharks and rays among other aquatic animals.
Go shopping at the Dubai Mall, and try out the delicious dining opportunities at one of the restaurants in the food court.
Check out Dubai Fountain and relax while listening to timeless music.
If you love skiing, spend the day at Ski Dubai in the Mall of Emirates.
If you’re looking for some exhilarating activities, Flip Out Trampoline Park should be on your list.
Get tickets for your family for Legoland or IMG Worlds of Adventure for a fun-filled day.
Explore amazing floral sculptures at the Dubai Miracle Garden.
Take a stroll at Al Bastakiya Quarter in the Old City of Dubai, then visit the Dubai Museum.
Let the kids splash and cool off at Wild Wadi Water Park while you kick back and watch the ocean waves.
Sunbathe at Jumeirah Beach or Dubai Marine with your whole family.

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