Dubai is a destination which makes an instant lasting impression. With world-class shopping malls, opulent hotels, and gourmet restaurants, all on a truly grand scale, Dubai combines the city, beach and desert with something for all the family to enjoy. Home to the world’s tallest skyline, shopping malls the size of towns, waterparks with half-million-gallon wave pools and rollercoasters hitting speeds of 60km per hour, Dubai has something for everyone!
Indulge in the chance to shop till you drop, with an array of designer stores and smaller boutiques, enjoy the fabulous restaurants serving divine food including innovative dishes from around the world, and plenty on offer for those looking for an adrenalin rush from dune driving, motorised water sports and theme parks suitable for those of all ages.
Nestled in the Arabian Gulf, Dubai is renowned for its extravagance and the sheer scale of its many attractions and features the world’s tallest building – the stunning Burj Khalifa, and one of the world’s largest shopping malls – Dubai Mall. This reputation, alongside gorgeous all-year round sunshine, has made Dubai into one of the world’s most desirable holiday destinations.
Go beyond the modern skyscrapers and you'll find that Dubai is still a wonderfully cultural and religious city, with ample opportunity to learn about the authentic Arabian lifestyle. Immerse yourself in this rich heritage by visiting the magnificent mosques that stand proudly in the city - especially the Jumeirah Mosque. One of the only mosques in the UAE that allows non-Muslim visitors and organised tours, this is the ideal spot to truly delve into a culture completely different to your own.
The Dubai Mall is so much more than just a shopping experience. Brimming with amazing attractions, there's so much to see and do here that you can easily spend a day exploring the six floors - and probably even need to visit again to see it all. A glitzy ice rink, a 22-screen cinema, an indoor theme park, an aquarium with more than 33,000 marine creatures and more than 1,200 shops...this is an amazing experience whether you’re actively shopping or just marveling at the scenery with plenty to keep the kids entertained.
KidZania is an activity-packed indoor city in Dubai Mall where learning and play collide for a day out your children will never forget. A 7,000m square scaled replica of a real city that combines entertainment and education, with over 70 real-life activities for children aged 4-16 where they can discover all about different jobs through exciting role-play, and develop decision-making, teamwork, creativity and social skills in ways that can’t be taught in a classroom.
Not many huge cities can boast beaches as beautiful as Dubai’s. Much of the sand is privately owned by the large, luxury hotels, but there are plenty of stunning spots that are open to the public for free or charge a very small fee. Kite Beach is one of the best free access beaches and ideal for water sports and family fun, while Al Mamzar Beach Park has and entry fee of AED5 and impresses with fine white sand. If spending your whole afternoon soaking up the sun isn't really your thing, there's plenty of fantastic water sports for both kids and adults to try, including kite surfing, fly boarding and jet skiing.
Dubai has never been a city famed for subtlety, and its increasing desire for world records led to the building of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building which is nothing short of a modern engineering and architectural masterpiece at more than 160 stories high. The view from the top is truly breath-taking and the observation deck features floor-to-ceiling glass walls providing incredible views of the city below.
Dubai has an adrenaline-fuelled side too. Leave the tall skyscrapers and pristine white sands behind and venture to the burnt orange desert dunes, sweeping as far as the eye can see. These soaring sand dunes are the perfect outdoor playground for both kids and adults, where you can jump into a 4x4 and career miles across the desert, before speeding along on a quad bike taking in the incredible views.