Discover the UAE with Kids
The ultimate family-friendly destination and Globetrotters HQ!
Come and see the beauty and adventures that can be had in our adopted home the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – from the dazzling cities to incredible desert safari’s, amazing architecture and spectacular spreads – most importantly, doing it with kids!
On this page, we guide you through:
You may also want to visit our new websites Dubai Travel Planner and Abu Dhabi Travel Planner for more detailed city guides
UAE Know before you go!
15 important things to know before visiting the UAE… with kids
Make this page your first stop if you have never visited the Emirates, or for that matter, the Middle East before. The UAE is a land of extremes, from cosmopolitan cities to rolling desert dunes, conservative but embracing of its Islamic cultural roots. You name it; it can probably be seen or be done in the UAE – if not, they’ll build it, on the grandest scale possible!
This post guides you through important things to know about Islamic and Emirati culture, dealing with heat, safety and caring for infants while showing religious respect and helping you through some of the do’s and don’ts of Ramadan. We also have guides in this section on the religious celebrations of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha.
Navigating your way across the United Arab Emirates
Use this map to skip straight to destinations of interest, or read on below!
Discover the UAE
What to do with kids in the UAE
With our own experience and the help of other parent bloggers in the UAE we have put together THE most detailed guide you will find on the web dedicated to family-friendly attractions across all seven Emirates. Where we have more in-depth reviews, these are detailed below.
Our guide to cultural experiences in the UAE
In response to much negative publicity the UAE receives for ‘lacking culture’, this guide walks you through what to expect from traditional Bedouin culture, why it might not always be visible to the average tourist – and how you can seek it out!
Our guide to indoor activities to enjoy with the kids’ in Abu Dhabi
It’s getting hot, hot, hot in Abu Dhabi! Having experienced 11 summers now in the UAE from newborns to tweens, we’ve put together our guide to favourite places in the capital where you can look to escape the heat with the kids – and keep them physically and mentally challenged too!! For your older kids, check out this guide to Abu Dhabi for tweens & teens (Hosted on Abu Dhabi Travel Planner)
Abu Dhabi weekend getaway ideas
From one day trips around the captial to desert staycations and exploring the Western Region of the Emirate, this is an absolute bumper list of activities sure to fill your winter weekends in the UAE in a family-friendly way. (Hosted on Family Travel in the Middle East)
Road-tripping the UAE
Although not a huge country, there are plenty of fascinating day trips and weekend escapes to enjoy by road, from journeys into the Hajar Mountains to cultural escapes; we shared our thoughts with the team at Family Road Trip on the best UAE r