Traveling as a family can be a fun and exciting adventure, as long as you go somewhere that everyone enjoys. Fortunately, Dubai is a very family friendly city, where children are not only welcomed, but appreciated. That means that your time there can be extraordinary instead of stressful and worrisome. 

How to get to Dubai?

If you are leaving from Australia, we highly recommend travelling with Etihad Airways.

Firstly, children aged 2-11 years only pay a child fare....most airlines charge adult prices from 2+. 

Secondly and possibly the greatest....the Flying Nanny. Etihad have dedicated flight attendants to keep your children entertained and looked after. 

Flying Nannies have been approved by Norland, a British childcare training college for early years professionals, and come equipped with a goody bag of kids’ activities, so your child might make hand puppets, origami, learn magic or join other kids in a drawing competition.

Etihad’s in-flight entertainment system includes kids’ film and animated characters Kundai, Boo, Zoe and Jamool, which appeal to pre-schoolers, while teenagers can watch action titles, play 30-60 games and listen to teen-idols such as Justin Bieber and Katy Perry. The system has a parental lock feature, which allows you to block unsuitable content.

Lastly, in additional to this amazing service, Etihad Airways also approve the use of the Kooshy Kids Kooshion....it's a no brainer! 

Where to Stay in Dubai as a Family?

The choices are plentiful in Dubai, so you will not need to worry about finding the perfect hotel for you and your children. Here are a few fabulous hotels that I have found to be the best.

Atlantis, The Palm

This resort might be the best one, according to all your children, because it has the Aquaventure Water Park, the Ambassador Lagoon Aquarium, Dolphin Bay, and a beach full of water sports. Add in the two outdoor pools, three private beaches, kids club, and teen club, and you have almost too much to do when you are there. 

Rooms are available for around $300 per night or less, depending on when you go, and they also have the option of a family suite.

Grand Hyatt Dubai

This hotel might not be as fabulous as the last, but there is still plenty of activities for your family to do. You will all love the three outdoor pools, indoor pool, kid’s pool, kid’s club, and kid’s play area. There is even a spa for some adult time when the kids are off on their own or with a babysitter. 

Rooms start at $100 per night with grand deluxe family rooms available for more space for larger families. 

Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa

If your family loves water sports, you will love the water skiing, sailing, windsurfing, and kayaking that you can all do at this resort. Of course, there are also three outdoor pools, a kid’s club, and tennis courts.  The rooms are not as large as other resorts, but that is fine if you do not plan on spending a lot of time in there. 

The rooms start at $150 per night and some of them have spectacular views of the water. 

Eating as a Family in Dubai

You know that you are all going to need to eat while in Dubai, and that can be tricky with children.  After all, children can be picky on occasion when it comes to food.  Therefore, I know that you need the best places to take your children, so that you can have stress-free meals during your trip. 

Ronda Locatelli

This restaurant can be found at the Atlantis, and while the food is amazing any day of the week, I recommend that you take your children there on a Saturday for their brunch.  This is when they can make their own pizzas or devour other Italian dishes. 

Bystro

The reason I love Bystro is that they have a place for the children to hang out and play after they are done with their meal.  That means that us adults do not need to rush through ours!  In addition to the fabulous meals, they also have fresh breads, pastries, and cakes.  So, if a meal isn’t in the cards for a little one, you will be able to find something to fill them up. 

Café Ceramique

The first question you will be asked when you enter this café is whether you want to eat or paint first?  I think that that is going to be your kids’ wish come true, because no child has ever turned down an arts and crafts project.  The burgers, salads, and sandwiches are delicious, and there are a whole bunch of things to choose from when you are all ready to paint your masterpieces. 

Things to Do as a Family in Dubai

You will find that you can stay really busy in Dubai as a family. That may seem a little strange, because in many countries, you can only do certain things together before you all need to split up to have some fun.  However, here you can spend days and days together having one adventure after another.

Here are some of my favorite adventures:

Burj Khalifa

This is the world’s largest tower, and it stands 830 meters in the air.  There is no bad time to go see this massive structure, but I enjoy going for the views when the sun is rising or setting. Of course, it is more crowded at those times, so it may not be feasible depending on the ages of your children. Make a decision that will work well for all of you!

The Dubai Mall

Most children love to shop, so why not take them to the world’s largest mall!  Although, there is much more to do at the Dubai Mall than just shop. You can all see the indoor waterfall, the water fountain dancing show, aquarium, KidZania Dubai, Caboodle, and an ice skating rink. This could be a multi-day adventure by the time you see everything.

The Beaches

There are quite a few beaches in Dubai, and my favorites to visit with children include Sunset Beach, The Beach, and Kite Beach. Each one is unique in their own way, but they all cater to families. You can spend a complete day at the beach or choose to spend a morning or afternoon there and sightsee the rest of the day. 

Your family is going to love spending time in Dubai, and I can guarantee that this will not be your last time in this fabulous city.  Your children will beg you to take them back there very soon, so that they can continue exploring the places that they missed this time around. 

As always, Kooshy Kids wishes you happy and safe travels  x

Written by Jen Fitz & Louisa Williams (for Kooshy Kids).