United Arab Emirates with kids

Level 124 is enough; the higher tiers cost several times more for the same city. Book a timed slot around sunset weeks ahead.

Inside Dubai Mall, so it slots into any afternoon. The tunnel is short but the tank is enormous.

An indoor rainforest biodome in City Walk with sloths and a flooded forest floor. Ninety minutes and entirely air-conditioned.

A silver ring covered in Arabic calligraphy, with a space station floor and a digital rainforest. Timed tickets sell out weeks ahead.

A 150-metre picture frame with a glass walkway across the top — old Dubai on one side, new on the other. Thirteen dollars and the cheapest good view in the city.

Fifty-two floors up over the Palm, which only makes sense from above. Cheaper and much less queued than the Burj.

A glass slide between two towers and a glass-floor walkway. Twenty-one dollars, and the slide is the reason to come.

Room after room of projected digital art, with a beach room and a garden room. Works on a three-year-old and a twelve-year-old equally.

Twelve immersive light-and-sound zones in a mall. Similar idea to ARTE and slightly more playable — pick one, not both.

Ten domes of live butterflies, seven dollars. Small, cool and gentle — the antidote to the malls.

A hundred and fifty million flowers arranged into arches and animals. Open November to May only — closed through the hot months.

A permanent aqua-theatre show with divers and acrobats over a flooded stage. Ninety minutes and no dialogue.

One of the largest water parks in the world, at Atlantis. A full day, and the ride height limits matter — check them first.

Real snow inside the Mall of the Emirates, with penguins and a toboggan run. Jackets and boots are included in the ticket.

The largest indoor theme park in the world — Marvel, Cartoon Network and a dinosaur zone. Entirely air-conditioned, which in Dubai is the whole point.

The role-play city inside Dubai Mall, twenty-five dollars. Runs in English, unlike most of the Asian branches.

A hands-on children's play museum built around eight galleries of things to push, pour and climb. Twelve dollars and the best value on this list.

A large indoor adventure park — trampolines, ropes, slides. Expensive at fifty dollars, and it does fill a whole afternoon.

A trampoline and climbing park inside Dubai Mall. Handy because it is where you already are.

Virtual reality rides and games in Dubai Mall. Most attractions have a height or age minimum — for the older end.

An interactive, photograph-driven set of rooms in Dubai Mall. Aimed at older children and teenagers.

Glow-in-the-dark indoor minigolf. Thirty dollars, an hour, and it works with mixed ages.

Four-wheel drives over dunes, then camels and dinner at a camp. Ask for a gentler drive with young children — operators will do it.

A wooden boat across the water for one dirham, into the spice and gold souks. The one piece of old Dubai that is easy to do.

Pavilions from ninety countries, a funfair and street food, open October to April only. Evenings, and enormous.

An Olympic-size rink inside Dubai Mall, twenty-five dollars with skates. Sessions are timed.

A traditional boat out onto the lake during the fountain show, seven dollars. Better than watching from the promenade and much cheaper than dinner.

Open-top loops of the old town, the Marina and the Palm. Dubai is spread out and taxis add up — this is the sane version.

The wind-tower quarter, the souks and an abra crossing with a guide. Twenty dollars, and the only part of Dubai that predates the towers.

Ninety minutes past the Burj Al Arab and Atlantis from the water. Cheaper than the dinner cruises and finishes in daylight.

The cheap meal in an expensive city, from any Lebanese cafe in Deira or Satwa. Everything is halal.

Dinner on a wooden dhow through the Marina, sixteen dollars. The cheapest way to eat with a view here by a wide margin.

A dinner-and-show desert evening without the dune bashing, for anyone whose child gets carsick. Forty-eight dollars.

The old Expo site, now a park with several pavilions and play areas on one pass. Thirty-three dollars and rarely busy.

A choice of the city's paid attractions on one ticket. Dubai's individual tickets are dear enough that this often does pay — add yours up.

White marble and inlaid flowers, free to enter, with abayas lent at the door. Book a time slot and go late afternoon.

A perforated dome that rains light onto the walkways below, and a children's museum inside. Under-18s enter free.

An enormous indoor marine park on Yas Island, with no captive orca or dolphin show — it was built after that practice was dropped. A full day.

The largest aquarium in the region, in a mall on the corniche. Twenty-three dollars and quieter than the Dubai one.

The working presidential palace, open to visitors — a vast domed hall and a library. Eighteen dollars, and dress code applies.

Entry to the mosque is free; this is the guided walk inside it, fourteen dollars. Worth it — the building rewards being explained.

Level 74, with a snack included for eighteen dollars. The view takes in the corniche and the Emirates Palace.

Boardwalks through the mangroves with herons and crabs underneath, five dollars. The cheapest and calmest thing in the emirate.

Indoor, and home to the fastest roller coaster in the world for anyone tall enough. Plenty for younger children too.

Entirely indoors and air-conditioned, which in this climate makes it the most comfortable park on the island.

Forty-odd slides on Yas Island beside the other two parks, and the only one of the three that is outdoors. November to March only.

Eight kilometres of flat cycle path along a lifeguarded public beach with a fenced family section. Free, and the least Dubai thing in the country.

Flat water through mangrove channels with flamingos in winter. Guided, life jackets provided, and cooler on the water.

The Abu Dhabi teamLab, opened 2025 on Saadiyat — rooms that respond to being walked through. Expect to get slightly wet.

A managed beach club day pass on Saadiyat, where turtles nest in season. Twenty dollars and shade is provided.

Open-top loops between the mosque, the corniche and Saadiyat. Abu Dhabi is even more spread out than Dubai.

An hour on the water round Yas Marina, twenty-five dollars. A useful gap-filler between the parks.

Machboos, harees and luqaimat, which are dumplings in date syrup and the only part children reliably finish.

Two or more of Ferrari World, Warner Bros., Yas Waterworld and SeaWorld on one ticket. Cheaper than singles if you are doing two.

A choice of the emirate's attractions on one pass. Same arithmetic as the Dubai one.