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Merge 104.8 | 04 February 2026
Dubai is a city designed with families in mind. From world-class indoor attractions to expansive outdoor spaces and immersive cultural experiences, it offers an ease of travel that appeals to visitors of all ages. Whether travelling with young children, teenagers, or extended family, Dubai balances entertainment, discovery, and comfort, making it especially appealing during the cooler months.
Here’s a curated guide to some of the city’s most popular family-friendly experiences, ideal for creating shared moments beyond shopping and sightseeing.
Indoor Adventure & Entertainment
Chaos Karts
A high-energy indoor racing experience that blends real-life go-karting with augmented reality. Using state-of-the-art technology, racers speed through futuristic tracks filled with digital obstacles and interactive challenges, no driver’s license or minimum age required. Designed for kids, teens, and adults alike, it’s an immersive experience that feels part racing, part video game, and entirely fun.
Pac-Man Live Experience
Active Games, home to Chaos Karts, has reimagined the classic Pac-Man experience. Visitors can explore a full-sized, glowing maze, dodge digital ghosts, chase high scores, and power up with real-life pellets, all amid vibrant retro neon visuals.
Using cutting-edge projection technology, the floor transforms into a shifting labyrinth, while your “pac vest” tracks your moves and scores. This is a fully active, physical adventure, perfect for competitive fun with friends and family.
Activate
Located at City Centre Mirdif, Activate is an interactive gaming centre designed for groups of all sizes. Whether you’re a small group of 2–5 players or a larger party planning ahead, you can explore nine immersive rooms. The experience features more than 50 high-tech games that challenge both mental and physical skills.
From the colour-packed Mega Grid, with its hundreds of touch-sensitive lights, to fast-paced challenges like Hoops, Strike, Portals, and Press, each game is built to encourage movement, teamwork, and friendly competition. Blending climbing, jumping, and problem-solving, Activate is particularly popular with teens and adventurous families looking for an energetic indoor experience.
House of Hype
Located inside Dubai Mall, House of Hype is a high-energy, immersive destination that brings together gaming, fashion, food, and digital culture under one roof. Designed for families, thrill-seekers, and creators alike, the space offers a vibrant mix of neon-lit zones, interactive playgrounds, and visually striking environments, ideal for memorable family photos.
Spanning over 100,000 square feet, the experience includes more than 100 activities, from 50 gaming experiences and 18 immersive worlds to 55 content-creator stages, alongside a curated mix of retail and dining venues. Playful, dynamic, and constantly engaging, House of Hype is built for exploration and discovery at every turn.
AYA Universe
AYA Universe is a multi-sensory, immersive experience that feels worlds away from everyday reality. Designed as a hidden sanctuary beyond the stars, it invites visitors to wander through glowing gardens, mirrored spaces, and interactive installations that respond to movement and sound.
Blending light, colour, and storytelling, the experience encourages exploration at a relaxed pace, whether playing, discovering hidden details, or simply taking in the atmosphere. Visually striking and imaginative, AYA Universe appeals to all age groups and sparks curiosity at every turn.
ARTE Museum
Located in Dubai Mall, ARTE Museum offers a fully immersive art experience that blends visual art with technology, sound, and scent. Spanning nearly 2,800 square metres, the museum features 14 themed zones under the concept of Eternal Nature. Through large-scale projection mapping, multi-image control, and sensor-based interaction systems, visitors are encouraged to engage closely with each installation. Visually rich and thoughtfully curated, ARTE Museum is ideal for families who enjoy creative, hands-on, and immersive experiences.
Dubai Ice Rink
Located inside Dubai Mall, Dubai Ice Rink is an Olympic-size rink offering public skating sessions for all ages and skill levels. Skating aids are available for younger children, making it an accessible and enjoyable experience for families.
Beyond recreational skating, the venue also hosts disco-style sessions with music and lighting, ice hockey games and practice sessions, and a well-established figure skating academy. With its lively atmosphere and range of activities, Dubai Ice Rink delivers year-round entertainment for both beginners and seasoned skaters.
Wildlife & Nature Encounters
The Green Planet Dubai
Step inside a living tropical rainforest in the heart of the city. Home to more than 3,000 plants and animals, The Green Planet allows families to explore a multi-level ecosystem filled with sloths, birds, reptiles, and exotic flora. Interactive educational experiences make it both engaging and informative, encouraging children to learn through discovery.
Dubai Safari Park
Spread across vast open spaces, Dubai Safari Park offers a full-day wildlife adventure with animals from around the world. From giraffes and lions to birds of prey and grazing herds, the park combines conservation, education, and entertainment, making it a rewarding experience for animal-loving families.
Dubai Dolphinarium
A favourite with younger visitors, Dubai Dolphinarium brings marine life up close through dolphin and seal performances, interactive bird shows, and playful attractions like the mirror maze. The indoor setting makes it a comfortable option year-round.
Dubai Butterfly Garden
Set within climate-controlled domes, Dubai Butterfly Garden offers a peaceful, enchanting environment where thousands of butterflies flutter freely. The calm pace and colourful surroundings make it especially appealing for younger children and relaxed family strolls.
Dubai Miracle Garden
A seasonal highlight, Dubai Miracle Garden transforms millions of flowers into imaginative sculptures, arches, and themed displays. It’s an easygoing outdoor experience, ideal for family photos, leisurely walks, and enjoying Dubai’s mild winter weather.
Outdoor Spaces & Winter Adventures
Global Village
One of Dubai’s most popular family destinations, Global Village combines international food, shopping, rides, and live performances in a vibrant open-air setting. Best enjoyed in the evening, it offers something for every age group, from cultural shows to carnival-style entertainment.
World of Riverland Dubai
World of Riverland is a waterfront entertainment district designed for easy, unhurried exploration. With themed zones, street performances, seasonal events, and family-friendly attractions, it’s a relaxed option for spending time outdoors together.
City Walk
City Walk offers a laid-back urban experience with wide pedestrian streets, open-air dining, and occasional street entertainment. It’s well suited for casual afternoons or evenings, especially for families who enjoy strolling without a fixed schedule.
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Combining sandy beaches with swimming pools, picnic areas, and playgrounds, Al Mamzar Beach Park is ideal for families looking to enjoy the outdoors. Its spacious layout makes it easy to spend a full day relaxing by the sea.
Hatta
Just a 90-minute drive from Dubai, Hatta offers a serene mountain getaway—perfect for escaping the city, especially during the winter months. There’s plenty to explore, from kayaking at Hatta Dam to outdoor fun at Hatta Wadi Hub, with activities for all ages, including archery, axe throwing, and the Aerial Adventure Park.
Adventure seekers can also visit Go Gravity and the Adventure Sports Park for rover rides, Cyber Kart, football zorbing, and more.
If you’re looking for a more educational experience, especially for the family, head to Hatta Honey Bee Garden and Discovery Centre – the UAE’s largest honey producer. Visitors can get up close with one of 300 hives filled with thousands of honeybees or learn about these fascinating creatures through guided tours and interactive workshops that highlight the importance of sustainable beekeeping.
Dubai’s appeal lies in its variety. The city offers experiences that are engaging, well-organised, and accessible for families travelling together. From immersive indoor attractions to outdoor adventures and wildlife encounters, Dubai makes it easy to balance fun, comfort, and discovery.
To explore more family-friendly experiences and start planning your visit, head to visitdubai.com/ar.
