Travel/Tourism
Spring Beckons: 10 Fresh Ideas for Family Fun across Dubai This Season
If you’re looking for ways to spend time together as a family this spring, think Dubai for all manner of exciting activities and experiences. From outdoor sports to inspiring cooking classes, to culturally-enriching art exhibitions, we present below fresh ideas on how to make the most of your holiday in the emirate this Spring.
Tour the Town
A walking tour is a great way to discover the best of what a city has to offer. And now, thanks to a collaboration between Dubai Tourism and two digital tour apps, you can discover and learn more with what is, essentially, a virtual tour guide in your pocket – and it won’t cost you a dirham. The tours, titled ‘Metro Moments’ (available on the Voice Map app), and ‘Al Fahidi Architecture Tour’ (available on the on the Pocket Guide app), are available to download from the Apple Store and Google Play. They use GPS technology to provide users with audio guides to various points of interest in real time, as you progress from one to the next.
Hand Over the Reigns
One of the best things about taking some time off from the grind of everyday life is the fact that you don’t have to sit behind a wheel during rush hour. Yet it’s hard to switch to “holiday mode” when you’re worried about keeping your little ones happy and safe – which is why it’s great that taxi company Careem now offers a kids’ service – a vehicle dedicated to families that are equipped with a universal child car seat that’s suitable for kids up to 30kg. Drivers are also specially-trained Careem Kids Captains, who are pros at safely installing and altering the seat sizes, and who can help you to look after your family while you also take a “holiday” from the driver’s seat.
Go on Safari
Hop over to Dubai Safari, where you and your family will be able to experience an incredible array of creatures, big and small. Not only is there a truly impressive collection of unique wildlife for the whole family to “meet”, there are also plenty of edutainment-focused activities that mean there’s heaps of learning and fun to be had, while specially-trained guides inform about the flora and fauna you come across.
Cook up a Storm
Take a family cooking class and learn the essentials and perfect some useful life skills at the Culinary Boutique in Jumeirah, a cooking school and café featuring speciality classes dedicated to certain types of cuisine. It also features Family Day sessions and Kids Cooking Lessons, specially designed for families and little ones. Take a class here and you’ll be able to enjoy the meal you made together afterwards.
Paint a Picture
Head to The Jam Jar in Dubai’s Al Quoz area, where you can rent all the painting equipment you need before unleashing your and your family’s creativity in the onsite studio. They supply everything – from brushes, paints, and canvases, to helpful staff that assists you if you need help or inspiration – and you can, of course, take your artwork home at the end of the session. Why not make it a family challenge to each paint your favorite memory from Dubai so far?
Make a Splash
Few places do edutainment better than Legoland Dubai, a park that was exclusively created to cater for families with children aged 2-12. Whether you’re exploring Miniland, an impressive array of structures and recreations of entire areas of Dubai and other famous landmarks around the world made entirely out of Lego bricks, heading to The Factory arena to see how some of the products are produced (and perhaps walking home with your own customised Lego brick), or just enjoying the wide variety of land- and water-based rides, you’re guaranteed to head home with satisfied, smiling faces, who might also have learned a new thing or two.
Find Adventure
If the thought of streams, waterfalls, fountains, trees, and gardens, complete with tree houses, wooden bridges and climbing nets, not to mention a sandy play area, petting zoo, and even a “mud kitchen”, gets your kids excited, then it’s time to put Dubai’s new XPark Jr on your “must visit” list. Located next to Jumeirah’s XDubai Skatepark close to Kite Beach, this adventure park was specially designed for little ones and families, to allow children to take healthy risks in an environment where they can build confidence, make friends, inspire their imagination, and defy their limits in a positive way.
Skate it Out
Dubai’s burgeoning skateboarding scene offers some truly impressive facilities for skateboarders (or hopeful skateboarders) where there are ramps to suit every ability, and lessons to help improve your technique. If you’re seeking an alfresco vibe, head to XDubai Skatepark near Kite Beach. There are plenty of spots from which parents can watch or if your kids prefer a bit of space while they’re trying out their new tricks, you can easily pop over to one of the nearby beachside cafés and restaurants. For indoor skating, make your way to The Zoo Skatepark in Al Quoz – Dubai’s largest indoor skate venue and one of the city’s most extensive.
Fun and Games
Calling all mini-golf fans! While golf often gets a bad rap as a private, exclusive sport, the miniature version is open to the entire family and promises fun for all – especially somewhere like Tee and Putt. It’s the only place in the UAE that offers a glow-in-the-dark golfing facility, and they’ve recently introduced a new concept that blends mini-golf with the ‘escape room’ concept, creating a unique puzzle-style golf challenge where participants have to solve nine puzzles on nine holes in one hour. Good luck!
Run the Good Race
The racing track at Dubai Autodrome isn’t just a place for adrenaline-fuelled adults – it’s actually a great way to spend a day with the family, and it’s suitable for all ages. The Dubai Kartdrome has become a hub for kids’ parties and teen activities, and there’s no need to worry since safety always comes first: all packages include helmets, overalls, gloves, marshals, mechanics, safety crews, medical support, timing, and a coordinator. Whether it’s a birthday, group event, or just a fun day out, you and your family won’t forget the experience in a hurry.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Emirates passengers travelling to or through Dubai will enjoy some exclusive offers, including complimentary stays at the iconic JW Marriott Marquis and hundreds of discounts through the popular My Emirates Pass, the airline operator has said.
In a statement, the company stated that from June 22 to July 12, 2026, travellers who purchase an Emirates return ticket in First Class or Business Class are invited to enjoy a two-night stay, while customers booked in Premium Economy Class or Economy Class can enjoy a complimentary one-night stay.
It was disclosed that this special offer is valid for all return tickets to or stopping over in Dubai for more than 24 hours, for customers travelling between June 25 and September 30, 2026.
In addition, passengers can enjoy over 600 offers available in the popular My Emirates Pass, which provides access to spas, restaurants, big-name retailers and much more by simply showing either a physical or digital boarding pass along with a valid ID at participating venues to enjoy the benefits.
These exclusive offers are being offered by Emirates through its Dubai Summer Surprises, which enters its 28th year in 2026.
Further, from July 2 to August 30, residents and visitors can expect an extraordinary live Beat the Heat DXB concert series, cultural events and an array of wellness and fitness activities, as well as big savings and exclusive, limited-time experiences in the city’s malls and lifestyle destinations.
“Whether visitors are seeking relaxation, adventure, entertainment, or a combination of all three, Dubai is the ideal start to any summer vacation.
“We’re inviting passengers to enjoy even more of the city with a complimentary hotel stay to take advantage of the exceptional range of shopping, entertainment, dining and family-friendly experiences that define the Dubai summer experience, when stopping over as part of your journey or visiting Dubai as your final destination,” the Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates, Mr Adnan Kazim, said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The popular Jabi Lake waterfront in Abuja is set to become a major leisure and tourism hub in the country, thanks to Akida Hills, which is making efforts to enable visitors to enjoy the transformation from December 2026.
The Nigerian mixed-use real estate and destination development company has been allocated a 3.36-hectare development site within the approximately 14-hectare waterfront district, where it will deliver a phased mix of recreational, entertainment, and public leisure experiences.
According to the deal, the first phase of the development will introduce the destination’s first operational attractions, including dining and leisure experiences, water-based activities, structured weekly programming, a seasonal lights festival, and the dancing musical fountain as its signature attraction.
Additional experiences and amenities will be introduced in subsequent phases as the destination evolves.
Designed as a central landmark within the waterfront experience, the dancing musical fountain will combine choreographed water displays, synchronised lighting, and music to create a distinctive evening attraction and focal point for visitor engagement.
Upon completion, the development is expected to serve as a major hub for tourism, recreation, entertainment, and community engagement, further strengthening Abuja’s position as a leading leisure and lifestyle destination.
Construction and implementation activities will progress in phases, with additional announcements on attractions, programming, and commercial partnerships expected ahead of the December 2026 launch.
“Jabi Lake represents one of the most significant opportunities to create a world-class waterfront destination in Africa.
“Through this development, we aim to deliver experiences that attract residents, visitors, and tourists year-round while contributing to economic growth, job creation, and Nigeria’s tourism appeal.
“Our vision is to establish Jabi as a defining waterfront destination for the continent – one that demonstrates the transformative power of destination-led development and reimagines how people experience a city,” the founder of Akida Hills, Mr Kayode Bamisile, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is considering extending the deadline for its airport taxi upgrade policy to October, following concerns raised by the Nigeria Union of Private Cab Operators.
The development was disclosed on Monday in Lagos by Mr Henry Agbebire, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, saying that the possible extension followed complaints and concerns from airport cab operators, even as the authority maintained that the policy was designed to improve service standards across Nigerian airports.
“The policy aligns with international best practices and seeks to elevate service quality,” Mr Agbebire said.
He added that passengers deserved “clean, safe, comfortable and professionally maintained vehicles” within airport transport systems.
The FAAN spokesman dismissed claims that the authority had failed to engage operators on the policy, insisting that consultations had been ongoing.
He said FAAN maintained regular discussions with licensed transport providers operating within airport premises, stressing that engagement was conducted directly with corporate entities rather than unions or associations.
“Engagements on operational matters are conducted directly with affected corporate entities,” he said.
Mr Agbebire explained that discussions on the upgrade requirement began in July 2024, giving operators time to comply.
He noted that the original compliance deadline had already been extended twice—from January 2026 to June 2026—citing economic realities and the need to give operators adequate preparation time.
According to him, the policy was not intended to punish operators or restrict their participation in airport transport services.
“Operators have been afforded ample opportunity to prepare for compliance,” he stated.
However, he warned that further extensions beyond the proposed October deadline may not be granted.
Mr Agbebire acknowledged the role of airport cab operators in passenger movement, urging them to support the initiative aimed at improving service delivery.
He added that FAAN remains committed to passenger-focused reforms across Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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