Balmy weather and October half-term make autumn a brilliant time of year for a family holiday in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Whether you want to sightsee, explore the desert, or enjoy an adrenaline-fuelled adventure in a hot air balloon, here’s our guide to the city’s best family adventures.

For adventure seekers

Accompany the sun as you both rise above the beautiful Arabian Desert with Balloon Adventures Dubai. Enjoy views of undisturbed native wildlife, perhaps catching a glimpse of the UAE’s national animal the Arabian oryx, amid untouched sand dunes cast in hues of burnt orange and dusky pink. Once you’ve landed, indulge in a breakfast of cured meats, smoked salmon and caviar at an authentic Arabian desert camp.

Reconnecting with nature

For a dose of nature closer to home, lose yourself in blooms in Dubai Miracle Garden. Take a photo with a giant, moss-covered teddy bear, stand beneath a woman floating up to the heavens with a dress of white and red petunias and skip through a tunnel shaded by umbrellas. Next door, discover the 15,000 butterflies in Dubai Butterfly Garden, which is reopening in October 2022. The world’s largest covered butterfly garden has 10 domes that provide a unique insight into the evolution and beauty of more than 50 varieties of butterflies.

Also worth exploring is The Green Planet, a vast bio-dome and impressive indoor rainforest located in the city’s sleek citywalk district, where your family can learn about over 3000 species of flora and fauna. Unleash your inner David Attenborough and swim with piranhas or meet a host of interesting animals including two resident slow lorises.

 

Make a splash

Make a splash at Wild Wadi Waterpark™ where the little ones can conquer new heights, float along the gently flowing lazy river in a rubber ring or take on the thrilling twists and turns of the Jumeirah Scaireh - now longer, scarier and twice the fun, plummet to the ground from 32 metres above the waterpark and make the biggest splash of your life.

 

A festival for all the family

Opening for its 27th season in October, Dubai’s Global Village is a fabulous fusion of cultures. Foodies can try Turkish street food, Indian chaat (snacks) and dine at a floating Asian market, and everyone will enjoy watching artisans making clay pots and jewellery by hand. Children meanwhile can embark on an adventure with Waleef and his friends, while teens can take a trip to the carnival with more than 170 rides, games and attractions.



Create a base for your ultimate family escape at one of Jumeirah’s Hotels & Resorts in Dubai.