Dubai is a great destination for a family vacation. There are playgrounds, picnic areas, swimming pools as well as beautiful

views. If you’re bringing the kids, here are eight tips to help you as you plan:

1. For good fun once the sun goes down, head for one of the many cinemas. Grand CineCity is one of the largest and is

located in Al Ghurair. Dubai also has a 6D cinema at Oasis Center’s Thrill Zone.

2. For family meals, kids will enjoy the décor at the Hard Rock Café and at Johny Rockets at the Marina.

3. Glow-in-the-dark golf is fun for the whole family and an indoor activity perfect for those times when you would like to

escape the Dubai heat.

4. The ski resort at the Mall of the Emirates is a popular family destination. Kids 3 years and up are welcome to ski, toboggan

and play in the playground.

5. The Dubai Mall ice rink has great options for families, including special skates and skate aids for kids.

6. Magic Planet is the ultimate amusement arcade/park where there are rides, games, and attractions. It’s open till 10 p.m.

on weekdays.

7. Kidzania is located in the Dubai Mall and is a small world for kids to try the things adults do. They can build, drive, fly a

plane, and even go to the doctor.

8. Just outside the Dubai Mall is everyone’s favourite: the dancing fountains. They perform from 6 p.m. every half hour. Buy

tickets for the observation deck at the Burj Khalifa if you want the best view of the fountains.

PARENTS NIGHT OUT

For parents looking for an evening without the kids, there are a number of adult-only options available to you. For something

really unusual, check out the Cirque Le Soir in the Fairmont Hotel. It’s a club experience on a new level. Visitors party while

there are circus acts and performers in their midst. Jugglers, stilt walkers, midgets and contortionists compliment the

outrageous décor.

The 360 Lounge is a great place to relax at night during the week and a great place to party non-stop on the weekends. It’s

located on the roof deck of the Marina Restaurant at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The Act is a risqué stage show direct from

Las Vegas. You can find that show on the 42nd and 43rd floors of the Shangri-La Hotel. The theatre performance is

accompanied by fine dining.

Dubai restaurants are another great way to enjoy the nightlife. Try the highest rated restaurant and lounge in the world:

Atmosphere, on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Alamo is a popular TexMex restaurant with a

bar and small dancing area.

Carter’s is also a good choice. It’s not only a restaurant that morphs into a dynamic bar in the evenings, it’s also Dubai’s only oxygen bar where you can get a shot of pure oxygen.