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Spring beckons …10 fresh ideas for fun across Dubai this season

By Daniel Anazia
21 April 2018   |   4:15 am
Looking for ways to spend time together as a family this spring, think Dubai for all manners of exciting activities and experiences — from outdoor sports to inspiring cooking classes, to culturally enriching art exhibitions.

Looking for ways to spend time together as a family this spring, think Dubai for all manners of exciting activities and experiences — from outdoor sports to inspiring cooking classes, to culturally enriching art exhibitions.

Below are 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. Thanks to a collaboration between Dubai Tourism and two digital tour apps — ‘Metro Moments’ (available on the Voice Map app), and ‘Al Fahidi Architecture Tour’ (available on the on the Pocket Guide app). As holiday makers this spring, 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. With the aid of GPS technology, the tour apps provide users with audio guides to various points of interest in real time, as they progress from one to the next. They are available for download from the Apple Store and Google Play.

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 are worrying 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 and equipped with a universal child car seat that is suitable for kids up to 30kg. Careem Kids Captains (drivers) are specially trained; they are pros at safely installing and altering the seat sizes. They can also help 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 means there is 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
A cooking class at the Culinary Boutique in Jumeirah, a cooking school and café, featuring specialty classes dedicated to certain types of cuisine will be perfect and fun during your stay in the Emirates. It also features ‘family day’ sessions and ‘kids cooking lessons’, specially designed for families and little ones. Take a family cooking class, learn the essentials and perfect some useful life skills.

Paint A Picture
At The Jar in Dubai’s Al Qouz area, you can rent all the painting equipment you need before unleashing your and your family’s creativity in the onsite studio. The studio supply everything – from brushes, paints and canvases, to helpful staff that assist you if you need help or inspiration – and you can, of course, take your artwork home at the end of the session.

Make A Splash
Few places do edutainment better than Legoland Dubai, a park exclusively created to cater for families with children aged between 2 and 12 years. Whether you are exploring Miniland, an interactive area made up of impressive 20 million Lego bricks featuring Dubai iconic skyline and key landmarks from around the Middle East and the world, where guests can bring the models to life at the touch of a button.

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, excites your kids, then put Dubai new XPark Jr on ‘must visit’ list. Located next to Jumeirah’s XDubai Skatepark close to Kite Beach, this adventure park is specially designed 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 are seeking an alfresco vibe during the spring, then head to XDubai Skatepark near Kite Beach. 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. There are plenty of spots from which parents can watch or, if your kids prefer a bit of space while they are trying out their new tricks, you can easily pop over to one of the nearby beachside cafés and restaurants.

Puzzle and Golf
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. It 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.

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 is no need to worry, since safety always comes first. All packages include helmets, overalls, gloves, marshals, mechanics, safety crews, medical support, timing, and a co-ordinator.

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