With an overwhelming choice of tourist attractions in Dubai, which will be top of your list? And where can you get hold of the best value tickets?
Dubai is a great sun-filled family destination, but it doesn’t take too many outings before the costs start staking up. There seem to be so many options it can be almost overwhelming deciding what to see and do, especially if your time is limited.
When researching what to do in Dubai (there is an absolutely bumper list of ideas here!) we recommend that you look at booking your big attractions and day tours with a ticketing app.
Why you should use a ticketing app to buy attraction tickets in Dubai
We’ve worked with several
- Keep all your tour and attraction bookings in one spot, no more losing emails or reservation numbers.
- Getting tickets often at BIG discounts to face price or at the door.
- Many options for instant booking (so even when you might be stuck in a line!).
- Often pre-purchase tickets let you skip lines on arrival.
- Many options to cancel 24-48 hours in advance if plans change.
- “Klook price guarantee” which gives you surety you are getting the best possible online price or they’ll refund double the difference.
New to Klook? Book using our code FAMILY10 and get 10AED off the first 200AED you spend on Dubai Attraction Tickets.
Where applicable, we’ve also provided you with information on how to book directly with the venue as I know some travellers still prefer this method. We found in the vast majority of cases though, Klook’s price was cheaper.
NOTE: 1USD = $3.67AED | 100AED = $27.20USD
Places to visit in Dubai with your Family
Dubai Mall & Downtown Dubai.
At the Top – Burj Khalifa
Visiting the world’s tallest tower is at the top of a lot of Dubai visitors’ lists but the one you also need to give the most thought and planning to. On-the-spot tickets to the Burj Khalifa observation deck “At The Top” can be as much as 4x the online prepurchased price. And slots to popular sunrise and sunset timings can go fast over busy school holiday periods.
Because of the popularity of this attraction, it is difficult to get CHEAP tickets, but you can get value by combining your Burj Khalifa tickets with other attractions.
- At The Top Observation Deck Level 124 & 125 only
- At The Top Observation Deck & Dubai Aquarium
- At The Top Observation Deck & 3 course lunch
Compare to prices offered by At The Top direct. Note your vouchers still need exchanging for actual tickets on arrival so there will always be a little (or a lot!) of queuing at this attraction no matter what.
You can read a detailed review here of what to expect from At The Top and Burj Khalifa here.
Around Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa observation deck entry is attached to the Dubai Mall. You can easily spend a whole day, if not 2 or 3 just in the Dubai Mall, especially over the hot summer months. Other attractions well worth checking out include:
The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
This 10-m
- Buy discounted Basic Entry Dubai Aquarium tickets.
- Buy Explorer Experience Dubai Aquarium tickets (includes submersible simulator and glass bottom boat)
- The basic tickets are the cheapest you can get but you may prefer the add-on experiences to get the most of your visit. There are resident-only deals that include only basic entry but Klook is still cheaper.
You can read a detailed review here of what to expect at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo.
Kidzania Dubai
Always a great indoor day option in Dubai, this life-like city is perfect for kids around 5 to 10 years old and like KidZania’s around the world has it’s own unique UAE touches.
- Buy your discounted KidZania Dubai Tickets Here
- Klook advance purchase tickets are on average 10% cheaper than buying at the venue.
We have a detailed review of what to expect at Kidzania here.
VR Park Dubai
An indoor theme park with a real twist, take on Dubai’s first virtual reality and augmented reality park. You can choose to buy credits only, or their popular “Super 7” Pass which includes the 7 most popular rides in a one-day pass.
- Buy VR Park Dubai Super 7 Pass
- Slightly cheaper to buy through Klook than VR Park online & 20% cheaper than door price.
Use code FAMILY10 and get 10AED off the first 200AED you spend on Dubai Attractions.
Dubai Theme Parks
Dubai has a growing collection of world-class theme parks to choose from. They are all slightly outside of the city so you will need to factor in transport, but the good news is, off-peak times you can get virtually no queuing at these venues and endless rides!
During weekends and peak holiday times however, advance booking to skip the line is a good idea.
Dubai Parks & Resorts
Legoland Dubai
Designed for your 2 to 12 year old crowd with some moderate thrills and spills and plenty of interactive experiences. The park is partly indoors and also connected to Legoland Water Park (separate entry fee). You can read full reviews of what to expect at Legoland Dubai and Legoland Water Park here.
Motiongate Dubai
Motiongate is a bit of a hidden gem. Based on Hollywood favourites it has both indoor and outdoor rides and entertainment. Think Dreamworks characters, Hunger Games, Smurfs, Ghostbusters and other childhood classics. Other than on the busiest peak days, queues tend to be short.
Your best value comes from combining tickets, here are a few options:
- Discounted Legoland Dubai 1 Park Pass
- Discounted Motiongate Dubai 1 Park Pass
- Discounted Dubai Parks & Resorts 1 Day: 1 park & 2 park passes
- These deals are 40-50% cheaper than buying direct through Dubai Parks & Resorts
NOTE: Stay on-site at Lapita Hotel – Dubai Parks & Resorts and you can purchase ticket packages with your room – check out Lapita room options here.
IMG Worlds of Adventure
This entirely indoor theme park has 17 interactive rides and adventures, suited to slightly older children and adult thrill-seekers.
- Discounted IMG Worlds of Adventure tickets
- A huge 60% cheaper than buying through IMG Worlds of Adventure direct!
Dubai Water Parks
Dubai has two major water parks – Aquaventure at Atlantis The Palm and Wild Wadi near Burj Al Arab and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. There are also
We have a detailed guide comparing UAE waterparks here.
All have areas to accommodate smaller kids though do check height limits before booking anywhere to avoid disappointment (tickets are discounted by height rather than age). Definitely one worth having your tickets ready in advance to avoid queuing in the heat.
- Dubai Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark & Lost Chamber Aquarium Tickets
- Dubai Wild Wadi Waterpark Full-Day Entry Ticket
NOTE: If you are staying at Atlantis the Palm your Aquadventure ticket is included. If you love your waterparks and you are coming for a beach and sun holiday it may, in fact, be better value to stay at the hotel. Here are the
The same applies to guests of the Jumeirah Hotels group in Dubai and Wild Wadi Waterpark. If you are staying at Jumeirah Beach Hotel (family-friendly) Burj Al Arab (super lux!) or any of the Madinat Jumeirah Hotels (that also have awesome splash parks and kids clubs within their grounds) you will get entry included to Wild Wadi Waterpark.
Other not-to-miss Dubai Experiences
Dubai Garden Glow
An annual seasonal event held in Zabeel Park. Watch the gardens come to life every evening with terrifying real-to-life dinosaurs and a stunning visual display of art instalments. A quirky, colourful and fun way to experience Dubai
- Buy your discounted Garden Glow entry tickets here
- Tickets on Klook are 20% cheaper than at the door
The Green Planet Dubai
Based in the City Walk complex in the heart of the city, this indoor experience transports you to a whole new biosphere filled with tropical rainforest, the world’s largest artificial tree and favourite animals from sloths to toucans!
You can read a detailed review here of what to expect at The Green Planet
- Purchase discounted FAST TRACK Green Planet tickets here
- Klook tickets are currently about 35% cheaper than buying at the door!
Boat Around Palm Jumeirah
What better way to see the world’s largest inhabited artificial archipelago! A boat ride in the mild winter and spring weather is a tourist favourite as you get to take in Atlantis the Palm, the Burj Al Arab and Dubai Marina on a fun and informative sightseeing cruise.
- Buy your discounted Yellow
Boats sightseeing cruise tickets here - Save up to 60% booking with Klook vs via Yellow Boats themselves
Dubai Desert Safari
There are so many options in Dubai when it comes to visiting the desert. (We will have a more in-depth review of desert safari options coming soon).
You need to decide what sort of experience you are looking for; some will give you a taster of everything from Dune Bashing and Quad Biking to camel riding and an evening dinner & dance show. Others focus more on nature and the desert environment.
The great part is, many companies have realised that high adrenaline isn’t for everyone, whilst some like their trip to the desert dunes to be even more adventurous, so take your pick!
- Normal and high-intensity evening dune adventure
- Morning desert safari
- Sunset tour with
longer camel trek - Al Maha Evening Desert conservation reserve
Use code FAMILY10 and get 10AED off the first 200AED you spend on KLOOK Dubai Attractions.
Popular Day Trips from Dubai
If you have more than a couple of days in Dubai, it’s a great idea to get beyond the city and the immediate desert to experience more of the UAE. We suggest you try:
Abu Dhabi & The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
If time won’t allow for a few days in the UAE capital, at the very least a day trip to see the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a must.
You can learn more about visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque here.
Although there is a relatively cheap bus service between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, it is not door to door so we do recommend you organise a tour or private driver, then you can take in several of the
- Full day tour to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque & Abu Dhabi
- Small private group tour to Abu Dhabi
- Group tour to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre & Emirates Palace
We have more information about the best ways to transit between Dubai and Abu Dhabi here.
Musandam Safari
The Musandam Peninsular is the region’s most beautiful and dramatic natural landscape. You actually cross over an international border as it’s an enclave of Oman, so don’t forget to pack your passports for this stunning day trip.
Hatta Heritage Village Day Trip
Although Hatta has been a leisure destination in the Emirates for many years, they have recently really lifted the level of infrastructure here to make it a great place to day trip for outdoor adventures. Explore some of Dubai’s fascinating Dune formations before taking in the Hatta Mountains and Heritage Village.
Things to note before booking attraction tickets in Dubai
- Weekends in the UAE run from Thursday evening through Saturday – everything is MUCH busier at these times.
- School holidays are MUCH busier times too, particularly winter around Christmas (which coincides with UAE school holidays) and April/Easter (not always at the same time depending on dates).
- Resident rates advertised by attractions direct only apply to full-time UAE or GCC residents with valid Emirates ID cards that must be presented on ticket collection – no being clever and asking friends to buy on your behalf!
- Dates and opening change can change significantly over the Holy Month of Ramadan.
- Always check you’re getting the best value! We’ve done the best we can spotting the deals that are available for SPRING 2019 but read the fine print and make sure it’s the best option for your group.
- Using a well-regarded booking app such as Klook gives you a lot of flexibility, instant confirmation and a Price Guarantee making it our preferred way to book tickets and not lose track of things when visiting a big city like Dubai.
Use code FAMILY10 and get 10AED off the first 200AED you spend on KLOOK Dubai Attractions.
Further resources and reading for your Dubai adventure
- Tackling Dubai with a baby and young children
- Best Dubai family hotels
- UAE with Kids
- UAE Eco-tourism hotspots
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