Just boring or super embarrassing: this is how many teenagers perceive a vacation with their parents. The older children often have completely different ideas and ideas of an exciting trip than their parents or guardians. Above all, 13 to 16-year-olds want to have fun and action; they are among the most important criteria for a successful holiday.
If you are now wondering whether Dubai is the right travel destination for you and your children, we can absolutely say: Yes! Because whether sports, games, excursions, or amusement parks, the Arab metropolis looks like a huge adventure playground for teenagers with all kinds of opportunities to let off steam.
The almost inexhaustible selection of beach hotels with large pool areas makes Dubai attractive for both adults and children.
The older ones mainly sit on the sun lounger to cool off from time to time in the pool or in the sea. The kids, on the other hand, make extensive use of the pools and the beach to meet up with friends, joke around or play volleyball or beach ball. This works particularly well at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai. The huge outdoor area with numerous swimming pools and the adjoining beach section of The Beach, JBR gives teenagers plenty of space and space to occupy themselves with one another and away from their parents.
READ 20 Breathtaking Attractions in New York City Every Tourist Must See
The Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai is also an ideal place for kids. The wide Jumeirah Beach and the attractive pool area of the luxury resort invite adolescents to water sports activities such as jet skiing, kayaking, stand-up paddling, flyboarding, and much more.
When you think of Dubai, camels inevitably come to mind. The national animal cannot be overlooked in the whole city. Whether as a souvenir, as a statue, even as a delicacy, the animal with the two humps is sure to meet every tourist. Riding a camel is very popular with children and teenagers.
If you want to get on the back of the desert animal, you only have to visit one of the many beaches in the city.
Camel guides offer to ride lessons there, which are particularly popular with young tourists. And if you are planning a desert safari, the “little ones” will certainly enjoy a camel ride in the enchanting sandy landscape. Surfing on sand dunes – so-called sandboarding – or tours with bikes suitable for the desert – fat bikes – are clearly fun for teenagers.
A growing trend among young people is video games, especially virtual reality (VR) gaming is very popular.
Equipped with VR glasses, headset, and controller, players can immerse themselves in various virtual worlds. Parachute jumps from the Burj Khalifa, roller coaster rides in a drone taxi, or first-person shooter, the interactive selection of games is huge. In Dubai, we recommend two facilities for VR fans.
In the Dubai Mall, the VR Park welcomes gaming fans with a large and varied range of games full of adrenaline, skill, and a high fun factor. Gaming in Hub Zero in City Walk Dubai is no less fun. There, kids will find PC games, simulators, VR areas, and other play areas on 15,000 square meters. In addition to classic games such as Pacman, there are 3D games with laser cannons such as Battlefield, racing simulators, or even karaoke booths. An entertaining pleasure not only for young game fans.
Climbing, jumping, tricking, crawling: young people in public spaces are constantly looking for obstacles and places that they can overcome in a playful way.
This pastime has now turned into a serious sport that is particularly popular with teenagers: Parkour. The aim here is to overcome obstacles as efficiently as possible using a wide variety of movements.
Flow and control of movement are important. A facility in Dubai is aimed precisely at these athletes. At Parkour DXB in the Al Quoz district, children, young people, and adults can complete a marked obstacle course. This is not about competition, but about having fun in movement. In this way, the children can show their parents how agile and flexible they can playfully master all hurdles and other obstacles.
READ: Ajman Fish Market: The Best Place To Create A Culinary Wonder
Amusement parks and water parks are of course also very popular with teenagers.
Dubai has plenty of this to offer. Great water fun is guaranteed with countless slides, artificial surf waves, or a tête-à-tête with marine animals in the Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis The Palm. From selfies with sea lions to swimming with dolphins to diving in the huge aquarium accompanied by sharks, rays, and lots of colorful fish, there is definitely no boredom here. Alternatively, the new Wavehouse leisure area in the luxury resort is a perfect place for teenagers to play, gamble, and much more.
Those who prefer to be in the dry can, for example, pick up the necessary portion of adrenaline in the IMG Worlds of Adventure – the largest indoor amusement park in Dubai.
READ: Cheap Hotels in Dubai: Where to Stay for the Budget Tourist
In addition to rides, live shows and 5-D cinemas with the comic book action heroes from Marvel, children and young people will also encounter popular characters from the Cartoon Network television channel. Older teenagers can – if they dare – take a look at the Haunted Hotel. Whoever enters the haunted hotel has to find their way through a mysterious labyrinth. Creepy characters lurk along the way, making the way to the exit difficult and teaching the kids to fear. A ghostly pleasure! But be careful: only children aged 15 and over have access to the horror hotel.
