Adventure, outdoor activities for kids: Best places to visit in the UAE

Before the UAE winter ends, plan to visit one or more of these places that promise a unique day out for the entire family. With no entry tickets or fees, all you need for these trips is your vehicles, snacks and the family in tow.

Wadi Dafta: Located on Masafi to Fujairah highway, you will need to navigate to this hidden gem using Google Maps. The spot has beautiful hidden passage ways with cold streams and beautiful water ponds. Khawar Saeed, who captured videos and photos of the spot, found the water streams running as of Monday (February 21). This can be a great change in scenery for children as well.

Dibba Al Hisn beach: If you’re looking for beach vibes for your Instagram grid, head to Dibba Al Hisn on Sharjah's East Coast. With a stark blue backdrop of the sea, here you can find abandoned boats on the sandy beach. There are also many sea activities you can do here, including snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, going on a dhow cruise – or simply watching fishermen bring in their catch of the day.

Ghabat Al Regayeb Park: Great for families, this Ajman park has a designated picnic area and you could also ride around on rented bikes. The best part here is that the park is open 24 hours and it is the perfect place to take your kids to burn pent-up energy.

Fujairah Adventure Park: Now Fujairah has an urban-style adventure park with boking and hiking trails across 20 hectares of land. With this park, the emirate – best known for its historic landmarks or natural gems – increases its appeal for adventure enthusiasts. The park has a kids’ zone, pump track, dirt tracks, wall climbing zone, and a camping area.

Abu Dhabi water taxi: Explore Abu Dhabi in a different way – ride the public water taxi that connects Yas Bay and Al Raha Beach, with stops at Yas Bay, Yas Marina and Al Bandar among others. At just Dh5, this is also budget-friendly.

Al Rams Beach in Ras Al Khaimah: With spectacular views of the Rams and the Hajar mountain range in perfect juxtaposition with the azure sea views, the beach is great for a spontaneous camping trip. You’ll need to drive a 4X4 onto the beach and island. If you’re in luck you might see a pink lake appear on the beach, thanks to a temporary growth of red algae in a phenomenon known as sabkha.