Dubai – When you first land in the UAE, any ideas of a ‘dessert land’ quickly vanish when you step out of the airport and witness the landscaped public spaces. Parks, too, are a big part of the UAE’s green vision. Turning the UAE into a green oasis was a big part of the vision of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Father of the Nation.
Regardless of which part of the UAE you are in, public parks are a great affordable way to spend quality time alone or with friends and family. Here is a breakdown of all the parks in the UAE.
Dubai
Dubai has five big parks, five pond parks and over 100 neighbourhood and community parks.
1. Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park is part of the beach line near the Sharjah border and along with the beach and a park, residents can also walk or cycle at the corniche strip, which ends at a slipway for motorboats to enter the Al Mamzar lake.
Timings:
Sunday to Wednesday from 08:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Thursday to Saturday from 08:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Monday, Wednesday for ladies and kids only (boys up to 6 years only)
Ramadan Timing: 08:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Entry fee:
Dh5 per person
Dh30 per car
Entry is free of charge for people with determination and children under two years
Features: The beach park has chalets that can be rented out, swimming pools, train rides, children’s play areas as well as barbecue stations.
2. Creek Park
Located in the Oud Metha area, the lush waterside park has a swimming pool, children’s play areas, a cable car, amphitheater and restaurants.
Timings: Sunday to Wednesday from 08:00 am to 10:00 pm
Thursday to Saturday, and official holidays from 08:00 am to 11:00 pm
Ramadan Timing: 09:00 am - 11:00 pm
Entry fee:
Dh5 per person.
Entry is free of charge for people with determination and children under two years
Features:
Access to Dubai Dolphinarium, an amphitheatre, bicycles for rent and several restaurants and cafes. Note that you would need to pay separately to access some of the facilities like renting a bike or using the swimming pool area.
3. Mushrif Park
Located in the Mushrif area of Dubai, this is one of the most popular parks for barbecues, as it has a big stretch of sandy areas with barbecue stations.
Timings:
Sunday to Wednesday from 08:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Thursday to Saturday, and official holidays from 08:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Ramadan Timing: 12:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Entry fee:
Dh3 per person, Dh10 per car.
Entry is free of charge for people with determination and children under two years
Features:
Barbecue areas, swimming pools, various house models from the Arab World and European architecture. Note that you would need to pay separately to access some of the facilities like renting a bike or using the swimming pool area.
4. Zabeel Park
This is a popular park among Dubai residents as it is situated near populated areas like Karama and Bur Dubai and have several events over the weekend, like flea markets or organic markets.
Timings:
Sunday to Wednesday from 08:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Thursday to Saturday and official holidays from 08:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Ramadan Timing: 12:00 PM- 11:00 PM
Entry fee:
Dh5 per rerson
Entry is free of charge for people with determination and children under two years
Features:
Smart Palm (offers free WiFi and mobile charging points), cricket stadium, boating lake, bicycles for rent, amphitheatre
5. Al Safa Park
Situated in the Al Safa area of Dubai, the park has undergone several changes recently to make way for the city’s new projects. Dubai Municipality has created a separate women and children’s area apart from the older services available at the park.
Timings:
Sunday to Wednesday from 08:00 am to 10:00 pm
Thursday to Saturday and official holidays from 08:00 am to 11:00 pm
Ramadan Timing 12:00 pm- 11:00 pm
Entry fee:
Dh3 per person
Entry is free of charge for people with determination and children under two years
Features:
Electronic games arcade, special areas for basketball, football, volleyball and tennis, boat and bicycle renting, train rides and amphitheatre. Note that you would need to pay separately to access some of the facilities like renting a bike or using the swimming pool area.
To get a list of all the big parks in Dubai, click here.
Pond parks
There are also several pond parks in specific neighbourhoods of Dubai. These parks are bigger than community parks, and have a distinct feature – a big pond with a walking and cycling track around it, to provide residents with options for leisure and health activities. This is a list of all the pond parks in the UAE:
1. Al Barsha Pond Park
2. Al Qouz Pond Park
3. Al Nahda Pond Park
4. Al Qusais Pond Park
5. Al Khawaneej First Pond Park
Apart from these parks, Dubai Municipality has built over 100 community and residential parks in Dubai, which can be found in almost every neighbourhood.
For more information call Dubai Municipality on 800 9090.
Abu Dhabi
The capital of the UAE has several parks that offer play areas as well as skate parks or petting zoos to provide something for everyone in the family.
1. Reem Central Park
Located on Reem Island, this park has a contemporary and urban feel, with graffiti art inspiring its design, and also has beach access with sports and recreation facilities.
Entry fee:
There are no entry fees
Features:
Shaded playgrounds, basketball, volleyball courts, skate park, Community lawn and canal walk
2. Umm Al Emarat Park
Located in the Mushrif area in Abu Dhabi, this is perhaps one of the most picturesque parks in the city.
Timings:
8 AM to 12 AM (last entry at 11 PM)
Entry fee:
Dh10 per person
Features:
A geometric Widsom Garden invites visitors to reflect on Sheikh Zayed’s timeless and unforgettable quotes about the UAE and protection of the country’s heritage and natural history. A Shade House, which is a 40 meter high structure, with over 30 plant species. It also provides a great viewing deck. The park also has a botanical garden, an amphitheatre, and a petting zoo.
3. Capital park
Right in the heart of the city, Capital park gives residents surrounded by skyscrapers a break from city life. Located on Khalifa street, it is still surrounded by the buzz of the capital city.
Timings:
8 AM to 12 AM (last entry at 11 PM)
Entry fee:
Dh1 for adults, children enter for free
4. Khalifa Park
This adventure park near the Shaikh Zayed mosque has several features that make it a popular destination for residents and visitors.
Timings:
10am–10pm
Entry fee:
Dh2
Features:
Mini train, splash park, pool slides and bumper boats and barbecue facilities.
5. Al Khalidiya Park
It is one of the oldest and most popular parks in the heart of the city.
Timings:
8am–10pm
Entry fee:
Free
Apart from these parks, Abu Dhabi has many other big and small parks, with Al Ain converting several oases into public parks:
6. Mutaredh Oasis
7. Muwaiji Oasis
8. Al Jimi Oasis
9. Al Hili Oasis
10. Al Qattara Oasis
11. Al Jahili Oasis
12. Al Ain Oasis
The following offer the option for visitors to light up barbecues:
1. Khalifa Park
2. Al Rasmiyah Park
3. New airport Park
4. Officer’s club Park
5. Family park
6. Traditional park
7. Al Wathba park
8. Arabia Gulf Street parks 1, 2, 4 and 5
The following parks have separate women and children’s section:
1. Al Khalidiya Park
2. Al Wathba Park
3. Bani yas Park
Sharjah
The emirate has over 60 public parks, neighbourhood parks and women and children’s park. Here is a list of some of the biggest parks in the city:
1. Sharjah National Park
The largest park in Sharjah covering approximately 630,000 sq m of space, this is the park of choice for big family gatherings and events.
Timings:
8am to 10pm
Entry fee:
Dh2 for adults and free for children under the age of four.
Features:
Children’s play areas, barbecue stations, water slides and cycle tracks.
2. Al Majaz Park
Park of the new development in the Al Majaz area, this is a great place to spend evenings with family and friends. This is part of the corniche stretch and is open to residents throughout the day.
Entry fee:
Free
Features:
Boat rides, fountain dance, restaurants and play areas for children.
3. Al Ittihad Square Park
Positioned next to the King Faisal Mosque, this is a quiet green space cushioned between the bustling Rolla area and Buhairah Corniche.
Entry fee
Free
Timings:
Open through the day
Features:
Popular place for families with walking tracks and play areas.
Apart from these public parks, Sharjah has over 60 parks for communities, with special areas for women and children in some parks as well. Sharjah’s Al Montaza Park is known as a water park, but also has picnic spots. The entry fee, however, is a lot higher than the regular parks, so if all you are looking for is a place to relax and enjoy a picnic, you can choose from the many free options available in the city.
Ajman
1. Al Helio Park
This is one of the more popular parks in the city among families and tends to get crowded in the evenings.
Timings:
Monday to Sunday from 11am to 11pm
Entry:
Free
Features:
Barbeque facilities, cycle and bike rentals, children’s play areas
2. Al Safia Park
Located near the creek, this is another popular place for families to visit, spanning 129,000 square metres.
Timings: Open through the day
Entry: Free
Ajman has many more neighbourhood and community parks which offer families looking for a quick evening break a great place to unwind.
3. Rashidiya park for women and children
This park is specially for women and children, spanning over 40,000 square metres.
Timings: 11am to 11pm every day
Entry: Dh2 per person
Ras Al Khaimah
1. Saqr Park
This is the largest park in Ras Al Khaimah, it is located on Airport Road, near E18 intersection – Ras al Khaimah.
Timings: 10:00 am to 12:00 am midnight
Entry fee: Dh10
Features: Barbecue areas, waterfalls, boat rides, train rides.
There are eight more parks in the emirate, with dedicated parks for ladies and many more green spaces around five of the walkways in the city.
Fujairah
Fujairah might be smaller than other emirates, but it has several open parks like the Fujairah Park, the Al Muntazah park for women and children and Kalba Corniche park. The proximity of most of these parks to the beach make them a great place for families to unwind.
