Dubai is a popular destination for families from all over the world and thankfully for parents, the city has more than enough attractions and activities available to keep your children amused and entertained.

Children's City
Since Children's City first opened in 2002, it has rapidly grown in popularity and reputation, and now attracts around two million visitors a year. The centre is laid out over three floors and consists of hands-on exhibits covering many subjects including the human body, science, space exploration and international cultures. The centre also has a planetarium and an under fives' zone, with all exhibits in English as well as Arabic. You will find Children's City located in the beautiful natural surroundings of Creekside Park, close to the city centre.

Magic Planet
Located at the Deira City Centre Complex, Dubai's Magic Planet is said to be the largest indoor children's activity centre in the Middle East. The complex offers a wide array of rides and activities for children of all ages, with an adventure zone, miniature golf, bowling alley and interactive games all on offer.

Wild Wadi Water Park
You will find Wild Wadi Water Park located at Jumeirah Beach, just a 20-minute drive from the city centre. The park consists of dozens of high-speed water slides and chutes as well as several different swimming pools for the less adventurous. Other attractions at the park include a continual surfing wave, where budding young surfers can show off their tricks as well as many dry activities, including an indoor game zone. The park also provides a choice of shops, fast-food outlets and restaurants. Website: www.wildwadi.com/

Wonderland
Another popular children's attraction situated close to the city centre is the Wonderland theme park. The park is divided into three zones, with Main Street providing bumper cars, radio-controlled boats and amusement arcades, while Themeland is home to fairground rides and rollercoasters. The third zone, known as Splashland, is a large waterpark consisting of water slides and various swimming pools. You will find the park located at Garhood Bridge, at the end of Creek Park. Phone: +971 4 324 1222.

Although Dubai's history is relatively short, it still has a fascinating and wide ranging cultural heritage, with dozens of museums, galleries and architecturally important buildings, which are hidden among the city's modern infrastructure.

Dubai Heritage Village
The city's Heritage Village is the first stage of a massive project which is to turn the entire Shindagha area into a living museum of life in Dubai. The village gives a fascinating insight into the traditional arts and crafts of the Middle East, with authentically dressed weavers and potters demonstrating their skills. Other attractions include boat trips around the creek on traditional wooden abras, camel rides, song and dance shows and a section dedicated to the pearl diving industry. The village is located near the mouth of the creek. Phone: +971 4 393 7151.

Dubai Museum
Dubai Museum is rather aptly housed within the city's oldest building and contains a wide range of exhibits covering all aspects of the city's history and culture. The exhibition is made up of displays depicting life in the region before the discovery of oil, with separate themed exhibits such as traditional Arab houses, mosques, the souk and scenes from the creek and the desert. The museum also has a section detailing the history of the city's pearl industry as well as an archaeological area dedicated to artefacts that were excavated in and around Dubai. The museum is located within Al Fahidi Fort. Phone: +971 4 393 7151.

Grand Mosque
This is one of the city's impressive religious structures, dating from 1900. The current structure has been rebuilt using traditional Islamic designs and boasts the tallest minaret in the Dubai. With a capacity to seat 1,200 people, it is one of the city's most significant centres of worship. Non-Muslims are prohibited from accessing the building.

Jumeira Mosque
Another of the city's prominent places of worship, Jumeirah Mosque is one of the city's largest mosques, making it a prominent Dubai landmark. A fine example of Islamic architecture, built in the medieval Fatimid style, the building is known for its pleasant shadows that are formed around sunset, making this the ideal time to visit the building.

Sheikh Saeed's House
Sheikh Saeed's House is one of the most architecturally significant buildings in the city and dates back to 1896. The building was previously the home of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum, who ruled Dubai between 1912 and 1958, while the beautifully restored building is now home to a rare collection of coins, stamps, photographs and documents that detail much of the city's colourful history. The house is located close to the creek in the Shindagha district. Phone: +971 4 393 7139.

Spice Souk
No trip to Dubai is complete without a trip to the Spice Souk for a more traditional Arabian shopping experience that will prove more memorable than a trip to some of the city's large air conditioned malls. Here you will find spices of all varieties - nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric and chilli – while the souk also offers intricate Persian rugs and glassware at excellent prices.

Dubai has long enjoyed an excellent reputation for the diversity and quality of its restaurant scene, with well-known international names and smaller local establishments offering dishes and prices to suit all tastes. The favourable climate in Dubai also provides year-round opportunities for al fresco dining, with restaurants and cafés spilling into the streets throughout the city.

Due to Dubai's strict alcohol laws, you will find many of the city's more popular restaurants located within four- and five-star hotels; however, the lack of alcohol should not put you off visiting some of the city's more authentic Middle Eastern restaurants, which can be found throughout the city. Visitors who spend time exploring the city's restaurant scene will find the quality of the food and presentation is generally of a very high standard, with fast and efficient service and a lively atmosphere all adding up to an excellent dining experience.

Although Dubai doesn't really have its own traditional cuisine, you will find many examples of Middle Eastern food on offer, with the Arabian fast-food shwarma being particularly popular. Shwarma consists of marinated chicken or lamb that has been slowly cooked on a spit and wrapped in Arabic bread, with salad, tomatoes and tahina sauce added to give it a unique flavour. You will find shwarma stalls located on street corners throughout the city.

Dubai also has a rich variety of ethnic restaurants, with a significant number of Indian, Chinese and Thai establishments offering a complete sensory experience in some of the less visited areas of the city. Another experience to look out for is the city's thriving coffee shop scene, with many of the countless cafés offering drinks and mouth-watering snacks well into the small hours.

For many years, Dubai has been known as the shopping capital of the Middle East, with visitors from all over the world attracted to the city by its abundance of traditional markets, modern shopping malls and low taxes. Visitors will find the traditional markets, known as souks, spread around the city, with different souks catering to specific goods such as spices, fish, gold and even electronics. Visiting one of the city's many souks is more than just a shopping experience; the sights, sounds and smells of the markets have changed little in hundreds of years, while the essential art of haggling for a good price can be entertainment in itself.

The seemingly endless shopping malls in the city may offer a less authentic Middle Eastern shopping experience, but the bargains to be had are enough to compensate. Popular malls include: Century Mall, Al Ghurair, Al Manal Center, Warba Center, Lulu Center and Al Rais Shopping Mall. The best deals to look out for in the malls are in the areas of electronic goods and designer clothes as both are priced well below the normal retail price of other countries. Popular souvenirs in Dubai include traditional Bedouin craftwork, gold jewellery, spices and, of course, carpets.

Sports and outdoor leisure activities are very popular in Dubai, with the city's favourable climate and superb facilities providing the perfect environment for enjoying the outdoors. However, the extreme summer temperatures tend to drive the majority of sports enthusiasts into the indoor venues for several months each year.

Golf
In recent years, the golf scene in Dubai has gone from being the golfing world's best kept secret to the full blown golfer's paradise that it is today. There are several world-class courses around the city, with the Emirates Golf Club being the most famous, as it's the venue for the Dubai Desert Classic, which is now one of the most important tournaments in the European golfing calendar. Another popular choice is the Nad Al Shiba Club, which boasts a floodlit 18-hole course which is the perfect venue for avoiding the ferocious summer sun.

Horseback Riding
The Middle East as always been well known for its affinity with all things equestrian and Dubai is no exception, with several riding schools around the city offering riding lessons and organised trails. The Jebel Ali Equestrian Club and the Dubai Equestrian Center both offer basic riding lessons and trail rides for the more experienced, with other options such as show jumping and dressage also available. Arabian Ranches is a relatively new development that has a well-equipped equestrian centre at the heart of its residential community, with many other facilities on site such as a Spanish influenced polo club, tack shop, swimming pool and dining facilities.

Water Sports
Dubai's beautiful setting on the shores of the Arabian Gulf has long made the city popular with water sport enthusiasts, with jet-skiing, waterskiing and sailing all widely available and popular with local residents and visitors alike. Jumeirah Beach is the place to go for wind sports such as windsurfing, paragliding and kite surfing, with the latter now so popular in the area that one stretch of the beach has become known as 'Kite Surf Beach'. The calm clear waters of the Arabian Sea also offer fantastic scuba diving opportunities, with several wreck sites and coral reefs offering dives to suit all levels of experience.