It’s a great time to get out there and enjoy the very best that the UAE has to offer. From family-friendly days out to longer adventures touring the mountains and deserts of this incredible part of the world, if you have the right vehicle then you and your family can go anywhere.
Choose an SUV from Hertz and you have all the luggage space you need for a weekend away on a luxury break, or a cycling trip with the kids. Here are some of our favourite outdoor activities in the UAE – are you ready for an adventure?
Get on your bike
Cycling has seen a boom in interest in recent times, and now you can get the whole family fit and healthy with cycling trips at some of the region’s best spots. Just a 30-minute drive from Dubai you’ll find the Al Qudra Lakes, a glorious spot where as you peddle along the 85km trail you might spot some of the local wildlife. You don’t have to do the whole circuit, and there are easier sections for younger cyclists. You don’t even have to take your own bicycle, as there is a cycle hire shop at Seih Al Salam with everything you need.
A weekend in Fujairah
With forts aplenty and some of the best beaches on the east coast, a weekend break in this fabulous location will appeal to history buffs and beach lovers alike. Take a stroll around the oldest mosque in the UAE at Al Bidhya or stand on the ramparts of Fujairah Fort and watch the sun go down. If you have the family with you, the nearby beaches are sandy, with warm, clean water for paddling in and some great family-friendly facilities.
Visit Hatta Wadi Hub
Just 90 minutes’ drive from Dubai is an open-air adventure park that’s guaranteed to get your heart pumping. The Hatta Wadi Hub is home to the Drop-in waterslide that’s a little different from the usual splash-about! You can also try your hand at archery, axe throwing, zorbing and mountain carting. It’s the best fun day out for families with older children who have a taste for adventure.
Ziplining at Jebel Jais
If you really want to check your heart is beating, then how about diving feet first off the UAE’s highest peak? The world’s longest Zipline, the insanely terrifying Jebel Jais Flight, sends you soaring down the mountain at speeds of up to 150kph along nearly 3km of zipline. It will literally take your breath away! If you can’t face that much adrenaline then shorter ziplines are available as part of the 5km Sky Tour, while kids over 6 years old can try the Jais Sky Maze suspended obstacle course.
Lights, camera…Dinosaurs!
Head to Zabeel Park in Dubai in the evening and you’ll see a truly illuminating sight – the Glow Garden. It’s the largest illuminated themed garden in the world and is patrolled by glowing dinosaurs of all sizes and colours, that even move and roar! A great one for kids, who will also love the on-site Ice Park and Art Park as well.
Experience the Empty Quarter
The Empty Quarter is mesmerizingly beautiful, dotted with wadis and oases where you can spend a weekend in a luxury hotel, or pitch a tent and sleep under a million stars. The tranquillity of the desert is incredible, and the Oasis of Liwa has to be seen to be believed!
Dive Snoopy Island
Leave the desert behind, because the UAE also has some of the best beaches and dive spots in the world. Fujairah’s Snoopy Island is a great destination if you have the kids with you, as the waters are safe and warm, perfect for a splash-about in the shallows. You can grab a snorkel and explore the undersea world around the island’s reefs, or hop in a kayak and spend the day paddling and spotting the turtles that make this island their home.
Whatever you do on your outdoor adventures in the UAE, talk to Hertz to hire the perfect vehicle to make that trip a memorable and comfortable one!