Whether you are traveling to Qatar or have recently moved here, you must be looking for attractions to spend time with your family. The best part about Qatar is how family friendly it is.
The hot and humid weather may not make you think the same, but the truth lies in its wonderful attractions. Although it is best known for its modern and high skyscrapers, it still has an ancient Bedouin past, architecture inspired by Islamic design, and plenty of green parks that families can enjoy.
So, regardless of when you visit, here is a list of family-friendly attractions in Qatar.
Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA) Park
Adjacent to the Museum of Islamic Arts is a park where you walk with your kids or gaze at the unrivalled views of the West Bay Skyline. This park is open for 24 hours a day and has play and grass areas for kids to play on.
It also has a café on the seafront where you can sit, sip, and relax with your family members.
Although the park is open throughout the week, the best time to go is on weekends. There is a Bazaar (modern version of Souqs) held on weekends from where you can buy local accessories, handicrafts, clothing, and painting.
Aspire Park
Located near the Villaggio Mall, Aspire Park is known as the Green Zone and the biggest park in Doha. It is equipped with a clean arrangement of trees, fountains, greenery all over, and is suitable for different types of activities including jogging, aerobics, and more. The beautiful lake view makes it an ideal place for spending an evening with family.
You can also come here for picnics and to do other outdoor activities.
Doha's Water Front Promenade (Corniche)
Whether you want a casual day out or are tired of wandering around the city with your kids, go for a walk at Doha’s waterfront. This 7-kilometer long waterfront stretches along the Doha Bay and offers you some of the pleasant views of the city.
There are three main areas of Doha’s Corniche, the park and promenade, the street, and the government zone. However, the promenade is best for engaging in leisure activities with family.
Zekreet and Film City
Qatar has a replica film city that is built in the north of Zekreet. You can visit the film city with your kids, and also view the stunning East meets West sculpture by Richard Sierra.
Zekreet is a one hour drive away from Doha and is located near to Cuban and Dukkan hospital. However, the Zekreet beach is only accessible for 4X4s, and has tranquility, as compared to other beaches.
Dune Bashing
If you have teenagers or older kids, look no further than going for dune bashing.
Commonly known as a desert safari tour, this ride takes you through extraordinary desert views and thrilling rides across the desert terrains of Qatar in 4X4s. Not just you’ll get a ride, but you along with your family will also get a chance to ride a camel, take photos at the Inland sea, and spend some time in traditional Bedouins tents where you can have dinner and drinks at the end of the trip.
The best part is the trip is available for both half day and full day.
Al Khor Park
It is known that there are no zoos in Qatar, but Al Khor is a miniature zoo that houses goats, birds, zebra, Oryx, emu, exotic birds, horses, and more. If wildlife is not what you like, you can try your hand at golf at the miniature golf area.
This park has well-manicured green parks, waterfall, fountains, and an aviary. If it’s hot or humid outside, you can beat the heat by staying in the museum. There is a large kids play area, amphitheater, skating area, basketball court, and a couple of cafeterias. It also has a battery operated train that can carry 36 people.
The park is open daily, except for Friday mornings, from 8am-10pm. Tuesday is only for kids and women while rest of the week is for families.
Al-Zubarah Fort
Qatar has only one UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as Al-Zubarah Fort. What was once a pearl fishing and thriving port is now a museum in the ancient town of Zubarah.
This fort is located in the north of Qatar and is the best example of 18th and 19th century’s lifestyle and architecture of Arabs in the Persian Gulf Region.
A visit for an entire day will help your kids have a better understanding of Arabian trade culture.
Fuwarit Beach
Situated in the north of Qatar, visiting this beach is a great way to unwind and spend some time with your kids. With its long stretch of white sand, blue sea, and shoreline with colored shells, Fuwarit Beach is a real gem.
The sea is calm, which makes it perfect for your kids to build sandcastles, practice their swimming skills, and splash around. The older children and adults can get in a bit further and enjoy a proper swim in the sea.
If you want, you can also pitch a tent here, and wake up to watch the sunrise.
Khor Ul Udaid Beach
Khor Ul Udaid Beach is located 80km away from the southeast of Doha and is famous for its tranquil and relaxing environment. However, it becomes more like a resort on the shore in the morning as the stream of water comes on to the desert to form an internal sea.
Once you are there, you have several options to enjoy your day, including sand skating, water plunging, and climbing at the top of sand dunes. You can visit this beach with family and also enjoy the ever-changing scenery of the sand dunes. The sand dunes sparkle in an incredible array of colors every time the sun rises and sets.
Rumeila (Al Bida) Park
Located on the Doha Corniche, the Rumeila (Al Bida) Park has grass areas, children rides, outdoor theatre, water features, skateboard rollerblading half-pipe, popular restaurants and markets. The park has several fun attractions for children including boats, ferris wheel, and the only train in Arabia. The park is open round-the-clock with free-entry permitted. Among the other popular parks in the capital are the Al Khor and Al Wakrah parks that also allow free entry or charge nominally.
Jungle Zone
It offers 3500sqm of animal-themed children attractions, most popular indoor theme park at Hyatt Plaza in Qatar, adjacent to Khalifa stadium in the booming city of Doha, and offers fun and excitement for family and kids alike.
So, whether you are looking to explore Qatar or planning a tour here with your family, these destinations will be of great help on your itinerary.
