Dubai summers have always been about mall strolls, late-night drives along Sheikh Zayed Road and children enjoying soft-serve ice cream in abundance. But this year, the city has raised the stakes.
Dubai’s new ‘Kids Go Free’ summer campaign is essentially a city‑wide cheat code for families, offering free stays, free play and, in many cases, free meals for children, all bundled into one package.
Running through the school holidays, the campaign brings together a wide network of hotels, theme parks and attractions under one umbrella, with a simple idea that if adults pay, kids don’t have to.
At participating hotel properties, such as Yas Plaza Hotels and Riviera Hotel Dubai, children under 12 can stay in their parents’ room at no extra cost and eat on the same meal plan, while major attractions are letting kids in for free when accompanied by paying grown‑ups.
For a typical family of four, that can shave off a significant chunk of the summer‑holiday bill without feeling like you’ve downgraded the experience.
Think free entry for kids to big‑ticket attractions, indoor edutainment spaces and even select cinema screenings during off‑peak hours.
Some of the highlights of this year’s line-up include At the Top, Burj Khalifa, and The View at The Palm, where one child can enjoy complimentary access to the observation decks with every paying adult throughout the summer campaign.
Museum of the Future is running a ‘one child free per adult’ offer until mid‑September 2026, while La Perle by Dragone has its own Kids Go Free deal live through the end of September.
Dubai Crocodile Park, Expo City Dubai, Madame Tussauds Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) and XStrike in Al Quoz are also offering time‑bound free entry or sessions for kids with accompanying adults.
However, families should check the fine print carefully, as age limits, maximum numbers of children per room or booking, blackout dates and other restrictions may vary between participating attractions and hotels.
For residents, the ‘Kids Go Free’ campaign offers a value-for-money way to experience some of Dubai’s most sought-after attractions throughout the summer.
Source: Khaleej Times