Eid Al Adha 2025: Family-friendly activities in the UAE over the long weekend
Looking forward to your Eid Al Adha break, but haven't made plans yet? Don't worry, because the UAE has lots in store for you. Whether you'd like to hang out with friends and food, or rush down rollercoasters, there are plenty of deals around.
Here are some options:
EAT
Great British Restaurant, Dubai
For a Brit take on Eid favourites, look no further than Great British Restaurant. Indulge in everything, from the first starter to the final spoonful of dessert, all crafted to make the afternoon feel all the more special.
Dh159 (adult); Dh79.50 (kids aged 6-12); Free (under 6). June 6, 1pm-3pm. Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel. Call +971 4 455 1101 or email dukesthepalm.dining@royalhideaway.com.
Gastro Kitchen, Dubai
In the mood for Arabic flavours? Gastro Kitchen in JBR has you covered with Arabic BBQ Nights over the first three days of Eid. Think generous spread of regional dishes, sizzling grills, and indulgent desserts. There's everything from beef bourguignon to grilled fish with lemon butter sauce on the menu.
Dh179 (adult, including soft beverage); Dh89 (kid, 6-11 years). During first three days of Eid Al Adha, 6.30pm-9.30pm. DoubleTree by Hilton Jumeirah Beach. Call +97155 166 8092 to reserve a spot
L'ETO's, Dubai
Catch up with a friend or family member this break over L'ETO's Afternoon Tea Delight, which comes with delicious cakes with signature house-blended teas. Among treats to try are Dulce De Leche and pistachio cake. Pair the sweet somethings with orange spice, sea buckthorn or jasmine gold dragon for a combo to remember.
Various. Available daily at All L'ETO outlets across UAE
Mausam
Tuck into a selection of tender meats, succulent chicken, fresh seafood, aromatic rice, warm breads, rich lentils and more this Eid. Don't forget to take a photo to commemorate the occasion — for the best backdrops, keep an eye out for the Burj Khalifa.
Dh249 (per couple); Dh499 (group up to 6). June 7, noon-midnight. Call +971 4 438 4001 or email emaarhospitalitypr@meansdesign.ae
Punjab Grill, Dubai and Abu Dhabi
For an Indian treat, grab a spot at Punjab Grill, which will be serving a special menu on the occasion. It's got a buy-one-get-one-free offer on pre-bookings, so you are looking at a three-course sharing-style plate-up from a Michelin-recognised restaurant at a discounted price. The plan involves Eid staples, a kebab platter with veg and non-veg options, dessert including sheer khurma and shahi tukda, and a top up option that will allow you to add specials such as pani puri and baked lobster tikka masala at an additional cost.
Dh350 (adult). During Eid Al Adha holidays, all day. Anantara Downtown Dubai and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Canal, Abu Dhabi. +971 50 194 1107 (Dubai) and +971 50 668 3054 (Abu Dhabi)
Sur.Dubai
Begin your day with a meal to remember. Sur.Dubai, known for its Mediterranean cuisine, is offering a warm Turkish breakfast set throughout Eid, which includes unlimited Turkish tea. The set includes an array of cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet chili, paired with creamy honey and kaymak. Cheeses — Ezine, Kaskhaval, and Cecil — will make an appearance. There's grilled sucuk and halloumi, Nutella, fig and strawberry jams, and tahini with grape molasses, all served alongside freshly baked cornbread, pogaca, simit, and baguette. Other delights include cheese pastry, golden French fries, black and green olives, and a fresh fruit platter. And, of course, you get to pick eggs cooked just the way you like them. Sign us up!
Dh150 (per person). Through Eid, 9am-2pm. Atrium Level 2, The Uptown Tower. Visit surdubai.com or call +971 4 220 4758 for a reservation
STAY
FIVE LUXE, JBR
At this glam resort, you'll be spoilt for choice — whether it's the view that you are craving (some rooms show you Ain Dubai) or a lovely meal (your options range from French to Japanese). Check out its 'All-You-Can-Play' package, which allows you to eat and drink, as much as you want.
Queen Elizabeth 2, Dubai
All aboard for fun on the Queen Elizabeth 2 at Port Mina Rashid. The staycation on the stationary ship infuses heritage into hospitality. The Eid Staycation offer will get you a complimentary upgrade to a sea-view room of the same category, a buffet breakfast and dinner, late check out (2pm, subject to availability), and a 20 per cent discount on F&B. The deal is valid on stays between June 6 and June 10. Take one of the ship's heritage tours for insight into the city and its yesteryears.
JA Ocean View Hotel, Dubai
Wake up to the views of azure blue waters when you stay at JA Ocean View Hotel, in JBR. If you book a stay for two nights or more in a Sea View Room with Balcony, you'll find yourself plesently surprised with a room upgrade. The kids eat and stay for free over Eid, and if you want a second room for the little ones, you can get one at a 20 per cent discount. Other highlights of your stay will include a complimentary breakfast buffet for two adults, two complimentary beverages per room, and a 20 per cent discount across dining venues. Young ones get a Kids Pack upon arrival and free access to the CoolZone play area.
From Dh650+ per night (sea view room with balcony). June 4-14. Jumeirah Beach Residence. +9714 814 5599
LEVA Hotel
To enter a stress-free bubble, check out Leva Hotel where you can dip your toes into cool waters as you stare at the magnificent Dubai skyline. Book directly on stayleva.com using the promo code GSTLV and you'll find yourself with a 30 per cent discount on best available rates.
Various. May 30-June 6. Sheikh Zayed Road. +9714 526 6000
PLAY
Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai
You are sure to get a kick out of this one. This fam-friendly destination comes with everything from cool rides to Archery & Axe Throwing, live music, DJ sets, and vibrant street performances. Go to play, stay for the show. In the evenings, visitors can see friendly laser shows at 7.30pm, 8.30pm, and 9.30pm, followed by a fireworks display at 9.30pm. Home to parks Motiongate Dubai, Real Madrid World, and Legoland Dubai, a trip here will mean endless options of fun.
Wild Wadi Waterpark, Dubai
Splash around at this waterpark, home to more than 30 rides including the gravity-defying Jumeirah Sceirah, Wipeout and Riptide FlowRiders. Keep your eyes open and you'll also find yourself entertained by traditional Ayala dancers, a live DJ, bubble show, and meet-and-greets with favourite Emirati characters.
FromDh199 (adult); Dh179 (kid). Umm Suqeim 3. +9714 348 4444
The Green Planet, Dubai
Escape into nature at The Green Planet Dubai, the region's only indoor rainforest. Between learning about the more than 3,000 plants and animals located here and the fun activities planned for the little ones, you will be more than adequately entertained. The plans for kids include free henna and face painting from 10am to 6pm; a live Oud player; movies at the Learning Centre at noon, 2pm, and 4pm; and stations that teach arts and crafts and Arabic calligraphy. There are educational talks every two hours, and encounters with snakes, millipedes, and snails for the curious.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Best photos of June 7: Dragon boat race in Hong Kong to haka dance in New Zealand
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream. Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones's take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home. The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period. Nolu's, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired 'farm to table' approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu's will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
The National
6 hours ago
- The National
Emirati architect at Expo 2025 Osaka
Ahmed Bukhash is the only Emirati architect to have designed a pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai – the pavilion is one of the legacy structures and has been repurposed as a museum to rekindle memories of the Dubai Expo 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
Emirati architect to pick best pavilions at Expo 2025 Osaka
An Emirati architect has been selected by the BIE, the governing body for World Expos, to serve on a jury that will award the best pavilions at the Expo 2025 Osaka. For Ahmed Bukhash, being asked to be part of a nine-member team that will choose the Official Participant Awards is a special honour, as he has deep links to Japan where he spent several years as a postgraduate student. It shows the beauty of Expo and what every country has to offer Ahmed Bukhash, Emirati architect Mr Bukhash is also the only Emirati architect to have designed a pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. The stark, white tent-like structure is one of the legacies that remains on the Expo City Dubai site, and has been redesigned as a museum on the world's fair. 'It is honestly a lifelong dream not only to design an Expo pavilion in Dubai but also to be selected as a jury member in Japan, which I call my second home,' Mr Bukhash told The National. 'It is a true privilege.' Heartfelt message Mr Bukhash just returned to the UAE after the first round of evaluations last month, when jurors assessed large and medium-sized pavilions at the Osaka Expo. The world's fair has welcomed more than five million visitors since it opened in April, with over 150 nations taking part. The jurors return to Japan for the second round in October after which the winners will be announced in a ceremony on October 12, a day before the Expo ends. Pavilions are judged on architecture, interior design and their connection to the Osaka Expo theme "Designing a future society of our lives". When The National visited the Osaka Expo, some eye-catching pavilions that had people waiting in queues included those of Austria, Bahrain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Uzbekistan. Mr Bukhash cannot reveal any details about the favourites but says the message must be "heartfelt". 'My advice for anybody travelling to the Expo is please do your own research because you will be surprised that regardless of scale, some of the content in terms of innovation, how to improve people's lives, whether through AI, technology, energy, is productive for our time and age,' he said. 'It shows the beauty of Expo and what every country has to offer.' The awards for large, medium and small pavilions, and those that use shared spaces, are typically announced at the end of the six-month fair to encourage people to visit all venues. Judges exclude themselves when the team visits their home country pavilion to avoid a conflict of interest. Shaded spaces Mr Bukhash was pleased to see a focus on shaded spaces at the Osaka Expo similar to the attempt in Dubai to offer visitors respite from the summer heat. 'I was very happy to see architectural interventions that provide shading, spaces that reflect a kind of canopy system around the pavilion,' he said. 'Our main challenge is the changing global climate. That is a problem that we are facing as we experience higher than normal exposure to the heat.' As a student, Mr Bukhash studied the Japanese language for a year in Japan in 2003 before completing a master's degree in architecture at the Kyoto Institute of Technology. His education there is reflected in the work handled by Archidentity, the design studio he runs in Dubai. Clean, uncluttered lines dominate residential villa, mosque projects and work on a Japanese school in Dubai. People-centric designs that adapt to the local environment are key. 'It's no longer about having extraordinary energy boosted into air-conditioning systems, but you really need to look at passive solutions to provide shading and a comfortable temperature,' Mr Bukhash said. 'A natural ventilation system protects us from the heat and allows for the natural flow of wind.' Legacy design Mr Bukhash was also a judge for the Dubai Expo 2020 where the Saudi, Dutch, Singaporean and Japanese pavilions were among those awarded for architectural and design excellence. Working with the Expo in Dubai had an impact as he always factors in how the space can be used in the future. 'We always try to consider the past and future requirements,' he said. 'When we design buildings, we think of how to expand its lifespan, so that as the family expands, so does the building with them. "This is something we learnt when designing the Expo pavilion when we had to look at the immediate requirements and the legacy of what will happen post-Expo.' Mr Bukhash's message to young students is to embrace technology, design with sensitivity and always think of the future. 'Technology is the way forward to provide innovation and it does not matter whether the client has an open or restricted budget, you should always design with sensitivity, care and efficiency,' he said. 'You should consider the legacy so that it serves well in terms of any expansion in the future.'
