Top 9 fun activities to do with family in Qatar
Qatar is a really small peninsula country and it might seem like there are limited opportunities for having fun in a city this mall. However, contrary to popular belief, there is quite a lot of diverse activities that cater to everyone’s interests. Whether it is children or adults, there are many options to entertain the whole family on the weekends.
Aside from the usual picnic spots, we’ve curated a list of the top nine fun activities to do with families in Qatar:
Barbecue at beaches
Everyone wants to make the most of the good weather while it lasts. And what better way to do it than rejoice with a beachside barbecue. While this can literally be done in your backyard, a beachside barbecue is more exciting as the entire family gets a day out and there are so many ways to engage the children in various water activities, sandcastle-building, playing, swimming, etc. Check out our list of best barbecue spots in Qatar.
Indoor games at the mall
When we say indoor games, we mean seriously thrilling activities such as trampoline jumping, video arcade games, bowling, and many others. Megapolis in Medina Centrale offers a wide array of exhilarating games that include virtual reality, gaming arcades, escape rooms, bowling, racing simulators, and scavenger hunts.
You could also head over to trampoline centers like Bounce Doha, Trampo Extreme Qatar, Jump, and Rebound Qatar for your fair share of jumping.
If you have tweens and teens you could also engage in a cool family bowling match at Megapolis, Yalla Bowling, Qatar Bowling Center, and QF Student Center Bowling area.
Pool day at hotels or resorts
Swimming pools are a great way to get some physical activity together as a family and there are quite a lot of pools in Qatar that function round the year. Feel free to head to any of the resorts and hotels to have a good pool day with the family. Many resorts and hotels such as Sheraton Grand, Westin, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Retaj Salwa Resort, Al Messila Resort, Hilton Salwa Beach Resorts, and others offer a pool day pass at their luxurious pools. Most of them even have temperature-controlled pools so you can swim to your hearts’ content even in the colder months.
Al Ahli Sports Club and Hamad Aquatic Center also offer affordable prices for kids and adults with separate timings for ladies and families. Get your children, pack some swimwear, and head over to any of the above places to dive right in!
Dhow or boat rides
Riding on a boat while you take in the cityscapes while sailing can be an unforgettable experience. There is an absolute joy for adults and children alike to board one of the traditional dhow boats that line the Corniche side. Hop onto one during the late afternoons and watch the panoramic sunset as it casts a lovely, warm orange glow over the city and the water. Feel at peace among the gentle waves lap by while you sail by West Bay. There are many other private companies that offer private boat tours and even sports activities on the boat.
North Sedra farm activities
Another spot that has largely captured the interest of families in Qatar is a day trip to North Sedra farm. Head over there early on the weekends to enjoy a good farm day. Right from feeding the animals, feeding fish, riding a mini train, pony rides, and boating: the farm is an absolute delight to discover especially with young, inquisitive children. While there is strawberry picking (subject to availability), there are also other vegetable picking options that allow you to pluck their harvest and even take them home with you!
Amusement and theme parks
Entertainment options seem galore in Qatar with the state-of-the-art infrastructure them parks and amusement parks—both indoor and outdoor. A really fun place to hang out with your family and children would be Baladna park. The park has some cool options with a large playground to amuse your kids, a dairy production center to show visitors how cows are milked, multi-seater bicycle rides, a farm animal enclosure, and a really well-equipped food court.
Kidzania also offers a plethora of delightful options in its interactive city that is made to simulate real-life occupations activities for children to participate. While it is a full children’s entertainment center, adults themselves would be overjoyed to see the cute little tots role-play their favorite occupations to their hearts’ content, and also learn new skills on the way.
Quest is another one of Doha’s latest additions to its indoor theme parks and it also houses the world’s tallest indoor rollercoaster and tallest indoor shot & drop tower. There are several themed sections that you could check out.
Visit of one the many museums
Soak in some art, culture, and history with a weekend visit to one of the many museums that are pivotal to Qatar’s art scene. The National Museum of Qatar, shaped like a desert rose, is an architectural marvel and houses some of the best historic pieces from the Al Thani’s personally curated collection. Various simulators within the museum also feature a kids’ area where they can learn of Qatari heritage and history in an engaging manner.
Also noteworthy is the Museum of Illusions, where you can have a ball of a time posing with family members at the myriad optical illusions and take photographs for memories. Giggles, laughs, and wonderment guaranteed!
Apart from this, there are several other museums such as the Doha Fire Station, Museum of Modern Art, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and Museum of Islamic Arts.
Day trip to Al Khor Family Park and Zoo
Spread over 240,000 square meters Al Khor park consists of a mini-zoo, waterfall, children’s play area, museum, amphitheater, and lush green spaces. You could plan a nice picnic here and also check out the mini zoo that houses crocodiles, giraffes, Asian bears, rhinos, cheetahs, lions, tigers, jaguars, and monkeys. Don’t forget to check out the peacocks, swans, and flamingoes too.
Desert Falls Qatar
If you thoroughly enjoy water activities as a family, it would be a great idea to check out Desert Falls Water and Adventure Park by Salwa Beach Resorts. The amusement park boasts of more than 56 rides, 18 attractions, and water activities for all ages. It also has sea caves, surfing dunes, a lazy river, wave pool, nail-biting water slides, torrent slides, Cobra ride, and a kids adventure course. Head over there with the entire family and we assure you, you’ll enjoy every minute of it!
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Inline image credit: 1. Shutterstock, 2., 4. Megapolis Qatar, 3. Bounce Doha, 5. Hilton Salwa Beach Resort, 6., 7., 8., 10., 11. Shutterstock, 9. Quest Qatar, 13. Desert Falls Qatar
