UAE National Day Long Weekend 2026: Where to Go With Kids From Dubai

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The last long weekend of 2026 is nearly here. The UAE marks its 55th Eid Al Etihad (National Day) on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December, and both days are paid public holidays for the public and private sector. Because the UAE weekend is Saturday and Sunday, taking Friday 4 December off turns it into a five-day break, Wednesday to Sunday.

One thing to watch: the Cabinet can move holidays like this one, and it shifted last year’s National Day to Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 December. As of early November no change has been announced for 2026, and the decision usually comes in mid-November, so we would book flexible fares now and keep an eye on the news. We will update this guide if the dates move.

Planning further ahead? See every break in our UAE school holidays 2026–27 calendar, with trip ideas for each one.

National Day 2026 at a Glance

Date	What it means
3 Nov – 2 Dec	Dubai’s “National Month” of events, ending on National Day
Mon 30 Nov	Commemoration Day — marked, but no longer a paid day off
Wed 2 – Thu 3 Dec	Eid Al Etihad public holiday (public and private sector)
Fri 4 Dec	Take one day of leave for a five-day break
Sat 5 – Sun 6 Dec	Weekend
Mon 14 Dec	UAE school winter break begins

Because this falls during term time, check your own school’s calendar before booking the Friday or a longer trip.

Pick Your Long Weekend

1. Stay in Dubai for the Fireworks

Dubai has confirmed citywide celebrations from 30 November to 3 December, with fireworks, cultural shows and family events, although exact times and venues were still being announced at the start of November. For a sense of what to expect, last year Global Village ran fireworks and drone shows at 9pm from 1 to 3 December, Dubai Festival City Mall and Hatta both fired at 8pm on 2 December, and The Beach JBR, Bluewaters and Souk Al Seef followed at 9pm, with a National Day parade at City Walk.

With small kids, we would pick one early show (the 8pm ones) and get there well before it starts, because traffic and parking are the hard part. Several big attractions closed for a period earlier this year, so check the official announcements before you set off.

2. Hatta: Mountains, Fireworks and a Farmhouse

Hatta is our favourite way to do National Day close to home. Last year the town held its own 8pm fireworks over the Hatta sign on 2 December, with shows at the Heritage Village on both holiday days. Make a night of it at one of Hatta’s farmhouses — they reopen for the winter season, but they book out fast over long weekends, and prices can nearly double. Our UAE farm stays guide has the options and real prices.

3. Musandam, Oman: The No-Flight Trip

If you want to cross a border without an airport, drive up to Khasab for a dhow cruise through the Musandam fjords, with swimming stops and a very good chance of seeing dolphins. October to April is the best season because the sea is calmer. Border and visa rules depend on your nationality, so check before you set off, or book a tour that handles the crossing. We cover it in more detail in our January trips from Dubai guide.

4. Muscat: One Hour Away

Muscat is the easiest “real” trip of the weekend: a flight of about an hour, several flydubai departures a day, and beaches, souqs and wadis close to the city. In a fare check by Wego in August, the cheapest non-stop return for the 1–6 December window was around AED 671 (from Sharjah) — a snapshot, not a promise, so check current prices.

5. Salalah: Beaches in Southern Oman

Salalah is under two hours from Dubai, with flydubai flying year-round and Oman Air running three direct flights a week. The same August fare check found returns for the National Day window from about AED 960. It is a slower, beachier trip than Muscat, which is exactly the point with little ones.

6. Tbilisi: A City Break Before the Snow

Georgia works well for five days: flydubai flies to Tbilisi in about 3 hours 20 minutes, and the city is easy with kids. Just know that early December is before the ski season — for 2026–27 Gudauri is projected to open between late December and 2 January — so treat this as a city-and-day-trips break, not a snow trip. Use our Tbilisi hotels under $75 list and our Georgia with a toddler guide to plan it. For comparison, Wego’s August check had Tbilisi returns from about AED 1,938 and Baku, another under-three-hour option, from about AED 1,980.

Prefer a beach weekend inside the UAE? See our picks of the best family hotels in Fujairah for snorkelling near Snoopy Island, and the best family hotels in Ras Al Khaimah or Al Ain, or where to stay in Hatta for the mountains.

Book Early: Fares Can Nearly Double

UAE travel agents warned in September that airfares to popular destinations could nearly double over the National Day break because of strong demand. A few things that help:

• Book flexible or refundable fares until the holiday dates are confirmed in mid-November.
• Compare all three UAE airports. In Wego’s check, the cheapest fares came from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi as often as from Dubai.
• Fly out Wednesday morning, back Sunday afternoon to keep Monday sane for school.
• Lock in the hotel or farmhouse first — short-haul seats usually reappear, good family rooms do not.

What We Would Skip This Weekend

• Ski trips. It is too early in the season in Georgia and much of Central Asia. Save snow for January.
• Long-haul with young kids. Anything over five hours each way eats most of a five-day break.
• Driving home at peak time on Sunday night. Leave early afternoon or after dinner.

What We Pack for a Long-Weekend Trip

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the UAE National Day holiday in 2026? Eid Al Etihad falls on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026, a paid public holiday for both the public and private sector. The Cabinet can still move the dates, and any change is usually announced in mid-November.

Is National Day 2026 a five-day weekend? Only if you take Friday 4 December off. The two holiday days fall on Wednesday and Thursday, and the UAE weekend is Saturday and Sunday.

Is Commemoration Day a public holiday? Commemoration Day on 30 November is still marked, but it is no longer a paid day off.

Where can we watch National Day fireworks in Dubai? Dubai has confirmed fireworks between 30 November and 3 December, with venues and times still being announced. Last year’s displays included Global Village, Dubai Festival City Mall, Hatta, The Beach JBR, Bluewaters and Souk Al Seef.

Where can we go for a long weekend from Dubai with kids? Without flying: Hatta, Ras Al Khaimah or Musandam in Oman. Short flights: Muscat (about an hour), Salalah (under two hours), Tbilisi (about 3 hours 20 minutes) and Baku (under three hours).

Plan Your National Day Weekend

Visa rules depend on your passport and UAE residency, so check every destination before booking. If you are already looking further ahead, our January 2027 family trips guide covers the end of the winter break, when the ski resorts are properly open.

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps us keep these guides free and honest.

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Packing for a family trip? See our guides to the best travel backpacks, best travel strollers and best travel car seats for UAE families, with airline cabin rules for Emirates and flydubai.

Loved These Ideas? More Trips We’ve Taken the Kids On

• Georgia with a toddler — the six adventures that were genuinely worth it.
• Kyrgyzstan with kids — our honest 9-day family itinerary.
• UAE farm stays — for the weekends you stay home.
• Ras Al Khaimah hidden gems — the lesser-known side of the northern emirates.