On our wonderful trip to Oman with kids we visited Muscat a number of times. We fell in love with this small, welcoming capital city. There was plenty to keep the children occupied too. Here’s our best things to do in Muscat with kids – a mix of culture and fun (and check out our “out of the sun” activities labelled below too).
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Table of Contents
1. Muttrah Souk – One of the best things to do in Muscat with kids
One of our favourite places to visit with our children is Muttrah Souk in Muscat.
It is a parade for the senses. Frankincense pouring out of burners, hustle and bustle of people bartering and shiny khanjars, ceremonial swords hanging from stalls and shop fronts.
There’s everything at Muttrah Souk from clothes to toys and ornate wooden chests to trays of dates.
Children will enjoy wandering through the labyrinth of indoor streets.
It’s a great place for all the family.
Read more about buying frankincense in Oman here.
Great out of the sun activity
2. Children’s museum
Muscat’s Children’s Museum is a great place to spend an hour or two with the kids.
It’s really reasonably priced and while not the biggest museum in the world there’s plenty there to keep little ones occupied and having fun.
Read our full review of The Children’s Museum, Muscat here.
Great out of the sun activity
3. Take a boat trip out to spot wild dolphin
We took a boat trip out in to the Gulf of Oman to spot wild dolphins and it really was the most wonderful trip.
The water was calm and shimmering and suddenly a dozen dolphins were leaping and playing all around us.
It was a magical experience and the children thought it was really exciting to see these beautiful creatures in the wild.
I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Find out more and book your own dolphin watching trip here.
4. Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour
We love the Hop On Hop Off bus tours which operate around the world. They are a great way to explore the city and rest smaller legs too.
The Muscat Hop On Hop Off bus is a great way to learn all about the history of the city. You can also use it as transport to get around.
Find out more and book your tickets here.
5. Bait Al Zubair Museum
Bait Al Zubair is more than a museum in the centre of Muscat. It’s an experience and a real insight in to Omani life.
There are recreated houses showing how people live and have lived across the country. For example how clothes hangers are used to disperse the frankincense scent over garments.
There are lots of displays on how dates have been used for their oil as well as a customary greeting in households.
There’s plenty of history here too and a cafe to sit and take coffee in or soft drinks in the shade.
Bail Al Zubair also has a great shop selling limited edition prints and jewellery amongst many other items.
Find out more here.
Great out of the sun activity
6. Top 10 things to do in Muscat with kids: Eating traditional food
We had a wonderful trip out to Bait al Luban restaurant on Muscat’s waterfront.
Known for its fresh seafood straight from the fishing boats this lovely, traditional restaurant also has a number of sweet treats that will particularly interest children from Omani pancakes with fruit to milkshakes in interesting flavours like date.
Exploring the food is great fun with kids.
Great out of the sun activity
7. Qurum Natural Park – things to do in Muscat with kids
To get away from the busy nature of the city, although it is still surrounded by highways, Qurum Natural Park is a great place to visit with kids.
The park has a small cafe. And a wonderful playground which looks like a fort and is just the perfect place for children to run around and burn off some energy.
There’s also a fun fair attached to the park.
8. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Visiting a mosque might not seem like an obvious place to visit with children but we had a wonderful time at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.
It’s out of the heat of the sun for the most part. Its story is made fascinating by the volunteers around the building who are very happy to chat.
We all really enjoyed our time at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It was absolutely beautiful and so interesting to find out more about and explore this breathtaking building and its gardens.
Find out more here.
Great out of the sun activity
9. Al Jalali Fort
Visiting a fort should be an essential activity for any trip to Oman. They are all over the country and such evocative buildings.
Just back from Muscat harbour is Al Jalali Fort, one of the oldest in Oman.
The building has been closed for some time under renovation but even to go up to its heavy doors and look out across the sea as the sun sets is a wonderful experience and great for firing up kids imaginations.
Great out of the sun activity
10. Saturday brunch
Like the hotels in Dubai, some of the luxury hotels in Muscat are starting their own tradition of a Saturday brunch.
Hotels like Al Bustan Palace set up lots of activities for the children along their beach, such as a bouncy castle and some fun games alongside their amazing buffet spread.
Read our full review of Al Bustan Palace Hotel here.
11. Top 10 things to do in Muscat with kids: Visit Oman Avenues Mall
Oman is one country where your kids will be begging to go to the mall.
We encountered some amazing shopping centres in our time in the country but our favourite was the Oman Avenues Mall in Muscat.
On the third floor there is a huge play area including a mini rollercoaster, various fairground rides and lots of fun. Kids won’t want to leave.
Best of all there’s plenty there for adults too with nice coffees and food in the food court next to it. We found it the perfect place to cool off during the heat of the day with ice creams and a bit of a play.
A great place for the kids to have some fun.
Great out of the sun activity
I hope you’ve enjoyed our suggestions, check out our ultimate guide to Oman with kids for lots more suggestions of things to do in this lovely country.
The best day trips from Muscat
Great tips – I’ve always fancied visiting but never really knew much about what there is to do with kids.