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Family outings

Family outings in Doha

From October to April, Doha is lived outdoors: picnics in MIA Park, cycling at Aspire, sunset on the Corniche, kayaking in the mangroves. In summer, families retreat to museums, the National Library and air-conditioned sports clubs. Here are our addresses, checked on official websites.

Verified on 30 October 2026

Parks, beaches and playgrounds

Doha's parks are well kept, mostly free and full of families at the end of the day. November to March is the best season: in summer, go at sunrise or after sunset.

Good to know

  • MIA Park is open 24 hours a day: picnics facing West Bay, a three-area playground, a café and a weekend bazaar on Fridays and Saturdays. Source
  • The Corniche stretches for seven kilometres around the bay, ideal by bike or with a buggy; it is also the heart of National Day and National Sport Day celebrations. Source
  • The National Museum of Qatar's park has its own playgrounds and a garden, reached through the north pedestrian gate. Source
  • Take water and a hat even in winter, and choose shaded playgrounds: the Gulf sun is strong in every season.

Addresses

  • MIA Park

    Park

    Corniche, à côté du Musée d'art islamique

    The families' sunset spot: playground, lawns, café, weekend bazaar and views of the West Bay towers.

    Website Source

  • Aspire Park

    Park

    Aspire Zone, Al Waab

    One of Doha's largest parks, with its lake, jogging tracks and playgrounds, next to Villaggio.

    Website Source

  • Oxygen Park

    Park

    Education City, Al Rayyan

    Qatar Foundation's park: running tracks, gardens, sports pitches and picnic areas among the universities.

    Website Source

  • Doha Corniche

    Park

    Corniche Street, de West Bay au MIA

    Seven kilometres of bayside promenade, served by the metro, with evening dhow rides.

    Website Source

  • Parc du Musée national du Qatar

    Park

    Museum Park Street, entrée nord par Emrair Street

    Playgrounds, artworks and a garden around the 'desert rose', to combine with a museum visit.

    Website Source

  • Katara Cultural Village

    Park

    Katara, entre West Bay et The Pearl

    Beach, amphitheatre, galleries and pedestrian lanes: a cultural village where a family afternoon flies by.

    Website Source

Go further

Museums

Qatar Museums runs spectacular museums, with workshops and trails for children. Residents with a QID and children aged 16 and under enter the National Museum free.

Good to know

  • At the National Museum of Qatar, entry is free for residents with a valid QID and for children aged 16 and under; the museum is usually closed on Tuesdays. Source
  • The Museum of Islamic Art runs children's sessions, such as Planet Kids Club story time, and a workshop programme; check the Qatar Museums calendar before visiting. Source
  • Dadu, Qatar's future children's museum, is still in the works: meanwhile, 3-2-1 and the National Museum's park are what little ones enjoy most. Source

Addresses

  • Musée national du Qatar (NMoQ)

    Museum

    Museum Park Street, Doha

    The story of Qatar and its people inside Jean Nouvel's 'desert rose', with a park and playgrounds.

    Website Source

  • Musée d'art islamique (MIA)

    Museum

    Corniche, Doha

    One of the world's largest collections of Islamic art, in an I. M. Pei building by the water; story time and workshops for children.

    Website Source

  • 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum

    Museum

    Khalifa International Stadium, Aspire Zone

    Billed as the world's most sophisticated sports museum, and very hands-on: children run, jump and test their reflexes.

    Website Source

  • Mathaf, musée arabe d'art moderne

    Museum

    Education City

    Modern and contemporary art from the Arab world, with temporary exhibitions and workshops.

    Website Source

  • Msheireb Museums

    Museum

    Msheireb Downtown Doha

    Four restored heritage houses in the heart of downtown, to tell children about Doha before oil.

    Website Source

Libraries and books in French

Qatar National Library is free for all residents and has a large children's library; for books in French, the Institut français médiathèque is the essential resource.

Good to know

  • National Library membership is free for citizens and residents, with a QID; the card of a child aged 17 or under is linked to a parent's card, and expires with the QID. Source
  • The Institut français du Qatar médiathèque, in Al Tarfa, is open to all: books, comics, magazines and children's materials, with two annual membership options for three-week loans. Source
  • Médiathèque members also get Culturethèque, the Instituts français digital library: books, easy-French audiobooks, press and music. Source
  • Teachers can borrow a French book kit for their class and arrange visits with story time at the médiathèque. Source

Addresses

  • Bibliothèque nationale du Qatar (QNL)

    Library

    Education City, Al Rayyan

    A spectacular building with a children's library, a teen section, homework support and family activities.

    Website Source

  • Médiathèque de l'Institut français du Qatar

    Library

    Villa 7, Street 860, Zone 68, Al Tarfa

    Doha's French-language collection: picture books, children's novels, comics and magazines, plus Culturethèque access.

    Website Source

  • Fnac Qatar

    Shop

    Lagoona Mall (West Bay Lagoon) et Doha Festival City

    Two stores with a book section, handy for French picture books and holiday workbooks.

    Website Source

Sports and activities in French

Doha's French community has its own clubs: rugby, judo, football, Institut français workshops. The embassy lists them among the French associations in Qatar.

Good to know

  • The French embassy publishes the list of French associations in Qatar: Doha Accueil, UFE, Maison de la France, and the Blue Falcons (rugby), Blue Tigers (judo), PSG Academy, Piranhas Doha and Scène des sables clubs. Source
  • The Blue Falcons rugby school welcomes children from age 6, from under-6s to under-18s; founded in 2010, the club is a pillar of French-speaking life. Source
  • Blue Tigers teach judo and jujitsu from age 4, with qualified coaches and affiliation to the French Judo Federation. Source
  • Doha Accueil runs discovery workshops for kids and grown-ups, alongside its Sunday morning drop-in. Source

Addresses

  • Blue Falcons Rugby Club

    Activity

    Doha

    The French-speaking community's rugby club: rugby school from 6 to 18, senior teams and touch rugby.

    Website Source

  • Blue Tigers Judo

    Activity

    Doha

    Judo and jujitsu from age 4 to adults, from beginners to competition, with holiday camps.

    Website Source

  • PSG Academy Qatar

    Activity

    Doha

    Football for boys and girls, goalkeeping, plus handball and judo, with a former Paris Saint-Germain player as technical adviser.

    Website Source

  • Institut français du Qatar, cours et ateliers

    Activity

    Villa 7, Street 860, Zone 68, Al Tarfa

    Themed workshops, French and Arabic classes, DELF junior preparation: useful to keep French alive at home.

    Website Source

  • Doha Accueil

    Activity

    Permanence à West Bay

    The welcome association for French speakers: Sunday morning drop-in, monthly breakfasts and workshops for the whole family.

    Website Source

Through the seasons and festivities

The family calendar follows the heat: the mild season from October to April for outdoor life, summer for indoor activities and holidays. National and religious holidays punctuate the year.

Good to know

  • Qatar National Day is held every 18 December: parades on the Corniche and the Darb Al Saai festivities, where children discover Qatari traditions. Source
  • National Sport Day, on the second Tuesday of February, is a public holiday: the whole city runs, cycles and plays outdoors, with many free events. Source
  • From November to April, hundreds of flamingos stop over on Qatar's shores, notably near the Al Thakira mangroves. Source
  • During Ramadan, the city follows the rhythm of the fast and comes alive in the evening; Eid al-Fitr and then Eid al-Adha bring several public holidays. Source
  • From June to September, the heat is overwhelming: many families go back to France for the summer, others live between museums, malls and indoor pools. Source

Addresses

  • Darb Al Saai

    Activity

    The official National Day festival site: heritage, traditional games and shows for families.

    Website Source

  • Doha Corniche

    Park

    Corniche Street

    The city's main celebration venue, for National Day as for Sport Day.

    Website Source

  • Marché du week-end du MIA Park

    Activity

    MIA Park, Corniche

    Stalls, crafts and snacks every Friday and Saturday during the mild season.

    Website Source

  • Agenda de Qatar Museums

    Activity

    Musées de Doha

    Workshops, exhibitions and family events across all museums, worth checking weekly, especially in summer.

    Website Source

Go further

Trips under two hours away

Qatar is small: within an hour's drive you go from the West Bay towers to mangroves, forts and dunes. For the desert, go with a tour operator or in a 4x4 convoy.

Good to know

  • Never venture off paved roads alone, especially in the desert: mobile coverage is weak, and vehicles are only insured there under certain conditions. Source
  • The best season for the desert and the Khor Al Adaid inland sea runs from November to April. Source
  • In museums and some public places, clothing above the knee is not allowed: plan covering outfits for cultural outings. Source

Addresses

  • Purple Island (Bin Ghannam)

    Park

    Al Khor, à une heure de Doha

    A small mangrove island in the north-east, for walks, picnics and family kayaking.

    Website Source

  • Mangroves d'Al Thakira

    Park

    17 km au nord-est d'Al Khor

    One of the country's oldest mangrove forests, by kayak, with birds, fish and flamingos in winter.

    Website Source

  • Al Zubarah

    Museum

    Nord-ouest du Qatar

    The UNESCO World Heritage fort and old town, with an interactive version to prepare the visit.

    Website Source

  • Gravures rupestres d'Al Jassasiya

    Museum

    Côte nord-est du Qatar

    Hundreds of rock carvings, boats and patterns, to hunt for with the children.

    Website Source

  • Khor Al Adaid, la mer intérieure

    Park

    Sud-est du Qatar, frontière saoudienne

    Where the dunes meet the sea: sandboarding, swimming and nature walks, to do by 4x4 with a guide.

    Website Source

  • Khor Al Adaid Beach

    Park

    Inland Sea Off Road

    A secluded lagoon ringed by dunes, for a beach day far from the city.

    Website Source

Go further

A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of Doha will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 Qatar Museums, musées et galeries
  2. 2 Musée d'art islamique, MIA Park
  3. 3 Bibliothèque nationale du Qatar, adhésion
  4. 4 Institut français du Qatar, médiathèque
  5. 5 Ambassade de France au Qatar, associations françaises
  6. 6 Visit Qatar

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