United Arab Emirates
Al Jurf Family Park is a free public park operated by Ajman Municipality on 97 Street in Al Jurf 1, an inland district in Ajman's mid sector. It is one of the more complete family parks in the emirate: age-grouped playgrounds, walking and jogging trails, a dedicated cycling track, volleyball, basketball and tennis courts and BBQ picnic lawns all inside a single gated site. Entry and on-site parking are free, and the park holds around 4.2 out of 5 across more than a thousand Google reviews — a strong showing for a neighbourhood municipal park. This guide covers what is inside, the practicalities, how to get there, and where Al Jurf sits among the best parks in Ajman.
At a Glance
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | 97 Street, Al Jurf 1, Ajman |
| Managed by | Ajman Municipality & Planning Department |
| Admission | Free, including playground access |
| Amusement rides | About AED 10 per ride (visitor reports) |
| Opening hours | Open daily until 10 p.m.; published opening times vary — check locally |
| Parking | Free on-site parking |
| Sports facilities | Volleyball, basketball and tennis courts; cycling track; jogging trails |
| Family facilities | Age-grouped playgrounds, picnic lawns, BBQ areas, cafés and refreshment stalls |
| Security | CCTV coverage throughout the grounds |
| Best for | Family evenings, weekend barbecues, court sports, cycling with children |
What the Park Is and Who It Suits
Al Jurf Family Park is a classic Ajman Municipality park: gated, maintained, family-first, and free. Its appeal is bundling nearly everything a family outing needs into one site: parents settle at a barbecue spot while children rotate between playgrounds, teenagers take over a court, and anyone after exercise has marked trails and a cycling track. It suits families with children of mixed ages best, along with weekend barbecue groups, casual sports players and residents after a daily walking circuit closer than the seafront.
Playgrounds by Age Group
The children's play areas are the park's centrepiece and the reason "Family" sits in its official name. Equipment is split into zones by age group, which spreads crowds and gives younger children frames scaled to them rather than a scramble with older kids. Access is included in the free entry.
Small Amusement Rides
Alongside the free playgrounds, the park has a cluster of small paid amusement rides, added in recent years according to visitor reviews, which put the price at about AED 10 per ride. Treat that as a guide rather than a published tariff — bring small cash and confirm at the kiosk.
Trails and the Cycling Track
Walking and jogging trails loop the grounds, and a dedicated cycling track runs separately from the pedestrian paths — a meaningful detail for parents teaching children to ride. For residents they are the park's quiet asset: a free, enclosed, CCTV-covered circuit away from road traffic.
Sports Courts
Al Jurf carries a wider court line-up than most neighbourhood parks in the emirate: volleyball, basketball and tennis. Courts run on the casual first-come basis typical of municipal parks; evenings and weekends are the competitive slots, weekday mornings usually empty.
Picnic Lawns and BBQ Areas
Green lawns with designated barbecue areas make the park a standing venue for the UAE's winter barbecue season. Bring your own grill, charcoal and cool boxes, keep the fire to the marked areas, and clear up afterwards. The lawns also handle ordinary picnics and birthday gatherings.
Everyday Amenities
The supporting facilities decide whether a family stays one hour or four: restrooms, a prayer area, and cafés and refreshment stalls inside the grounds. CCTV covers the park, and the free on-site car park removes the street-parking scramble that afflicts busier UAE parks at weekends.
Practical Visit Information
Hours and Admission
Entry is free, with no charge for the playgrounds or general grounds; only the small amusement rides cost extra. On hours, published sources disagree — some list a mid-morning opening daily, others a later, early-afternoon start on weekdays — so plan around the park being open daily until 10 p.m. and confirm the opening time locally before a morning trip.
Best Time to Visit
The park follows the standard UAE outdoor calendar. From roughly October to April, any time of day is comfortable, with weekend evenings the busiest family slots — arrive before sunset for a prime barbecue spot. From May to September, daytime heat pushes visits to after dark. Weekday mornings, whenever the park is open, are the quietest window for trails and courts.
Rules and Etiquette
Standard Ajman Municipality park norms apply: barbecues in the designated areas, litter in the bins, family-appropriate dress, and no alcohol. For large organised gatherings, check with the municipality first.
Not to Be Confused with Happiness Park
One naming trap is worth flagging. In January 2023, Ajman Municipality opened Happiness Park, a separate, smaller residential park in the Al Jurf area, inaugurated by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid. It is not the same place, and map searches for a park in Al Jurf can surface either. For the facilities described in this guide, point your navigation app at Al Jurf Family Park on 97 Street.
How It Compares to Other Ajman Parks
Ajman has a handful of genuinely distinct green spaces, and the right choice depends on what the outing is for. Our guide to the best parks in Ajman ranks the full list; here is where Al Jurf fits.
Against Al Safia Park
Al Safia Park is the other established municipal family park most residents weigh against Al Jurf. The two serve the same brief — free family time under Ajman Municipality management — and for most visitors the deciding factor is simply which is closer. Al Jurf's distinguishing cards are its breadth of sports courts and its separated cycling track; court players and young cyclists are better served here.
Against Al Hamidiya Park
Al Hamidiya Park in Al Yasmeen — also listed on maps as Helio Park — leans more heavily towards sport, with a football field, outdoor gym equipment and bicycle hire alongside its playgrounds and BBQ areas. Choose Al Hamidiya for a fitness-flavoured outing or a football match; Al Jurf for the wider court spread, the rides and the bigger family set-up.
Against the Corniche and Al Zorah
The Ajman Corniche is a different product altogether: an open seafront promenade for walks, sea air and café stops rather than an enclosed park. The Al Zorah Nature Reserve sits at the opposite extreme — a protected mangrove landscape suited to kayaking and birdwatching, not playground time. A workable pattern: Al Jurf or Al Hamidiya for the family afternoon, the Corniche for the evening stroll, Al Zorah for the nature morning.
Getting There
By Car
The park sits on 97 Street in Al Jurf 1, inland from the coast in Ajman's mid sector. Ajman is compact, so from the Corniche or city centre the drive is roughly 10 to 15 minutes outside peak traffic. From Sharjah or Dubai, take Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) or the coastal E11 towards Ajman and cut inland; allow significantly longer in the evening rush. The free on-site car park is a genuine advantage over street-parking at busier coastal spots.
By Taxi or Ride-Hailing
Ajman's metered taxis and ride-hailing apps cover Al Jurf, and fares within the emirate are modest. Ask for "Al Jurf Family Park" by name; if the driver hesitates, "the family park on 97 Street in Al Jurf 1" resolves it. Public bus coverage in Ajman is limited, so taxis are the practical option for visitors without a car.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Al Jurf Family Park?
Al Jurf Family Park is a free public park managed by Ajman Municipality, located on 97 Street in Al Jurf 1, Ajman. It combines age-grouped playgrounds, walking trails, a cycling track, volleyball, basketball and tennis courts, and BBQ picnic lawns, plus restrooms, a prayer area, cafés and free parking.
Is entry to Al Jurf Family Park free?
Yes. Entry is free and playground access is included. The only regular extra cost is the small amusement rides, which visitor reports price at about AED 10 per ride, paid on the spot.
What time is Al Jurf Family Park open?
The park is open daily until 10 p.m. Published opening times vary — some sources list a mid-morning start daily, others an early-afternoon start on weekdays — so confirm locally before a morning visit. Evening visits are unaffected either way.
Where is Al Jurf Family Park located?
On 97 Street in Al Jurf 1, an inland district in Ajman's mid sector — roughly 10 to 15 minutes' drive from the Corniche outside peak traffic, with free parking on site.
What facilities does Al Jurf Family Park have?
Age-grouped children's playgrounds, walking and jogging trails, a dedicated cycling track, volleyball, basketball and tennis courts, picnic lawns with BBQ areas, small paid amusement rides, restrooms, a prayer area, cafés and refreshment stalls, CCTV security and free on-site parking.
Are there rides for children at Al Jurf Family Park?
Yes. Alongside the free playgrounds there is a set of small amusement rides, added in recent years according to visitor reviews, at about AED 10 per ride. Bring small cash and confirm current prices at the kiosk.
Can you barbecue at Al Jurf Family Park?
Yes. The picnic lawns include designated barbecue areas, making the park a popular winter-season barbecue venue. Bring your own grill and charcoal, keep fires to the marked areas, and clear up afterwards.
Is parking available at Al Jurf Family Park?
Yes, and it is free. The park has its own car park, sparing visitors the street-parking scramble common at busier coastal spots.
Is Al Jurf Family Park the same as Happiness Park in Al Jurf?
No. Happiness Park is a separate, smaller residential park in the Al Jurf area, opened in January 2023 by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid per Ajman Municipality's announcement. Al Jurf Family Park is the larger family park on 97 Street with the courts, cycling track and BBQ lawns described here.
How does Al Jurf Family Park compare to other parks in Ajman?
Al Jurf offers one of the broadest single-site family bundles in the emirate — playgrounds, three kinds of sports court, a cycling track, rides and BBQ lawns. Al Safia Park serves a similar brief, Al Hamidiya Park leans towards sport, the Ajman Corniche is a seafront promenade rather than an enclosed park, and Al Zorah is a mangrove nature reserve. Most families pick by location and purpose.