If you are like me and have teenagers, you likely know that the kind of travel that appeals to kids under 10 is very different than the kind of travel that appeals to teens (and even some tweens). While Jordan is an adventurous type of travel in itself, your teens likely do not want to walk the streets aimlessly while you get a taste of Amman.
I have taken my kids to Jordan (from Canada) close to a dozen times in the last 10 years. So we have done a lot of exploring in Amman. Several times we based ourselves in the city for a month. Now that they are teens, the types of things that appeal to them are a lot different than the activities we did with them in Amman when they were 6 and 4 years old!
Most families spend 1 or 2 nights in Amman before heading south to Petra and Wadi Rum. Amman is a massive sprawling city home to millions, so a little planning can make your time in the city much more enjoyable for everyone!
The first thing I will say about walking around Amman is to pack comfortable shoes. Cute sandals are not necessary in Jordan. Wear shoes you can walk all day in. The sidewalks are uneven, there are potholes everywhere, and the guides like to joke that the most dangerous part of Amman is those sidewalks! In the winter months in Amman, you will want good shoes for possible wet days. In the summer, you can wear trekking-type sandals or shoes, whatever you are most comfortable in on hot days as long as they do not easily trip on uneven surfaces.
Things Teens Love in Amman
There are a few things that are going to appeal to teenagers in the city. History, food, and culture are three big pillars of the city. But walking around all day listening to someone talk about thousands of years of history is not every teens favortie thing. Of course, yes, some will love it, but mine, you have them for about 10 minutes before they lose interest in the ancient past.
Eating in Amman
Visitors do not typically come to Jordan for the food, but they definitely leave with it firmly etched in their minds. Maybe it’s mint lemonade (called lemon with mint juice) or Arabic ice cream; there are all kinds of food experiences for adventurous and picky kids.
Hashem restaurant is always recommended as somewhere to eat. And that is because it is great. It is not touristy despite being in all of the guidebooks. It is packed full of locals every day. None of the restaurants in Amman caters to tourists. There is no need to look to get off the tourist trail. There is no tourist trail in Amman. Millions of people live and eat here every day. Unless you are on a bus tour and need to feed over 30 people at a time, it is easy to find great local food!
Knafeh from Habibah is another must in Amman. It is downtown near Hashem and sandwiched down a small alleyway (thanks to google maps its easy to find, don’t worry!)
If you want a great introduction to Amman’s food culture, Amman Food Tours is your best bet. Amman Food Tours was a product that came out of years of visiting Jordan. The inspiration behind Amman Food Tours came from my love of the food in the country and wanting visitors to experience more than the hotel buffet every chance they had! I founded Amman Food Tours in 2022 with my late partner. Today, the company is 100% female-owned and employs local female guides who introduce visitors to Jordan through the country’s food, culture, and traditions. It’s the best first-day activity in Jordan you can do, as you will have so much more insight into foods to try for the rest of your trip! (Yes, you can say this is a shameless plug for my own company, but go read the reviews for yourself! With my kids, we book a food tour on every trip because I think it’s such a great way to introduce kids to the culture they are visiting. Especially those hesitant about new flavors!)
Underground Amman and Hip Hop Culture
I am not going to tell your family to book a tour where you walk around, look at something, listen to someone talk about it for 5 minutes, then move on. I know teens (unless they are totally engrossed in the topic) lose interest fast. But Underground Amman is different. It is a graffiti tour and a local neighborhood tour by someone who wants to share the art side of the city. You will get to know them, their family, their culture, and see their perspective on life in Amman. Something teens can relate to, not a history lesson!
Citadel and Roman Theatre
The history of the region is huge and spans thousands of years. An easy bite-sized history lesson is an hour exploring the citadel, learning about who called this region home and then experiencing the Roman Theatre and how people gathered, met, and were entertained thousands of years ago. Make sure you have your kids stand on stage and project their voices into the crowd!
If you are exploring the city on your own and have not booked a guide for the day, I suggest getting a guide at the entrance. They will give you the historical context of Amman and help guide you through the site in an organized way. If you prefer just to walk and look around, that’s fine too. There are. afew sign boards with historical info, and you can take some nice pictures of the surrounding hills in Amman.
After the Citadel, it’s easiest to walk down the steps and cross the street to the Amphitheatre (as long as you haven’t parked your car at the top. And well, if you did park your car, you can take a taxi back up the hill to get it if your legs are tired by the end of the day!)
Rainbow Street
Rainbow Street comes alive in the evenings, and that’s typically the same time that teens come alive, too! IYKYK! While it’s quiet during the day, in the evenings it is full of locals enjoying the cafes (and bars). The sidewalks are full of people selling tea, and toys for little kids. It is extrememly family friendly, even late into the night. I would suggest heading down after dark and having a walk around. Most of the shops for clothing, etc., will be closed, but stop for some tea and people-watch for a bit. It gives you a true sense of the vibe of the neighborhood.
If your kids are hungry (whose teens are not), grab a falafel sandwich from Al Quds. Its been a staple in the neighborhood for decades. You will likely see a lineup of locals and tourists alike waiting for the fresh, warm falafel.
If you want to explore it during the day, there are lots of cute photo spots as well as street art to enjoy. There is never a bad time to visit Rainbow Street!
Hotels with Pools
My family loves a hotel pool, and depending on how long you have in Amman, there are some great options for enjoying some time downtown at the pool. My personal favorite is Intercontinental Amman because of its proximity to Rainbow Street and downtown (just 10 minutes walk to Rainbow Street). It has a great Shawarma place right outside, also!
Another great option is Landmark Amman. We stayed there on our first trip to Amman, and the hotel is lovely (and the breakfast buffet is great). Both are great choices for families.
Dead Sea Day Trip
If your itinerary does not have you spending the night at the Dead Sea, it is an easy day trip from Amman. If you are not renting a car, hire a driver for the day to take you there, and they will wait to take you back. It’s not the kind of place you can Uber to as there are not ubers waiting around at the Dead Sea.
There are lots of hotels that offer day passes. They often come with a buffet lunch. A newly opened park is on the shores of the Dead Sea now too! If you have a great driver, as them to take you there to take a look, but I do prefer the amenities that come with the beach clubs (showers and change rooms, etc.) because you DO want to rinse the salt water off your skin right when you come out! It feels like oily water (strange, I know).
Overall, Amman is a great city to visit. Whether you have a few days or just one, make the most of it with these things that teenagers will appreciate!
Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.