10 Best Things to do in Dubai (2025) + Map

Dubai is the city of Luxury vacation, great beaches, fantastic nightlife mixed with shopping fever and true Arabic traditions. We lived in this beautiful city for 2 years and we’d like to share with you the best things to do in Dubai with all it’s attractions and hidden gems.

In our guide, we’ll talk about everything you need to know as a first-timer, like how to get around in Dubai, free activities in Dubai, best beaches and even best museums in Dubai.

Dubai Cheat Sheet

If you’re short on time and can’t read the full post, here is my Dubai cheat sheet:

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Best Things to Do in Dubai

Where is Dubai Located?

If you have this question, don’t worry because you’re not the only one. Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) along the beautiful Persian Gulf in the middle east.

It’s a very modern city with a great comfort and it’s connecting Australia and East Asia to the other part of the world. We love to stay in Dubai for our stop-overs.

Dubai Weather

Dubai is almost always sunny and there is no real winter. You might see some rain every once a while, that’s rare in Dubai.

Dubai has one of the most predictable climates in the world. Hot summers (up to 45°C/108°F) with high humidity. On the other hand, Winters are amazing and warm.

Best time to visit Dubai?

I love Dubai all season, except in August. But as a first-timer and visitor, best time to visit Dubai is from October to April. In summer months, the temperatures can goes up to 45°C/108°F, which is hardly tolerable, specially in August.

Dubai is one of the best winter destinations and it’s definitely one of our warm escapes from the long winter in Canada. If your budget is limited, you can use May or first weeks in June, as the hotel prices are still lower and you can use the beach as well.

Where to Stay in Dubai

Our favorite area to stay in Dubai is definitely the Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR). Most of the top things to do in Dubai, are located in this area. Also We’ve selected the best hotels and best areas to stay in Dubai in our recent post. Read here!

Our favorite hotel in Dubai (JBR) is Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Check the availability and prices here!

How to get around in Dubai

Well, if you ask me the best way to get around in Dubai is by taxi or uber and they’re affordable. It’s definitely the most convenient option.

Also Dubai Metro is fast, clean and definitely a more budget-friendly option. But it’s not available every where, specially in the Jumeirah Beach residence , but if you stay in Downtown Dubai or Dubai Marina, you have direct access. For more details, check our guide about the best areas to stay in Dubai!

Dubai is actually not a walkable city, except the historical part of Dubai which is called Deira and the Jumeirah beach promenade. Also in downtown Dubai, you can easily walk around.

4-Day Dubai Itinerary

Best Things to Do in Dubai

Now that we talked about the best time to visit Dubai, let’s dive into the top things to do in Dubai and what to see plus best things to do in Dubai with kids. Also we set up a downloadable guide for 3 days itinerary in Dubai, so that you can just relax and enjoy your journey.

1. Burj Khalifa

This is of course one of the highlights of your trip. I can still remember the first time standing in front of the 828 meters tall Burj Khalifa, which is such a unique experience. But that’s now all, because there’s so much more inside.

Pro Tip: It’s highly recommended to book the tickets online at least 2 days in advance, as you can’t buy the tickets at the reception for the same day. Specially from November to March it’s pretty busy so you can Book your tickets here.

Tickets for Burj Khalifa

The Entrance is from Dubai Mall and you can just follow the signs for Burj Khalifa, which is actually at LG floor of Dubai Mall. There are 3 different floors to visit and therefore 3 different tickets. With the tickets on the higher floors, you can also visit the lower floors.

The Lowest ticket is the one for the 125th floor for $49. Our personal favorite is the second one for the Top Sky on the 148th floor ($108), as you have almost the same view with a terrace, where you can walk out. Although the terrace has a fence, but I wouldn’t recommend it, if you’re afraid of heights. Book your spot online.

And last but not least, if you want to have a top-nudge experience with an exclusive buffet, welcome drink and more space, the 154th floor ($209)is right for you. There’s also a buffet and drink options on the other floors, but the lower the floor, the lower the selection of food and drinks.

2. Dubai Mall

One of the reasons, I’m traveling frequently to Dubai is shopping. It’s really a shopping Oasis for me and my husband, so basically I buy my stuff for the whole year, when I’m there. And Dubai Mall is definitely one of the best places for shopping in Dubai.

But Dubai Mall is not just a shopping mall in Dubai, there are many things you should visit, while you’re there. And since it’s huge with over 1,200 stores, you might oversee many things. So here is a list of what you should definitely visit inside the Dubai Mall.

What to do Inside Dubai Mall

Inside Dubai Mall you’ll find from luxury brands to affordable ones, plus cafes, bakeries, and it’s home to some of the best activities in Dubai. Here our favorites:

• Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo: We love to walk through this massive glass tunnel surrounded by sharks, rays and all the other species. It’s one of the best things to do in Dubai with kids. It’s one of the largest suspended aquariums in the world.
• Dubai Ice Rink: As you know, everything should look gigantic in Dubai, so also the ice rink is in the size of a real Olympic skating rink and it’s stunning. They also have lessons and disco sessions.
• Fashion Avenue: This is definitely where I lose the time and my favorite section. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s definitely worth walking through 200+ luxury brands. It’s definitely the most instagrammable spot.
• Dubai Fountain Show (outside Dubai Mall): I know you might think it’s just a fountain show, but it’s one of the must see places in Dubai. Water shoots up to 140 meters and shows run every 30 minutes in the evening. So don’t miss it!

When to Visit Dubai Mall

Although we also love it in the afternoon and often walk there after dinner, but if you want to do shopping, morning is the best time. The Mall is fully packed in the evening.

Pro tip: It’s good to know that one of the top activities to do in Dubai is to go to the shopping malls. The reason is that the weather is not always appropriate for outdoor activities. So even if you’re visiting Dubai in the shoulder season, it’s best to go shopping in the morning.

Also Read our posts about other countries in the Middle East:

• What To Do in Istanbul: 30 Best things to do in Turkey’s Magical City
• Where to stay in Dubai? Best Hotels, Best Areas (2025)
• Where to stay in Istanbul? Best Areas, Best Hotels and much more

3. Desert Safari Dubai

One of the cool things to do in Dubai, is for sure booking a safari tour for only $30. We love it and although we did that several times, we still book it each time we’re visiting Dubai. I can’t tell you how magical it is to sit in the middle of an endless desert in the middle of the night and watch the sunset.

But that’s not all of it. The fun part is the ride, which is a thrilling off-road drive and a dune bashing. Additionally you can do sandboarding and camel ride, which is my favorite part and don’t even think about skipping that part. Then comes the sunset photography and the desert camp.

Desert Safari tour is really one of the best Dubai fun things to do and this is the tour we’re normally booking. Check out the prices here! After getting a nice Hana Painting (if you want), you’ll have a fantastic traditional night with a BBQ dinner, fire shows and Arabic dances. It’s an unforgettable night and the highlight of your trip.

4. Dubai Marina

Dubai Marina is one of the best things to do in Dubai specially at night. we love to go there and have a romantic dinner in one of the restaurants by the water. And you can take a walk after dinner along the promenade.

Another one of the coolest thing to do in Dubai, is to book a Cruise tours. Well, Dubai Marina is the best place for it. You can check the tour prices here! We suggest to go before sunset, as it’s best for sunset photography.

I’s a great place to enjoy Dubai’s nightlife. Our favorite restaurant is the Asia Asia, which has the best skyline view by the water. Another fun restaurant is the Be Beach DXB for a club vibe, chill-out and drinks. It’s open till 7pm.

5. Palm Jumeirah

No matter how many times we visit the Palm, it’s always a must-see in our Dubai bucket list. There’s so much to do and see in Dubai Palm Jumeirah, and it’s not just visiting the View Point. Basically you can spend a whole day there. It’s one of our top 5 things to see and do in Dubai, specially for the first-timers.

Where to Stay at the Palm Jumeirah

We stay often in Palm Jumeirah and mostly at the Hotel Atlantis the Palm. This is not just a hotel, it’s actually like a city, with restaurants, shopping mall, beaches, pools and an adventure water park. Read our post about the full details and our review of the hotel Atlantis here.

What to do in the Palm Jumeirah

Even if you don’t want to stay in the hotel and just want to do a day-trip there, there’s so much to do and see. We recommend to get a day pass for hotel Atlantis, so that you have free access to the Adventure Water park. It’s one of the best things to do in Dubai with kids.

It’s one of the biggest water parks in the world and with the day pass you also have free access to all the pools and beaches of the hotel.

Also visiting the View of the Plam should be on your Dubai itinerary. This is a 360 degrees viewing deck with 240 meters high and breathtaking aerial view of the Palm Jumeirah. So you don’t want to miss that. We recommend to get the tickets on their official website in advance. Here is the link.

Public Beach at the Palm Jumeirah

If you don’t want to get one of the private beaches at the Palm Jumeirah, there is a fantastic public beach called Palm West Beach and you have a free access with a fantastic view of the Palm. There are also several restaurants and a walking promenade there.

How to get around in Dubai Palm

the Palm is huge and you can’t walk around, but there’s a monorail that you can use to travel around the island, as well as scooters and taxis. But we really recommend not to drive to the Palm during the rush hours, as you can stay in traffic at the entrance long.

6. Souk Madinat Jumeirah

For us this is the best place in Dubai to walk around, because it really looks like an Arabian souk (bazaar) with fantastic architecture and the view of Burj Al Arab. Also with it’s beautiful palm trees and bridges, looks like a little Venice in Arabian style.

Walking down the souk and the pathways outside is really one of the best things to do in Dubai and has to be on your itinerary. There are also some fantastic restaurants outside and our favorite one is the Lebanese restaurant called Al Makan, where you can sit by the water and enjoy the view.

For a more picturesque view, get an Abra ride (water boat) for around AED100 and enjoy the view of the bridges and Burj Al Arab. Also walking in the Souk is definitely a must. Although I never buy anything there, as it’s quite touristy and expensive, but the architecture is beautiful .

When to visit Madinat Jumeirah

I suggest not to go there before 4 PM, as it’s normally very hot at that time and you can’t really enjoy being outside. Best time to go there is at night or for the sunset, except when the weather is mild.

Nightlife at Madinat Jumeirah

There are also some of the Ultra luxury hotels in Medina Jumeirah and our favorite one is the the hotel Jumeirah Al Qasr (means the Castle). This hotel is really beautiful and even if you don’t want to go to one of the restaurants, I would suggest to take a walk and just admire the architecture.

Although we never stayed there, but it’s home to some of the best bars and restaurants in Dubai. Our favorite one is the bar Buci with a relaxed lounge atmosphere and fantastic view. But if you’re more into night clubbing in Dubai, this is not the right place. You should rather go to Dubai Marina or JBR.

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7. Jumeirah Beach Residence & Burj Al Arab

Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) is one of the most luxurious vacation spots in Dubai and visiting JBR surely one of the must do things in Dubai for first timers. We also love to walk on the the longest promenade in Dubai, which is at JBR and you can enjoy the view of the Persian Gulf and Burj Al Arab.

This is where we normally stay in Dubai as it’s home to the best beaches in Dubai as well as the best hotels and resorts. Our favorite hotel is the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, for it’s fantastic location, having the largest beach and promenade in Dubai as well as it’s multinational cuisine. Check the prices and availably here.

If you’re looking for more budget options in this part of Dubai, also check our guide for more recommendations.

Pro tip: It’s good to know that even if you’re not staying in JBR or other hotels in Dubai, you can still buy the day pass and use their beach clubs, pools and public amenities. And one of the best things to do in the evening in Dubai, is to walk at the promenade (free) or enjoy the view sitting in one of the restaurants.

Best Tours to take in JBR

I’m sure you’ve definitely seen the icon of Dubai, which is actually on every post card of Dubai, the one and only Burj Al Arab. This hotel is a time-less treasure and it’s definitely a must-visit in Dubai. You can take a tour to visit this beautiful hotel from inside and this is our favorite one. Check it here!

Another fun thing to do in Dubai is to do jet skiing. There are several tours and we love to book the one close to Burj Al Arab to enjoy the view. It takes around 30 minutes. We paid $40 for 2 people and it’s definitely worth it. It sells out fast, so check the availability here.

8. Miracle Garden

Another fun thing to do in Dubai is to visit the Miracle Garden, which is one of the most unique attractions I’ve ever seen. It’s a huge outdoor garden with over 150 million flowers, arranged into the different shapes from airplane to houses and much more.

I love flowers, so you can imagine how many times, I visited this garden and never get enough from it. If you’re an outdoor persona and a flower lover or Instagramer, it should be definitely on your Dubai Itinerary. Also if you’re traveling to Dubai with kids, they’ll love this place, specially the part with giant Disney characters.

Best time to visit the Miracle Park

Since Dubai is hot during the summer months, I suggest November to March, as the Garden is closed during the summer months. If you’re there for Instagrammable photos, go before sunset to get the best colors.

Tickets

The best way to get the tickets is to go to their official website online or even buy at the entrance. But the lines specially during the high-season, can be very long. We normally get it online.

Honestly you don’t need to book a tour for that. It’s located close to the Mall of Emirates, so you can get a taxi. It should definitely be on your list.

Pro Tips: Drones are not allowed and large professional cameras neither, unless you have the permission. We don’t recommend to wear heels, because it’s a lot of walking. Also shade is limited, so put a sunscreen or wear a hat.

9. Museum of Future

If you are interested in the science and how our future might look like, you should definitely this this museum in Dubai. What you’ll see in the Museum of the Future is the is the Future of our planet and space travel, the future of medicine and mobility, plus a fantastic view deck.

It truly feels like stepping into the future, and although you can’t normally impress me with future technologies, I was really impressed there. Also it’s one of the best things to do with kids in Dubai, they’ll love it.

Pro Tip: We highly recommend to buy the tickets online and much earlier. It can get busy there and the tickets are time-slotted. It is possible to buy the tickets on-site, but it’s normally no availability for the same day. There are different packages including skip-the-line tickets. You can check it here.

10. Old Dubai, Creek and Souks

We love the Abra rides on the creek and the souks are just fantastic. If you’re a history lover, you’ll love this area and it’s the real authentic Dubai before the skyscrapers. This part of the city is also very affordable and great for photography.

How to Get there?

You can either go there by metro or taxi or take a tour. Check the tour prices, as they are sometimes cheaper than taking a taxi! last time we booked one for $8 including the old town, creek, museums, souks and the street food tour. Here is the one.

Must-Visit areas in Old Dubai:

• Al Fahidi historical Neighborhood, which is full of sand-colored buildings and narrow alleyways. I really feel like living in the past and love to walk there for hours. You should definitely visit the coffee museum, Al Fahidi Fort and drink tea in one of those cute Arabian tea houses.
• Dubai Creek is the oldest part of the city. I love this area, because it still gives you that flair of merchants and trading and textiles. It’s a true traveling back in the time. Here you should definitely take an Abra Ride (wooden boats) and it’s so cheap. I think we paid around AED 1 and it’s so much fun.
• The Souks (Markets) are fabulous, if you like spices, gold and textile. Specially the gold souk is really impressive and huge. So here is what I’ve learned: Always bargain go for 30% less. Some sellers my offer to go to the back rooms, don’t do that. and have an dress modestly.

Is Dubai Safe

Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world, because the laws are very strict that keeps the crime rate low. I never felt unsafe in Dubai even going out at night. But as a woman, I wouldn’t walk alone in the empty streets at night. Although in the shopping malls or more public areas, where people are around, it’s totally safe.

What to wear in Dubai

Well, in general you can wear whatever you want and there is no official restriction. But as a respect to locals, everyone tries to dress modest. As anywhere else in the world, you won’t go shopping with a bikini or swimwear. But of course you can wear it in the beach area and pools.

Weatherwise take lightweight fabrics like cotton and linen for outdoor walks. For shopping malls, you definitely need to wear layers, because indoor areas are really cold sometimes. Also take some nice night dresses and dressier shoes for the evenings. Bars and restaurants in Dubai are luxury and high-standard.

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You’ll definitely need a hat and sunglasses for sun protection. Also I recommend comfortable summer shoes, sandals and also definitely high-heels for women at night. You don’t need to wear scarfs, unless visiting the mosques.

Now that we talked about what to do in Dubai and what to visit in Dubai, let’s talk about some other questions you might have as a first-timer. Let’s start with the most common question.

Can You drink Alcohol in Dubai

The simple answer is yes, but not everywhere. You can drink alcohol in the bars, hotels or restaurants with alcohol license. But you can’t drink alcohol in the public spaces or public beaches.

How long to Stay in Dubai

There’s so much to do and see in Dubai, so I don’t recommend to stay only for 2 nights. We love to stay in Dubai from 4 -6 night. We also have a 4 Day Dubai Itinerary for you and you can adjust it, as per the duration of your trip.

4 Day Dubai itinerary

If you want to just sit back and relax, we have a full itinerary ready to use, with al the restaurant suggestions and must-visits in Dubai. Also all the suggested tours with the links are included. We’ll send it out directly to your inbox, so you can just print it out or download on your mobile and follow the plan.

Dubai Map

Here is the Map of Dubai with all the hotels and important places. You can easily browse around or compare the prices.

Need Help Planning your Trip?

We can book your complete Trip, so that you can relax.

Want a Perfect Itinerary but don’t have time to plan and book? No Problem, let us book your trips from Hotel to Restaurants and daily activates, so that you can just relax and enjoy.

Just send us and email: info@hungryjetlagged.com and we’ll get in touch with you.

We’ll have a chat, before booking to adjust your preferences!

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