24 Hours In Dubai: These Are The Things You Just Can’t Miss

Discover Dubai’s Old Town

People don’t associate Dubai with history, but believe me when I say there’s a lovely old town just waiting to be discovered. The Bastakia Quarter is a great place to start your visit to Dubai, where you can explore the ancient buildings, visit the textile and spice souks, and then take an abra (traditional boat) across Dubai Creek. Once across, you’re only a few minutes away from the city’s famous gold souk. The window displays are stunning, with pure gold necklaces, rings, and even full-body outfits! Just make sure you don’t spend all of your vacation money before lunchtime! Take advantage of boat rental in Dubai that are offering affordable package.

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world.

Take a taxi or onboard Metro to The Dubai Mall and then to the Burj Khalifa. It is the tallest building in the world, standing at 828 meters. As you drive around Dubai, you’ll notice skyscrapers all around you, but the Burj makes them look like Lego models! A standard ticket entitles you to the 124th and 125th floors, but book a ticket for At The Top Sky and you’ll be taken to the world’s highest observation deck on the 148th floor (555m up!) The views from the Burj Khalifa are truly spectacular, and you get a sense of not only the shape and size of the city, but also how many incredible feats of architecture cover the sand.

Lunch at The Dubai Mall’s

Switch Restaurant, located in The Dubai Mall, is also playful, both in terms of design and menu! The shape, with its all-white, ribbed interior, made me feel like we’d walked inside a whale! This is one of only a few restaurants that serves camel burgers. Enjoy a full-size burger or split some sliders with a friend. They’re very tasty, similar to a flavorful beef burger. As if that wasn’t enough, the restaurant’s desserts are also unique, with the warm chocolate brownie cake covered in white and milk chocolate, served with a syringe full of chocolate sauce on the side!

Shop, Explore, and Have Fun! The Dubai Mall

Dubai is well-known for being one of the world’s top shopping destinations, and if you only have time to visit one mall during your trip, make it the Dubai Mall. It’s the world’s largest mall, with over 1200 shops, 120+ places to eat and drink, a 22-screen cinema, aquarium, ice rink, a plethora of unique artworks, and probably a lot more I haven’t even discovered! Stroll down Fashion Avenue for designer stores like Armani, Versace, and Ralph Lauren, but don’t worry if you’re on a budget. Inside, you’ll find all of your favorite high-street brands, including TopShop, River Island, Zara, and H&M.

Ain Dubai

Ain Dubai is situated on Bluewaters Island, which juts out into the Gulf of Aden, close to the Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina. Ain Dubai is approximately 30 minutes by car from Dubai Downtown. It would take an additional 5 to 10 minutes from Dubai Creek to get to Ain Dubai. If you’re driving, take the Sheikh Zayed Road towards Abu Dhabi, then exit at Exit 31 and follow the signs to Bluewaters Island. There is plenty of parking on Bluewaters Island, but not near Ain Dubai. If you’re taking the Dubai Metro, the closest station is DMCC Metro Station.

A Desert Safari Skiing OR Visit the beach.

You won’t be able to fit everything in if you only have 24 hours in the city, but both of these experiences are a lot of fun!

Desert Safari in Dubai

After being picked up in a 44, head out of town to the sand dunes for an exciting ride! The bumpy ride will take you flying over seemingly endless dunes, adding a whole new dimension to your Dubai vacation. There are numerous photo opportunities, and the guides will take you to the best spot in the dunes to watch the sunset. This is the ultimate contrast to the bright lights of the city, passing by camels and desert camps at desert safari dubai.

Skiing in Dubai

If the heat is getting to you, head indoors to Ski Dubai in the Mall of the Emirates, where it’s a cool -3 degrees all year! Yes, there is a ski resort in Dubai’s desert! You can enjoy some time on the slopes whether you are a beginner or an experienced skier or snowboarder. Alternatively, purchase a Polar Pass and enjoy fun snow activities such as snow zorbing, snow tubing, toboggans, and snow bumpers. You can even ride the chair lift to observe the skiers in action.

Visit the beach.

In Dubai, there are numerous beautiful beaches to visit. If you stay at the Sofitel The Palm, you can take advantage of the private beach, which has perfect calm water, sun loungers, and waiter service. JBR Beach is the place to go for a true Dubai beach experience. You can take a swim just steps away from the skyscrapers. Alternatively, head to Jumeirah Public Beach for views of the imposing 7-star hotel Burj Al Arab.