A Dubai Bucket List: Top Things To Do in Dubai, UAE
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Dubai is a strange and unexpected city with loads of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Here’s a quick list of must-see attractions.
We used the wonderful Go City Pass to save loads of money on attractions in Dubai. Check it out by clicking this affiliate link: Go City - Dubai
The Dubai Frame
Add The Dubai Frame to your Dubai bucket list for sweeping skyline views and a glass-floor thrill that belongs on any guide to things to do in Dubai. Go after sunset for glittering city lights and easy photos that show off one of the coolest things about Dubai.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Tickets: GetYourGuide
Bridging old Dubai with new Dubai, this unique observation tower is worth a visit for its stunning skyline views of Dubai.
Completed in 2018, it claims to be the largest picture frame in the world. For about USD$13 an elevator whisks you to the top of the structure. Inside are floor-to-ceiling windows, a small cafe, and a glass floor for those without a fear of heights.
Souk Shopping in Dubai
Hunt for the best things to buy in Dubai in the Gold Souk and Spice Souk, where haggling is part of the fun and window-shopping is one of the classic things to do in Dubai for free. From shimmering bangles to saffron and oud, the souks deliver authentic vibes you won’t find in the malls.
Map: Google Maps
With Dubai’s explosive growth over the last two decades, it can be difficult to find anything that feels authentically Middle Eastern in the city. The closest we came was shopping in the various Souks in old Dubai. A Souk is an Arab market or bazaar with various goods for sale where price haggling is encouraged.
We enjoyed looking at the gold in the famous Gold Souk. People say that this is one of the best places to buy gold in the world. You don’t have to worry too much about getting ripped off here because gold prices by weight are regulated by the government.
We also loved seeing (and smelling) the Spice Souk with barrels of various spices on display.
Go to the Dubai Desert
Sign up for dune bashing, camel rides, and a Bedouin-style barbecue for a night of crazy things to do in Dubai under a sky full of stars. Desert safaris work for couples things to do in Dubai and are equally memorable for families who want soft adventure close to the city.
Tickets: GetYourGuide
Dubai is on the coastal edge of The Arabian Desert, the second-largest desert in the world. Find something fun to do in the desert. We had a great day riding camels followed by a desert dinner and show. We also took a dune-bashing jeep ride, which was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Go to the World’s Biggest Mall (Dubai Mall)
The Dubai Mall is an indoor playground of attractions, dining, and shopping—perfect for things to do in Dubai in summer when you want maximum AC and maximum fun. Catch the aquarium, ice rink, and the evening fountain show for a mix of paid highlights and things to do in Dubai for free.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
The Dubai Mall is the largest mall in the world. It’s filled with almost any store, brand, or restaurant you can imagine. Days, if not weeks could be spent poking around all the stores.
The mall has so much more to offer than shopping. There is an aquarium, an indoor zoo, an enormous beautiful waterfall fountain, a full-sized ice rink, cinemas, a sports center, an art gallery, and more.
Read our post about Things to do at the Dubai Mall.
The mall truly has something for everyone.
Ski Indoors at Ski Dubai
Ski Dubai turns “snow day” into reality with chairlifts, tubing, and penguins—one of the undeniably cool things about Dubai. Watch for promos to make it one of the cheap things to do in Dubai with family while staying blissfully chilled in the desert.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Tickets: GetYourGuide
Speaking of unique indoor experiences, Ski Dubai is absolutely the only place in the world where you can ski in the desert. Located at the Mall of the Emirates the indoor ski hill is a full-sized indoor mountain with manufactured snow and a chairlift.
If skiing isn’t your thing, you can also go snow tubing or roll down the snow in a giant inflatable ball. They also have a small penguin colony that you can see. Or if you just want to see the hill; for a small fee you can take a quick ride on the chairlift.
Don’t worry if you didn’t pack your snow gear. Boots, jackets, gloves, and thick socks are included in the admission price.
Ride the World’s Tallest Ferris Wheel
Time your ride for sunset or after dark and you’ve got one of the best couples things to do in Dubai, with swoon-worthy views of the marina skyline. For any bucket list Dubai moment, Ain Dubai serves big-city drama in a quick, unforgettable spin.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Tickets: Viator
Located in the Marina District, the Ain Dubai Ferris Wheel is the world’s largest Ferris wheel. The skyline views from its location on an island in the Persian Gulf are to die for.
Try to ride the wheel at night for the most stunning city light views.
Despite being on an island, the wheel is easily reached by public transportation and ferry boats.
Visit One of Dubai’s Theme Parks
From the Marvel dome at IMG to animated lands at Motiongate and bricks galore at Legoland, these parks are top-tier dubai things to do with kids. Many are indoors, making them clutch things to do in Dubai in summer, and combo passes can turn them into cheap things to do in Dubai with family.
There are four premium theme parks located in Dubai. IMG Worlds of Adventure is a completely indoor theme park with lands devoted to Marvel characters, Cartoon Network shows, and dinosaurs.
Motiongate is a Hollywood-themed park with areas devoted to DreamWorks Cartoons, The Smurfs, and movies from Columbia Pictures and Lionsgate Films.
Bollywood Parks is a theme park totally devoted to the Indian movie industry, Bollywood.
There’s also Legoland Dubai for younger kids and a great selection of World-class waterparks.
Read our full post about the Theme Parks of Dubai.
Visit the Museum of the Future, Dubai
Book early for the Museum of the Future, where interactive exhibits meet jaw-dropping architecture and deliver headline-worthy things to do in Dubai. It’s a photogenic deep dive into innovation that perfectly captures the cool things about Dubai right now.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Tickets: GetYourGuide
One of Dubai’s newest attractions is the Museum of the Future. Filled with interactive displays inside an architectural marvel, the museum is sure to please many visitors.
The museum is extremely busy at the moment, so you will likely need to plan well in advance to book your tickets online.
Go to the Top of the World’s Tallest Building, the Burj Khalifa
Riding to the observation decks of Burj Khalifa Dubai, UAE, is a true Dubai bucket list experience—time it for golden hour to watch day flip to neon night. Pair your visit with the fountain show below for one of the best-value things to do in Dubai in a single evening.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Tickets: GetYourGuide
Towering over the city is the Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure in the world. While it’s most impressive to stand below the building and look up, a visit to the top is something that you simply must do while visiting the city.
A small fee will get you to the observation deck, where you can proudly say that you are at the highest possible place in the world. From so far up, the views of the city are not so great, but being up there is such a thrill, it’s worth it just to gaze down below.
Back on the ground, a nightly colorful fountain and light show is also a great way to celebrate the beauty of the building. Make sure to get there early.
Go to The Global Village
Global Village is a whirlwind of food, shopping, and culture pavilions from around the world—festive, family-friendly, and surprisingly budget-friendly for cheap things to do in Dubai. Come hungry, browse handicrafts, and catch live performances for a full night of things to do in Dubai without breaking the bank.
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Tickets: GetYourGuide
Our favorite stop in all of Dubai was the Global Village. It is a huge park that has a pavilion dedicated to practically every country in the world. Each pavilion is a little bit different, but all sell different products and foods from the respective country.
It was so much fun to go through all the different countries, especially countries that don’t typically get a lot of representation in the West like Iraq or Pakistan. It was a cultural experience that we really enjoyed. Plus admission was under US$5.
Things To Do in Dubai:
The Dubai Frame
Souk Shopping in Dubai
Go to the Dubai Desert
Go to the World’s Biggest Mall (Dubai Mall)
Ski Indoors at Ski Dubai
Ride the World’s Tallest Ferris Wheel (Ain Dubai Ferris Wheel)
Visit one of Dubai’s Theme Parks (e.g., IMG Worlds of Adventure, Motiongate, Bollywood Parks, Legoland Dubai)
Visit the Museum of the Future, Dubai
Go to the Top of the World’s Tallest Building, the Burj Khalifa
Go to The Global Village
