Best Places to Visit in Dubai

Must See Sights in Dubai

1. Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa is Dubai’s landmark building and the world’s tallest at 829.8m. It is a highly exotic skyscraper with 8 escalators and 57 elevators, making it the best sightseeing point of all places. The skyscraper hosts one of the best Downtown hotels in the city and many restaurants.

Tourists marvel at the artistic exuberance of this 21st-century architectural design. At Burj Khalifa, you will also see the Dubai Fountain, which is the tallest performing fountain in the world. As a tourist, you must take the elevator to the top of the world’s tallest building. The best time to take the ride is around sunset or sunrise when the city is immersed in beautiful horizons.

2. Dubai Mall & Aquarium

Dubai Mall is the premier mall in the UAE acting as an entry to the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Aquarium. It also houses a gaming zone, an ice-skating rink, eateries, and cinema. Entertainment in this mall is at the peak with special events such as fashion shows and live music.

The Dubai Mall is among the largest shopping malls in the world covering an area of 500,000m2 and with 14,000 parking spaces. On the ground floor of the Dubai Mall is the Dubai Aquarium. Tourists enjoy an enthralling experience of a plethora of marine life. The underwater zoo contains over 33,000 sea creatures in a 10-million liter water tank! How incredible is that?

3. Souk Madinat Jumeirah

Souk Madinat Jumeirah is a traditional Middle Eastern marketplace in this city. You can literally find anything in this Arabian bazaar, from spices to slippers. With more than 25 restaurants serving juicy drinks and international cuisines, you will certainly have a memorable dinner, coffee stop, or light lunch.

Wandering through the multiple stalls and stands with hanging ornate lanterns to shop is a different kind of experience. The items in these stalls depict different boutique brands, luxury fashion, and jewelry. In case you want to get unique gifts, souvenir gift shops are also available in plenty.

4. The Dubai Fountain

The Dubai Fountain is the largest choreographed water fountain in the world. Thousands of tourists flock here every evening to watch as the fountain surges as high as 150 meters in the middle of Burj Lake. Are you wondering how a fountain can be choreographed?

Well, this particular fountain dances in total synchronization to Arabic, classical, contemporary, and other world music. It jumps to the beats and forms beautiful arcs rhythmically. You will be astounded to see the illusion made by its 25-color projectors and 6,600 super lights. Missing this stunning view is not an option when you visit Dubai.

5. Dubai Museum & Al Fahidi Fort

Located in the Al-Fahidi Fort, the Dubai Museum is the main museum in the city and the oldest building. It houses most of the important historic events in the city and its cultural heritage. Other than showcasing the traditional way of life in Dubai, it also holds its old maps narrating the region’s giant expansion after the oil boom.

There are multiple dioramas that will capture your eye in this museum. The Al Fahidi Fort houses the museum but also has many other functions; it actually served as a palace one time.

6. Dubai Marina

Located in the region commonly known as ‘New Dubai’, Dubai Marina is a conceptualized canal city that is man-made. This exquisite waterfront development which is along the Persian Gulf shoreline offers luxurious lifestyles. Dubai Marina boasts many classy hotels, top luxurious leisure options, upscale shopping, tallest condominium structures in the world, and top entertainment sites.

It is also the home to Dubai Mall Complex which is a huge entertainment and shopping destination. Lining the waterfront development is the Dubai Marina Walk, which consists of a choice of cosmopolitan eateries. Any tourist would enjoy visiting this best-settled district.

7. Dubai Creek

Dubai Creek is among the top ports in UAE and it separates the city into two: Deira and Bur Dubai. This salty waterway extends to the wildlife sanctuary and the Persian Gulf, connecting to the desert. For this reason, it is a commercial lifeline harboring ships and commercial activities in addition to facilitating tourism activities.

It is best to visit the Dubai Creek in the evening when there are light and music shows. In addition, you will see floating and moving yachts, dhows, vessels, and boats, which will give you a glimpse of the ancient city during trading or the life of traditional sailors.

8. Dubai Opera

For nighttime attractions, Dubai opera has you covered with an all-year program of opera, ballet, classical music, comedy, fashion shows, conferences, orchestras, and musical theatre. Established in 2016, it is among the top entertainment venues and art centers with a radiant unique blend of art.

Dubai opera is a mind-blowing piece of architectural mastery shaped like a traditional dhow, and it can accommodate an audience of 2,000 people. This is the perfect tourist site if you would like to experience an exciting and lively vibe. The performances are quite engaging, leaving everyone entertained and happy.

9. Jumeirah Public Beach

For the ultimate beach life experience in Dubai, the Jumeirah Public Beach is the best tourist site. This sandy white strip bliss stretches along the coast with a cluster of top beach resorts and high-end All-Inclusive properties, and restaurants. The beach also offers water sport activities such as jet-skiing, and kite surfing.

If you want to enjoy a quiet therapeutic day at the beach, you can rent sun loungers. While at the beach, a tourist can also visit the Majlis Ghorfat Um Al-Sheif, which is just nearby. It was built in 1955 and was the summer home to the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum.

10. Palm Jumeirah

Do you want to experience the epitome of beauty? Palm Jumeirah is the best option for that. It is a magnificent artificial archipelago created through land reclamation. Palm Jumeirah archipelago is in the form of a palm tree and among the first top tourism projects in UAE tourism.

It is home to top tourist destinations in the city such as the Palm, the Lost Chambers Aquarium, Atlantis, and Aquaventure. The best sightseeing points for this island are the skyscrapers in the city or from the air. You can also tour the artificial island using a speedboat to be able to visit the attractive sights in the vicinity.

11. Dubai Frame

Dubai’s architectural structures and designs are always magnificent. Dubai Frame is among the outstanding vibrant pictorial representations in the UAE. This huge picture frame has a height of 150 meters and a width of 93 meters. Inside, there is a series of galleries whisking tourists through Emirati heritage and the city’s history.

As you travel up the Sky Deck of this sight, you get to explore fantastic panoramas of the new and old Dubai. It is a brilliant display of the city’s past, present, and the future album that uses the latest technologies such as animation and graphics.

12. Dubai Miracle Garden & Global Village

Dubai Miracle Garden is the largest natural flower garden in the world. Spreading across a vast area of more than 72,000 square meters, the garden features over 45 million plants and flowers. All kinds of reputed flowers can be found here, and almost everything has been covered with flowers, from trucks to windmills to twee English-style cottages.

Visual representations have also been made, including a version of Burj Khalifa. About 6km away is the Global village, which is the best place to visit with family. It offers a special shopping experience with 31 pavilions whereby each represents a certain country across the globe.

13. Jumeirah Mosque

The most beautiful mosque in this UAE city is the Jumeirah mosque. This fine Islamic architecture is a photocopy of the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo. Everybody, including non-Muslims, is allowed to go inside especially in the evening when the design is even more glorified by lighting.

Jumeirah Mosque is a stone structure built according to the medieval Fatimid tradition with 2 minarets displaying the stonework’s subtle details. Tours around the mosque are meant to bring forth a better understanding of the Islamic faith. These guided tours begin at 10 a.m. every day except on Friday.

14. Burj Al Arab

Established in 1999, Burj Al Arab, one of the tallest hotels in the world, standing 321 meters from the ground. Iconic and royal in every way possible, it is designed in the form of a billowing dhow sail with many of its interior items adorned in real gold! Talking of luxury, this hotel also has a private helipad, chauffeur-driven limousines, a beautiful fountain, and an admirable lobby.

You can already tell that this is the world’s most expensive hotel. Spending a night here will cost you a fortune of above $15,000. There is an underwater restaurant, Al-Mahara, with glass from the floor to the ceiling. An over-the-top opulence experience is guaranteed as you enjoy your dinner while watching sea life.

15. Mall of the Emirates (Ski Dubai)

For the widest selection of shopping, cinema experience, indoor skiing, and dining, Mall of the Emirates is your destination. To offer these activities, the mall houses over 60 restaurants with every conceivable world cuisine, a cinema complex, over 560 shops, and Ski Dubai facility.

This is a must-see destination whenever a tourist visits Dubai. Most tourists visit the mall to use surreal Ski Dubai. It is an indoor ski slope with a penguin enclosure and chairlifts at a continuous temperature of 40°C. In the entire Middle East, this is the first indoor ski resort of its kind.

16. Dubai Parks & Resorts (Legoland, Motiongate)

There are so many entertainment facilities and sights saturating Dubai Parks and Resorts, which you must visit while in this city. With 3 theme parks and 1 waterpark, this mammoth project has all your entertainment needs covered. The only problem would be choosing what activity to do since the options are endless. Whatever age you are, the world-class theme parks have something for you.

There is the Motiongate theme park inspired by Hollywood, Bollywood Parks inspired by the Indian acting industry, Legoland theme park for children aged between 2-12, Legoland water-park with more than 20 Lego-themed water slides, Riverland which is for ultimate relaxation and dining experience, and Lapita hotel where you can actually get your accommodation.

17. Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood or Bastakia Quarter

If you are interested in learning about the traditional way of life in Dubai from the mid-19th century, visit the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood or Bastakia Quarter. Buildings in this neighborhood are built with high air towers known as Barajeel, and the materials used are strictly traditional (teak, gypsum, stone, sandalwood, palm wood, and fronds).

These buildings house cultural and artistic activities such as specialized museums, art exhibits, cultural and artistic societies. There is a lot to learn from this neighborhood; from the way the houses are distributed, the alleys, the twisted pathways, to the design used in building them.

18. Etihad Museum

Etihad Museum is located on Jumeirah Road and is also locally known as the union house. Unlike most museums, it consists of both old and new things. The museum is important in explaining the birth of UAE. Under the management of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Etihad Museum collects, exhibits, and preserves the cultural heritage of both the city and the country.

There are a total of 8 pavilions inside that depict different stories about UAE. If you are interested in the history of Dubai or UAE as a country, a visit to this museum should not miss in your list of places to visit.

19. IMG World of Adventures

Established in 2016, the IMG World of Adventures is the first mega indoor theme park in Dubai. Strategically located at the heart of the city, this indoor amusement park sprawls across a space of 1.5 million square feet. In this cartoon-themed park, there is a zone devoted only to dinosaur-themed rides, another to iconic characters in Marvel, and one for Cartoon Network.

Children of every age make great memories in haunted houses, gentler rides, helping Avengers battle Ultron, or joining spider man, watching movies, live shows, great food options, and popular franchises of characters from DC Comics, Disney, Frozen, Cars, and many others.

20. The Green Planet

The Green Planet biodome in Dubai is a conceptualized living ecosystem that unites the experience and science of nature. This architecture is a massive but fragile cube shielding a living biome in the form of a cylinder. There are over 3,000 species of mammals, tropical plants, fish, and insects in the cube representing the desert of Dubai.

This massive science center depicts the Equatorial Rainforest climate and vegetation. During sightseeing, visitors get a deeper understanding of these fragile climatic regions of the world. A visit to this structure educates one on the need to pay close attention to essentials for life such as water, soil, and sun.