United Arab Emirates
Dubai is equal parts record-breaking skyline and desert, from the world's tallest building to a sunset drive over the dunes.
Highlights
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|
| Burj Khalifa | $$-$$$, must-do | The tallest building in the world, with an observation deck partway up. Book ahead, sunset slots sell out first. |
| Museum of the Future | $$, must-do | A striking torus-shaped building with immersive exhibits on future technology and 360-degree views from the top. |
| Dubai Mall & Aquarium | $$ | The world's largest mall, with an enormous aquarium and underwater zoo built right into it. |
| Dubai Frame | $ | A giant picture-frame structure with a glass-floor walkway about 150 meters up, with views over both old and new Dubai. |
| JBR Walk & Beach | free | A beachfront promenade lined with restaurants and shops. Good for an evening walk by the water. |
| Desert Safari | $$-$$$ | A half-day 4x4 ride over the dunes, usually paired with a camp dinner and entertainment in the evening. |
| Dubai Gold Souk | free to browse | A historic market with over a thousand gold and jewelry shops, worth a wander even if you're not buying. |
Golf
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|
| Emirates Golf Club | $$$$, book ahead | Home to the Majlis and Faldo courses; the Majlis is the flagship, a long par-72 with fast greens and a Dubai Marina backdrop. The Faldo course is floodlit for night rounds. |
Food
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|
| Bu Qtair | $, local favorite | A no-frills seafood spot known for fresh catch cooked to order, one of the most-loved budget restaurants in the city. |
| Bur Dubai / Al Fahidi eateries | $ | The streets around the old Dubai Museum and Meena Bazaar are packed with cheap, excellent eateries covering just about every cuisine. |
| 11 Woodfire | $$$ | An open-kitchen grill restaurant in Jumeirah built around wood-fired cooking, known for skewers and lamb chops. |
| Carbone | $$$$ | A high-energy Italian-American spot known for its vodka pasta, a Dubai outpost of the New York original. |