Essential Dubai Bucket List Activities For First-Timers

Post updated: February 2, 2026

Since I moved to Dubai in 2022, I’ve received endless questions about how to craft the perfect Dubai itinerary. This is tough since everyone should tailor their trip to their wants and needs. But I will say that whenever I find myself giving anyone advice on the best things to do in Dubai, I always end up giving the recommendations, tips, and tricks you’ll find below.

What you’ll find in this guide is a list of the can’t-miss things to see and do in Dubai for first-timers. I also included my tips for specific tours and tour companies that I recommend and some sightseeing tricks that only expats and locals know about.

From taking a carefully curated food tour in Old Dubai to finding the best view in Dubai (nope, it’s not from the top of the Burj Khalifa!) to going on a sustainable desert safari, you’re going to have a blast ticking off all of these Dubai bucket list activities!

Get High On the Ain Dubai

When it comes to essential Dubai bucket list activities, taking a spin on the Ain Dubai is an absolute must. After years of renovation, the Ain Dubai finally reopened and it’s easily one of the coolest things to do in Dubai.

Towering at a height of 250 meters (820 feet), the Ain Dubai is the largest observation wheel in the world. It takes a whopping 38 minutes just to make one revolution, and during your journey, you’ll get incredible views of the Dubai Marina skyline, the Palm Jumeirah, and the Arabian Gulf.

General tickets go for AED 145 (adults 12+) and AED 115 (kids 3+) and give you access to a shared cabin with glass walls, perfect for taking endless photos. There are plenty of VIP options, including drinks packages, if you’re in town for a special celebration. If there’s one thing I recommend doing during your visit to Dubai, the Ain Dubai is it!

See the Burj Khalifa + the Views from the Top

No trip to Dubai is complete without a visit to the Burj Khalifa (aka the world’s tallest building). This 160-story feat of engineering juts into the sky at a whopping 828 meters (2,716.5 feet) and it’s unreal when you see it in person.

There are a few ways to experience the Burj Khalifa. You can book “At the Top” tickets to take in the insane 360-degree views from the 124th and 125th floors. Or go all out on the “At the Top SKY” tickets, which allow you to skip the line and get exclusive access to the 148th floor, as well as the 124th and 125th floors. I personally recommend upgrading to the SKY tickets, especially during peak tourist times, to avoid waiting in the crazily long lines and contending with the crowds on the 124th and 125th floors.

But if you don’t feel like paying to go to the top, you can just enjoy the views for free from Burj Park and Burj Lake, which are at the base of the Burj Khalifa and right outside of the Dubai Mall.

Take a Food Tour in Deira

If you ask me, taking a food tour is always a great introduction to a new city. And this is especially true for Dubai because the food here is diverse, delicious, and totally underrated.

I personally recommend this Middle Eastern Food & Culture Walk in Deira’s Murraggabat district in Old Dubai. Deira is where you want to be for all things street food, which is why I highly recommend taking a food tour in this area.

The walk is led by a knowledgeable local who will take you to a handful of hidden gems you’d never be able to find on your own. Along the way, you’ll learn all about this unique neighborhood and get to try a range of Dubai’s best foods. Think Palestinian hummus and stuffed falafel, Syrian manakish with za’atar and cheese, Iraqi kebabs, Lebanese baklava, and Arabic coffee

Another perk of taking this tour is that you’ll get to chat with local chefs, shopowners, and residents. It’s a unique and delicious way to get a feel for what real life is like in Dubai!

Get 360° Views of Palm Jumeirah

It seems like going to the top of the Burj Khalifa is at the top of every traveler’s Dubai bucket list. And while I do highly recommend doing this (get the SKY Level Tickets to skip the line – you’ll thank me later!), I also recommend looking into taking in the view of the iconic Palm Jumeirah from the observation deck of The View at The Palm.

You can opt for General Admission Tickets or Fast Track + Next Level Tickets. The General Admission Tickets cost AED 100 for non-prime hours and AED 158 for prime hours and give you access to the 52nd floor of Palm Tower.

If you don’t mind spending a bit more, I do recommend upgrading to the Fast Track + Next Level Tickets (AED 175 for non-prime hours and AED 275 for prime hours), which allow you to skip the lengthy line and give you VIP access to the 54th floor. Not only does the observation deck on the 54th floor get far fewer visitors but there’s no glass wall, making the photo ops way better.

Go On a Sustainable Desert Safari

A lot of first-time visitors to Dubai choose to go on a safari tour, many of which offer dune bashing as part of the experience. But did you know that dune bashing is detrimental to the natural desert environment and local wildlife?

That’s why I suggest booking a desert safari with Platinum Heritage, a local company that offers sustainable and ethical desert tours. This is the only tour company that is allowed to operate in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, which makes it stand out from other companies.

The Heritage Desert Safari is one of the most popular options. I love this tour because you get to cruise through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in a vintage Land Rover, where you’ll glimpse sand dunes galore, as well as native plants and animals. Plus, the vintage car makes the photo ops even more spectacular!

You’ll also get the chance to visit a Bedouin-style camp, where you’ll meet the people and learn about Bedouin lifestyle, history and culture. And don’t worry – you’ll have the chance to ride a camel, get a henna tattoo and much more. You’ll even be served a traditional Emirati dinner while you enjoy cool cultural performances and an unforgettable desert sunset.

Go Glamping in the Desert

When the summer weather subsides, going glamping is one of the coolest things you can do in Dubai. Contrary to popular belief, there are only a few luxury glamping options in Dubai, and staying at The Nest by Sonara is easily the best.

This place is located in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, just 30 minutes from Downtown Dubai. You’ll be staying in one of the 14 otherworldly “nests,” which are built into the sand and look like they’re from another planet.

This is Dubai, so expect luxury glamping at its finest. While you won’t find any Wi-Fi or TVs here, you will be pampered with an ultra-comfy bed, boho-style decor, a natural stone bath, and a furnished patio area with a fire pit. You can also sip sunset cocktails at the open-air bar, which is located on top of a sand dune, and enjoy meals prepared by the resident chef. The whole experience is nothing short of bucket-list worthy.

Visit the Dubai Mall

You can’t visit Dubai without spending some time exploring the Dubai Mall. This is no ordinary mall. This space takes up 12 million square feet of space and has over 1,200 stores, 200 F&B establishments, and dozens of cool attractions, many of which are totally free!

My top recommendation is checking out Chinatown, which has all sorts of Instagrammable nooks and crannies as well as some excellent and authentic Chinese street eats. Other musts are seeing the sea creatures for free outside of the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo and marveling at the four-story Dubai Waterfall (pictured above).

Insider tip: If you exit the mall near the Dubai Waterfall, you’ll be able to see the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain Show at Burj Lake.

Witness the Dubai Fountain Show

When it comes to must-do things in Dubai, seeing the Dubai Fountain Show is another big one. If you’ve seen the fountain show at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, it’s got nothing on Dubai’s fountain show. That’s because, like so many things in Dubai, the Dubai Fountain Show is the largest of its kind in the world.

I personally love watching the show – it really never gets old, if you ask me. But one major complaint that I’ve gotten from friends who have come to visit is that the show is just overwhelmingly crowded.

This is very true. Because the Dubai Fountain Show takes place right outside of the Dubai Mall and at the base of the Burj Khalifa, it does get insanely crowded, especially on weekends and during the peak tourist season.

So, if you want to see the show but want to avoid the crowds, my insider’s advice is to get tickets for the Burj Khalifa Lake Ride. Instead of competing with hordes of people for a prime spot to watch the show, you’ll get to take a 30-minute ride on a traditional abra (wooden boat), which will get you as close as you can possibly get to the show.

Don’t Skip Over Old Dubai

So many first-time visitors overlook Old Dubai in favor of more modern marvels. But if you ask me, Old Dubai is where you’ll find the heart and soul of the city. Trust me when I say it’s well worth spending at least a few hours walking around and soaking it all in. There are a lot of attractions, but here are some of the must-do things in Old Dubai:

You’ll want to check out the heritage-style buildings in Al Seef, explore one of the oldest neighborhoods in Dubai in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, take an AED 1 abra ride across Dubai Creek and explore the Spice and Gold Souks in Deira, and eat all the street food.

If you want to wander around on your own, you definitely can! All of these attractions are easily findable on Google Maps and you can walk/take a short boat (abra) ride to reach all of them. There are also plenty of cool tours of Old Dubai if you’d rather have a local expert shed some knowledge on this historically rich part of Dubai.

Visit Dubai Marina & JBR

A trip to the Dubai Marina is an absolute must on any list of things to do in Dubai. This is where I live and I absolutely love this part of the city. The marina area boasts a 7-kilometer pedestrian-only walkway, and it is well worth strolling or biking along it to get some of the best views of the Dubai Marina’s luxury yachts and towering skyscrapers.

Insider tip: You can get great sunset photos from Al Sayorah Bridge (location is accurate on Google Maps). After that, make the short walk over to JBR. This is where you’ll find one of the most popular beaches in Dubai. It’s also where you’ll get the best views of the Ain Dubai over on Bluewaters Island. (Or check out my full Dubai Marina guide and my full JBR guide!)

JBR is crowded and touristy but it’s always hopping. Plus, you’ll find tons of shops, international restaurants, cool beach clubs, beachside food shacks, fun bars and family-friendly carnival games lining the beach. If you’re looking for entertainment, JBR is definitely one of the must-do things in Dubai for first-timers!

Go Ziplining Over the Dubai Marina

Better yet, if you’re feeling adventurous, why not go ziplining over the Dubai Marina? XLine is the only company that offers this activity but you can easily book tickets through Get Your Guide.

As the world’s longest urban zipline, you’ll glide over the iconic Marina for one kilometer, hitting speeds of up to 80 km/h. You’ll get insane Arabian Sea and Marina views from the top of one of the Dubai Marina’s tallest buildings before taking the plunge. Plus, you’ll get photos and videos of your ziplining adventure.

Sometimes they even throw in a free meal at Five Guys, which is at the base of the zipline!

Pro Tip: Ride the Big Red Bus

The double-decker Big Red Bus is a great option for first-time visitors. I recommend taking this hop-on, hop-off bus early in your trip because it’ll help you get your bearings and learn which areas of Dubai interest you the most.

Both the 24-hour and 48-hour passes will whisk you away to top Dubai attractions like the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and the beach at JBR. So you really do get to see it all without figuring transportation out on your own. It more than makes up for the cost, too, since you don’t have to rely on taxis to take you everywhere!

Day Trip: Visit Abu Dhabi

The capital city of Abu Dhabi is just an hour from Dubai, making it a must-visit. Don’t worry if you’re short on time because it’s easy enough to hop on a day trip that will take you from Dubai to see some of the best sights in Abu Dhabi.

This full-day tour of Abu Dhabi from Dubai will take you to check out the incredible Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which should be at the top of every Dubai bucket list, as well as the 74^th-story Observation Deck at Etihad Towers, the stunning Qasr Al Watan Royal Palace (which rivals the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in its grandeur), and the gorgeous Cornish (Abu Dhabi’s main beachfront promenade).