Editor’s note: travel advisory (checked October 27, 2026). The U.S. State Department currently rates the United Arab Emirates Level 3: Reconsider Travel because of terrorism and armed conflict in the region, and it advises Americans to reconsider travel to the UAE. For anyone who does decide to go, it recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), monitoring local media, having a plan to leave in an emergency that doesn’t depend on U.S. government help, and buying travel insurance. Please read the latest State Department advisory for the UAE before you make any plans, because it can change at any time.
Samantha’s trip to Dubai took place before the current conflict. She recorded this episode in July 2026, after the conflict had begun, and mentions in it that the situation put her plans to return on hold. Her experiences below reflect Dubai as it was during her visit, and some places have since closed or changed.
Dubai is one of those destinations that surprises almost everyone. People think they know it. They’ve seen the skyline and the influencers posing in infinity pools, and they’ve heard about the “seven-star” hotel. The reality is that Dubai is far more diverse than most people realize, and I’ll be completely honest with you: everything I thought about it was wrong.
Why I Was Nervous About Dubai
When I got invited to Dubai, I panicked. I mean panicked beyond belief, because I had no idea what to expect. First of all, my palate isn’t the greatest. I like chicken fingers and french fries, so I was very nervous about the food. I was nervous about the culture, too, because women there aren’t as widely allowed to do everything we’re allowed to do here in the States, and I’m a little bit bolder, obviously. The dress code is more conservative than I am. They want you to cover your shoulders a bit more, and of course it’s hot, and when it’s hot, my first thought is always a little short sundress. So I wondered, “How am I going to survive in this city?” You just hear things when you’ve never been: don’t wear these clothes, don’t say this, don’t hold your significant other’s hand.
Well, I was 1,000% surprised. My outlook on Dubai was completely wrong, and nothing I’d imagined was even close to what it was. I had the best time, and I am chomping at the bit to go back. I had planned to return with a group and do a cruise, and the conflict in the region put that on hold, so it will probably be a while before I get back. But hear me out: it really is an amazing country.
Good to know (checked October 2026): the State Department’s UAE page says government offices and some public spaces, including shopping malls, require visitors to cover their shoulders and knees, and to dress modestly, especially during Ramadan. Public displays of affection can be punished, and photographing people without their permission is prohibited. Review the local laws section of the advisory before you travel.
A City of Expats (and Not the Capital)
Over 85% of Dubai’s population are expatriates, people who weren’t born or raised there. We ran into a ton of English people from London, plus all kinds of other nationalities, and a few Americans, though not many. You’ll hear dozens of languages in a single afternoon. You’ll find Indian restaurants next to Lebanese bakeries and Filipino cafés around the corner from Michelin-starred French dining, with traditional Emirati culture existing alongside some of the most futuristic architecture in the world. It feels like tomorrow mixed with thousands of years of history.
Here’s something many visitors don’t know: Dubai isn’t the capital of the United Arab Emirates. That’s Abu Dhabi, which I visited on this trip too. Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE. It started as a tiny fishing and pearl-diving village, and although oil was later discovered, oil makes up only a small part of Dubai’s economy today. Tourism, finance, technology, real estate and aviation are what turned it into one of the most visited cities in the world. Once you experience it, you’ll understand why.
The Burj Khalifa: Go Just Before Sunset
Let’s start with the obvious. Yes, it’s touristy. Yes, everyone goes. And yes, it’s absolutely worth seeing. The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world, standing over 2,700 feet tall. My advice is to go just before sunset. You’ll see Dubai in daylight, watch the sun set over the Arabian desert (absolutely gorgeous), then watch the city transform into millions of lights. It’s three completely different views in one visit.
I did the VIP experience, and it was phenomenal. There are different observation levels, and ours took us to the very top one. It came with food and drinks, and we skipped the line. I hate lines, so that alone made it worth it.
On the way back down, a recording plays in the elevator about Dubai, and one thing really stuck with me. They talked about how they built all of these enormous things for people to come see: the Palm, the Burj Khalifa, the sail-shaped hotel, the giant picture frame, the museum shaped like a doughnut, the Dubai Mall. They felt they needed to build the biggest things in the world to get people to come, because misconceptions about their country were holding people back. I’m slightly tearing up thinking about it, because that was me. I felt so bad after I heard that.
Good to know (checked October 2026): the Burj Khalifa is 828 meters (2,717 feet) tall. Observation deck tickets come in several tiers, and the higher levels cost more, so book ahead and pick your time slot around sunset.
The Dubai Fountain and the Dubai Mall
Don’t skip the Dubai Fountain show. It’s free every evening, and it’s honestly one of the best free attractions anywhere. It’s right outside the Burj Khalifa, next to the Dubai Mall.
And the Dubai Mall is the coolest mall I’ve ever been to. Before you roll your eyes, it isn’t just a shopping mall. There’s an aquarium, an Olympic-size ice rink, hundreds of restaurants, VR experiences, luxury shopping and waterfalls inside. It’s practically its own city. You actually walk through the mall to get to the bottom of the Burj Khalifa, which is kind of cool. They say you couldn’t see everything in it unless you had about three months, something crazy like that. We didn’t get to stop on our Burj Khalifa visit, so I went back a second time because I was dying to see more of it.
The Burj Khalifa at night, rising over the Dubai Fountain lake and the Dubai Mall.
Old Dubai: Where Many Visitors Go Wrong
This is where many visitors make a mistake. They spend all their time downtown and never see where Dubai began.
We crossed Dubai Creek on a traditional wooden abra boat. It cost us less than a dollar, and somehow that little boat ride became one of the most memorable parts of the trip. On the other side, we walked through the Gold Souk and the Spice Souk. The place is enormous, and be prepared to be hounded: “Come in here, we have this!” They all have the same stuff, and they want you to bargain. I’m terrible at it. I ended up paying something like $50 for a Dubai chocolate bar, because it was hard to figure out the conversion and I thought I’d paid about 20 bucks. He was pretty happy about my $50 chocolate bar. So bargain for everything.
The gold there is real gold, held to a very high standard, so you’re not getting ripped off on the gold itself. That said, don’t assume everything in the Gold Souk is automatically a bargain. Know the daily gold price before you shop, expect to negotiate, and walk around and compare several stores before you buy. It’s nutty, but it’s an experience.
Good to know (checked October 2026): a public abra crossing on Dubai Creek costs 1 dirham, about 27 cents. Legitimate gold in Dubai is hallmarked by the Dubai Central Laboratory, and shops price it by weight at the day’s gold rate plus a making charge. The gold rate itself isn’t negotiable; the making charge is where you bargain.
Lunch at Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant
Right before the souks, we ate at an amazing traditional restaurant, and remember, I was panicked about the food. I was sure I was going to hate it. Instead, it was phenomenal. It came out on a big platter: saffron rice with chicken and beef, pita bread and hummus, all traditional, and so good. I’d go back in a second. It’s called Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant, and it’s right by the Al Fahidi Historic District, which looks just the way you’d imagine old Dubai looking.
My Secret Spot: Al Fahidi Historic District
If I could send you to just one hidden gem, it would be the Al Fahidi Historic District. Forget the skyscrapers for a few hours. Walk the narrow alleyways built from coral stone, see the traditional wind towers that cooled homes before air conditioning, and wander into the tiny museums, art galleries and coffee houses. Don’t miss the Arabian Tea House, with its white tables, blue chairs and shaded courtyards. It’s peaceful and beautiful and feels worlds away from downtown. Arrive early in the morning and you’ll practically have it to yourself. It’s the Dubai most tourists never discover.
A traditional abra on Dubai Creek. Our crossing to the souks cost less than a dollar.
See the City From a Yacht at Night
One of the coolest things we did was rent a yacht and cruise around the city. There’s a ton of water around Dubai, and you can see a fairly big part of the city from a boat. Seeing the city lights from the water at night was amazing. Definitely do something like that. (If a yacht vacation sounds like your kind of trip, my Croatia yacht vacation guide is for you.)
La Perle: A Jaw-Dropping Show
We also saw a show called La Perle, and it was so good. It’s like a Cirque du Soleil show, and my jaw was on the ground the whole time. I just sat there amazed.
Good to know (checked October 2026): La Perle by Dragone is a water-based show at Al Habtoor City in Dubai. Check its current schedule before you plan around it.
Luxury in Dubai: Is It Worth the Splurge?
If there was ever a city built for splurging, it’s Dubai. There’s a ton of money there, we all know this. If your budget allows, these are the big ones:
Afternoon tea or dinner at the Burj Al Arab. You don’t even need to stay there. A dining reservation gets you inside one of the world’s most iconic hotels.
A desert safari. Not just any safari: book one that includes a luxury camp, gourmet dining, falcon demonstrations, camel rides and stargazing, plus surfing the dunes. You don’t need water, just sand. You ride the dunes like you’re on a sled. Then you watch the sunset over endless sand dunes, sit down to dinner, and there’s complete silence around you. It’s one of those travel moments you’ll remember forever.
A helicopter flight over Palm Jumeirah. If you’ve ever dreamed about it, this is one of the best places in the world to do it. Expensive? Absolutely. Memorable? Without question.
Good to know (checked October 2026): the Burj Al Arab closed in spring 2026 for an 18-month restoration, and its restaurants and terrace are closed too. Visit Dubai expects it to reopen in October 2027.
Sunset over the dunes, the moment a desert safari is built around.
Tourist Trap or Totally Worth It?
Let’s play my favorite game. (I played a whole round of it in my tourist traps guide, and you can watch that episode here.)
The Dubai Frame: worth it. It literally looks like a giant picture frame, a big square with nothing in the middle, and it’s hilarious how massive it is. It’s quirky and unique, with great views, and the glass floor definitely gets your heart racing.
The Palm Monorail: worth it for your first visit. It runs along Palm Jumeirah, the palm-shaped island with all the houses, the mall and Atlantis, and you get incredible views of the Palm without spending a fortune.
The Museum of the Future: worth it, even if you only admire the architecture. It’s one of the most photographed buildings in the city, and it’s the strangest-looking thing.
Gold shopping: worth it as an experience, as long as you follow the tips above.
Dubai Miracle Garden: absolutely worth it if you’re visiting in the cooler months. Millions upon millions of flowers bloom in the middle of the desert. How cool is that? It’s almost impossible to believe until you see it.
Ain Dubai, the giant Ferris wheel: I wouldn’t do it again. We rode it because it was part of our itinerary, and it wasn’t bad, but it’s not something I would pick. You already see the city from way up at the Burj Khalifa, and I saw it beautifully from the yacht at night. I’d rather experience the city than look at it from above. A lot of people would love it, though, because you see so much.
Good to know (checked October 2026): Dubai Miracle Garden opened its 15th season on October 8, 2026, and now advertises about 200 million flowers. It closes for the hot summer months.
Travel Hack: Ride the Metro
Most visitors rely entirely on taxis, but Dubai’s metro is outstanding. It’s clean, safe, air-conditioned and affordable, and it connects many of the biggest attractions. Buy a Nol card when you arrive and you’ll save money immediately. Also, stay at a hotel near a metro station. Hotels can be significantly cheaper just one or two stops from downtown, so you spend less without sacrificing convenience.
What to Eat in Dubai
Dubai is one of the world’s great food cities, and you don’t need expensive restaurants to eat well.
Shawarma from a local shop. Freshly carved chicken or lamb, garlic sauce and warm pita. Simply perfection.
Balaleet for breakfast. It’s sweet vermicelli noodles topped with an egg omelet. I had no idea what it was when I saw it on the breakfast buffet. I asked, and the guy said, “Oh, it’s just sweet noodles. You should try it.” I thought that sounded weird, grabbed a scoop anyway, and could not stop eating it.
Arabic coffee and dates. If someone offers them, always accept. It’s an important part of Emirati hospitality: a small gesture and a big cultural experience.
The people are so hospitable over there. They’re the nicest people, and I was honestly shocked by how great the culture was. I didn’t do much shopping (that’s for next time), but I did bring home a ton of Dubai chocolate, and my child thought it was the greatest thing on the planet.
Why I Can’t Wait to Go Back
Dubai isn’t trying to be like anywhere else. It’s constantly reinventing itself. Every year something new opens, another record gets broken, and another impossible idea somehow becomes reality. And beneath all that innovation, you still find traditional markets, family-owned cafés, ancient customs and incredibly welcoming people. Whether you’re looking for luxury, adventure, food, architecture, shopping or simply somewhere unlike anywhere else, Dubai delivers. It may surprise you. It may overwhelm you. But you’ll almost certainly be planning your next visit, and for me, that is 1,000% true.
Want to hear the whole story? Watch my Dubai episode. Before you book anything, check the latest State Department advisory linked at the top of this guide. When the time is right for you, my team at Fabulous Adventures Travel and I would love to help you plan a trip to Dubai or anywhere else in the world.
