3 Days in Dubai; Itinerary for an incredible weekend

Dubai Opera House

What a day it’s been so far and if you’re not feeling too tired, there’s one final stop I recommend the late evening and that’s a walk over to to Dubai Opera and Burj Park. It’s a lovely walk, plus you’ll get to see the Opera House all lit up at night. Its dhow-inspired curved roofline makes it yet another unique building in Dubai.

If you love theatre, then you can choose to come earlier or swap an earlier activity to give you more time. If not, it’s still a lovely place to explore and the restaurant inside, Balcanto, is also highly commended.

Family Tip – The bridge close to the opera house will take you over to Burj Park. Here the kids can have a final run around if they aren’t too exhausted and there’s even a 19 metre metal slide open until 1 am.

If you’re not with kids, the park is still a nice spot to grab a bite to eat and just enjoy sitting on the grass for a little bit while watching the laser show from afar.

Day 1 recommended restaurants

There’s many great eateries in Dubai, here are a few of the best options in the Downtown area:

• Parker’s Dubai Mall – A casual spot inside Dubai Mall loved by locals for a great breakfast or lunch. Family-friendly with a kids-approved menu and their famous Matilda Cake has been viral across social media.
• Salt at Souk Al Bahar Bridge – Yummy decently priced burgers with views of Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa. Perfect for families wanting something quick, casual and kid-friendly without blowing the budget.
• Jovee at Souk Al Bahar – I went here back when it was Serafina and loved the location. Right on the water at Souk Al Bahar with unobstructed views of the Burj Khalifa and fountain, serving up a mix of Italian and Japanese dishes.
• Krasota Dubai at Address Downtown – A unique Japanese fine dining experience with immersive visual projections throughout the meal. It doesn’t have a view but it’s a really unique restaurant.
• Thiptara at Palace Downtown – A stunning Thai restaurant right on the water at Palace Downtown, with romantic, front-row seating for the fountain show and the Burj Khalifa as a backdrop. *Most restaurants have a minimum spend for outdoor seating with a view of Dubai Fountains

Day 2: Historical Dubai

For this day, I highly recommend to get a 48 hour hop-on and hop-off bus ticket as you’ll be able to easily travel to all of the tourist attractions (find out more about its route and benefits) below and the ones for tomorrow too. Otherwise, it can be a bit of a walk from the metro and this area has a lot of traffic, along with a lack of parking.

Attractions you’ll get to see on Day 2:

• Al Seef
• Al Fahidi Historic Neighbourhood
• Dubai Creek & Abra Ride
• Spice Souk
• Gold Souk
• Al Shindagha Museum
• Dubai Coffee Museum

Al Seef

If you’re doing the walking tour below, Al Seef is where you’ll meet your tour guide to begin. I recommend getting here early and having a breakfast here. One of my top picks for breakfast is Saba’a Restaurant inside Al Seef Heritage Hotel.

Al Seef is built in the traditional Emirati style, with shops and cafés tucked inside heritage-style houses. It’s a beautiful spot to have a wander around and you’ll see some well known brands but with unique Emirati historical designs which is pretty cool and definitely worth a photo!

With the walking tour you won’t see very much of this area, so that’s why I recommend to get a bit earlier and explore it first. If you’re not doing the tour, feel free to explore at your own pace and then move onto the next area when you’re ready.

Family tip – The waterfront path here doesn’t have much railings in most places, so keep a close eye on little ones.

Walking tour of Dubai’s Historical Neighbourhood

This is best done earlier in the morning, so you avoid the worst of the Dubai midday heat, and it’s a lovely way to get to know the historical district on foot without getting lost. As it’s definitely easy to get lost here! You’ll also get to try a few different nibbles too, which is always a highlight for me.

Another advantage of the tour is that you’ll taken across the creek on an Abra and to the Gold and Spice Souks as part of it. So you’ll tick a lot off your list in around 2 hours.

Our tour guide was hilarious and despite being a long time resident, he still taught me a few things I didn’t know about Dubai. He also took a great delight in firing most of the questions at me too since he knew I was a long time resident.

Family tip – The tour is suitable for strollers and young kids will also get a change to run around at the breaks but it is 2 hours of walking so the kids will likely be very tired by the end, so definitely take a stroller.

The walking tour I did personally 💫

Al Fahidi Historical Area

This area is a little bit difficult to explore because there’s still a lot of restoration going on, so you’ll frequently go down one alley and find out it’s a dead end. Below are the main sights I’d consider doing for the area. If you want to see every single one throughly, then you’ll need a full day and it’s also entirely possible to spend a few days here if you wanted to see absolutely everything.

A lot of people think this area is fake, it isn’t! This area has been carefully restored from the 1800s, unlike Al Seef that is indeed mostly modern buildings but built in what was the historical style of that area.

Dubai Coffee Museum

Close to Al Seef this is the perfect small museum to quickly pop into and have a look around. Especially if you’re a coffee lover! It’s packed with history, you’ll learn all about the origins of coffee and how it ties into UAE culture and hospitality along with tasting Emirati style arabic coffee and dates. It’s also very cheap to enter.

It does involve stairs and parts can be a bit narrow, there’s quite a bit to see on the ground floor if you didn’t want to go upstairs and the area to sit and try Arabic coffee is downstairs.

Family tip – It’s small enough to do in 30-45 minutes and there’s a kids play area upstairs while you explore the museum, which makes it an easy add-on between the souks without testing anyone’s patience. You will need to leave your stroller at the entry.

Al Shindagha Museum

This is probably my favourite museum in the entire historical neighbourhood, Al Shindagha Museum is one of my favourite spots in the historical district, it does a brilliant job of bringing the history of the UAE and Dubai Creek to life, right where it all actually happened. Plus many other amazing exhibits; the perfume house in particular was very interesting.

You’ll find artefacts and interactive exhibits spread across more the air-conditioned houses. Personally with kids I would spend more time here or you can choose the houses you’re most interested in for 2-3 hours. If you wanted to see every single house, then you’ll need a full day.

Family tip – There’s a dedicated Children’s Pavilion so it’s perfect for families but children cannot be left unattended here, so one parent or guardian will need to stay with them.

Check ticket prices for Al Shindagha Museum 🏺

Dubai Creek & Abra Ride

After the museum, you’ll walk back along the creek to Bur Dubai Abra stop and from here you’ll get a short ride over to Deira Old Souq stop. Make sure to have some cash to pay to cross, some routes accept nol cards but most people give the attendant driving the boat cash once on the boat.

It’s a quick ride to the other side of the creek, and this traditional wooden boat is the perfect way to do it. There’s just something special about being on a boat and it’s a quintessential experience for anyone interested in the culture & history of Dubai.

It’s also one of the cheapest things you can do in Dubai, costing only 1-2 AED per person depending on which route you take. If you do the tour, it’s included in the price.

Family tip – The abra operators are helpful if you have a stroller, so you can either strap your child in like I did and lift them onto the abra or you can fold the stroller if you feel more comfortable, keeping them on your lap. But be aware, they don’t have side railings so hold little hands firmly while boarding and during the crossing. If you don’t feel comfortable, you can get the hop-on-hop-off bus around to the other side.

Spice Souk

After your short abra ride, you’ll cross the road and enter the Spice souk. Smell the fragrant, exotic aromas the moment you step into this must-visit spot. You’ll find street sellers with large buckets brimming with herbs, spices, teas and nuts plus kids will be fascinated by all the different colours and smells.

If you’re after saffron or other spices to take home, this is a great place to buy, just make sure to haggle, as sellers will often start with inflated tourist prices.

As a general rule of thumb, whatever they quote at the beginning, you can usually get it for around 50% less. Haggling is expected here, so don’t feel awkward about it, it’s part of the experience.

Family tip: keep kids close and hold hands through this one, it can get busy and the sellers are persistent, though generally harmless. It’s actually a great spot to let older kids practice haggling themselves, most vendors find it charming and will happily play along.

Gold Souk

Right next to the Spice Souk is the Gold Souk, and it’s worth wandering through even if you’ve got no intention of buying, the sheer volume of gold on display, some pieces worth millions, is a spectacle in itself.

If you’ve done the tour, this is where you’ll finish so feel free to wander around afterwards or head back to some of the museums in Al Fahidi neighbourhood. If you are looking to purchase, Dubai is famous for its gold selling and all gold is sold by weight.

Dhow Cruise

I hope by now you’ve learnt a lot about Emirati culture and this is the perfect evening activity to finish off your day filled with historic Dubai. A Dhow Cruise can either be a romantic evening or genuinely great fun for the whole family. You’ll get a full dinner on aboard along with entertainment all on the larger traditional wooden dhow boats.

See an Egyptian Tanoura dancer, get henna painted (usually an extra cost) and see the beautiful Dubai Creek all lit up at night. The perfect ending for an unforgettable day. Just make sure to bring a jacket as it can get chilly with the sea breeze!

If you’ve bought the 48 hour hop-on hop-off bus ticket, the Dhow Cruise is included in your ticket price.

If not, I recommend purchasing a ticket for a dhow boat tour, as it’s really good value for everything you get and ideal for families.

Family tip – Dinner cruises typically run from around 8pm to 10pm, which can be a late finish for younger children. If you’re travelling with little ones, look for an earlier sailing time where possible, or treat this as more of an optional add-on rather than a must-do if bedtimes are tight.

Check timings for the Dhow boat dinners 🚣

Day 2 recommended restaurants

There’s many great eateries in Dubai, here are a few of the best options close to the historical district:

• Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant – Traditional Emirati food served in a stunning Arabic courtyard, this is my most recommended restaurant in the area as it has traditional Emirati cultural shows and free henna for the kids!
• Arabian Tea House Al Fahidi – Another Emirati and Arabic food restaurant that’s set in a beautiful traditional courtyard setting. This is the one you’ve most likely seen all over Instagram due to its pretty aesthetics.
• Mumtaz Mahal Indian Speciality Restaurant – Mughlai and North Indian dishes right on Al Fahidi Street opposite Dubai Museum. The area has a large South Asian population so it’s a great area for authentic Indian food.
• Bikanervala – A very casual restaurant with Indian food and sweets. It’s quick, affordable and great for grabbing something simple if you’ve had a big day of sightseeing and just want to sit down without the fuss.
• Doors Freestyle Grill Steakhouse – A high-end steakhouse and seafood grill right on the water at Al Seef. There’s interactive tableside cooking with fire shows and hot stone grilling that kids love watching, a great treat-yourself option if you fancy something a bit more special.

Day 3: Future Dubai & MORE

We’ve explored mostly the city side of Dubai, now it’s time to explore the other side to Dubai and it’s other main attractions. You can take the blue route on the hop-on and hop-off bus.

The attractions you’ll see today:

• Museum of The Future
• Burj Al Arab
• Kite Beach
• Palm Jumeriah
• Atlantis

Museum of the Future

The building itself is stunning and one of the most photographed spots in the city, so it’s always worth stopping for a quick photo even if you don’t go inside. I usually pick a café with a view of the Museum, grab a coffee, and use it as my starting point for the rest of the day.

The Museum itself is quite pricey for what’s inside, so it’s entirely up to you whether it’s worth paying for entry. Personally, I usually recommend just taking a great photo outside and saving your money and time for the other attractions on this list.

Family tip: if you do go in with kids, the Future Heroes floor is designed just for children under 10 and tends to be the highlight of the visit for them, though older kids and teens often find it a little underwhelming. Whichever ticket you choose, book online in advance and pick the first slot of the morning to beat the worst of the queues, and travel light as large bags aren’t allowed inside.

Insider tip – This is also a very popular attraction like Burj Khalifa, you’ll typically need to buy your tickets 2 weeks in advance.

Check prices and availability for Museum of The Future 💫

Burj Al Arab

Head over to the Burj Al Arab for a tour of one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, with its unique sail like structure set out on the Arabian Gulf sea.

Nicknamed the world’s only “7 star” hotel, the tour will allow you to learn about how Burj Al Arab was built along with seeing the Royal Suite and other parts of the hotel you don’t usually get to see.

I recommend to book the tour that includes the gold cappuccino as it saves you money to try the famous Italian style coffee with gold leaf on top.

Don’t miss getting your Burj Al Arab tickets ✨

Kite Beach

If you love walking, you can choose to walk along the beautiful beach walk way from Burj Al Arab to Kite Beach or hop on a bus for a few stops to Kite Beach. You’ll also be able to get your classic Dubai beach photo with the Burj Al Arab in the background.

You can choose to rent a sun bed here and relax, walk around the promenade, take a bite from the food truck or one of the other many activities available here. Including outdoor playgrounds for kids and volleyball courts.

You really can spend as little or as much time here as you like!

Palm Jumeirah

After you’ve finished from Kite Beach, its time to head to Palm Jumeirah. You can either use your Hop on Hop off bus ticket, take a bus or taxi to the Palm Jumeirah metro stop.

Here you can jump on the Palm Monorail and enjoy the view over Palm Jumeirah.

There’s mixture of private residences and luxury hotels across the palm however the monorail takes to you a choice of Nakheel Mall and Atlantis.

Buy your unlimited day pass Palm Monorail ticket 🚄

The View at Palm Jumeriah

Head up the elevator for an incredible view across Palm Jumeriah Dubai, for a vantage point that is very different to the view from Burj Khalifa. There’s also a cafe at the top, so you can take your time and enjoy the view.

As an alternative you can also choose to visit Aura Skypool here if you’d rather do that instead of The View. Particularly if you only stay at Kite Beach for a short time or choose to skip Atlantis.

There’s also some great restaurants here such as Sushi Samba, located inside the same tower but you’ll need to use the St Regis entrance for the restaurant.

💫 Check availability for The View 💫

Atlantis

There are multiple options available at Atlantis, whether you love adventure and want to enjoy the waterpark or just want to enjoy a stroll inside the resort. Be aware not all parts are open to tourists however.

There’s a mix of restaurants, shops and experience including an aquarium.

Luxury yacht tour

What trip wouldn’t be complete without being on a luxury yacht? This is the perfect way to see Atlantis up close, take photos floating close to Burj Al Arab and feel like a VIP.

There’s an array of tours to choose from, whether you want a party yacht or a sightseeing tour. They also run morning till night, so it’s possible to enjoy this experience any time of the day.

💫 See prices for a luxury yacht tour 💫

Day 3 recommended restaurants

These are my top food options in Jumeirah and Palm Jumeirah:

• Sushi Samba at St Regis Palm Jumeirah – A fusion restaurant of Japanese and Latin American, 4.5 out of 5
• Tresind Studio at St Regis Gardens – Michelin starred Indian restaurant serving a set menu, 4.8 out of 5
• Seafire Steakhouse at Atlantis – High end restaurant serving steaks and grills with a rating of 4.6 out of 5
• Hot Fish Beach Restaurant – Casual seafood eatery serving fresh fish from the harbour, 4.5 out of 5

Getting around Dubai

My most recommended way for the above sights is with a Hop On Hop Off Dubai bus as it covers all of the above tourist destinations.

🚌 Check Hop on Hop off Bus tours prices 🚌

Another great option is hiring a car, both Day 1 and Day 3 are great for using a car as many hotels have valet parking and Dubai mall has a huge multi-storey parking lot.

However for day 2 or the historical district then I recommend to use public transport as traffic can be bad in this area and on street parking is very difficult to find!

🚗 Check rental rates for cars in Dubai 🚗

Dubai has a robust metro and bus system. It’s possible to use only public travel if you’re on a tighter budget however Dubai is a city built for cars. Some hotels have very long driveways without a proper pedestrian walkway.

Another issue can be the heat as well that makes using public transport difficult, particularly in the day during the summer where you may have to walk distances between the metro and bus. That’s why I recommend to either use the Hop on Hop off bus to take you directly to places or a rental car.

Uber and another company called Careem, offer to hire both taxis and private vehicle transfers through out Dubai.

Learn more about Dubai’s public transport system.

Final thoughts on 3 Day Dubai Itinerary

If I could pretend for a trip I’d never been to Dubai before, this would be my absolute ultimate 3 day itinerary and I’m getting excited for you just at the thought of doing it.

Dubai is an incredible city and this tour really shows off all the different fantastic sides to Dubai. I’ve seen a lot of itineraries and sadly they get you yo-yoing from area to area when there really isn’t any need.

The above is the most efficient way you can see Dubai without spending a fortune on taxis or wasting lots of valuable time going from one end of Dubai to the other. While still ticking off all the main tourist attractions in Dubai.

Have an amazing times and leave a comment below if you found the itinerary helpful!

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Planning a visit to Dubai? Check out our more in-depth guides for things to do and attractions in Dubai:

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