One Day In Dubai: The Best 24 Hour Itinerary

Dubai is a popular place for stopovers to break up a long haul flight thanks to its position at the center of the world. It’s this prime location that has helped Dubai grow into an economic hub and thriving tourist destination.

If you have one day in Dubai to see the sights, you’ll be torn between the plethora of ‘Biggest and Best’ attractions like gleaming malls and skyscrapers, and the intriguing Arabian delights of Old Dubai.

With this guide to 24 hours in Dubai, you can see both the modern tourist attractions and lesser-known traditional side of the new world capital.

Pristine, spacious and impressive in every way, the Utopian city has so much to offer tourists and expats alike.

I lived in Dubai for 14 months, so I’ve updated this one day Dubai itinerary with all of my insider knowledge that you won’t find in Lonely Planet’s guide. Yes, that includes how to save money on your layover in Dubai, because let’s face it: the destination is expensive.

The Ultimate One Day Dubai Tour

Watch my full-length Dubai video on Youtube

It’s possible to pack a lot in to 24 hours in Dubai.

Your morning in Dubai should be all about the modern metropolis that is the 20 billion dollar Downtown complex; where everything is bigger, better and more expensive than anywhere else in the world.

Later in the day, you should try to explore Dubai’s ‘Old Quarter’, which is the area around Dubai Creek.

Here’s my itinerary for what to do if you have one day in Dubai.

1. Eat breakfast with a view

One of my favourite spots for breakfast just so happens to be in one of the top Dubai attractions that a lot of tourists don’t manage to see if they’re only in Dubai for 24 hours!

The Arabian-style Souk Madinat Jumeirah is the perfect place to start your day of sightseeing in Dubai. For an international start to the day, you can enjoy stunning views of the Burj Al Arab over breakfast at McGettigans. If you’d prefer a more quintessentially Arabic experience, book a table at Al Makan.

Book a breakfast to remember

2. Explore Dubai Mall

I’m not the kind of person to waste 24 short hours in a city shopping, but The Dubai Mall is a sight in itself. After all, shopping is part of Middle East culture. I recommend you go in the morning of your one day in Dubai, because that’s the quietest time to visit.

Dubai has plenty of malls, but this one is the world’s largest shopping mall with 12,000 shops spread over just four floors that take up the floor space of over 50 football fields. In 2012, the mall attracted more visitors than New York City, which is mind blowing!

Take a stroll along Fashion Avenue, drool over the Gold Souk, and escape from the cash registers at the waterfall.

If for some reason you don’t want to brave the crowds at Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates is also lovely – and it’s the one with the ski slope. You can get tickets for Ski Dubai here.

3. Enjoy some activities in Dubai Mall

Why am I sending you to a mall when you only have a short time to see Dubai? Simple! Some of Dubai’s top attractions are located inside Dubai Mall!

The Dubai Mall has an indoor ice skating rink, an aquarium, and an indoor theme park as well as a beautiful waterfall with silver divers leaping from the air. 

You can observe the ice skating rink and the aquarium for free, or buy tickets online in advance below to save money.

Book your mall activities

4. Grab lunch near Dubai Mall

The restaurants around the fountain are the perfect spot for people watching. Remember that these restaurants aren’t licensed, so you can only have mocktails.

I recommend booking one of the restaurants with a fountain view in Souk Al Bahar, a complex opposite the Dubai Mall. This quickly became one of my favourite places to eat in Dubai when I moved there – and the restaurants are licensed.

Craving a burger? Check out the SALT van on Kite Beach. Their burgers are to die for! Plus, you’ll get to say you saw the sea during your one day Dubai tour.

5. Go to the top of The Burj Khalifa

Want to get a bird’s eye view of Dubai? At over 828 metres (2,716.5 feet) and more than 160 stories, the Burj Khalifa is the iconic spike in Dubai’s skyline.

The world’s tallest skyscraper is accessible from Dubai Mall and though you can buy tickets there, it’s best to get tickets online in advance to save time waiting in what can be huge queues.

You can choose to go to the 125th floor or pay extra for a VIP experience, where you will have a personal escort take you to the highest habitable floor (148). I went for the latter because my favourite thing to do is to pretend I’m fancier than I am.

Get your Burj Khalifa tickets

6. Watch the Dubai Fountain Show

As the sun begins to go down, follow the crowds outside to watch the Dubai Fountain Show. They take place every 30 minutes until 11pm on the 24 acre Burj lake outside the mall.

Jets of incandescent water dance across the lake in beautiful formations, reaching heights of 140 metres. It’s quite a spectacular sight! Plus, it’s a completely free thing to do in Dubai.

Elevate your Dubai experience with an abra ride on the Burj Lake while the fountain show takes place.

7. Visit the souks

Grab a taxi from your restaurant over to the cultural hub of Dubai to dive into the emirate’s past. A visit to the souks is one of the top cultural things to do in Dubai and it’s totally possible to squeeze it into your day in Dubai!

Roam the winding alleyways smelling the aromatic, rich and colourful spices and browsing the gaudy gold knickknacks.

Read: My guide to visiting Dubai’s gold & spice souks

Book a tour of the souks

8. Dubai Creek

Crossed the street and take a moonlit walk along Dubai creek. It’s a saltwater creek which divides the city into two main sections – Deira and Bur Dubai. Here, visitors get a feel of Dubai’s past as a fishing town, as the water is lined with boats.

You can have dinner in a floating restaurant if you haven’t yet eaten or take a trip across the creek in a boat called an ‘abra’.

Some of the most remarkable buildings along the Deira side of the Creek are the Deira Twin Towers, Dubai Creek Tower, Sheraton Dubai Creek, National Bank, and Chamber of Commerce. On the other side of Al Maktoum Bridge along Dubai Creek you will also find Dubai Creek Park.

Book an excursion on the Creek

9. Eat dinner at one of Dubai’s fabulous restaurants

Dubai has SO many amazing restaurants. Some of my favourites are Carnival by Tresind for Indian food, all of the restaurants in Pier 7 in the Marina, all of the restaurants in Madinat Jumeirah. Nelson’s Pub is my go-to for a British roast!

Eating out in Dubai can be pricey, so book one of the below foodie experiences below to save some dirhams.

Book your dining experience

10. Experience Dubai’s nightlife

Girls, you’re in luck – ladies drink free pretty much any night of the week in Dubai. Do some research into which hotels bars are holding ladies nights on your day in Dubai. Men can come too, but they have to pay!

Some of the best places to go at night in Dubai for a party atmosphere are beach bars like Zero Gravity or Barasti. You might prefer to head to one of the more luxurious clubs like WHITE, Cirque Le Soir or Billionaire Mansion.

Check out one of Dubai’s best rooftop bars for a truly sumptuous night on the tiles.

Other things to do if you have one day in Dubai

• See Dubai Festival City
• Stroll along Kite Beach
• Visit a mosque
• Have dinner in the Burj Al Arab Hotel (in my dreams)
• Wander JBR The Walk
• There on a Friday? You have to do a brunch! I suggest Le Meridien’s Brasserie 2.0
• Go to the waterpark
• Hire a yacht
• Go quad-biking on the sand dunes
• Try a sunset safari in the desert
• See Dubai Marina
• Go to the Palm Island

The best Dubai day tours

The above itinerary is perfect for anyone planning a self-guided one day tour of Dubai, but if you’d prefer to be shown around by a reputable company you can book one of the full day tours of Dubai below.

I’ve also included some half day tours, in case you’d like to see the sights first then do your own thing later in the day.

What to do if you have more than 24 hours in Dubai

If you have more time to explore, you can visit another of the emirates (there are six more!) or try one of the other full day activities available in Dubai shown below.

Alternatively, check out some of my most popular Dubai posts for a little more inspiration.

The ultimate itinerary for five days in Dubai

The best Dubai desert safari package to book

Rules to know before you visit Dubai

How to tackle your first Dubai brunch

Authentic things to do in Dubai

How to see the real Dubai

Is it safe for females to visit Dubai?

Things to do in Dubai in one day with kids

If you’re spending a day in Dubai as a family, there’s no shortage of theme parks and other fun things to do! Atlantis Waterpark is the must-do, but there are plenty more places to visit in Dubai if you’re there just one day with the kids.

Keep them occupied for the full day (and save money on tickets for the whole family) with one of the below days out in Dubai.

Where to stay if you’re in Dubai for one day or more

If you’re in Dubai for 24 hours on a layover, you might want to stay close to the airport. I stayed at the Premier Inn at the airport and felt well looked after. The staff at the hotel were friendly and helpful, and the shuttle bus service made it easy to get around. There were frequent shuttles to the airport, the mall and Dubai Festival City.

However, it was a long trip to Downtown so this might not be the best option for you.

Depending on your budget, JA Ocean View has great reviews.

If you’re looking for serious luxury, try the Waldorf Astoria on the Palm, uber-lux Jumeirah Al Naseem or world-renowned Burj Al Arab.

Search all accommodation to find the perfect hotel for one night in Dubai using the booking.com map below.

Booking.com

Plan and book your Dubai day trip

You can find great deals on Dubai holidays with the companies listed on my Travel Resources page.

Remember to get travel insurance before you go!

I’d love to hear your feedback on this guide to seeing old and new Dubai in one day. Are you planning a trip? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to ask questions. I’ll do my best to help.

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