Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Dubai?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Dubai?
Many travelers spend at least 3 or as many as 7 days in Dubai during their visit. After all, the opulent city has plenty to explore such as the big city activities, the nightlife scene, and the live music.
Dubai is a cosmopolitan and modern city in the UAE with luxury resorts and high-reaching skyscrapers. It's an ultramodern city with a vibrant nightlife scene and many manmade wonders. It's a desert city with luxury shopping malls and unique adventures that tourists can experience.
Do you have one or two days to visit Dubai? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Dubai?
Dubai, renowned for its numerous sights and attractions, is a major draw for tourists. So with one day, you'll probably feel rushed to see the main attractions. You really need more time to appreciate everything that the opulent city has to offer. Many visitors prefer to have at least 3 or as many as 7 days to fully enjoy the city. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're in town.
How to spend a day in Dubai
When visiting Dubai, you can't miss Burj Khalifa as it's one of the most famous places in the world. Make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy it.
This city is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. Frequented by the wealthy and opulent, the city has world class night clubs and DJs that travel from around to world to perform.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Pub Crawl Dubai: Nightlife Tours ($66)
- Yacht Party Elevate Your Nightlife Experience in Dubai ($109)
Public transit in Dubai is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the city quite easily. The city's public transportation system includes buses, water buses, a monorail system, and a metro.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Dubai?
Since it's a large city, you'll probably need more than a weekend to take advantage of everything to do in Dubai. Two or three days still gives you a good amount of time to explore, though, as you'll have a chance to experience at least some of the major attractions. In addition to the great big city activities and fun nightlife, visitors can enjoy the shopping, museums and landmarks, and food by staying for a weekend.
Dubai
How to spend 2 days in Dubai
With a weekend (two to three days) in Dubai, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the city has to offer.
Given that Dubai is a large and popular city, give yourself a full day to uncover the diverse neighborhoods, captivating attractions, and engaging activities scattered throughout the area. Be sure to include visits to some of the city's premier landmarks and quintessential neighborhoods, too. It has glamorous shopping areas, the world's tallest building, and an international, cosmopolitan population.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Private Car with Driver at Disposal from Dubai ($80)
- Abra Tours - Dubai Sightseeing Cruises ($154)
- Abu Dhabi City Tour in a 4x4 Shared Vehicle ($79)
Live music is very popular in Dubai, so make sure you spend the evening exploring some of the more popular venues. The city attracts world famous international DJs and musicians giving it one of the world's best music scenes.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Superyacht Experience in Dubai with Dinner and Live Music ($99)
- Dubai Marina Dinner Cruise with Drinks & Live Music ($43)
- Dhow Cruise Dinner with Live Music - Marina ($43)
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Dubai, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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