Autism-Friendly Attractions
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
Location: The Dubai Mall
Autism-Friendly Features: Low sensory mornings with reduced crowds. Quiet spaces for sensory breaks.
Activities: Walk through the underwater tunnel & hands-on experiences like shark feeding.
Jumeirah Beach Park
Location: Jumeirah District
Autism-Friendly Features: Less crowded zones. Sensory-friendly sand and water activities.
Activities: Picnic areas, swimming and paddleboarding.
IMG Worlds of Adventure
Location: Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road
Autism-Friendly Features: Autism accessibility passes for quicker access to rides. Designated quiet rooms.
Activities: Marvel-themed rides & Dinosaurs in the Lost Valley.
Dubai Opera Garden
Location: Downtown Dubai
Autism-Friendly Features: Sensory-friendly performances available. Open spaces for movement.
Activities: Open-air cinema, food trucks and music performances.
Ski Dubai
Location: Mall of the Emirates
Autism-Friendly Features: Private skiing lessons with trained instructors. Noise-cancelling headphones available.
Activities: Skiing or snowboarding. Penguin encounters.
Places of Interest
The city of Dubai embraces its namesake creek, dividing it into two halves. The main sightseeing circuit in Dubai is split between Bur Dubai and Deira which lie on opposite sides of the water, and the gently curving Dubai Creek is an attraction in itself. You will have plenty of opportunities for some brilliant views of the city from the water: gleaming skyscrapers on one side, and old trading dhows on the other.
Deira’s many attractions include the historic quarter of Bastakia, as well as old souks and covered marketplaces. Wandering along the alleys, you can explore the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk. The Dubai Museum is housed within the beautifully restored Al Fahidi Fort, and is a must-see for first time visitors to Dubai. Built in 1799 to defend the city against invasion, it has served as both palace and prison and the museum’s collection includes life-size figures and galleries depicting Arab houses, mosques, date gardens, desert and marine life.
On the Bur Dubai side, Heritage Village, located in the Shindagah area, is a family destination where you can watch potters, weavers and artisans at their crafts. The adjoining Diving Village offers a cultural microcosm of pearl diving and fishing. Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, a museum restored from the house of Dubai’s former ruler and dating back to the late 1800’s, is within the same complex. With its unusual layered rooms and authentic wind towers, Sheikh Saeed’s House showcases regional architecture at its best.
If you drive west from the city center, you will reach the popular suburb of Jumeirah, home to some of Dubai’s finest luxury hotels and resorts, unspoiled stretches of sunny beaches and water sports complexes. In Jumeirah is the Grand Mosque, re-built in 1998, with the city’s tallest minaret, nine large domes and 45 small domes – a distinguished landmark and an important place of worship.
About 115 Km south east of Dubai, in the heart of the rocky Hatta Mountains, is the 3000 year old Hatta Village, an important historical site for the region. The two towers overlooking the village used to be defense fortresses against hostile invaders, and during a relaxed day at the Village, you can visit the Houses of Traditional Handicrafts and Palm Products, The Castle Center, and the 200 year old Sharia Mosque.
In contrast to the traditional attractions of Dubai and the surrounding areas, the city boasts world-class business and leisure facilities.
Best Buys and Bargains
Dubai is a veritable shopper’s paradise! Whether it is for gold, electronics, carpets, spices, textiles or more.
The city is one of the largest retail gold markets in the world, selling everything from ingots to intricately hand crafted jewelry, and bargaining is welcomed almost everywhere. The Gold Souk area in Deira has glittering street-front stores and hides dozens of alleys housing smaller shops. The newly built Gold and Diamond Park on Sheikh Zayed Road is an attraction for serious jewelry shoppers.
The city is also home to some of the Middle East region’s most prestigious shopping malls, boutiques and department stores that house retailers of haute couture, hi-tech electronics, home furnishings and accessories or traditional Arabic crafts. Dubai is famous for offering top international brands at unbelievably reasonable prices.
The larger shopping mall complexes also house cinema theaters, food courts, entertainment centers and play areas for children, allowing for complete family shopping experiences.
Choose to browse through the older markets and the narrow walkways located in the Meena Bazaar, Karama and Naif areas, dedicated to inexpensive reproductions of international brands; leather goods and textiles; computer and electrical accessories and Arabic perfumes.
Most shopping venues and cultural destinations sell a range of gifts and souvenirs representing Dubai: The Seven Sands of the UAE, traditional Bedouin jewelry, sand art, packaged dates and date products, Arabic sweets, wooden crafts and palm leaf handicrafts.
Seasonal Highlights
Dubai has a very eventful social calendar. With international sporting events, shopping and entertainment festivals, music and cultural programs held at various indoor and outdoor venues all year around.
Varying from the world’s richest horse race – The Dubai World Cup, and international jazz festivals, to the home grown Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai also hosts regionally significant exhibitions and trade shows on a regular basis.
While the actual dates of many important events are timed to match the season, the Lunar calendar and the holy month of Ramadan change from year to year. The chart below provides a guideline to the city’s many events:
January – The Dubai Marathon, Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai International Jazz Festival, Emirates Cup Traditional Dhow Sailing Race, Dubai International Sailing Week Regatta
February – The Dubai Terry Fox Run, Dubai Tennis Championships
March – Dubai Desert Golf Classic, Dubai World Cup, Dubai International Kite Surfing Challenge
April – International Jewelry exhibition
May – Local and international events
June – Dubai Summer Surprises, UAE National Sailing Championship
July – Dubai Summer Surprises
August – Dubai Summer Surprises
September – Gulf IT Exhibition (GITEX), Local and international events (Dubai, the City that Cares festival)
October – UAE Desert Challenge
November – Horse racing season, Dubai Traditional Dhow Sailing Race
December – Rugby 7’s, Dubai Air Show, Dubai Grand Prix, National Day celebrations
Rest and Recreation
Dubai is an exciting year round destination that offers unlimited opportunities for rest and recreation, be it a walk through a lush green family park, an adventurous day in the waters of the Arabian Gulf, or a pampering session at one of the many health spas.
Beaches:
Some of Dubai’s beaches are attached to private hotels, where, for a small fee, you can spend the day on the sand and in the waters of the Arabian Gulf. Other beaches and waterfronts – the Corniche and the Creek – are free for public access, and feature a range of water sports offered by several operators.
Desert safaris:
One of Dubai’s most popular tourist attractions is the desert safari: a unique experience that combines an adventurous 4WD car ride over sand dunes with camels, belly dancers, henna designers, falconers, and a barbecue dinner by starlight. Other attractions include sand skiing, sand boarding, sand karting and 4WD desert driving.
Fishing:
The warmth and shelter of the Gulf attract a large variety of fish, and several local companies provide full and half day trips to the best fishing waters about 12 km offshore from the mainland.
Golf:
Dubai has the unique distinction of being the only golfing center in the world to host major international tournaments on both the European and Asian PGA circuits. Visiting golfers can choose from various clubs and courses, each of championship quality and presenting a different type of challenge.
Treatments and therapies:
Dubai is home to an extraordinary number of spas and wellness clinics, ranging from internationally renowned brands to ancient Chinese and Indian holistic treatments. Learn More About Dubai
Top 10 Things to Do in the United Arab Emirates
There are so many things to do in the United Arab Emirates that it is not easy to choose only a top 10. The seven emirates cover a vast range of geographic and cultural features, with the most modern of construction next to the most ancient archaeological sites. In no particular order, here are the top 10 things to do in the UAE.
Attend a Camel Race.
After banning the use of young children as camel jockeys in recent years the United Arab Emirates now employs older jockeys and in some places, robots. In Abu Dhabi, the Al Wathba race track uses robot jockeys who actually wear little uniforms and whose whipping motion is remote controlled by the camel owners. The owners travel a parallel track in cars and operate the remote controls from there. In the UAE, only the wealthiest people can afford top racing camels and the staff required for their upkeep.
Visit Sharjah, the “Cultural Capital of the Arab World.”
The city of Sharjah is not only the cultural capital of the UAE, but in 1998 it was named by UNESCO as the Cultural Capital of the Arab World. The ruler of Sharjah headed up a long term commitment to developing the cultural institutions there, including museums, mosques, and other cultural destinations. Sharjah is also a great place to partake of Emirati cuisine.
Visit the mountains and the Gulf of Oman in Fujairah.
Fujairah is a more “old fashioned” part of the UAE, with the culture still involved in traditional sea-based activities like fishing. The eastern coast of the UAE has not had the white-hot economic growth of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but it is well worth seeing for its more traditional culture, mountains, beaches, and traditional crafts like the creation of palm frond canoes.
Shop at the Gold Souk in Dubai.
This is located in the Deira area and has more than 300 dealers in jewelry, primarily gold jewelry, though some of the larger shops do have other types of jewelry. The UAE’s free trade policies resulted in a great increase in gold trade. Dubai’s trade in gold and precious jewels represents about one-fourth of the emirate’s non-oil trade. Much of the gold is supplied by Switzerland, and India is the largest buyer of gold from the UAE.
Visit an archaeological dig site.
Though there are many, perhaps the most convenient for most visitors to the UAE is the Jumeirah Archaeological Site in Dubai. It is surrounded by the most modern of construction, and yet it has yielded numerous amazing archaeological treasures. The site of the Jumeirah archaeological dig used to be a caravan route between Oman and Iraq.
Shop Dubai Duty Free.
For some people, duty free shopping in itself is enough of a reason to travel to the UAE. The Duty Free shopping in Dubai International Airport is enormous, shiny, and enticing. Besides shopping, there are often raffles for things like luxury automobiles, and sometimes large cash prizes are given away.
Attend a cricket match.
The UAE has large numbers of expatriate workers from India and Pakistan, two countries that love the game of cricket. There are large cricket stadiums in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai.
Visit the Al Ain National Museum.
Located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the Al Ain National Museum was opened in 1971. This museum is updated often with archaeological artifacts, and is worth a visit.
Go skiing.
You read that correctly. You can go snow skiing in Dubai. Located adjacent to the Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai is an indoor ski facility that has real snow year-round. You can rent clothing and equipment right there. One of the runs is the world’s first “black” run (for advanced skiers) located indoors. There is also a quarter pipe so snowboarders can practice their tricks.
Go to Dreamland Water Park.
Located in Umm al-Quwain, Dreamland Water Park is the largest in the UAE and one of the largest in the world. This makes a good day trip or overnight trip for those staying in Dubai. This water park has everything, including a salt pool in which you can float, like the Dead Sea. There are also numerous slides, a lazy river, family rafts, and even a Go-Kart track. Adults may like to enjoy the huge Jacuzzi or the spa-like Pool Bar where they can relax in comfort. Dreamland has seven restaurants and fast food outlets as well, plus a video arcade for when it’s time to retreat from the hot sun for awhile.
Top 10 Things to See in the United Arab Emirates
It would be difficult indeed to choose only 10 great things to see on a visit to the United Arab Emirates. The federation of seven emirates traverses desert and mountains and has ancient historical sites and the most modern buildings in the world. But here are 10 top things to see – in no particular order – if you visit the UAE.
Bird watching in Umm al-Quwain.
Khor al Beidah is one of several great bird watching sites in Umm al-Quwain, which is located between Ras al-Khaimah and Ajman. Al Sinniyah Island is a large marine sanctuary. Several species of heron and plover enjoy habitats in shallow lagoons and along mud flats. You can also see terns, flamingos, gulls, and in winter Great Cormorants. A number of small islands separated by creeks are home to pink flamingos, as well as other aquatic life like turtles, jumping fish, and crabs.
Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
It hasn’t been there for long, but at 321 meters tall, the Burj Al Arab along the Dubai coastline has become one of the most photographed architectural structures in the world. At night, light shows turn the sail-shaped structure into a colorful spectacle. This is perhaps the finest hotel in the entire world, where your every need is readily catered to. Even if you can’t afford to stay there, it’s easily worth taking a look.
Hajar Mountains and the Khatt Springs Spa.
The Khatt Springs Spa and Hotel arises starkly out of the desert in Ras Al Khaimah. The castle-like luxury spa and lodgings make a spectacular outline against the desert and the sky. The Hajar Mountains rise in the background, separating the coastal plain from the high plateau of the desert. Like the Burj Al Arab, you may not be able to afford to stay there, but you may be able to partake of some of the spa services. And just the sight of the mountains as a stark backdrop to this fort-like structure is worth the drive, if only for the spectacular photos you’ll get.
The Musfoot area of Ajman.
The Musfoot region of the emirate of Ajman is located to the southeast of the city of Ajman. This region has mountains and valleys, and the valleys are the most fertile agricultural areas in the UAE. The climate here is more moderate than the blazing heat along the Persian Gulf.
Emirates Palace Hotel Abu Dhabi.
Located in the capital city of Abu Dhabi, the Emirates Palace Hotel is as luxurious, but stylistically totally different from the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. Palatial is not really a big enough adjective to describe this huge, amazing architectural structure surrounded by 85 hectares of perfectly groomed gardens. It would be hard to decide which is more luxurious, the interior with its marble fixtures and drapery made from pure silk, or the outside, with its painstakingly maintained plazas, gardens, and nighttime lighting.
The Arabian Desert.
The Arabian Desert takes up most of the Arabian Peninsula and is home to spiny lizards, desert cats, and gazelles. This extreme environment contains quicksand, and huge dunes. With an extremely dry climate, temperatures soar during the day and plummet at night, sometimes to freezing levels. This enormous, harshly beautiful major desert may be one of the most forbidding environments you ever see.
Al Fahidi Fort in Dubai.
The Dubai Museum is located inside the Al Fahidi Fort, which is the oldest standing building in Dubai, having been built in 1787. The museum depicts the traditional way of life in the emirate from before it experienced its great modernization and financial boom. Exhibitions show traditional homes in the Arab style, and also mosques, and trade artifacts. There are also excavated graves from as long ago as the third millennium B.C.E.
Al Bidyah Mosque in the emirate of Fujairah.
The Al Bidyah Mosque in the emirate of Fujairah is the oldest mosque in the UAE, believed to be nearly 600 years old. Though tourists are no longer allowed inside the mosque, from the outside, it is exceptionally beautiful, very small, and gives the impression that it grew from the earth like a beautiful fruit.
The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road.
Though it is only 11.7 km in length, the Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road rises over 1200 meters in elevation. Edmunds declared that of all the great driving roads in the world, the Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road is the best. There’s not a lot at the top, just a palace and a hotel, but the drive is the main attraction. Cyclists also use the road for training, and there is an annual Jebel Hafeet Mercure challenge where riders from the whole world tackle the 8% ascent of the Jebel Hafeet Mountain.
Fujairah Fort.
Built in 1670, and restored during the latter part of the 20th century, Fujairah Fort is the oldest fort in the United Arab Emirates. It is made of mud brick with two round towers and one square one. Located on a hill near the Fujairah coast on the edge of date gardens, the fort is encircled by the ruins of old houses. It is free to walk around in, and there is an observation deck.
Top Attractions in Dubai
Dubai is a city that must be seen to be believed. Record-breaking architecture stands alongside traditional quarters, while man-made islands jut out of the coastline. Here are the top places to tick off your sightseeing list when you’re in town.
Burj Khalifa
Standing 828 meters high, the Burj Khalifa is hard to miss. The world’s tallest tower naturally dominates the Dubai skyline, but the true majesty of the building is best appreciated up close or, even better, from inside. On a clear day, the view from the observation deck on level 124 is absolutely stunning, topped only by the view from the luxurious At The Top Sky Lounge on the 148th floor. And for those who would like to linger for a meal in the clouds, Atmosphere on level 122 is the place to be.
The Dubai Mall
Right next to the Burj Khalifa is The Dubai Mall. To call the sprawling development merely a shopping mall is doing it a disservice. Even an entire day spent here isn’t enough to see it all. Along with its 1,200-plus shops and 150 restaurants, the venue is home to an indoor theme park, an ice rink, a huge indoor waterfall, a choreographed outdoor fountain and the giant Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo.
The Dubai Fountain
The Dubai Fountain, located at the base of the iconic Burj Khalifa and just outside the doors of the famous Dubai Mall, features the world’s largest choreographed fountain system. This popular dancing water show jets water streams as high as 150 metres in the air. Each colorful, illuminated jet sways in time to various musical numbers from around the world, producing what has become the one of the most popular shows in Dubai. Two showings occur in the afternoon (1pm and 1:30pm), except on Fridays (1:30pm to 2pm) and evening displays begin at sundown and take place every 30 minutes until the final song plays at 11pm.
Palm Jumeirah
A man-made island in the shape of a palm tree – there’s a reason why locals say ‘only in Dubai.’ Palm Jumeirah is one of the largest artificial islands in the world and a triumph of human ingenuity. Locals and tourists alike enjoy the Palm’s vast array of high-end hotels, including the Waldorf Astoria, Fairmont, One&Only, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray and, perhaps most notably, the iconic Atlantis, The Palm. And with a monorail running down the ‘trunk’ that connects to the mainland’s tram system, getting there couldn’t be easier.
Dubai Creek
Dubai may be famous for the glitz and glamour of its sky-high towers, but the real heart of the city is, and always will be, the Creek. The saltwater estuary is the original site where the Bani Yas tribe settled, and its waters were vital for what used to be Dubai’s main forms of economy: pearl diving and fishing. Today, the area is awash with the history of the emirate, as it’s home to the Dubai Museum as well as the labyrinthine alleyways of the gold, spice and textile souks. While at the Creek, a ride across the water on a traditional abra is a must, and at an unbelievable AED1 per ticket, it’s easily the best value tourist attraction in the city.
The Walk and Beach at JBR
For those who like to shop, dine, see a movie and go to the beach all in one place, consider a trip to The Beach opposite JBR. With guest DJs pumping out the tunes on weekends, a regular open-air cinema and a popular water park to entertain the little ones for an hour or two, JBR is always buzzing with activity.
Kite Beach – Dubai’s neighborhood beach
The aptly-named Kite Beach is the perfect spot to test out your watersports skills, but there’s plenty to do out of the water at this popular spot, too! Grab a smoothie from one of the many open-air cafes and restaurants just steps from the beach, watch bikers and skaters fly by at the newly finished skate park or get into a game of volleyball. With plenty of beach activities, plus an awesome view of the Burj Al Arab, it’s easy to spend the whole day here.
Dubai Marina
Look into the future at the world’s largest man-made marina, Dubai Marina. Marvel at some of the world’s tallest apartment buildings as you stroll along Dubai Marina Walk or see it from the water as you set sail from the Dubai Marina Yacht Club.
The Desert – Traverse Dubai’s desert dunes
Less than 20 minutes driving from the modernist streets of Downtown Dubai, you can experience the marvels of the Arabian Desert, the original tourist attraction of Dubai. Take a desert safari Dubai-style with off-roading, quad biking and sand boarding followed by traditional barbecues, henna and camel rides. Or just drive out and experience the wonder of the desert on an adventure of your own. Those looking for luxury should indulge in a Heritage Dinner Safari. Can’t get enough in a day? Treat yourself to an unforgettable night amid the dunes at the Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa or Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa.
Al Fahidi – Snake your way through Dubai’s heritage district
Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood in Bur Dubai is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. Best seen walking, this area offers a nostalgic view of a bygone era with traditional wind towers and a maze of winding alleyways.
