Looking for the perfect 1 week holiday destination? We highly recommend our latest trip to United Arab Emirates, taking us from Dubai to Abu Dhabi (and back). We outlined a 7 day itinerary that will maximize your time to see all the top spots as well as some wonderful hidden gems.

United Arab Emirates, often abbreviated as UAE, is actually a federation of 7 emirates (or territories). Abu Dhabi is about a 1.5 hour drive south of Dubai and serves as UAE’s sleek capital. It’s home to such big ticket attractions as the Falconry Hospital, the Louvre (yes, a branch of the Parisian art museum) and Ferrari World, an all-indoor amusement park with the fastest roller coaster in the world. Dubai is the louder, flashier city. It serves as the major international business hub and where you should spend the bulk of your time. Your Dubai itinerary should include such must-see spots as the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world; the Dubai Mall and its incredible underwater zoo and an evening desert safari and dune bashing.

In our typical form, we pack a lot into our trips. But each of our itineraries can easily be scaled back. One thing is certain though — you definitely won’t be bored on this 7 day adventure!

Day 1: Arrival on a Friday in Dubai

Hopefully you got some rest on the flight. I recommend stocking up on Dream Water, a natural sleep aid. I typically NEVER fall asleep on planes, but have had success on the past 2 flights that I’ve taken in. The first day in Dubai is structured to keep you moving with some periodic coffee stops along the way to help. We pretty much used Uber to travel around Dubai. While parts of the city are walkable like downtown and some of the beach communities, most of Dubai is pretty industrial and spread out much like LA.

• 8 AM, Arrive into Dubai International Airport
  • The customs process was incredibly fast and efficient. We were impressed.
  • Take an Uber directly to your hotel and check in; We stayed at the Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, which was incredible. We booked 2 nights for free using our Marriott Bonvoy points.

• 10:30 AM – 12 PM, Explore Etihad Museum
  • Opened in 2017, this modern museum chronicles the birth of the UAE in 1971, spurred by the discovery of oil in the 1950’s and when the British left in 1968.
  • Full disclosure: While the building’s architecture is striking, we both agreed this was one stop on the itinerary we’d probably skip. There just isn’t a lot inside the museum. But it makes an easy entry-point into Dubai and is close to so many interesting places nearby.

• 12 PM, walk from the museum to Jumeirah Mosque, look from outside (closed on Friday).
  • This is a just a 12 minute walk. We arrived on Friday when it’s closed, but we figured that we’d get to see the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi so didn’t mind skipping the inside.

• 12:30-1:30 PM, Grab lunch and coffee at The Lime Tree, a relaxing cafe, most frequented by Dubai’s large foreign expat community.

• 1:30 PM, Take a stroll over to La Mer, a pretty beachfront development with plenty of shops and restaurants. You know what I love!
  • You’re just a 10 minute walk away. It made a nice stroll to burn off all those cookies we just ate.
• 1:30-2:30 PM, Check out La Mer; Relax at the comfy Starbucks Reserve right along the beachfront.

• 2:30 PM, Take an Uber to Kite Beach and stroll the seaside market (Friday & Saturday only). Kite Beach makes the perfect place to snap a photo with the Burj Al Arab in the backdrop. It’s one of Dubai’s popular places to fly kites, hence the name.

• 3:00 PM, Hop in an Uber and head to Madinat Jumeirah
  • This modern souk looks like something out of Aladdin. We spent about an hour here looking around.

• 4 PM, Head over to Alserkal Avenue – Arts/warehouse district. Grab a coffee in the industrial A4 space. Then enjoy all the free chocolate samples inside Mirzam, where you can find such unique flavors like dark chocolate with coffee and cardamom or white chocolate infused with saffron.

• 6 PM, head back to the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, one of the most comfortable rooms we’ve ever stayed. And re-charge.

• 7 PM, we’re still going strong! And headed over to the massive Dubai Mall to take in a movie at Reel Cinema.
  • This is an experience all to itself, where you can choose a theater that serves food. But you actually order the food at the time you purchase your tickets. Definitely a twist on the movie/food experience in the US.

• 10 PM, Head back to the hotel, pass out and get a good night’s rest! You earned it.

DAY 2: Full Day in Dubai

• 9:30 – 11 AM, Go up to the observation deck at the Burj Khalifa (Timed entry, be sure to get tickets in advance).
  • Ascend to floor 124/125 of the world’s tallest tower. Cost 328 AED total (or $90 USD total for 2 people).
  • Insider tip: level 124/125 isn’t the highest point in the building. But you save a lot of money for a very similar view. If you care about going to the very top, go for it. We figured we’d save a little money where we could. Dubai is expensive as you’ll see!

• 12-1 PM, Grab lunch on 2^nd December Street, one of the best and cheapest foodie hot spots.
  • It’s pretty quiet by day, which makes it easy to grab a quick lunch. We highly recommend getting off the main path here, to see a slice of life in Dubai beyond the flashy resorts and celebrity chef options.
  • Our top picks include Ravi (an iconic spot with inexpensive Indian food) and Al Mallah (for the cheese pastry). There are 2 options for Ravi — one is the original, more low budget version and then the newer restaurant. Kevin and I went old school to the original.

• 2 – 5 PM, Head back to the Dubai Mall where you can walk off all that food at the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo.
  • We debated whether or not to go inside. It isn’t cheap ($57 USD per person) and read that you can see a lot from the actual mall (which is true).
  • We absolutely loved the Underwater Zoo. Though, they are sneaky and up-charged us to add on the bonus behind-the-scenes tour. In the end, we were happy that we did it.
  • You can also take a glass-bottom boat (for an additional cost) but we said no! Partly, I was afraid Kevin would fall asleep and land in the aquarium!

• 6:30-11:30 PM, Spend the evening at Global Village
  • A massive entertainment experience – like the Epcot of the Middle East with shopping, dining and live performances. Admission is only 15 AED or $4 USD.

• 12 AM, Time for bed – back to the Marriott Marquis Dubai. Another long day, but it’s flying by.

DAY 3: Dubai to Abu Dhabi, A Road Trip

One of the biggest struggles I had was whether or not to rent a car in Dubai. Is driving safe? Are the roads easy to follow? In short, the answer is no. However, having a rental car gives you a lot of flexibility. In the end, I decided to do it. I drive in Los Angeles, so I’m comfortable with aggressive driving. Hang on tight though — the speed limit can reach up to 95 mph (140 kph) on highways. It’s not shocking that UAE’s roads are among the deadliest in the world. Just keep in mind 3 major rules: do not EVER speed (cameras are everywhere), always use your turn signal and do not have even 1 sip of alcohol if you’re driving. There is zero tolerance. With all this said, the driving conditions weren’t as bad as I expected. I recommend enlisting a navigator to help guess the correct exits to take on Google Maps. Google was accurate most of the time but didn’t always account for construction re-routes or road closures.

• 8 AM, Pick up rental at Alamo, Dubai Airport
  • Total: $97.26 USD for mid-size SUV for 3 days.
  • We recommend adding on the extra car insurance, given the driving conditions here.
• 8:30-10:00 AM, Drive to Abu Dhabi
• 10 AM – 12 PM, Tour Falcon World
  • A unique falconry museum with insight into the traditional heritage of falconry with displays of special tools and equipment.
  • Location: VERY easy to miss the turn-off to the hospital. It’s Near the Abu Dhabi International Airport on the right side of Abu Dhabi – Sweihan road 3 km after the Sweihan Bridge.
  • Price normally: 357 AED or $100 USD for 2 people.

• 12:30-1:30 PM, Visit Masdar City, only 15 min from Falcon World.
  • This quirky spot is worth the quick detour.
  • With climate change as one of the most dangerous threats to humanity, a company called “Masdar” planned to construct a 100% green city by
    2016. That’s right—a fully functional city that emits zero greenhouse gas. But oh the timing. Due to the global financial crisis of the late 2000’s, the project stalled and is expected to be complete by 2030.
  • Visit the Siemens Ingenuity for life center; Experience the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT), the world’s first on-demand driverless vehicle (open until 5 pm). Grab some lunch at one of the many inexpensive cafes.
  • Plenty of parking at North Car Park. Be sure to try the driver-less cars.

• 2:00 – 4 PM, be wowed at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
  • The mosque is free to enter and you don’t need tickets in advance. The place is MAJORLY popular with tourists looking to snap some gorgeous selfies.
  • There are plenty of cafes and dining options here. We personally loved that the mosque had a Cinnabon. Kevin couldn’t help himself.

• 4:30-8:00 PM, Visit Louvre Abu Dhabi.
  • With its astounding architecture, UAE’s Louvre will impress even if you’re not much into art. Worth strolling around the grounds and taking in the classics. Kevin loved this place and he normally falls asleep in museums.

• 8 PM, Check into your hotel for 2 nights.
  • We didn’t really like the hotel we stayed at in Abu Dhabi. So I won’t be recommending it. However, the Grand Hyatt looked incredible and you can’t beat the location. Rates run as low as $120 USD a night.
• 9 – 10:30 PM, Enjoy dinner at Tamba Restaurant.
  • This is a gorgeous spot with a high-end twist on Indian food. We loved the rooftop setting.

DAY 4: Exploring Abu Dhabi Adventurous Side

• 9:30 AM, grab some breakfast at the hotel. This is our sleeping in day. Kevin is thrilled for a little extra rest.
• 11:00 AM – 5 PM, Spend the day at Ferrari World Amusement Park (less than a 30 minute drive from downtown Abu Dhabi).
  • This is the first Ferrari-branded theme park home to the world’s fastest roller coaster (called the Formula Rossa). It launches riders at a speed of 0 to 149 mph in less than 5 seconds! You’re required to wear goggles to ride it because of the potential eye damage with the sand and wind.
  • While it gets all the attention, our favorite ride in the park was Flying Aces, a World War I biplane themed roller coaster. We got Fast Passes and rode this ride a few times.

• 6 – 8 PM, Explore the Abu Dhabi Zoo. This labyrinth of a zoo is just a quick 20 minute drive from Ferrari World.
  • I’ve never been to a zoo where you can get this close to the animals. And actually feed them.

• 8:30-11 PM, Wrap up the night with a special dinner at Sontaya South East Asian Restaurant.
  • The setting is nothing short of surreal. This high-end Thai restaurant floats above the water with the perfect beachfront setting.
  • Advance reservations are recommended. We lucked out and got one of the last spots when we showed up.

• 11:30 PM, Arrive back at the hotel (and collapse!).

DAY 5: Abu Dhabi to Dubai, Wrapping up the Road Trip

• 8:00-9:30 AM, Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and coffee inside The Third Space Cafe. We absolutely loved lounging on the couches.
  • Alternatively, if you have money to burn, grab a cappuccino at the Emirates Palace, one of the world’s most expensive hotels (around $3 billion USD to construct). They even have a $16 USD version, sprinkled with actual gold.
• 10-11:30 AM, Tour Qasr al Watan
  • No mere tourist attraction, this working palace opened to the public in 2019 and is home to UAE’s Supreme Council/Cabinet.
  • Time your trip to arrive when it opens at 10 AM — no crowds and fantastic photos.
  • This stop was a major highlight of the trip. The scale of this place was unbelievable.

• 11:30 – 1:00 PM, drive back to Dubai, return the car rental.
• 2 PM, check into the Al Seef Heritage Hotel – 3 nights.
  • This hotel is located in the Bastakiya quarter, the oldest standing residential area of Dubai.
  • This rustic chic hotel is right in the action. We loved it, but if you’re a light sleeper take note it can get loud at night. Ear plugs are provided in each room.

• 3:00 – 9:30 PM, go on Arabian Adventures’ evening desert safari.
  • This is another top highlight for us. You’ll experience an afternoon dune drive to a desert camp with BBQ dinner. Look out for wildlife like the Arabian oryx and sand gazelle. Try a camel ride, go sandboarding and enjoy the live entertainment including a fire dancer.
  • Total $90 USD per person (for the non-alcoholic package)

• 10 PM, arrive back at the hotel in Dubai. We strolled around the neighborhood before heading to bed. You can’t beat the great location of the Al Seef Heritage Hotel.

DAY 6: Great Food and Walking Tours in Dubai

• 8:30 AM, enjoy the traditional Emirati breakfast at Arabian Teahouse Restaurant & Cafe.
  • Insider tip, arrive here early to avoid the massive lines later in the day. Also, you can easily share the breakfast. The servings are massive.
• 10 AM – 12 PM, join the Old Dubai Tour, by Dubai by Foot (meets in front of Arabian Teahouse).
  • This informative guided tour goes through the old city, visiting the Coffee Museum, the Dubai Museum and includes a traditional abra ride (wooden boat) to the Gold Souk and Spice Souk.
  • Cost: 220 AED or $60 USD total for 2 people.

• 2 – 4 PM, relax at one of the many coffee shops near the Al Seef Heritage Hotel. There are many, but I personally enjoyed the waterside coffee shop called The Brass.

• 5:45 – 10 PM, get hungry for the Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage Walking Tour
  • Join their signature Dubai food tour with 10 Arabic and Iranian food tastings, along with entertaining stories of food and culture. We’ll feast on lesser known dishes of Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and Iran.
  • Location: Tours meet outside Al Rigga Metro Station, Exit #2, Al Rigga Road, facing the Diva Gents Salon.
  • Cost: 790.00 AED (or $215 USD total for 2 people).

• 11:30 PM, wrap up your night and go to bed.

DAY 7: Final Day in Dubai, The Atlantis Resort Dubai

• 9 AM, leave for Sea Lion Discovery at the Atlantis Resort Dubai (30 min drive from the Al Seef Heritage Hotel).
  • Inside tip: Allow plenty of time to navigate this massive resort. You also need to travel across the resort to reach the sea lion habitat.
• 10:45-11:45 AM, Sea Lion Discovery at the Atlantis
  • This experience was so much fun. It was one of the main activities I was looking forward to the most and it didn’t disappoint.
  • Wade into waist-high water for an up-close interaction with one of the Atlantis’ Sea Lions. Enjoy whiskery kisses, cuddles and one-on-one time while learning what makes these marine mammals so unique.
  • Price: $189 USD per person, includes the Atlantis water park all day.

• 12-5:00 PM, explore Atlantis Aquaventure
  • I can’t tell you the last time I went to a water park. But this place was unreal. It features a 1.5-mile lazy river with waves, rapids and calm lagoons; and a Mesopotamian-styled tower sending patrons down 7 waterslides.
  • Be sure to go on “Leap of Faith” where the waterslide floor drops out from underneath — like a trap door — for a free fall drop.
  • Lockers are available for an extra charge.

• 5:30 – 8 PM, enjoy an evening of pampering at ShuiQi Spa at The Atlantis.
  • We recommend getting a 1 hour massage from 6-7 PM. And enjoying the free snacks and wet facilities like the hot tubs, sauna and steam room separated for men and women.
  • Dubai is known for its top-level spas and this one was very impressive.

• If you decide to wrap your spa time early, the Atlantis also has some interesting place to check out. We particularly enjoyed getting a close look at the towering Chihuly glass sculpture in the lobby and the on-site aquarium (admission is included in the sea encounter admission).

• 9-10:30 PM, hop in the Uber for a quick ride over to the Dubai Marina to eat at Ruya.
  • This is one of the most stylish restaurants in all of Dubai. The night we went there was a live DJ and an electric violinist. I didn’t even know that was a thing!? That’s how cool it is.

• 10:30 PM -12:30 AM, clearly we don’t want our vacation to end! We spent the rest of our evening strolling — it’s a 10 minute walk from Ruya to Jumeirah Beach. This place was hopping the night we went.
  • You’ll find cafes, restaurants and even a carnaval that goes late into the night. This is clearly a city that doesn’t sleep.
  • Flying Cup is another interesting spot to check out. You’re seated at a round table that rotates as it lifts you 12 stories high into the air. You can even order soft drinks and snacks to enjoy high in the sky. Rides last about 20 minutes. So yeah, makes sure you use the bathroom BEFORE lift off!

• 1 AM, okay out late past our bed time. We’ll sleep well tonight!