If you’re looking for superlatives, chichi beach clubs, and supercars, Dubai is the place. There’s a lot of bling in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), perhaps even more so now than when I moved here a decade ago.
But there’s also a growing cultural and arts scene, plus spectacular nature on the edge of the city. If you want to see what Dubai’s creative community is doing in the worlds of art, culture, fashion, and food, you’ll find plenty—and not just in its shimmering skyscrapers.
Mirzam puts its chocolate-making process on display, letting visitors see how products get made from bean to bar.
Photos courtesy of Mirzam Chocolate
Day 1: Heritage and culture
Get acquainted with the city’s history in the Bur Dubai district. Housed in heritage buildings next to Dubai Creek, where the city as we know it today grew up thanks to its protected waters that welcomed trading boats, the Al Shindagha Museum is a good place to start, with exhibitions touching on the UAE’s pearl-diving history and the role perfume plays in Emirati culture.
A 20-minute walk away down the Creek, the Al Fahidi historical neighborhood, home to century-old houses topped by wind towers, is undergoing development and enhancements. A few spots are worth exploring (work is expected to be completed in late 2025): Arabian Tea House has Emirati breakfast trays, loaded with local favorites like vermicelli infused with saffron and cardamom, date molasses, and oven-fresh flatbreads. The XVA Hotel’s courtyard café is also worth a stop, and it has an art gallery with regularly changing contemporary art exhibitions. Also in this area, the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding offers heritage tours and coffee chats for a deeper understanding of local culture.
The Old Souk, where persistent vendors sell touristy souvenirs, is just a few minutes away on foot. Pull up a chair at Mazmi Coffee & More, a waterside café on the edge of the souk that is run by an Emirati Italian couple serving coffee and gelato. Cruise the water by hopping on one of the little wooden abra boats that cross the Creek. It’s one of the best—and, at just one dirham (the equivalent of 27 cents), cheapest—journeys in the city.
For a change of scenery, grab a cab to Mirzam, a chocolate factory, café, and boutique run by UAE-raised Chief Chocolate Officer Kathy Johnston in the Al Quoz industrial district. It’s enormously popular with Dubai residents who come to pick up sweet gifts, send the kids to chocolate workshops, and dive into scoops of rich, cocoa-y soft serve made with Mirzam chocolate by homegrown ice cream brand Canvas.
Head to the Alserkal Avenue area for artsy vibes in places like Cinema Akil.
Photo courtesy of Cinema Akil
From here it’s just a 15-minute drive to Alserkal Avenue, a neighborhood of art galleries, cafés, concept stores, and the Cinema Akil arthouse movie theater, all housed in former warehouses. Butheina Kazim, founder of the cinema, recommends The Third Line Gallery as the first stop in the district. “It’s a space that has long celebrated regional artists with remarkable dedication and visionary exhibitions that bravely push boundaries and defy conventions,” she says.
Other worthwhile stops include eL Seed Related, an exhibition space showcasing the works of French Tunisian artist eL Seed that combines Arabic calligraphy, graffiti, and poetry. Don’t miss Zawyeh Gallery, dedicated to supporting emerging and established Palestinian artists, and Aisha Alabbar Gallery with its focus on pioneering Emirati artists.
It’s back in a cab for the 30-minute drive to the Jameel Arts Centre on the Jaddaf Waterfront for still more art. Running until March 16, 2025, is “Three Tired Tigers”, an exhibition revolving around human-animal relationships. At once playful and serious, the show is inspired by Dubai’s street cats. The center’s onsite restaurant, Teible, was awarded a Michelin Green Star for its approach to food, with menus centered on ingredients sourced locally. Pickling and fermentation extend the life of some products, and dishes include sea bass from Fujairah, cherry tomatoes from Sharjah, mushrooms from Abu Dhabi, and pineapple grown in Dubai.
Hero Balloon Flights offers experiences that include midair falconry, drone shows, and DJ sets.
Photos courtesy of Hero Balloon
Day 2: Desert and nature
You don’t have to venture too far outside the city to find nature. Ahmad Al Marri, founder of Canvas Gelato, one of the city’s favorite ice cream makers, loves taking early morning walks on the Mushrif Park hiking trail, a 10-minute drive from Dubai International Airport. “It’s six miles with some fairly steep uphills, and for two hours you feel as if you’re partially in the desert and partially in the forest,” he says. “Only the occasional airplane reminds you that you’re still in the city.” Visit early in the morning when some of the lowest points of the trail are filled with fog and mist for an experience that Al Marri describes as “really cinematic.”
Several operators organize camp experiences for exploring the region’s desert—with an added level of sophistication. Platinum Heritage’s desert safaris in Vintage Land Rovers bounce through the dunes of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, where you’re likely to spot gazelles and Arabian oryxes. To see it all from above, take off with Hero Balloon Flights.
The small town of Hatta, about an hour’s drive from the city, has long been a popular weekend escape for Dubai residents. Day trip opportunities include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and kayaking. UAE-raised Kathy Johnston recommends coming even for coffee. “I love going out for an early morning drive to Hatta Wild café. Their baristas and their coffee are always excellent, and their cute cups have a beautiful illustration of the mountains on them,” she says.
Day 3: A city of superlatives and glamour
Dubai is home to plenty of extremes, like the world’s biggest water park, the world’s highest 360-degree infinity pool, the world’s deepest diving pool, and, of course, the world’s tallest building, the 2,720-feet Burj Khalifa. Head to the 122nd floor of the latter and At.mosphere (which is, of course, the world’s highest restaurant) to see the entire city. To get a real feel for the lay of the land—and to take advantage of the views—visit in daylight for breakfast or afternoon tea.
On weekends, practically everyone heads to the beach. Popular public beaches include the family-friendly Kite Beach—with food trucks, changing facilities, and sunbed rentals—and Palm West Beach on the trunk of the Palm Jumeirah with views of Dubai Marina’s skyscrapers and a lineup of restaurants and beach clubs. Maison de la Plage is a relaxed spot for rosé and food by local star chef Izu Ani, and at the Instagrammable The 305, there’s a Miami-meets-Arabian Gulf vibe.
The boom in beach clubs continues in the Jumeirah 1 neighborhood, where the new J1 Beach will be home to a total of thirteen seaside restaurants and beach clubs once completed. Already open are Saint-Tropez import Gigi Rigolatto, Gitano for a taste of Tulum, and Almayass By The Sea for Lebanese Armenian cuisine. End your day at Mimi Kakushi, a bar inspired by Japan’s 1920s jazz age, with a Shadrach, a gin martini served inside a -4 degree Fahrenheit block of ice.
Day 4: A food safari through the city
Dubai’s culinary scene is more exciting than ever. In the top spot is Orfali Bros, run by three Syrian brothers with food inspired by their roots and travels, serves up dishes like Come With Me to Aleppo, a Wagyu beef kebab with sour cherry, parsley, pine nuts, and cinnamon. Other restaurants worth experiencing include the two-Michelin-starred Trèsind Studio, where chef Himanshu Saini takes diners on extraordinary multicourse degustation journeys through India, homegrown ramen restaurant Kinoya, Boca for Spanish food with a focus on sustainability, and 21 Grams for Balkan favorites.
Dubai is also the place to seek out lesser-known cuisines. The streets of the Karama neighborhood are filled with low-key restaurants serving regional Indian food. Stop by City Makani where Malabari curries and seafood are served at outdoor tables shaped like boats, Ikkayees for lunchtime thalis served on banana leaves, and Aaraamam for afternoon chai with bonda potato balls, samosas, and sweet laddus.
Dubai-based chef Patthama Chaklang recommends several off-the-beaten-path places for visitors: “Harput in Barsha has really good Turkish food. The chefs don’t speak English so we smile, wave, and laugh a lot,” she says. For regional Chinese food, she suggests Beef King. “The hot pots have different soups from different regions, and lots of spice.”
Worth making a special journey to Motor City, a residential neighborhood on the edge of the city that’s unlikely to be on most visitors’ itineraries, is Lao-Canadian chef Aphisith Phongsavanh’s Al Naqa Lao Kebab House. Here, he mixes Lao, Thai, Levantine, and Persian flavors which may sound odd, but the combination is inspired. The apple salad with pomegranate, shrimp paste, toasted rice, and sumac; the smoky local eggplant dip with coconut cream, dates, and mint olive oil; and the lamb kebabs with black lemon, tamarind, and makrut lime are some of the establishment’s best dishes. Pop a bottle of homemade Coco Cola to toast the end of your trip. It tastes like Cherry Coke and Dr. Pepper, but is healthier and all-natural.
For a seaside stay, consider the Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf.
Photos courtesy of Jumeirah
Where to stay
The 20-room Arabian Boutique Hotel is housed in a heritage building next to Dubai Creek. The sunrises over the water are spectacular, as is the food at the onsite Arabian Fish House restaurant.
The 283-room Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf sits among sprawling gardens filled with tall palms, fragrant frangipani, and families of peacocks. The 1.2-mile beach is the nicest in Dubai and is shared by other Jumeirah resorts, and rooms are accessed by the abra boats that ply the ornamental canals. A jaunt is a guaranteed family-pleaser.
Getting around Dubai
Dubai isn’t really a walking city, although some areas are designed for wandering on foot, like the Kite Beach boardwalk, Jumeirah Beach Walk in Dubai Marina, and the older neighborhoods around Dubai Creek. Public transport—including metro, tram, bus, and ferry—is spotlessly clean and efficient. The ferry is like a mini cruise, sailing past many of Dubai’s architectural marvels, including the Burj Al Arab and the Palm Jumeirah.
Visitors will need to rely on taxis and ride-share apps like Uber and Careem to get to some areas. Fortunately, prices are reasonable compared to other global cities, although traffic can be bad. Try to avoid crossing the city at peak rush hour, if you can.
