Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become major hot spots for stopovers.  Dubai seems to be connected to every major city in the world.  The cities are huge and at times it seems nothing is off limits.  I once had a client ski in the morning, scuba in the afternoon, and go to a desert safari in the evening.

If, no scratch that, when you find yourself in the UAE, here are a few of the very fun, interesting, unique activities to entertain yourself:

Souk Shopping

Souks, souks, and more souks! For a really fun transport, take the abra (a water taxi) over Dubai Creek to find yourself surrounded in gold, spice, perfume, textiles, and more.  Be sure to negotiate, prices are not fixed.  Another tip – gold and silver are priced by weight.

Dubai is a huge city.  If the Dubai Creek area isn’t convenient, no worries, try the Souk Madinat (between the Mina A’Salam and Al Qasr hotels), Dubai Mall Souk, and the Souk Al Bahar.

Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

About an hour outside of Dubai is the Conservation Reserve. The Reserve has it all – dune bashing, falconry, camel riding, and bedouin style dining.  Most excursions start in the afternoon and end around 9-10 pm. There is only one company – who is a Virtuoso partner – that has access to a true private experience.  When everyone else heads to the right to join a few hundred friends for an evening meal and entertainment, you can stop, get on your camel, and be lead over the dune to your private bbq.  It was one of those experiences that I found myself thinking over and over  again how lucky I was.  For a special occasion, birthday, or just a fun evening, the private experience is truly exceptional.

Brunch like you have never brunched before

In the UAE, drinking alcohol is usually only done at hotels and by expats (only non-Muslims are allowed to drink).  The best and most popular brunches are held once a week in hotels and are a multi-hour, all inclusive feast and party. I was so unprepared for what I experienced.  I should have paced my eating much, much better. The food was incredible, there was live music, and very happy people.

Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall

The whole area around Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall need serious timed allotted to try to see even some of the offerings.  The Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world with 160 stories, is directly beside the Dubai Mall.  The mall has a souk and all the stores you could ever want to visit from luxury to restaurants.  The water fountains have a daily show, the aquarium is huge, there is an ice skating rink, theater, and on and on.  The Burj Khalifa has two viewing platforms. Most people only know about and go to the lower one.  The upper deck is the VIP deck and guests are welcomed with drinks and snacks. And a higher view.

And More

I spend only two days in Dubai and it was jam-packed. If you have longer for a visit, here are a few more ideas for you:

Beaches: Jumeirah and kite are both reputable.

Waterparks – Wild Wadi is the best known.  Several Virtuoso hotels are connected to it and your stay includes admission.

Go skiing at the Ski Dubai Polar Pass

Sightseeing: Palm Jumeirah is the man made, palm shaped island; the World, also man made and under development

Culture: visit Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood to gain a better understanding the Muslim and Arab communities

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

The Mosque was completed in 2007 and is a huge. Absolutely huge.  It is the largest in the UAE.  When visiting mosque’s, all must abide by the cultural expectations.  For women, this means covered to ankles and wrists and a head covering.  Our guide was clever and had extra abayas with her, just in case one of us didn’t pass inspection. I would plan at least 2 hours to visit the mosque, even more if you really want to see it well.

Yas Marina Circuit

Oh, Yas, how I loved you. We are a bit of motorheads at my house, so when I found out I got to drive a race car, I as a giddy little girl. Yas has it all. They are a Formula 1 track primarily.  You can watch a race, which was happening when I was visiting, or you can drive in one of their many options from drag to Formula car to a driving school.  If fast cars are your thing, you must get to Yas.

More Abu Dhabi

I was only in Abu Dhabi for one day and only saw a slice of the offer.  Most do not visit the city for too long, but there are a few more fun offerings close:

Ferrari World – a Ferrari inspired amusement park that is mostly covered.

Watersports – visit the cable ski park to kneeboard, wakeboard, and waterski