Best Things to Do in Dubai — Burj Khalifa, Old Town & Beyond

It is easy to leave Dubai having seen only its malls and its towers. The city's more rewarding layer — the creek-side old town of Al Fahidi, the spice and gold souks, the abra water taxis — is where Dubai's trading history still lives, and a guide who knows the lanes opens doors a visitor would walk past. The trick is to balance the headline attractions with the older, quieter experiences.

Our Dubai destination page gathers every bookable experience in one place, you can compare Dubai tours directly with our partner GetYourGuide, our Dubai things‑to‑do guide walks through the city's sights in depth, and our cultural tours worldwide hub rounds up the best heritage walks if you want to go deeper. For official destination information, see Visit Dubai.

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world, and the view from its observation decks — At the Top on level 124/125 and the higher SKY lounge on 148 — is the headline Dubai moment. Time it for late afternoon so you see the city by day, the sunset, and the lights in a single visit. Book ahead; timed slots sell out, especially in peak season.

Several Dubai tours bundle the Burj Khalifa with the fountain show and a dinner, which is the most efficient way to experience the whole Downtown district in one evening.

At the foot of the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Fountain is the world's largest choreographed fountain system, shooting water to music across the 30-acre lake every evening. It is free to watch from the waterfront promenade, and a lake-ride abra gives you a closer view from the water. Time it for after sunset, when the lights are at their most dramatic.

Al Fahidi is Dubai's oldest surviving neighbourhood — a grid of restored wind-tower houses, narrow lanes, and courtyard art galleries along the creek. It is the clearest glimpse of pre-skyscraper Dubai, and the Dubai Museum (housed in the 18th-century Al Fahidi Fort) tells the story of a city built on pearl diving and trade. A guided cultural tour turns the lanes into stories rather than just a pleasant walk.

The wooden abras (water taxis) that cross Dubai Creek cost a tiny fare and are one of the city's most authentic experiences — a five-minute crossing between Bur Dubai and Deira that has barely changed in a century. Ride one at golden hour, when the call to prayer echoes across the water and the old dhows are silhouetted against the light. It is the most rewarding of the cheap things to do in Dubai.

On the Deira side of the creek, the spice souk is a sensory wall of saffron, frankincense, and dried roses, and the neighbouring gold souk is one of the largest jewellery markets in the world. Browse, bargain politely, and accept a cardamom coffee if it is offered. A guide steers you past the tourist traps to the stalls the traders themselves use.

The Dubai Frame is a 150-metre golden rectangle that literally frames the city — old Dubai to the south, the modern skyline to the north — and a glass-floored walkway at the top lets you stand between the two. It is a clever, photographic way to understand how fast the city has changed, and a good pairing with an Al Fahidi morning.

No Dubai visit is complete without the desert, and a sunset safari is the easiest way to reach it. Our Dubai desert safari guide breaks down what a safari includes and whether it is worth it, and families will find more ideas in our Dubai family attractions guide. Browse adventure tours for more outdoor thrills.

Use the driverless Metro to skip traffic — it is clean, air-conditioned, and reaches most major sights. Dress modestly in the old town and souks (shoulders and knees covered), carry small bills for abras and tips, and plan outdoor sights for the morning or evening in the hotter months. Opening hours and fountain show times change — confirm current details with your tour provider before you travel.

When you are ready to book, every experience on our Dubai page is bookable directly with GetYourGuide, our trusted partner for skip-the-line tickets and local guides. If your travels take you further afield, our Rome Colosseum guide breaks down tickets for the ancient city, our Paris things‑to‑do guide covers the French capital, and our NYC Statue of Liberty guide reviews America's most famous sight.