Plan the Perfect 24-Hour Stopover

Only got 24 hours in Dubai? Here’s how to squeeze in the best the city has to offer with a selection of 1-day Dubai itinerary ideas

Dubai is one of the world’s most fascinating and incredible modern cities. Sitting on the Arabian Peninsula the city is dominated by towering skyscrapers and a backdrop of rolling desert dunes but if you’ve only got a one day stopover in this modern mega-city, how do you squueze it all in?

Seeing all of the city’s famous landmarks in just 24 hours is a tall challenge (pun intended!), but we help you plan out your itinerary by providing some half day options that you can piece together for the perfect 1 day in Dubai.

Whether you arrive in the wee hours of the morning and need to start your siteseeing early, or want to piece together an evening and a morning, here’s how we suggest you can fill your day (plus we have a big list of addtional ideas you can mix and match too!)

This is a super detailed guide to Dubai, so bookmark this page for later in your browser or save it to Pinterest

Things to Know Before Visiting Dubai

Before we dive into the juicy details of WHAT TO DO, make sure you’ve checked out our essential planning information too. We cover in much greater detail:

• Dubai dining guides – all our favourite places to eat, dining specialities, bars and special occasions.

• Best times to visit Dubai – don’t be caught out by the weather or religious events, here are the ideal times to visit Dubai.

Transportation in Dubai for 1 Day

Over the course of using our 1-day itinerary the best way to get around is either selecting a private tour that includes your pick-ups and drop-offs or use a combination of public transportation – taxies and the Metro.

We’ve given basic directions on how to get to each place by public transport if possible, or where you may need a taxi to get door-to-door with ease. You can find our complete guide to Dubai Transport options here.

Metro Cost: If you’re staying in Dubai for less than a few days, it is recommended to get a Red Nol and top it up only as you need it (The card costs just 2AED + add your fare). We explain all the fares and different types of Nol in more detail here.

A note on taxis: In the hottest part of the year (i.e., about May to October!), be wary of how far you can walk during the day. Places may look relatively close and within walking distance on a map, but under the sun’s heat, a short taxi/Uber/Careem may be worth it (noting a minimum fare applies of AED 12).

Hiring a car: Unless you are a super-confident driver or plan on taking a trip out of the city, you are best off relying on taxis and tours during a short stopover in Dubai.

What Can I Fit Into One Day in Dubai? Practical Considerations

With only 24 hours in Dubai, there are undoubtedly some highlights you’ll need to miss out on. We have set out below some different half day itineraries to appeal to different tastes, then a mix and match of add ons and additional ideas; especially if this isn’t your first stopover in Dubai you may be looking for some unique experiences away from the usual “Top 10” for exploring Dubai.

With such a tight timeframe, you will want to book tours and attractions in advance, not leave things to chance, especially if you’re visiting in the peak winter tourism periods. If you’re self-planning your trip, we recommend using a booking app such as Get Your Guide, which has a money-back guarantee if your plans change.

Taking a city tour is an excellent way to see a new city in one day, and Dubai is no exception. Although it can be a little more costly than putting together a DIY itinerary, bus tours are a great way to cram a lot in.

You can either opt for the group approach and use something like Big Bus or CCity Sightseeing or hire your own private tour driver. These are some suggestions:

Dubai 1-Day Itinerary Suggestions

1. Dubai Half Day For Culture Seekers

Journey between Dubai’s bustling trading port past to the futuristic modern city

For your first day of sightseeing in Dubai, it really helps to go back to the roots of what the city is about—a busy trading port city based around Dubai Creek. Later, you can decide whether to spend a full day in “Old Dubai” or take in some of the modern aspects of the city for your evening.

Get your bearings at Dubai Frame

As your first stop on this itinerary, we recommend you start by taking in the views from the Dubai Frame. Granted, it’s not as tall as the Burj Khalifa; you’ll travel up just 48 floors/150 metres. However, the queues are shorter, it’s super close to the airport, and you’ll get some intriguing insights into old meets new from the top of the frame.

The see-through floored sky deck gives you fabulous views of Old Dubai, Dubai Creek to Sharjah and beyond in one direction, and the modern skyscrapers of Downtown Dubai in the other.

Learn more about visiting the Dubai Frame here

Getting there: The Nearest Metro is Al Jafiliya for Zabeel Park, but it’s a decent walk; you may prefer a taxi/Uber drop-off

Wander Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood

Not far from the Dubai Frame, you’ll find Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. This is the oldest part of Dubai city, a labyrinth of narrow laneways dating back to the 19th century. The area is protected so that the city’s heritage is not lost forever under the sprawling skyscrapers.

Most of the traditional sandy-coloured low-rise buildings are now galleries, museums, and small cafes. While the Dubai Museum and Al Faihisi Fort remain closed for significant renovations, why not try some of the city’s other museums in the area, such as the Coffee Museum or the Coin Museum?

The Sheikh Mohammed Centre For Cultural Understanding is another top recommendation we have for first-time visitors. Their program varies throughout the year but includes heritage tours, meals and interactive Q&A sessions with locals (9:00 am and 11:15 am daily)

Getting there: Al Fahidi Bus Station or Al Fahidi Metro station

Dine at Al Seef Waterfront

By now, you have most certainly worked up an appetite, so if you’ve not stopped for lunch or a coffee in XVA Cafe or Arabian Tea House situated within Al Faihidi Historical Neighbourhood, now would be time to head to one of many restaurants in this waterfront development. Seamlessly blending old with new, it’s directly across the street, next to the Al Faihidi Marine Transport Station.

Al Seef is set up like a traditional souk, so you can do your souvenir shopping here, too. Kids may enjoy popping into Museum of Illusions or have some fun with photos in the instagrammable laneways.

2. Half Day For Foodies and Shoppers

Next, let’s look at more opportunities to shop in the markets on your trip to Dubai. As the traditional markets are open-air, this could be a weather-dependent activity.

Explore Dubai Creek

You are well placed from Al Fahidi and Al Seef to continue your journey by water to cross to another older area of the city, Deira. There are quite a few ways to get around the city by water these days, but the traditional method of catching an abra across the Dubai Creek is still an absolute steal at 1 AED per person! Pop over to the marine station to see all the current routes and options, which are all inexpensive.

Explore the Traditional Deira Souks

Depending on the heat, you could spend several hours lost in the laneways of Deira, the most popular stops being the Gold Souk and the Spice Souk. These are traditional open-air souks in Dubai, so it can be heavy going and a bit of walking mid-afternoon in the hotter months.

If your trip is on a winter evening, we highly recommend you join a guided walking tour. Frying Pan Adventures is a renowned mob who’ll see you navigating the back streets of Deira like a pro, or try one of these evening walking tours:

3. Half Day in Modern Dubai

Now, when we say modern Dubai, we could be talking about a lot of the city! In this itinerary, we are specifically referring to exploring the Middle East’s largest mall, Dubai Mall, and the Downtown area of Dubai.

Downtown Dubai

Home to many of the city’s modern skyscrapers including Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building, look in awe at the modern wonders and how far the city of Dubai has come in the last 50 years.

If shopping’s not your thing not to fear, Dubai Mall is simply a stopping point to start exploring Downtown. There’s plenty of fun family attractions, sports and adrenaline activities to enjoy within the Mall (from the Olympic-sized ice rink to go-karting), or step out and explore around Burj Lake, even take in a show at Dubai Opera.

Souk Al Bahar

Just across a pedestrian bridge from Dubai Mall, you’ll find Souk Al Bahar. This modern market is made in the design of a traditional souk offering handicrafts through to fine dining and spectacular views over Burj Lake. Don’t expect to pay the same prices as at the old souks, but nonetheless, a fun Dubai experience at the heart of the action.

Another good spot for grabbing a bite, Souk Al Bahar has literally dozens of restaurants. Head upstairs for the Time Out Market, which provides a great variety of dining choices (and a bar) if you can’t decide!

You can find a good selection of places to grab a drink and bite around downtown Dubai here.

Dubai Fountains

This brings us nicely to one of Dubai’s most popular free things to do at night! Starting at 6:00 PM nightly, every half hour, watch the fabulously choreographed light and sound show on Burj Lake, sitting at the foot of Burj Khalifa. Later in the evening, the Burj Khalifa lights up for half-hourly shows.

For a close-up view of the Dubai Fountain show, you can take an abra ride on the lake. Alternatively, our favourite is to pick out one of the restaurants with uninterrupted views in either Dubai Mall or Souk Al Bahar and dine whilst getting to see the show a few times over without the crowds.

Burj Khalifa

There’s nothing quite like ticking off a bucket list item like scaling the heights of Burj Khalifa, the World’s tallest tower. There’s an observation deck on the 124th and 125th floors (extra packages even take you to the 148th floor!) or you dine at At.mosphere restaurant and lounge on Level 122.

We have a detailed guide here that sets out all your Burj Khalifa visiting options.

If there’s one part of your Dubai itinerary you simply must book in advance, it’s the Burj Khalifa. Tickets at the door are extortionately more expensive and can sell out. Do allow a good 2 hours for queuing and having a good look around. Note that sunset and sunrise slots (weekends) cost more and book faster.

Sky Views

For a new twist on seeing the city, why not try Sky Views? Situated in the Downtown area of the city, you’ll get some of the best urban views back to the Burj Khalifa. Depending on how brave you’re feeling, you could simply walk the glass floor or enjoy the glass slide from the 53rd floor.

Sky Edge Walk is another adrenaline-pumping add-on for your daredevils, which will see you strap on your safety gear and walk around the outside of the building, suspended nearly 220m above the ground!

Getting there: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station on the Red Line Metro, then there’s an air-conditioned travellator connecting you to the entire surrounding area of Downtown

4. Half Day in the Dubai Desert

If you’re not interested in high-rises and museums and want to catch the wonderful warm sun rays in the Middle East, this is the itinerary for you!

You can tackle this day in two ways—hitting the desert first or last thing in the day—but just avoid being out in the desert in the middle of the day no matter which way around you plan it, especially as you hit the summer months.

Dubai Desert Safari

Forget the concrete; it’s time to experience the real Dubai out in the desert! One of the best things to do in Dubai is to take a 4×4 tour beyond the city. Don’t worry about transport as all tour operators will pick you up from your city accommodation and drive you into the dunes on the city outskirts.

There are broadly two different types of desert safari: those focused on the desert habitat itself and those focused on dune bashing and sand sports for a higher adrenaline thrill. The evening camps tend to be more focused on the latter, ending in a BBQ dinner and shisha in a camp – we help you compare what to look for in a desert safari here.

There are only a limited number of operators who can work in the protected Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Our favourite provider is Platinum Heritage; a little more pricey than some but smaller groups and a more genuine desert experience, whether you choose early morning, evening or even an overnight safari.

Desert Glamping

This can actually tick two boxes for your short stopover in Dubai: not only will you get to experience the desert, but your accommodation will be taken care of, too! Every year, we see more and more operators venturing into this market to provide luxury accommodations in rustic settings.

Check out our complete guide to Desert Gamping in Dubai if you’d like to try this unique experience—which could even be paired with an early morning hike, safari ride, or hot air balloon ride.

Getting there: No need to worry about your 4×4 skills, tour operators will pick you up from your hotel or a convenient city location and drop you back

5. Half Day by The Water

Let’s be honest: with a 24-hour stopover through Dubai, your interest may be to simply flop and drop for half a day, at least. Even if you are not staying at a resort-style hotel, there are still plenty of places you can explore beachside and some free and paid options for enjoying Dubai’s beaches along the shores of the Arabian Gulf.

JBR, Bluewaters & Dubai Marina

Many first-timers to Dubai find the area of JBR and Dubai Marina a great place to start. Familiarise yourself with The Walk & The Beach precincts, then if you’d like to stretch your legs further, take a walk over to the ultra-modern Bluewaters Island to dine and marvel at the Dubai skyline along Jumeirah Beach.

You can easily spend a whole afternoon and evening in the JBR area between activities along the beach – think inflatable water parks, splash pads, jet ski and flyboarding, Flying Cup sky-high dining – and plentiful dining options read more on what to do around JBR here!

Getting there: JBR/Dubai Marina is the perfect place to stay in Dubai due to the large number of spacious hotel apartments and resorts with direct beachfront access—but it’s quite far from the airport if you’re only on a short stop. If you’re coming by Metro from Old Dubai or Downtown, you want to alight at DAMAC Properties or DMCC Metro Stations.

Hit The Water By Boat

If time allows, you may also want to head out into the stunning Gulf waters with a cruise. Plentiful operators can be found in Dubai Marina, from speed boat tours around Palm Jumeirah to jet ski adventures, or for a more sedate experience at a fraction of the cost, try the RTA Ferry!

Other Dubai Public Beaches

Dubai also has plenty of public beaches. Some are completely free, and others have a small Dubai municipality charge but great facilities. Local favourites include Al Mamzar Park (which has recently introduced the option of night swimming), and Kite Beach, which has slightly bigger waves than others.

You can also head to Sunset Beach for iconic views of the Burj Al Arab—naturally, around sunset for the best views!

Souk Madinat Jumeirah

A trip to Souk Madinat Jumeirah is the perfect place for a little retail therapy, amazing views, and unique water experiences. This modern souk (market) is built in traditional style, with indoor and outdoor (seasonal) stalls and shops offering tourist tat to genuine souvenirs and a superb range of eateries to choose from.

You can get some brilliant Burj Al Arab views here and even take an abra out on the waterways around the extravagant Jumeirah hotels (a bit more pricey than the AED 1 on Dubai Creek, but what an amazing backdrop!). Plentiful bars and restaurants cater to all tastes here, so it’s an ideal stop to plan a meal around.

Getting there: Souk Madinat Jumeirah is not on the Metro, but you can take a short taxi to the Mall of the Emirates or stop at Internet City and hop on Bus 88.

6. Half Day of thrills at Dubai Theme Parks

If you’re visiting Dubai with kids, there’s a very high chance the Dubai theme parks are going to be heavily weighted on their wishlists. Whilst it’s hard to fit these really into half a day, we’re still including this option on our Dubai one-day itinerary list as we know this might be the only thing on some agendas!

If you’re visiting in the beautiful shoulder seasons (approximately March to May and October to November), our top pick would be one of the mega water parks – choose from Atlantis Aquaventure or Wild Wadi at Jumeirah.

Over the coolest part of the year (December to February), Dubai Parks & Resorts is our top choice. Here, you can choose between four connected theme parks (ideally, you can fit in two of these in a day – three at a squeeze):

• Legoland Dubai
• Legoland Dubai Water Park
• Motiongate
• Real Madrid World

And if it’s the peak of summer, the top pick goes to IMG Worlds of Adventure—think Marvel characters to Cartoon Network-themed rides and activities. IMG is entirely indoors to beat the heat.

What Does Our 1-Day Dubai Itinerary Exclude?

With only one day, we have cut back on an awful lot from our classic 7-day Dubai itinerary to try to squeeze everything in.

Firstly, you will likely have to rule out any day tours or heading further than the outskirts of Dubai. Whilst all the other major cities of the UAE are within a 2-hour drive of Dubai, one day in Dubai is too tight to fit anything extra in (unless it’s a subsequent trip and you’re looking to build on previous Dubai experiences by checking out the other Emirates). We include a list of suggested day trips below if you’d still like to try!

Relaxing time – what we haven’t really built into this action-packed 1-day itinerary is downtime! If you’re coming to Dubai for the glorious sunshine rather than the sightseeing, you could quickly scrap the whole lot and spend your time in a beautiful beachside hotel recovering from your jet lag and enjoying the best of the Arabian Gulf; totally up to you (and I know we used to do it that way before we lived in Dubai) – but if you’re a first-timer, look what you’d be missing out on!

Alternative Activities for Your Dubai Itinerary

There were only so many suggestions we could squeeze into your one-day Dubai itinerary. We’ve included some suggestions below that you may want to mix and match with the itinerary suggestions we’ve made above.

More Important Tips For a Short Stopover in Dubai

Exactly how long will you have between flights? Whilst there’s a lot you could cram into your day, sleep between long flights is also probably important to you! You may also want to read our guides to:

• Are you eligible for Dubai Connect FREE hotel for unavoidable long layovers with Emirates? This could take care of your few hours of kip before exploring the city further
• Less than 24 hours, you may want to seek out layover-only suggestions for Dubai designed to fit into less than half a day
• Staying close to the airport helps with those early morning or very late at night flights- these are our pick of the best airport hotels