TOP: J.CREW OLD SAFARI SHIRT I GOT ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO, I KNEW IT WAS PERFECT FOR A SAFARI AND I KNEW ONE DAY I WILL DO ONE, VERY SIMILAR FROM ASOS (GET 10% OFF WITH CODE NEWHERE), ALSO HERE IS A LONG SLEEVE VERSION FROM BODEN. | PANTS: OLD THAT I CAN’T EVEN SEE THE BRAND BUT HESE ONES FROM FAVORITE DAUGHTER ARE PRETTY CLOSE AND I’VE LINKED OTHERS BELOW | JACKET: NOT FOR DUBAI BUT FOR ANOTHER SAFARI THIS IS A PRETTY CUTE BUTTON DOWN THAT CAN BE USED AS A LIGHT JACKET FOR A SAFARI FROM TUCKERNUCK | HAT: JENNI KAYNE SAFARI HAT | EARRINGS: FRONT ROW SPIRAL EARRINGS GOLD | SHOES: NEW BALANCE.
Summer Getaway: With so many destinations to choose from for your next trip and spring in full swing (yes, technically it’s still spring even though it feels like summer in many parts of the world, specially where we are in the near future, UAE, Madrid, D.C., Palm Beach), we are in full summer getaway planning mode. We just did a fun trip to the UAE. Before we get to talk about all the fun activities you can do in Dubai, let’s chat about where to stay in Dubai and what works best for what you want to do, what you want to see during your time in Dubai.
Where to Stay in Dubai: Dubai is a modern city with breathtaking architecture, sky high buildings, luxury shopping and a famous nightlife. But it’s also a city where you can relax by the pool and beach to have a leisurely weekend after a long work week. I would recommend DIFC or downtown Dubai if you want to be walking distance to the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and many restaurants. The Dubai Marina is very walkable as well. Jumeirah and Palm Jumeirah are good options for beach time. I’ve only been to Dubai for work so close commuters to the DMCC is key for me as traffic can be quite busy here.
Plan Your Stay: Once you’ve planned where to stay, time for the fun to begin. Let’s get right on to what to do in Dubai. Your guide can vary depending on who you’re traveling with, how much time you have and what strikes your fancy more, seeing it all once and next time you can hit non touristy spots and travel to farther away places from Dubai or immerse and just be while visiting. Our main goal for this trip was to relax after work and seeing different things than we normally do in this destination. So here are Five Things to Do in Dubai that we really enjoyed.
1. Participate in a Cultural Activity
And Just Like That, we were walking through endless sun-drenched velvet sand dunes and desert rose for a wonderful desert safari experience. Make sure you book a private tour that picks you up and drops you off at your hotel for easiness and comfort. The highlight of the desert safari was the velvet dune bashing. Driving through the dessert at various speeds was on point!
You can also experience camel riding, buggies, dinners, overnight stays, evening shows and so forth. You can do a group tour or a private one and there are tons of companies that do it. I would recommend talking to your hotel concierge to get a better private deal. For a practical safari, neutral, lightweight and breathable fabrics are always recommended. Think earth tones, cotton, linens, closed-toe shoes, a sunhat, sunglasses, and sunblock are a must.
2. Relaxing by the Beach
Palm Jumeirah: Where you can enjoy beach time at West Palm Beach Jumeirah and have fun in the sun at the many beach clubs right at your front step. If possible, check that your hotel has private beach access so you can get a beach bed anytime you want without paying for it. It’s a huge win and there are many hotels to choose from, the Radisson Blue is an affordable option. Not to worry if you missed this tip, here’s another one to make things better.
If you go to the West Palm Beach in Palm Jumeirah, you can get a beach bed at most of the beach clubs Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. and o my pay what you consume, drinks and/or meals. There’s no minimum consumption and they won’t bother you constantly to order so you. A relax and place orders at your own pace. On the weekends, the beds range from 200 to 350 AED per person. We have been to Koko Bay and to February 30. If you are looking for nightlife, these beach clubs have fire shows and cool DJs in the evenings.
3. Experience the Other Jumeirah
Jumeirah has many famous beach clubs such as Gigi, Gitano, etc. where you can go for brunch, lunch and anything in between, rent a dinner at the pool or beach and have a relaxing weekend. If you do go on the weekends, make sure you check the at you can use it all for food/drinks. Some beach clubs in Jumeirah, which is different place than Palm Jumeirah, will only allow you to use 50% on food/drinks. Wine is about USD$15 and a coconut can be USD$20 but it’s a beach club so don’t expect deals!
4. Take in the City’s Architecture, Art & Bustling Scenes
DIFC: Go to the DIFC, visit art galleries, try Zuma, Amazonico, etc. Next, head to the Dubai Marina and visit huge outside mall and all of the American chains if you’re feeling homesick. You can do these two in an evening stroll. It’s interesting to see where locals and foreigners go as an everyday activity. You can see the Burj Khalifa from the Dubai Mall. You can go up if you’d like. It’s quite the show and in the evening it’s a light show that attracts everyone.
Where to Eat: We had Lebanese, Turkish, Mediterranean meals. For nicer meals, DIFC has plenty of options as I mentioned earlier such as Zuma, Amazonico, Sucre, Mina Brasserie, etc. Dubai Marina has local spots as well as American chains, Eataly. If you want some St. Tropez vibes head to Gigi.
Where to Go for Cocktails: We love afternoon or evening cocktails at a beach, easy to just takein the view. Many have long happy hours 6:00 p.m through 11:00 p.m. I hope this is helpful as you plan your trip to Dubai this year or just pinned it for later.
5. Experience Abu Dhabi
If it’s your first time in Dubai, I recommend heading to Abu Dhabi for the day. We went to the Grand Mosque, Presidential Palace, Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, and Corniche Beach, you can find details about what we did, where we stayed and the experiences we had here. For those of you lovelies asking, I did not go to the spice market that Carrie Bradshaw went to on the Sex and City movie because even though the movie was set in Abu Dhabi, it was mostly filmed in Marrakech but not to worry, I will go to it when I visit Morocco.
To let summer adventures planning live on, you can check out my recent posts on What to Wear to Mykonos, What to Wear in the South of France, What to Wear to Lake Como, What to Do and all my favorites in Islamorada and the Florida Keys.
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