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Do You Need a Visa to Go to Dubai?

No—with a US passport, you do not need a visa to go to Dubai (or Abu Dhabi), which is a part of The United Arab Emirates.

How to Travel to Dubai

We took Emirates airlines directly from NYC to Dubai. They had a 2 for 1 deal airfare which was great! Emirates airlines has deals often and they fly from several cities across America so I do suggest signing up on their website. They also offer free layovers in Dubai. We met several people who were taking advantage of traveling to other countries on Emirates but stopped in Dubai on the way.

You can also fly on Etihad Airways into Abu Dhabi and take a shuttle bus or taxi one hour to Dubai. Qatar Airways is another option. They make a stop in Doha before continuing on to Dubai. Of course you can use US based airlines as well.

The Best Times to Visit

Dubai is HOT! I know-Duh. During the “winter months”, which correlate to ours, the temperatures are cooler with highs in the 80s to lows in the 60s. This is from November to March. Based on these temperatures, this is tourist season in Dubai, so expect it to be more crowded and prices to be a bit higher if you plan your Dubai trip for this time period. However, in the summer months from June to August, temperatures average a high of 105!

The Best Places to Stay

There is no shortage of hotels in Dubai, especially luxury hotels. You can also check rental sites such as Airbnb. In terms of the best location, you should first think of Dubai as a long strip. I compare it to Las Vegas or Cancun if you have been to either. We kept driving back and forth, up and down the same main road.

The most central location, and hence the most crowded, is around the Dubai mall which is where Burj Khalifa is located. At the other end is the Dubai Marina with Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab close by. On the complete opposite end of this “strip” is the Dubai airport and Old Dubai with the souks. Along most of this strip is Jumeirah Beach filled with beach resorts, shops and restaurants. Based on your interests, you may prefer to stay closer to one of these landmarks.

Getting Around Dubai

Just like any major city and tourist area, there is a lot of traffic in Dubai. There is also rush hour traffic. You should be aware that the work week in Dubai is Sunday through Thursday. Their weekend days are Friday and Saturday. This affects the time it takes by car/taxi getting from one location to the next. Traffic is much lighter on the weekends.

Taxis

For the best prices use the regular taxi cabs and not the fancy Lexus taxis. Check to see if there is a meter in the taxi and you can also ask what the price will be from one location to the next. For example, we were unaware of an automatic surcharge leaving from the Metro station on Palm Jumeirah to the Dubai Mall.

Metro

Dubai has a very clean and easy to use Metro system. During the week and rush hour this may be your best bet based on the traffic. However, the day we used it we found it be crowded (no seats available), we had to change trains and wait for long stretches since it was a weekend day and the distance to the metro in the Dubai mall was a long walk! It took us over an hour to get to our location using the Metro so give yourself plenty of time if you have to change trains. During the week the trains run more often.

Hop On/Hop Off Buses

This is another way to see Dubai and there are two systems available. Both are located at the Dubai mall for pickup and have different routes that take you to all the main areas. Unfortunately, due to Thursday rush hour traffic we were not able to see as much as we would like on our bus. Therefore, if you decide to do this, start early in the morning, do it on a weekend or purchase a multi-day pass.

How Much is a Trip to Dubai?

Money, Money, Money! Although I am sure there is a budget friendly way to do Dubai, I found it to be costly or at least comparable to the US. Their currency is called “dirham” or AED for Arab Emirate Dirham. You may see it abbreviated ads Dhs or DH. The dollar bill denominations conveniently have Arabic on one side and English on the other side. There are coins as well.

The current conversion is 1 Dirham equals 0.27 USD. But again, once I did the conversions for taxis, food, tours and our hotel, it was equivalent or more to what I would pay in the US. Keep in mind I am a luxury blogger so my activities included high tea at Burj Al Arab, a stay at a luxury hotel on the Dubai Marina and I did some private tours.

You can exchange money on arrival at the airport but we noticed a slightly better exchange rate at the malls. And there are plenty of malls. In terms of American credit cards, most places only take Mastercard or Visa. Our hotel and the Nike store in the Dubai Mall accepted American Express but that was it-based on our experience.

Do They Speak English in Dubai?

We found that most people were fluent in English and the street signs, menus, basically all the signage was in both Arabic and English. This made it very easy to navigate.

Food & Alcohol

The food is fresh and it is delicious! Dubai is known for multicultural cuisine and pretty much anything you are want to eat you will find here. I was excited to try authentic Middle Eastern dishes. There is a heavy Asian, including Indian, influence to the food in Dubai which I noticed while having brunch at Saffron at the Atlantis resort.

Since this is a Muslim region, do not expect to find pork in the restaurants. However, there is plenty of seafood, lamb, beef and chicken. Popular dishes include shawarma (sliced meat like a kebab), hummus, curried dishes, basmati rice and marinated whole fish (I ate a whole sea bass vs a filet while in Dubai). Dates are also very popular. They come in many varieties and you will find date markets and fancy date shops in the malls. Try some with Arabic coffee.

INTERESTING PLACES TO VISIT IN DUBAI

The Top of Burj Khalifa

Although crowded, it was well run operation. However, I was not impressed with the views from the top. Granted, it was a bit hazy that day but most of what we saw were the skyscrapers close by and the desert. If you have been to top of other buildings such as the Empire State Building or the John Hancock Building, I think you will be disappointed.

Friday Buffet Brunch at Saffron in the Atlantis Resort

Atlantis, The Palm

The Dubai Fountains

A Day Trip to Abu Dhabi

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