Essential Dubai Bucket List Activities For First-Timers

Since I moved to Dubai in 2022, I’ve received endless questions about how to craft the perfect Dubai itinerary. This is tough since everyone should tailor their trip to their wants and needs. But I will say that whenever I find myself giving anyone advice on the best things to do in Dubai, I always end up giving the recommendations, tips and tricks you’ll find below.

What you’ll find in this guide is a list of the can’t-miss things to see and do in Dubai for first-timers. I also included my tips for specific tours and tour companies that I recommend and some sightseeing tricks that only expats know about.

From taking a carefully curated food tour of Old Dubai to finding the best view in Dubai (nope, it’s not from the top of the Burj Khalifa!) to going on a sustainable desert safari, you’re going to have a blast ticking off all of these Dubai bucket list activities!

Essential Dubai Bucket List Activities for First-Timers
Get High On the Ain Dubai

When it comes to essential Dubai bucket list activities, taking a spin on the Ain Dubai is an absolute must. After years of renovation, the Ain Dubai finally reopened in December 2024 and it’s easily one of the coolest things to do in Dubai.

Towering at a height of 250 meters (820 feet), the Ain Dubai is the largest observation wheel in the world. It takes a whopping 38 minutes just to make one revolution, and during your journey, you’ll get incredible views of the Dubai Marina skyline, the Palm Jumeirah, and the Arabian Gulf.

General tickets go for AED 145 (adults 12+) and AED 115 (kids 3+) and give you access to a shared cabin with glass walls, perfect for taking endless photos. There are plenty of VIP options, including drinks packages, if you’re in town for a special celebration. Just visit the website to peruse your options.

If there’s one thing I recommend doing during your visit to Dubai, the Ain Dubai is it!

Take a Frying Pan Adventures Food Tour
If you ask me, taking a food tour is always a great introduction to a new city. And this is especially true for Dubai because the food here is diverse, delicious and totally underrated.

I personally recommend doing a tour with Frying Pan Adventures. This company was created by two local sisters and I absolutely love their dedication to promoting and preserving food culture and history here in Dubai. They put so much love and research into all of their tours, which is what makes this independent company stand out from the rest.

They offer a few different food tours but if this is your first time in Dubai, I highly recommend their Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk. The cost is AED 435 per person and the tour will take you through the souks of Old Dubai, where you’ll learn all about Dubai’s culture and history while sampling local foods – from freshly baked flatbreads to sweet Iranian desserts.

This carefully curated food tour not only takes you off the beaten path but you’ll get the rare chance to delve beneath the city’s surface and get a better understanding of Dubai’s fascinating culture, history and cuisine.

Get 360° Views of Palm Jumeirah

It seems like going to the top of the Burj Khalifa is at the top of every traveler’s Dubai bucket list. And while I do highly recommend doing this (get the Sky Level Tickets to skip the line – you’ll thank me later!), I also recommend looking into taking in the view of the iconic Palm Jumeirah too!

To be honest, if I personally had to choose one viewpoint to pay for in Dubai, it would be the observation deck of The View at The Palm.

You can opt for General Admission Tickets or Fast Track + Next Level Tickets. The General Admission Tickets cost AED 100 for non-prime hours and AED 158 for prime hours and give you access to the 52nd floor of Palm Tower.

If you don’t mind spending a bit more, I do recommend upgrading to the Fast Track + Next Level Tickets (AED 175 for non-prime hours and AED 275 for prime hours), which allow you to skip the lengthy line and give you VIP access to the 54th floor. Not only does the observation deck on the 54th floor get far fewer visitors but there’s no glass wall, making the photo ops way better.