12 Top Day Trips from Dubai

Dubai's combo of beaches and cosmopolitan buzz could keep you occupied for a week, but even serious city slickers need a break now and then.

The UAE is so compact, most of the major tourist attractions and popular things to do in the UAE are only a short trip away, so there is plenty of day-tripping potential when you want to explore farther than Dubai.

Everybody should make time to add a desert excursion into their trip to experience the landscape of rippling, orange dunes.

For visitors who want to dig into culture and history, the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Sharjah are two of the best places to visit in the country and should be high on the day tripping hit list.

Abu Dhabi city is home to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the world-class collection in the Abu Dhabi Louvre, while Sharjah's restored heritage district is home to a clutch of museums. Out in the emirate's inland desert, the hugely important Mleiha archaeological site mixes ancient history with desert activities amid the surrounding sand dunes.

Many day trip destinations are accessible using RTA, Dubai's public bus network, which offers several intercity routes. You'll need to purchase a Nol card (Dubai's pre-paid transport system card) before traveling.

Discover where to head on your day out from the city with our list of the top day trips from Dubai.

Experience the UAE's Rippling Dunes on a Desert Safari

Heading out into the desert for a day is a must-do for any traveler who wants to experience the UAE's epic sand dune landscapes.

Desert day trips come in all varieties. Some include (or offer as extra) things to do such as camel trekking, quad biking, and sand boarding. Others offer desert dinner packages in a traditional-style Bedouin tent, and some focus on spotting endemic wildlife such as sand gazelles amid the dunes.

The nearest dune areas to Dubai are the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (which only a few tour companies are allowed to enter) and the desert dune area around Mleiha.

The dunes of the Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter) near Liwa Oasis are too far away from Dubai to be used as a day trip.

Unless you're a seriously experienced desert driver, with your own 4x4 and the equipment and back-up to off-road in the desert, the only way to experience the UAE's vast expanse of desert is on an organized tour.

Explore the Sights of Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, about 132 kilometers from Dubai, is home to two of the UAE's major modern landmarks.

Come to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a triumph of contemporary architecture merged with traditional Arabic design and artistry. Decked out with lavish use of marble, gold, ceramic work, and crystals, the mosque's high ornamentation is a combination of Mamluk, Fatimid, and Ottoman stylistic design to symbolize all the ages of the Arabic empires.

The mosque incorporates 82 domes, the world's largest Persian carpet (created by 1,200 carpet weavers), and seven absolutely ginormous crystal chandeliers (the largest weighing 12 tons). The overall effect is one of staggering opulence and superb craftsmanship.

After the mosque, head to Saadiyat Island where, on the waterfront, the galleries of the Louvre Abu Dhabi sit under a glinting silver dome.

Opened in 2017, the Louvre's collection tells humanity's story through the art we've left behind, swooping through history from the first communities, through the rise and fall of empires, up to the present day.

Abu Dhabi is easy to visit by public transport on a day trip from Dubai. Both RTA's E100 and E101 bus services ply this route, leaving approximately every twenty minutes. The E100 leaves from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station, in Bur Dubai, and the E101 departs from Ibn Battuta Bus Station, south of Jumeirah.

Because the E100 leaves from the central city, travel time is generally a bit longer with the E100 taking around two hours to reach Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station (near Al Wahda Mall), and the journey on the E101 usually taking 90 minutes.

Read More: Top Attractions & Things to Do in Abu Dhabi

Zipline, Hike, or Climb Jebel Jais

Jebel Jais in Ras Al-Khaimah has become one of the UAE's top adventure activity destinations. The highest mountain in the country, Jebel Jais is around 130 kilometers northeast from Dubai.

A switchback road leads up to a beautifully landscaped observation terrace near the summit if you just want to visit to take in the scenery of craggy mountain peaks and boulder-strewn slopes. Most visitors these days, though, are here to take part in one of the mountain's many activities.

The Jebel Jais Flight is the world's longest zip line, with zip liners whizzing down over the mountain's jagged contours at speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour.

The mountain's Via Ferrata route around Jebel Jais's lower slopes offers organized climbing tours in the cooler months of the year.

For those who just want to pull on their hiking shoes and enjoy the mountain scenery on foot, a series of hiking trails have been mapped and marked on the mountain, and can be hiked independently.

RAKTA, Ras Al-Khaimah's public bus company, provides a direct service between Dubai's Union Metro Bus Station, in Deira, and Ras Al-Khaimah's Al-Hamra Bus Station. The service operates hourly from 7:30am to 10:30pm and takes two hours.

Read More: Top Attractions & Things to Do in Ras Al-Khaimah

Get Your Speed Thrills at Ferrari World

The Ferrari World theme park in Abu Dhabi city, about 112 kilometers from Dubai, offers much more than just looking at cars.

Touted as the world's largest indoor theme park, Ferrari World encompasses roller coaster rides; Formula 1 racecourses; audiovisual attraction rides which allow you to experience Italy's most famous highlights from the air and tour the Italian Ferrari factory; an entire children's section with rides suited for little ones; and a museum of Ferrari's cars (obviously).

It's a great day out for kids of all ages, with everything from a learn-to-drive experience for small children to riding the world's fastest roller coaster (going from 0 to 240 kilometers per hour) on the Formula Rosso ride, which gives you the real Formula One racer experience.

If you're traveling to Abu Dhabi specifically to visit Ferrari World, and have pre-purchased a ticket, you can use the Yas Express complimentary shuttle bus which offers transport to Ferrari World, and Yas Island's two other theme parks, from Deira City Center Mall and Sheraton Mall of the Emirates Hotel. The shuttle leaves daily at 11am and returns to Dubai at either 7:30pm or 8pm.

This restrictive timetable definitely won't suit everyone, so if you don't want to self-drive, the Dubai to Abu Dhabi public bus is the best option for independent travelers.

Location: Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

Sail along the Musandam Peninsula's Coast

Oman's Musandam Peninsula, about 194 kilometers from Dubai, is the perfect peaceful antidote to Dubai's bright lights and big city buzz.

This jagged region is incredibly scenic, with its tall, mountainous coast plunging steeply into the sea of the Arabian Gulf.

Due to its similarity in character to the fjords of Norway, it's often nicknamed the Arabian Fjords, but these mountains in actuality were carved by tectonic plate movement and not by glacier movement.

The best way to experience the scenery here is by a dhow cruise from the Omani town of Khasab. There is a strong possibility of seeing dolphins along the way, and many cruises make a stop at Telegraph Island, which was once used as a telegraph station by the British for their London to Karachi cable line.

The inlets in this area are particularly spectacular, and those interested in history can still see the ruins of the very lonely station where the telegraph operators used to live and work.

If you don't want to take a tour, you'll need to hire a car and self-drive. Make sure the hire car agency knows you're heading to the Musandam Peninsula, as you'll need to purchase car insurance for Oman. Omani visas can be purchased by many nationalities on the Khasab border, and - obviously - don't forget to bring your passport.

Discover Al-Ain's History

Nicknamed "The Garden City," Al Ain makes a great day trip from Dubai for families, with its mix of historic attractions and outdoor activities.

Right in the center of town, Al Jahili Fortress is one of the country's finest restored forts.

Nearby, you can cycle within the shady retreat of Al Ain Oasis before visiting Al Ain Palace Museum's collection of artifacts from the city's Hili Archaeological Site, which gave Al Ain its UNESCO World Heritage listing.

Out of the center, the drive up to the peak of Jebel Hafeet (the second-tallest mountain in the UAE) is top of most visitor's must-do activities.

For families, though, one of the main reasons to head to Al Ain is to visit the renowned Al Ain Zoo, where you can spy Arabian and African species roaming in carefully created natural-style habitats, and head out on the zoo's own safari tour experience.

RTA operates a direct bus service between Dubai's Al Ghubaiba Bus Station and Al Ain Bus Station approximately every twenty minutes, making public transport an easy, cheap, and convenient option to travel between the two cities. The journey time is just under two hours.

Read More: Top Attractions & Places to Visit in Al Ain

Explore the Heritage Attractions of Sharjah

One of the easiest day trips from Dubai, Sharjah sits just roughly 15 kilometers from downtown Dubai.

Head here if you want to delve into the UAE's history and culture, as Sharjah's heritage district on the waterfront is home to a bundle of museums.

The two major museums not to miss are the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilizations, one of the best museums in the country, and the Sharjah Art Museum, housing one of the world's best collections of contemporary Middle Eastern art.

The area around these two landmark museums is also home to a restored souk (bazaar) and is scattered with small museums dedicated to traditional culture, ethnography, and art that are well worth exploring.

Away from the heritage district, there's a lot for families here as well. The butterfly house on Al Noor Island and the Sharjah Rain Room are among the child-friendly attractions.

If you don't fancy driving this busy route, there are plenty of bus services between Dubai and Sharjah.

Buses leave around every twenty minutes from several different bus stations in Dubai, including Al-Ghubaiba Bus Station, Union Square Metro Bus Station, and Deira City Center Bus Station.

All buses arrive at Sharjah's Al-Jubeil Bus Station. Expect the journey to take approximately forty-five minutes.

Read More: Top Attractions & Places to Visit in Sharjah

Cool Off in Al Ain Adventure Park

Dubai's city heat can really wear you out. Al Ain Adventure Park offers water park fun with a difference and is only a 153-kilometer drive from Dubai.

This activity park offers kayaking, surfing, white water rafting, and wakeboarding all in man-made facilities.

There's also climbing, zip lines, obstacle courses, and swimming pools (for just chilling out after all the activities).

The white water rafting course stretches for more than one kilometer, while the surfing pool offers a safe environment for complete beginners to master surfing techniques.

This is a great family-friendly day out that's sure to please teenagers, as well as younger children.

If you're not driving, RTA's Dubai to Al Ain bus service is a convenient transport option for a day trip.

Address: Hazza Bin Sultan Street, Al-Ain

Kayak on Hatta Lake

The small town of Hatta sits surrounded by craggy, arid mountains, about 126 kilometers inland from Dubai near the border with Oman.

On the outskirts of town, the Hatta Dam is a popular day-tripping destination for anyone seeking a break from city life, with its kayaking and boating on the dam's lake amid jagged mountain slopes that roll right down to the water's edge. Both single and tandem kayaks are available to rent at the dam.

For more Hatta activities, the Hatta Mountain Bike Trail has 50 kilometers of marked trails in the surrounding area to explore, with bike hire at the trailhead (in the Wadi Adventure Hub just out of Hatta town), so you don't even need to lug a bike along from Dubai.

While in Hatta, pop into the Hatta Heritage Village for a taste of traditional Hajar Mountain life amid the fully restored ancient village, with its traditional dwellings and displays of local culture and crafts.

Hiring a car for a day trip to Hatta makes sense because your journey time will be shorter (around 90 minutes) allowing more time to explore Hatta.

RTA does run a bus service though. Bus E16 runs every two hours from Al-Sabkha Bus Station to Hatta Bus Station and takes just under three hours.

Experience Ancient History amid the Desert at Mleiha

Mleiha Archaeological Site is both one of the UAE's most significant historic sites and a major desert activity center. It sits in the Emirate of Sharjah, 75 kilometers east of Dubai.

Human history at Mleiha has been traced back to the Paleolithic era, when nomadic early humans first left Africa and crossed through the Arabian Peninsula on their journey into Asia.

The archaeological excavations here have discovered multiple layers of human habitation from the caves used by those early humans through evidence of a later Neolithic settlement, Bronze Age tombs, and palace and fort remains dated to around the 2nd or 3rd century.

If this incredible history isn't enough to draw you here, Mleiha offers horse riding desert tours; trekking on the mountain of Jebel Buhais, which overlooks the site; 4WD excursions across the surrounding orange sand dunes; and walking tours to the caves used by those early humans.

Whatever extra activities you tag onto your visit, make sure to take one of their guided archaeological tours, taking in all the major archaeological sites at Mleiha plus the on-site museum, which thoroughly explains the deep significance of this site in our understanding of human history.

Although there's no useful public transport route between Dubai and Mleiha, you can book private shuttle transport through the official Discover Mleiha website as an alternative to a taxi or self-driving.

Head into the Hajar Mountains

Ranging across the eastern UAE and into Oman, the Hajar Mountains make a great nature escape from Dubai and offer the Emirate's best road trip experience.

To explore this region you definitely need to hire a car if you don't want to take a tour.

The winding mountain passes offer stupendous panoramic views and plenty of opportunities to see gazelles, while bird watchers should keep their eyes peeled to spot Egyptian vultures.

There are several wadis (valleys) hidden within the mountains for hiking, rock scrambling, and climbing if you're looking for more activities than just a scenery-laden drive trip and the tiny villages of the region, sometimes topped with lonely fort watchtowers, are a world away from the bright lights of Dubai.

Head East to Fujairah

A day out in the Emirate of Fujairah, about 167 kilometers from Dubai, manages to combine both nature and history.

The mud-brick Al-Bidyah mosque is thought to be the oldest example of a mosque within the UAE, with a history that can be traced back to the 15th century (though it may be much older).

On the outskirts of the modern city of Fujairah is the small, golden-hued stone Fujairah Fort which was a vital communication and military post during the 16th century.

Around the fort area is Fujairah's Heritage Village where you can walk through a reconstructed typical village that highlights local Emirati rural life in earlier centuries, including exhibits and demonstrations on traditional farming techniques.

If you're looking for something less historic, the beaches to the north of the city are some of the prettiest in the UAE, lying along the Gulf of Oman, with excellent snorkeling and, for those who want to explore deeper, the best scuba diving in the Emirates.

RTA runs a direct bus service between Union Square Bus Station and Fujairah Bus Station every ninety minutes. The bus journey takes around two and a half hours, so for a day trip many people find it worthwhile to hire a car instead to save transport time.

Read More: Top Attractions & Things to Do in Fujairah