Holy Moly...Dubai.Was.Breathtaking! Honestly, I didn't know what to expect before visiting, but I was in awe when we arrived. The magnitude of development was overwhelming (in a good way). The stunning designs of the resorts, restaurants, and shopping literally had my jaw dropping. Seeing the interiors was definitely the highlight of the trip for me ( I mean, who doesn't love marble floors, onyx bar-tops, crystal chandeliers and stunning wallpaper everywhere?).

We explored Dubai for 5 days and it definitely was not enough time as there is so much more to see. Dubai is not cheap by any means, however, there is still plenty you can do without breaking the bank.

3 free things to do while in Dubai

1. The Mall of Dubai

You can literally spend hours (or days) in this mall. The architecture and interiors is enough to keep you in awe and entertained. It seems they have every store and restaurant imaginable for you to do a little "window shopping". The mall also features an ice skating rink, a haunted house, cinema and an aquarium where you can see exotic fish, stingrays, sharks and even mermaids.

2. JBR Public Beach

While there are luxury beach clubs you can pay to visit for the day, Dubai has great public beaches to enjoy as well, such as JBR Beach. You can take your own towel to sit on, or they have chairs for you to rent.

3. The Dubai Fountain

This musical show with the fountains is so fun to watch - especially at night with all the lights! It's located downtown at The Mall of Dubai in front of the Burj Khalifa …you know, just the tallest building in the world!

EXCURSIONS

Desert Safari Tour

There are so many options to choose from when it comes to excursions in Dubai. Our favorite was the Desert Safari Tour - this was sooo much fun! Sliding over sand dunes in our 4Runner was the highlight of our day for this one. After playing on the desert dunes, we arrived at a campground where a spread of local food, camels and live entertainment welcomed us! It was a great experience that I can highly recommend.

Palm Jumeirah Boat Tour

We took a boat tour around The Palm and saw INCREDIBLE sky scrapers and resorts. We even saw David Beckham's home - WOW!

Another must-do is the Burj Khalifa (if you're not afraid of heights!). You can visit the 124th + 148th floor and take in the breathtaking views across this desert oasis - it's pretty amazing to be that high up while looking out to the city. Fun fact: while the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world with 163 floors, it also has the 3rd fastest elevator in the world taking you from the ground to roof in just 1 minute and 22 seconds. Super cool.

The culture, food, entertainment, design and overall experience we had in Dubai was incredible. With the ongoing innovative development, Dubai will always have something new for you to see or experience, no matter how many times you visit.