Our family’s five days in
Old Dubai · Downtown · the desert
We arrive on Tuesday, 30 November 2027
2–3 December 2027
Across Dubai, including Expo City and Global Village
The UAE’s national holiday marks the start of the union of the emirates in 1971. In recent years it has been a two-day public holiday on 2 and 3 December. Dubai marks it with fireworks, shows and heritage events at venues such as Expo City and Global Village.
Every year on 2 December. Source ↗
Five days: old Dubai, the tallest tower, National Day and the desert.
Downtown Dubai
We start where the city started, in the lanes of Al Fahidi. Then a wooden abra boat across the creek, and the gold and spice souks on the other side. Mira’s job is to count the wind towers.
The best-preserved old quarter of Dubai, once known as Bastakiya, beside the creek in Bur Dubai. Its narrow lanes, courtyard houses and wind towers are good for exploring with children.
Abras are small wooden boats that carry passengers across the creek between Bur Dubai and Deira, a short ride the children will remember.
Covered lanes of gold jewellery shops stand beside narrow lanes of spices, dried fruit and frankincense, on the Deira side of the creek.
A guided visit to Jumeirah Mosque in the morning, then the Etihad Museum, which tells how the emirates came together in 1971. At dusk, the tallest building in the world.
One of the few mosques in Dubai open to non-Muslim visitors, in a medieval Fatimid style, on guided visits run by the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.
The museum of the UAE’s founding in 1971, built beside Union House, where the founding rulers met. It is the best place to understand what National Day is about.
The Burj Khalifa is 828 metres tall and is the tallest building in the world. At its foot, beside Burj Lake, the Dubai Fountain performs in the evenings.
A public holiday, with flags on every street. We go where the celebrations have been in recent years, Expo City by day and Global Village in the evening, and stay up for the fireworks if the children can.
The site of Expo 2020, now a district for visitors. Its centrepiece is Al Wasl Plaza, covered by a trellis dome, where live shows were held for National Day in 2025.
A seasonal park with pavilions from many countries, food stalls and shows. For National Day in 2025 it planned fireworks, drone shows and a dance show in the flag’s colours.
The Museum of the Future in the morning, with a timed ticket, then a late-afternoon trip into the desert to watch the sun go down.
An oval building with Arabic calligraphy cut into its façade, opened in February 2022. Inside, the exhibitions look at the future through technology, sustainability and design.
A protected stretch of desert outside the city, home to Arabian oryx. It can only be entered with a tour, and the evening light on the dunes is why we go.
A calm morning on the creek at Al Seef, then the beach at Umm Suqeim, with the Burj Al Arab in view, before the flight home.
A waterfront promenade on the creek, built in the style of the old town, with shops, cafés and boats. It is an easy walk from Al Fahidi, so it makes a calm last morning.
A public beach with a view of the Burj Al Arab, the hotel shaped like a sail. The sea is cool in December but fine for a paddle.
Every stop and our base.
What early December is usually like.
Dubai
Typical weather for these dates, not a forecast: the average of 2016–2025, with data from Open-Meteo.com (ERA5). The chance of rain is an estimate.
14 photos from 8 places on our route
National Day falls on 2 December every year and marks the start of the federal union of the emirates in 1971. It is now also called Eid Al Etihad.
On the route: Day 3, Expo CitySix of the seven emirates formed the union in 1971. Ras Al Khaimah joined on 10 February 1972.
On the route: Day 2, Etihad MuseumIn recent years 2 and 3 December have been public holidays. The government confirms the exact days each year.
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