Oh My DUBAI

THE WEEKEND TRAVELER

When you have 48 hours in Dubai, Curated-Chicago has all you need to know. Founder Beth Rosen stopped over in the famed desert metropolis and shares her top eight sites that you can pack into two days.

GETTING THERE Our Fight was direct from Chicago to Abu Dhabi and took more than 13 hours. I made the most of this (very) long Fight by planning out an “anchor” activity for each day of our trip. This helped to organize our time in a way where we could see key attractions each day, while also having time that was unstructured to just walk around the city or try some of the local cuisine.

MAXIMIZING YOUR
SIGHT-SEEING OPPORTUNITIES
An easy way to get from Abu Dhabi to Dubai is by driving or taking a car service. It is only about 65 miles, or an hour drive, between the two destinations. We were able to maximize our sightseeing by staying in Abu Dhabi once we arrived and then taking a quick drive to Dubai for our second leg of the trip.

ATTRACTIONS OF ABU DHABI There were two
main attractions that I wanted to see in Abu Dhabi.
The first was the Louvre Abu Dhabi. It is the largest art museum
in the Arabian Peninsula and showcases prominent artwork from around the world. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is relatively new. It opened in 2017 and drew one million people the year it debuted! The second attraction I visited in Abu Dhabi was the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It is the largest mosque in the country and stunning to see in-person.

DIVING INTO DUBAI One of the most famous sightseeing attractions in Dubai is the Burj Khalifa. Not only did I get to see the world’s tallest building, but I got to stay in it at the Armani Hotel Dubai! Whether you’re staying or just visiting, the Burj Khalifa is a landmark of the city that offers a spectacular and staggering 360- degree view if you dare to journey up 124 foors to the observation deck (a must-do). Back at ground level, there are beautifully designed gardens and the world’s tallest performing fountain (based o the famous Fountains of the Bellagio in Las Vegas).

DUBAI MALL

The Dubai Mall is one of the world’s largest shopping malls

and has an entrance into the Burj Khalifa. You literally can spend days in the Burj Khalifa eating, shopping,

and exploring. The Dubai Mall was an experience in itself and includes an ice-skating rink, arcade zone, and even

a cinema complex. There is endless entertainment and almost always

special events, like live music and fashion shows, within the mall.

MALL OF THE EMIRATES One of the most famous malls in the city is the Mall of the Emirates, and it’s not hard to know why! The mall includes Ski Dubai, which is an indoorski slope complete with many of the features you’d nd atan actual mountain slope—from chairlifts to a penguin enclosure and even the brisk temperature.

EATS OF DUBAI There are plenty of restaurants to choose from in Dubai, and one of my favorite dining experiences
was located Four Season Resort. The Nurs-Et Steakhouse
is not only a hot spot for its menu but also because of the man behind it—the one and only Salt Bae. My kids got a good laugh when we told them we were eating at Salt Bae’s restaurant, who if you’re not familiar, went viral with a video of sprinkling some salt on meat cuts. Salt Bae was the meme of 2017 and a hilarious addition to our trip. Was great to meet Mr. Salt Bae h