In mid-July, I had the opportunity to fly across the world to the Middle East and visit Dubai. It was a fascinating experience. In the early 60’s, Dubai was a complete desert with no buildings in sight. Now, just over 50 years later, there are many skyscrapers and towers, making it a beautiful city.

The most famous and well-known building in Dubai is the Burj Khalifa. With its 163 floors, it happens to be the tallest building in the world at a staggering 2716.5 feet (or 828m). Visitors are able to go to the top and see the city from above. The sandy origins of Dubai are still visible from the top, but the added buildings make for a fantastic view. Underneath the skyscraper, there is a giant area of water that somewhat resembles a pool. This place contains what is known as the Dubai Fountain. Each day, from 6pm-11pm, the Dubai Fountain show takes place every 30 minutes. It is a spectacular event with its bright lights and unique water movements.

Right beside the Burj Khalifa is the Dubai Mall, which is the largest mall in the world. In fact, the only entrance to the Burj Khalifa is through the Dubai Mall, which is why construction for both places began around the same time. The way the mall was built from the inside and outside is outstanding. The architecture was unlike any other mall I had ever seen. There are over 1200 retail stores and 200+ food and beverage outlets, making the mall worth approximately $20 million. Unfortunately, this also causes the item prices to be far higher than just shopping at Amazon.

All in all, Dubai is a wonderful city and I would highly recommend visiting it. It is a very tourist-friendly place and has some magnificent locations for families to visit. I greatly enjoyed my 9-day stay and would hope for other travelers to do so as well.