Sheikh Zayed Road
Stretching from Trade Centre all the way to Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Road is home to lots of hotels and restaurants – there’s also a strong chance you will be travelling along it at some point during your stay in Dubai! Saliktoll gates charge a small fee for using the road. The Dubai Metro travels the length of SZR.
JBR
Jumeriah Beach Residence is the area known for its 40 towers. It sits in front of Dubai Marina and has many restaurants along the JBR Walk as well as a brand new shopping destination called The Beach. It also has a beach – hence the name!
Dubai Marina
Shiny buildings and boats are the names of the game here! This relatively new area of Dubai is built up around a man-made marina. The Marina Mall and countless hotels and restaurants along the Marina Walk make a great destination in the evenings and weekends.
JLT
At the back of Dubai Marina is Jumeriah Lakes Towers. These glassy buildings have been built around a lake and park. JLT has easy access to the Dubai Metro with two stops servicing the area. The beach is walkable in the cooler months too.
Old Dubai
Based around the Creek, Old Dubai is also where you will find the souks (textile, gold and spice), The Heritage Village is well worth a trip and is very reasonable too. Take an abra for only 2 Dirhams (30p!!) across the Creek between the textile and spice souks.
Downtown Dubai
Home to the ‘Old Town’ (which is far from old!) and the Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai is an up and coming area of Dubai. Not forgetting the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountains, this area is forever changing. It will be the future home of the Dubai Opera House.
Emirates Living
Made up of The Springs, The Views, The Lakes and The Greens – this residential area of Dubai is great for families with some gated communities. Each area has easy access to shops and cafes, similar to village centres in the UK.
Palm Jumeirah
The world-famous Jumeirah Palm – possibly one of the most iconic images of Dubai. Along with the residential apartments and villas, the Atlantis Hotel and Aquaventure Waterpark can be found on the Palm.
