Hello from Dubai

I am writing to you today from the desert oasis city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). I am here to attend Virtuoso Symposium, which is our travel company’s consortium to access all the luxury travel suppliers around the world. Here are my twelve observations about traveling to Dubai.

1. I’m visiting the tallest building in the world – I love skyscrapers and this will be my fourth time visiting Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Wow! This amazing skyscraper will take your breath away inside and outside of the building. The Burj Khalifa rises over a half a mile into the sky and is one of the top tourist attractions in the world. CLICK HERE to see more. CLICK HERE for more.

2. Three letters describe the weather in Dubai in May, HOT! – Wow it is hot. 90 to 100 degrees everyday and it only cools down into the high 80’s at night. The best months to be here are November to March. You really want to stay away from this place in June, July and August where the weather hits 120 degrees. Dubai is a great winter getaway, but I say stay away in the summer. CLICK HERE for more. 

3. Dream big Dreams in Dubai – Just imagine that during my lifetime this city has grown from a sleepy little fishing town into a giant cosmopolitan city. People who come here can dream big dreams. Nothing is too big or too bold here.  In this city I can dream big dreams. Dubai allows me to not look at how things are but rather what they should be in the future. In Dubai there is a respect for its history but the passion of Dubai is the future. CLICK HERE for more.

4. Museum of the Future is worth a visit –  While most museums focus on the past this one focuses on the future. Two years ago I had the chance to visit this museum. I want to go back soon. CLICK HERE to take a sneak peek. CLICK HERE for more.

5. It’s not oil that made Dubai explode – Most people think that oil made Dubai see explosive growth. Actually zero taxes made Dubai a magnet for money and capital to flow here.  People all around the world invest in Dubai as they get a higher return on investment when taxes are low or zero. CLICK HERE to see a short video on the history of Dubai. CLICK HERE for more.

6. The state bird of Dubai is the crane- Not the bird but the construction crane. While cranes still dot the horizon there are definitely not as many construction cranes here than when I visited 5 years ago. Five years ago I was told there were more construction cranes in Dubai than in all the U.S. CLICK HERE for more.

7. There are more 5 star hotels here with amazingly low prices –  Image staying at a 5 star hotel and pay only $250 a night. I estimate there are over 70 5 star hotels here and you can snag them for the price of a  Hampton Inn back in the states. My meeting this week is at the Atlantis – The Royal – Dubai. Wow, Wow, Wow. You can not believe how amazing this hotel is. It is so over the top you must see it to believe it. CLICK HERE.  And if you think this hotel is amazing, I am staying at the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab Hotel. They say this is a six star. Take a look at this as I think this is the best hotel in the world. CLICK HERE.  CLICK HERE for more.     

8. Off-road sand dune bashing is my favorite – It beats all the rides at Disneyworld. After a few hours of riding the dunes you will enjoy an amazing dinner in the desert. CLICK HERE to see the fun. CLICK HERE for more.

9. The worlds biggest aquarium is in Dubai – You will be amazed at the sheer size and the amount of fish inside the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. CLICK HERE to see more.  CLICK HERE for more.

10. Dubai is a very safe city to travel to – The UAE is one of our (USA) biggest friends in the Middle East. There is zero crime plus the people are as friendly as they come. Everyone speaks English and all signs, menus and maps include English so not only is it safe it is easy to roam around. I feel completely safe walking the streets at night here ( probably not what you could say when traveling to parts of Chicago, Detroit and even Omaha right now).  CLICK HERE for more.

11. The largest billboards in the world are in Dubai. – Last night I saw a billboard that was a 1/4 mile long and 8 stories high. They are amazing. And if you think you have seen it all Dubi now has 3D billboards. CLICK HERE.  CLICK HERE for more.

12. You can ski on snow even when it is 120 degrees outside in Dubai – One building is so big you can ski on snow inside the building. They have a ski lift and everything.  Wow! CLICK HERE.  CLICK HERE for more.

P.S. I got lucky!!! – After hours and hours of searching I was able to bag a first class seat using my frequent flier miles on Emirates Airlines to fly non-stop returning from Dubai to Chicago. It took 163,500 Skyward miles for the one way first class ticket. If I had to buy the one way ticket it would cost between $8,300 and $15,076. Now you know why I say I got lucky. CLICK HERE to see Emirates First Class. CLICK HERE for more.

Dubai is a must see city you should add to your bucket list!

Check out our Weekly Travel Alert Podcast – In this week’s episode of the podcast we break down the top 10 searched international destinations during the summer months. Tune in to see who took the top spot and who slid down the list this year. The Weekly Travel Alert Video Podcast is available on YouTube plus all your favorite podcast stations, Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Podcast.  Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date with everything travel.