Day Trips from Dubai: Five Worth the Journey, from About AED 150

How to choose

Sharjah is about 40 minutes by bus from Dubai; Al Ain needs over two hours. Pick by how much day you want left for the destination, not the journey.

Sharjah: guided day tours from AED 150 (about 40 minutes by bus)

Sharjah’s Museum of Islamic Civilization sits a short walk from where the bus drops you, making this the simplest trip on this page. Its seven galleries cover Islamic science, art and coins in one afternoon.

See or book a Sharjah day tour →

1. Take RTA bus E306 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station toward Sharjah; buses run every 10 minutes, about 40 minutes there and about an hour back.
2. Get off at Al Jubail Bus Station and walk toward the Corniche and the Heritage Area.
3. Walk to the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, overlooking Khalid Lagoon.
4. Continue on foot to the Blue Souk or Al Qasba for the rest of the afternoon.

Hatta: guided day tours from AED 540 (Hatta Express bus)

Hatta is Dubai’s mountain exclave, with a turquoise dam, kayaking and hiking trails that feel nothing like the coast. Go early: summer highs above 40C make midday activity outdoors unwise.

See or book a Hatta day tour →

1. Take RTA bus H02, the Hatta Express, from Dubai Mall Bus Station: every 2 hours, 7:00 to 19:00.
2. From Hatta Bus Station, catch the H04 hop-on-hop-off bus, which circles Hatta Wadi Hub, Hatta Dam and the Heritage Village every 30 minutes.
3. Rent a kayak or pedal boat at Hatta Dam for the lake and mountain views.
4. Return on the Hatta Express; time your day around its 2-hourly departures back to Dubai Mall.

Ras Al Khaimah / Jebel Jais: guided day tours from AED 720 (about 1 hour 45 minutes by bus to the city)

Jebel Jais is the UAE’s tallest mountain and normally home to the world’s longest zipline. Its attractions are paused until the weather cools, with no reopening date — confirm it’s running before planning around it.

See or book a Jebel Jais day tour →

1. Take the Ras Al Khaimah intercity bus from Dubai Union Bus Station: direct departures at 5:30, 6:15 and 7:00, then hourly via Sharjah.
2. From Ras Al Khaimah’s Main Bus Station, take a taxi up to Jebel Jais; the bus doesn’t reach the mountain.
3. Check the current status of Jais Flight and the Jais Sky Tour before committing the day.
4. If the zipline is closed, the mountain road’s viewpoints are still open for the drive up.

Abu Dhabi: guided day tours from AED 180 (exactly 2 hours by bus)

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque sells no entry ticket: visitors pre-book an online access pass, and its guided tours are complimentary. The Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Corniche fill the rest of the day.

See or book an Abu Dhabi day tour →

1. Take RTA bus E102 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station toward Abu Dhabi: Sunday-Thursday, every 40 minutes, exactly 2 hours.
2. Take a taxi or rideshare from Abu Dhabi’s bus station to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, since it sits outside easy walking distance.
3. Join a complimentary 45-minute cultural tour at the mosque, in Arabic and English.
4. Continue to Louvre Abu Dhabi or the Corniche for the afternoon before the return bus.

Al Ain: guided day tours from AED 660 (about 2 to 2.5 hours by bus)

Al Ain Oasis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a shaded maze of about 147,000 date palms, free to walk. It’s the longest trip here, and the reward is quiet, not a skyline.

See or book an Al Ain day tour →

1. Take RTA bus E201 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Ain’s Central Bus Station: about 2 to 2.5 hours.
2. Take a short taxi from the bus station to Al Ain Oasis, not within walking distance.
3. Walk the shaded oasis paths and stop at the Eco-Centre for falaj irrigation history.
4. Rent an electric scooter or bicycle at the oasis, from AED 30, to cover more ground in the heat.

If you only do one

Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque costs nothing to enter, the direct bus needs no car, and the Louvre and Corniche fill the rest of the day.