Forget the beach. The only stretch of sand that really counts in this incredible city is the fabled Arabian Desert which lies right on Dubai’s doorstep. With constantly shifting dunes, it’s a vast Indiana Jones-style adventure playground brimming with thrills, spills, rare and exotic wildlife and some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery. Arabian Adventures, the leading tour operator in the Gulf, offers an array of half-day and full-day safaris, including desert driving courses in 4WD jeeps, sandboarding (it’s just like snowboarding but on powder-fine sand), camel rides and dinner under the stars at a traditional Bedouin camp. One of our editors, Andrew, reports from a recent trip: "The 4WD safari is not for the faint-hearted. As your jeep races up and down the dunes, you get thrown all over the place, but it’s huge fun. The locals call it "dune bashing" and you quickly find out why! Sandboarding is also great for kids and teens. The camel ride and dinner under the stars is a bit touristy, but the setting is sublime." The tours include various elements or you can book a custom-made safari, ideal for families or a group of friends.

Tours from $87.

One of Dubai’s expert falconers, Peter Bergh, leads you on an unforgettable excursion to the desert to watch some of the world’s most magnificent hunting birds strut their stuff. Falconry has been the sport of kings in the Middle East for centuries, and Peter has a collection of highly trained falcons, eagles and owls that put on a dazzling display of precision flying and aerial acrobatics. Excuse the pun, but Peter knows these birds like the back of his hand—Mojo, Ollie, Altai, Titus and Gyrm—which soar, swoop and snatch lures in a series of split-second maneuvers that replicate hunting for prey. Guests can help train and feed the falcons and try their hand at swinging the lures, and also take home their own falconry glove and hood as a souvenir of the day. Peter and his Shaheen Xtreme team also supply a very good commentary on the desert’s fragile eco-system and elusive wildlife. This is an excellent safari for the whole family.

Safaris from $110.

While Dubai doesn’t have any natural coral reefs to speak of, the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf are a graveyard of shipwrecks, making it an outstanding setting for scuba-diving. The Pavilion Dive Centre at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel is one of the best in the Middle East—a PADI 5 Star Gold Palm and National Geographic Dive Center. There are highly qualified instructors, training courses for beginner to advanced level and a range of dive excursions off Dubai and further afield. Courses are held in the center’s pool and artificial reef; dive trips depart daily from the hotel’s marina. Each trip usually includes two dives on a choice of nine different wrecks, most located no more than 30 minutes off Dubai’s coast. The wrecks vary from passenger liners to oil tankers, and from barges to drill rig tenders dating back to the early 1960s. Thanks to the Gulf’s calm waters and its flat sand bed, visibility can range up to 20 meters. The dive center also offers excursions to The Mighty Musandam, a challenging but spectacular reef off the coast of Oman, but only for experienced divers who have at least 30 dives under their belt.

Experiences from $68.

If you’re after something more leisurely and relaxing, one of Dubai’s leading luxury boat charter companies, Art Marine, has a fleet of stylish and comfortable motor cruisers which you can take out by yourself or with a skipper and crew. The boats range from a sleek Azimut 43, with room for eight guests, to the 100-foot Azimut Jumbo, which can accommodate 24 people for day charters or eight overnight guests in four beautifully appointed cabins for longer trips. The boats are berthed at the marina of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and set off on excursions ranging from three-hour sunset, Dubai Creek and romantic dinner cruises to day-long deep sea fishing trips and overnight stays. On longer trips, you can visit the beautiful reefs and fjords of Oman on the Arabian Peninsula. Custom-made cruises are also available. I love the three-hour Women’s Wellness cruise, which comes with spa and beauty treatments by a professional therapist as you cruise around the lagoon of Dubai’s amazing Jumeirah Palm complex. My kind of cruising!

Charter boats from $205/hour.

While the girls are sunning themselves (and looking like a million dollars, I might add), the boys can head for the Dubai Autodrome, the venue for the Dubai Grand Prix and a Mecca for rev-heads seeking the kind of rush only a turbo-charged Formula 1 racetrack can provide. The three-mile course is one of the world’s most challenging, with a series of high-speed straights and hair-raising corners to test the mettle of the most experienced drivers, but you can jump behind the wheel of a Formula 1 single-seat race car, top-of-the-line Audi or Subaru and try it out for yourself. Each Autodrome experience includes a 20-minute safety and driving briefing by a qualified instructor, one instructor-driven demonstration lap, and 20 minutes (about 10-15 laps) for you to unleash your inner speed demon. There are certain license, height and weight restrictions, but the course is open to drivers of all standards. For younger (or young at heart) motor enthusiasts, the Autodrome also has a fun Kartdrome, where the whole family can race around in state-of-the-art karts with tunnels and bridges adding to the excitement (minimum age is seven years).

$27 for 15 minute driving session.

The golf capital of the United Arab Emirates, with no fewer than seven major courses to choose from, Dubai puts the "o" in Gulf like no other city in the region. Our pick is the Emirates Golf Club, dubbed "The Desert Miracle" when it launched in 1988 as the first all-grass championship golf course in the Gulf. There are two challenging 18-hole courses—Majilis and Wadi by Faldo—as well as a 9-hole par 3 course, and the acclaimed Emirates Golf Academy staffed by a team of top-notch pros and instructors. Majilis is the flagship course, a par 72, 7,301-yard beauty with winding fairways and seven beautiful lakes; Wadi was added in 1996, then redesigned in 2005 by champion Nick Faldo who created a demanding par 73, 7,348-yard course, with a natural "wadi" or valley running the length of it and dramatic views of the city skyline. A highlight of the club, which has a private membership but also welcomes visitors, is its striking Bedouin tent-style clubhouse featuring a pool, four restaurants and bars, tennis and squash courts and a golf shop. Tiger Woods and a host of other top players tee off here in the Dubai Desert Classic every January. Expect nothing but the best.

Green Fees from $97.

Skiing in Dubai? You’ve got to hand it to those clever Emiratis. They live on the edge of a desert, don’t have any mountains, but still want to ski, so what do they do? They build a vast indoor ski resort (yes, a resort) with almost everything that a real alpine ski village has: groomed slopes, chair lifts, professional instructors and a ski school, a ski and gear rental shop, two cafes serving traditional alpine meals and drinks, and a blanket of man-made snow that’s just like the real thing but lasts all year round. Located on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai’s central artery, Ski Dubai is 25 stories high, the size of three football fields and has five runs for skiers of all skill levels. The longest slope is more than 400 yards with a drop of 200 feet, and Ski Dubai is the world’s only indoor ski center with a super-difficult black run. Go to ski, snowboard, toboggan or just have fun playing in the snow. The rental shop has all the gear you need, and the St. Moritz and Avalanche cafés will have you thinking you’re in Switzerland. Minimum age on the slopes is three years, otherwise a top family day out.

Adult day pass $80.

Dubai’s family-friendly theme continues over at Wild Wadi, the biggest and arguably best water park in the Middle East and one that rivals any in the world. Set over 12 acres, and situated between the iconic Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel in the heart of Dubai’s main tourist area, Wild Wadi has 30 rides and other attractions that make for the perfect fun-in-the-sun day out. The neat thing about this fabulous water park is that 14 of the major rides interconnect, thus creating one adrenaline-charged rush after the other without having to get out of the water. Plummet 50 miles an hour down the heart-racing Jumeirah Sceirah, also known as the Tunnel of Doom and the tallest and fastest water slide outside the United States; race through Rushdown Ravine, slide along Summit Surge, or surf in tube wave created by the cool Wipeout Flowrider. Join the kids in the fun, or just sit back and soak up some sun.

General admission $53.

Good horsemanship lies at the heart of Middle Eastern tradition and culture, so it’s no surprise to find a top-flight equestrian center in Dubai. Located about 10 miles from the International Airport, in the less developed Nad Al Shiba area of the city, the Emirates Equestrian Center has helped kick-start the riding careers of many Emiratis and expats. Established in 1983, the center is certified by the British Horse Society and has a team of instructors qualified to teach riders of any level. The 80-acre center stables around 200 horses, has a dozen arenas, a cross-country course with 21 fences and various trail rides. The season runs from September to June with a program of scheduled and tailor-made courses, clinics and lessons as well as a busy calendar of tournaments and events.

$40 for one-hour group lesson.