Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall

From the time we began telling the kids about the possibility of our move to Dubai, we tried to educate them about the city and the things it's known for. Of course, the tallest building in the world and the largest shopping mall in the world were two of the top things they first learned about Dubai. The Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall are iconic landmarks that in many ways reflect the culture and personality of the entire city. So it came as no surprise that the kids were begging to visit these places as soon as possible. I think it was our 5th day as Dubai residents when we made the trip, and the kids were beyond excited!

I took the kids on the Dubai Metro train to make our visit. They enjoyed the experience of the train and were able to see more city sights along the way. The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa are connected to each other so we exited the train and began walking towards the mall. It's a long walk from the metro stop but they were too excited to care.

When you visit the Burj Khalifa, you are given two options: visiting the observation deck on the 124/125th floors, or visiting the "Sky" observation deck on the 148th floor. We splurged on the Sky tickets which are pricey but definitely provide a greater experience overall. We had a guided tour and learned about the construction, occupation, and overall facts about the Burj Khalifa on our way up to the top.

Some of the fun facts we learned during our tour:

• Burj means tower in Arabic.
• Burj Khalifa is so tall that you can watch the sunset from the base of the tower, take the 2 minute elevator ride to the top, and then watch the sunset all over again. Wow!
• Most people thing think that the spire of the tower is added to claim additional height, but it actually serves an architectural purpose by absorbing the wind and protecting the tower from the elements.
• The shape of the building is designed to confuse the wind, not allowing it to organize around the height of the tower.

I had visited previously in September, but it was still quite the sight and even more fun to see the look on the kids' faces when we emerged on floor 148. They were stunned! Connor in particular couldn't believe his eyes. He was very cautious when he approached the windows, always putting his hand on the window for reassurance before he stepped closer. Ha! When we went outside on the observation deck, it was quite scary at first. Connor was terrified, not wanting to get close to the windows. But we were more comfortable after a few minutes and savored every moment of the incredible views from all directions.

We stayed on floor 148 for quite a while. Connor didn't want to leave, he loved it! But after 148, we took an elevator down to floor 125/124. There is another observation deck at that level along with several activities and the large gift shop. They have so many neat items at the store, including the Burj Khalifa journal and flash drive that we got the kids for gifts on our first visit. We enjoyed floors 125/124 as well, but not near as much as 148. Plus, the crowds at the lower levels were quite full and the lines for the elevators back down were super long. But since we had the Sky tickets, we were able to skip the lines and go straight down when we were ready.

On the way out of the building, there are some amazing informational displays describing in detail about the construction and features of the tower. We really enjoyed taking it all in. Such an amazing experience to share with the kids!

But a trip to the Burj Khalifa wouldn't be complete without a photo from the outside. I had to lay down on my back for the right angle to be able to get the entire tower in the photo!

Back inside the Dubai Mall, it was time for another exciting stop. Connor's all-time favorite restaurant: Texas Roadhouse. Yes, it exists in Dubai, and we're here to tell you that it is just as tasty and delicious as it is back home! Connor ordered his "medium rare" steak (and the waiter looked to me incredulously to confirm) and was beyond happy that everything about his Texas Roadhouse experience lived up to his expectations!

After lunch, we ran some errands in the mall and eventually made our way back to the train station to return home. We saw only a tiny section of the massive Dubai Mall, but the kids were amazed at the size, stores, and activities available. I'm sure we will be coming back multiple times to take it all in.

One last thing, we ran into a candy store on our way out of the mall to the train when lo and behold, Connor's all time favorite candy appeared. Mike and Ikes! This was one happy kid after one of his best days ever!