Weekend Road Trips From Dubai Worth Renting a Car For (2026 Guide)

Drive times from Dubai Mall, what to see, and what to check on a rental before a weekend trip from Dubai.

The best weekend getaways from Dubai are 1.5 to 2.5 hours' drive away: mountains, a dam you can kayak on, old forts and the east coast. But once you arrive, the places worth seeing are often 10–45 km apart, which is hard to manage without a car.

Below are five road trips from Dubai that fit into a normal weekend, with distances measured from one starting point, what to see, and what to check if you rent a car for the trip.

Distances, prices and opening hours checked on 13 October 2026

Measured in Google Maps from Dubai Mall in October 2026: fastest route, normal traffic. The fastest routes can pass Salik toll gates inside Dubai. To avoid them, choose “avoid tolls” in your navigator; the drive will take longer.

Another option for a shorter trip is a day trip to Al Ain by car.

Hatta is a mountain exclave of Dubai in the Hajar range.

• Hatta Dam: kayaks, water bikes and pedal boats on the lake.

• Hatta Wadi Hub: mountain bike trails, archery and a 12-metre water slide.

• Hatta Honey Bee Garden: 300 hives and a bee museum.

• Hatta Heritage Village: a reconstructed old village, open since 2001.

Check hours and prices on the official sites before you go.

The route matters for a rental car. The direct Dubai–Hatta road (E44) crosses Omani territory near Al Madam. The route in the table stays in the UAE: Sharjah–Kalba Road (E102), then south onto E44 after the Omani section. Hatta also borders Oman at the Hatta–Al Wajajah crossing, and the well-known rock pools are on the Omani side. A Rentico car can't leave the UAE without written permission (see below).

The shortest drive on this list, with beaches and history close together.

• Al Jazeera Al Hamra: an abandoned pearl-diving village of coral-stone houses, 20 km from the centre.

• Al Marjan Island: beaches and kayaking, 5 minutes from Al Jazeera Al Hamra.

• Dhayah Fort: an 18th-century hilltop fort, 18 km (about 25 min) from the centre.

• Suwaidi Pearls (Al Rams): a pearl farm 9 km from Dhayah Fort.

• Al Wadi reserve: Arabian oryx, 30 km from the city.

Pair it with Jebel Jais: coast on Saturday, mountain on Sunday.

At 1,934 m, Jebel Jais is the UAE's highest peak. It is about 45 km from Ras Al Khaimah city, and the 30 km winding climb takes around 45 minutes. It is usually about 10°C cooler than the rest of the emirate.

• Jais Viewing Deck Park: seven decks at 1,250 m, AED 10 per person including VAT (checked 13 October 2026).

• Jais Flight: billed as the world's longest zipline, at 120–150 km/h.

Driving the climb. Fill up before you start. On the way down, use a lower gear rather than the brakes, and stop for photos only in lay-bys.

Fujairah is the only emirate on the east coast, on the Gulf of Oman. The road runs through Sharjah, Al Dhaid and Masafi, where the market on the mountain pass makes a good first stop.

• Fujairah Fort: about 300 years old, with a heritage museum.

• Al Bidya Mosque: the UAE's oldest mosque still in use, north of the city.

• Al Aqah Beach: 45 km north, with a coral reef for snorkelling.

• Snoopy Island: a small island off Al Aqah Beach, named for its Snoopy-like shape. Boat snorkelling trips go out to its coral reefs, where sea turtles are often seen.

• Bithna Fort: 12 km from the city, next to a tomb dating from 1300–300 BC.

The largest resort town on the east coast belongs to Sharjah, so its alcohol ban applies.

• Khor Fakkan Beach and corniche: sand, play areas and watersports.

• Khor Fakkan Amphitheatre: a Roman-style venue for more than 3,500 people.

• Al Rafisah Dam: a lake with kayaks and walking paths, 10 minutes from the centre.

• Shees Park: a park in Wadi Shees in the Hajar Mountains, off Khorfakkan Road, with a 25-metre man-made waterfall, a play area and barbecue spots. The access tracks are narrow, and a rental is insured on paved roads only, so check the road before you turn off.

• Shark Island: snorkelling and diving.

Combine it with Fujairah for a full east-coast weekend. For something closer, see beach day trips from Dubai.

All of this comes from Rentico's rental terms.

Mileage. Unless your agreement says otherwise, you get 250 km a day (1,500 km a week). Each extra kilometre costs AED 1–3, at the rate in your agreement. The allowance counts over the whole rental, so two days include 500 km:

• Hatta and back: 264 km.

• Ras Al Khaimah + Jebel Jais in one weekend: about 322 km (111 + 45 + 166).

• Fujairah + Khor Fakkan: about 278 km (119 + 29 + 130).

• Jebel Jais on a one-day rental: 332 km, so 82 km over (AED 82–246).

Insurance covers paved roads only. Wadi beds, sand and gravel tracks count as off-road driving, which the contract prohibits; damage there is yours to pay in full.

No leaving the UAE without permission. Oman, including Musandam, needs Rentico's written permission before the rental starts. Without it the insurance does not apply.

Other rules. No driving in floods or sandstorms. No smoking (cleaning costs AED 500). Pets only with consent and for a fee.

Salik. Billed at cost plus AED 1.5 per passage. How the toll gates work and what they cost: Salik charges in Dubai.

Which car. A sedan for the motorway; for families, family cars or 7-seaters.

November to April is the cooler season for outdoor trips. In summer, go early in the morning or head up Jebel Jais. For a two-destination trip, plan around UAE public holidays and long weekends. Leave early to beat traffic out of Dubai. UAE fuel prices change monthly, so check the current announcement.

The best road trips in the UAE are within 2.5 hours of Dubai, but the sights are spread out. A weekend rental gives you a car without buying one. Check the mileage, stay on asphalt and stay in the UAE, and you pay only what you agreed.