My kids and I went to Dubai for the first time. It was incredible, but I wish we’d avoided these 6 mistakes.

• I took my kids to Dubai, and our first trip to the city was amazing.
• However, I should’ve budgeted more time and money because we didn’t get to do everything.
• I also wish we’d spent more time in the desert and had a little more downtime.

Dubai boasts the tallest building, the biggest mall, and the water park with the most water slides in the world. Despite these claims to fame, I still considered it a stopover city, not a full vacation destination.

When I booked my family’s flights to India, which included a stop in Abu Dhabi (less than an hour from Dubai), I decided to extend the layover so we could explore for three days.

My kids and I had a great time, but now that we’ve seen all the city has to offer, I wish I’d done some things differently.