UPTOURIST

This video makes for a great travel itinerary for a first time trip to Jordan, including historical sites and Jordanian culture:

1) Visit the Lost City of Petra (warning: it’s mind-blowing the first time you see it, but a HEAVY tourist attraction!)
2) Swim/float in the Dead Sea (get all muddy if that’s your thing.)
3) Explore the ruins of the Ancient city of Jerash. Don’t forget to visit the temple of the mighty greek goddess Artemis.
4) Drink some delicious coffee with the super enlightened Bedouins.
5) Walk barefoot through the sand at Wadi Rum and check out the sites.
6) Camp outside in the desert with Bedouins and go for a camel ride in the morning.
7) Visit the Citadel in Amman, including the crumbling Temple of Hercules.

Amman has some of the very best hotel accommodations in the Middle East, but I definitely suggest spending a few nights with the Bedouins. They’re a very tourist-friendly people and it’s a very enlightening experience. If you’re truly adventurous, don’t take a guide in or have your agent set up a Bedouin stay for you. Simply walk into one of their Wadi camps and introduce yourself! Make sure to follow their customs as dictated, so as not to offend.