8 Best Things To Do In Abu Dhabi

From a Presidential Palace to Museums, water sports to desert escapades, explore the best things to do in the UAE's constantly changing capital.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE's capital, is one of the most vital cities in the Gulf region. Though it was still a predominantly desert landscape as recently as the mid-1970s, today, towering skyscrapers form the backdrop to an exciting modern city. The streets house a range of mindblowing galleries and museums, including the city's Louvre museum and some of the most magical recent structures in the Arabic world, from the Grand Mosque to elegant palaces and hotels. But with new openings constantly popping up, there is plenty more to see and do in this ever-evolving city. If you are looking for how best to spend your time in Abu Dhabi, the top things to do are as follows.

Leisure Walk Along the Corniche

The Corniche is basically a waterfront promenade that stretches five miles and consists of over a mile of beach regions divided into different sections suitable for families, children and bigger groups. It is filled with pavements, cycle lanes, manicured public parks, and plenty of shops, cafes, and restaurants; the walkway is a famous spot for spending a few hours. In the western region, the Heritage Village, a time capsule village built as a local oasis settlement, sits adjacent to the Marina Mall, a shopping region with over 400 vents. The marvellous Emirates Palace is the site of a $3bn hotel project that lies just in the south direction; though a stay might be out of the budget, you can take a tour of the popular complexes for 150 AED or enjoy a brunch for 295 AED. The Founder's Memorial is basically dedicated to the late Sheikh Zayed and has a privileged space at the end of the main beach. That area consists of two gardens and a walkway that offers excellent city skyline views, particularly at night.

Wonder at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Qasr Al Watan

The religious focal point of the city is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is an architectural marvel that was inaugurated in 2007 by the late Sheikh Zayed. It has space for 40,000 worshippers and is an elegant showcase of Islamic architecture. Its intricate design elements include marbled halls, tiled mosaics, calligraphy, and massive ornate domes. The Qasr Al Watan is a working presidential palace constructed from white granite and limestone. It has numerous ornate features, from geometric designs in the interior to a dome that measures 37 metres in diameter and was opened to the public in 2019. Tours are worth 65 AED for the remarkable interiors alone. However, the eastern wing of the palace contains the so-called "House of Knowledge", where visitors can witness artefacts and manuscripts from all across the Arab world, including the first modern map of Arabia and an official replica of the Birmingham Quran one of the earliest manuscripts of the Islamic holy book.

Art and Culture

The city has an ever-growing and expanding range of museums and galleries, and one of the most recent additions is the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the result of a cultural collaboration with the French government. It holds hundreds of artefacts, and the art world ranges from ceremonial vases that date back two millennia to 17th-century work by Rembrandt in a strikingly futuristic complex. Some other galleries in the city include the Etihas Modern Art Gallery, which shows contemporary art from up-and-coming Emirati Emirati artists, the Abu Dhabi Art Hub and the Warehouse 421. This is a larger complex home to a cultural centre and rolling art exhibitions. Additionally, the centre holds workshops, readings, lectures, and international films, as well as shows work from local artists. If you are looking at the history and culture of the Emirate, start at the Abu Dhabi History Museum. It chronicles the city's rise from traditional desert life to the discovery of natural resources and the subsequent explosion in development. The Zayed Heritage Centre is a miniature museum. Still, it is excellent to learn about the early days of Abu Dhabi, from the establishment of the police and postal services to the life of Sheikh Zayed. Finally, the Heritage Village, built in the mould of a traditional settlement, provides an immersive allay to learn about the region's heritage, from souks and Bedouin camps to more modern Abu Dhabi houses.

Best View of the City

It is located on the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers 74th floor. The Observation Deck is at 300 m, the highest viewpoint in the city at 300m. It provides sweeping birds-eye views of the Corniche, the Gulf, and landmarks such as the Qasr Al Watan and tickets are priced at 95 AED per person. This price includes a voucher of 55 AED to spend on food and drinks, so it is an excellent opportunity to grab a drink or some food while enjoying the best view you can get. It is an extraordinary occasion. You can splash out on the cafe's afternoon tea for AED 250.

Hit the Beach

The city is home to an excellent range of beaches. If you are with the kids, you can head to the Corniche's peaceful play areas and closed-off sections or the 800 m stretch of sands at Al Bateen, a charming location with calm water that is great for swimming. For something more isolated, head to the Soul Beach Saadiyat or the island of Hudayriat. You will likely see various people on food trucks in fabulous restaurants or on jet skis playing volleyball. There are small fees of 50 AED and 75 AED for Soul and Saadiyat, respectively. Famous beach clubs include Al Maya Island and Yas Beach. Although they provide relaxation in pats, they are best for days filled with music and drinks at poolside bars, brunches, and afternoon parties. Zaya Nurai carries a 480 AED fee just to enter the island, though you get 420 of that entry fee back for spending on food and drink. It provides perhaps the best beaches in the region, with extraordinary emerald waters and fine white sands. Even better, the backdrops consist of large green spaces and low-rise beach huts rather than dizzying skyscrapers.

Take a Stroll Through a Park

Parks across Abu Dhabi cater to a vast crowd: the vivid runners, the two-wheeler families looking for downtime, and those who simply want a stroll. You will get several dotted along the Corniche, including Recreation Park, Formula Park, Lake Park and Heritage Park, which include varied outdoor facilities like outdoor gyms, skate parks and picnic spots with views of the harbour. Khalidiyah Garden, one of the city's oldest parks, lies at the heart of the downtown area and is a famous spot for exercise. Khalifa Park, covering an area of 500,000 square metres, is home to mini water and train rides for kids, a Maritime Museum, sports pitches and numerous impressive water features. Umm, Al Emarat is perhaps the best in the city, offering large green spaces, a botanical garden, a petting zoo, and a 1000-seat theatre. In the cooler months, there is also a market in the day and outdoor cinema showings in the evenings every Friday and Saturday. There are also parks on the islands, including the Yas Gateway Parks on Hudayriyat Island and Al Fay Park on Reem Island, the latter famous for being home to over 2000 types of flora.

Mangrove National Park

Unlike the skyscrapers and desert sands, the Mangroves National Park lies along the central coast area of the city directly south of Al Reem Island. A lounging verdant forest of mangroves hides salt marshes, mud flats, shores and vast expanses of open water that are great for kayaking, paddleboarding and guided boat trips. This environment is home to various animals, like crabs, turtles, flamingos, a variety of fish, and over 60 bird species. The Jubail Mangrove Park, a separate in the northern region of Al Jubail, is yet another popular mangrove area providing the same water sports and dramatic views with the addition of a series of pathways that call for peaceful strolls through the forest and over the water.

The Desert

The Rub Al Khali is the largest continuous sand desert in the world, covering around 70 per cent of Abu Dhabi. In English, it is known as the Empty Quarter, as it provides the ideal space for desert activities, whether high-octane exploring or guided tours.

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