Two Days in Abu Dhabi: Things To See in Abu Dhabi
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An easy day trip from Dubai; we spent two days total in the desert city.
Things To Do in Abu Dhabi: (Jump To)
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Heritage Village Abu Dhabi
If you’re trying to see Abu Dhabi in a day this village is a great way to learn about the history and culture of the region.
It's free to visit the Heritage Village. Inside you’ll find numerous buildings housing small museums and exhibits celebrating the history of the area. Some of the buildings represent traditional palm leaf houses. Inside the museum, you’ll see exhibits of coins, swords, and jewelry.
There are local vendors selling typical tourist fare, but also some more interesting things like swordsmithing, pottery, and leatherworks.
Be sure to view the display of traditional watercraft in the adjacent harbor. Seeing the boats beneath the tall buildings across the harbor is a beautiful contrast of old and new Abu Dhabi.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
The Louvre Abu Dhabi painting collection includes the works of da Vinci, Monet, and Van Gogh.
Set aside some time for a visit to the Louvre. This is a sister museum to the famous Parisian treasure. The museum is the first to open on Saadiyat Island. The island is slated for much more exciting tourist development including a performing arts center a Guggenheim art museum and a museum dedicated to Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father and first president of the United Arab Emirates.
Warner Bros. World
Make time to visit some Abu Dhabi Theme Parks like WB World.
The world’s largest indoor theme park, Warner Bros. World is an absolute delight. You can easily spend an entire day here enjoying the rides and attractions themed to your favorite Looney Tunes characters. The park also features attractions in the DC Comics universe including numerous Batman and Superman attractions. You’ll find rides for all ages in the park.
Learn More about Theme Parks Near Dubai.
Ferrari World
This Abu Dhabi Theme Park is home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster.
Another (mostly) indoor theme park is Ferrari World. Lovers of the Italian auto brand will love the park’s theming and attractions. The star of the show is Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest rollercoaster. The park doesn't have a huge collection of rides and attractions, but you could easily spend a half-day visiting the park. There’s also an adjacent shopping mall with local and international brands.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
A visit to this mosque is one of the best free things to do in Abu Dhabi.
Check out our full post about the mosque here.
Perhaps one of the most beautiful buildings we have ever visited, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the one absolute must-see while in Abu Dhabi. Entrance to the mosque is free.
Emirates Palace
A beacon of Abu Dhabi luxury travel. Here you can literally eat gold.
The Emirates Palace is a super fancy hotel surrounded by a beautiful garden and fountains. You can visit the hotel without a reservation to view the beautiful decor and interior architecture. The hotel has over a thousand chandeliers, the largest weighing 2.5 tons.
Much of the building is decorated with mother of pearl and gold accents. If the gold looks good enough to eat, we have some good news. Le Café is famous for its menu of dishes with eatable 24-carat gold. The most popular seemed to be the cappuccino with gold dust.
We visited Abu Dhabi on two separate days during a week in nearby Dubai. Check out our 10 Things to See in Dubai.
PS. Am I the only one who thinks about Garfield sending his cute nemesis Nermal in a box to Abu Dhabi as revenge?
Things To See in Abu Dhabi:
Heritage Village Abu Dhabi
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Warner Bros. World
Ferrari World
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Emirates Palace
