---
title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2026 Guide), Wimup"
description: "The 10 best things to do in Abu Dhabi, mapped and ranked. How many days you need, when to go, which Saadiyat museum deserves a whole morning and how to reach Yas Island."
url: https://wimup.com/city/abu-dhabi
type: City guide
updated: 2026-10-07
publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com)
---

# Top 10 Things To Do in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates · Asia · By Wimup Editorial, 15 min read

Abu Dhabi is the capital, and it behaves like one. The island city holds the federal institutions, the national museums and the largest mosque in the country, while the theme parks and the Grand Prix circuit sit twenty minutes offshore on Yas Island. The route that works splits the day: culture in the morning, water or sand in the late afternoon.

## Quick answer

The best things to do in Abu Dhabi are the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Saadiyat Cultural District museums (Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum and teamLab Phenomena), the state rooms at Qasr Al Watan and a day on Yas Island. Give the city three to four days, come between November and March rather than in high summer, and reserve the mosque and the palace on their own sites before you fly.

## Quick facts

- **Best months:** Nov · Feb · Mar
- **Ideal length:** 3–4 days
- **Budget per day:** $100–190
- **Language:** Arabic & English
- **Getting around:** Taxi & bus
- **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## The 10 best things to do in Abu Dhabi

### 1. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Mosque · Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street, Al Rawdah, Abu Dhabi

The largest mosque in the country and the reason most first visits start here: 82 domes, a courtyard floored in floral marble inlay, and a prayer hall carrying a hand-knotted carpet that holds a world record for its size. Entry is free and runs on an access pass, and the centre also runs free walk-in tours. Visiting hours pause on Friday morning for prayers.

- **Time:** 2 hrs
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Dusk
- **Tip:** Reserve the free access pass

Links: [Website](https://www.szgmc.gov.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 2. Louvre Abu Dhabi

Museum · Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

Jean Nouvel put the museum half in the sea under a perforated dome 180 metres across, so daylight falls through it in what he called a rain of light. The collection is hung chronologically rather than by civilisation, which means a Chinese bronze, a Roman bust and a Levantine idol can share a room because they share a century. It closes on Mondays.

- **Time:** 3 hrs
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Late afternoon
- **Tip:** Closed on Mondays

Links: [Website](https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 3. Qasr Al Watan

Palace · Al Ras Al Akhdar, Abu Dhabi

A working presidential palace that opens part of itself to visitors: the Great Hall under its geometric dome, the House of Knowledge with its manuscripts and gifts of state, and the room where the federal cabinet actually meets. This is not a former royal residence turned museum. It is the building the federation uses, which is what makes an hour inside it unusual.

- **Time:** 2 hrs
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Morning
- **Tip:** Start at the visitor centre

Links: [Website](https://www.qasralwatan.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 4. Zayed National Museum

Museum · Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

The national museum of the UAE opened on 3 December 2025 after years of delay. Foster + Partners set five steel towers over the galleries, shaped after a falcon's wing feathers, and the route inside runs from the earliest human presence on the peninsula through trade, pearling and federation. The best single explanation of the country under one roof.

- **Time:** 3 hrs
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Morning
- **Tip:** Pair it with the Louvre

Links: [Website](https://zayednationalmuseum.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 5. Qasr Al Hosn

Fort & museum · Al Hosn, Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street, Abu Dhabi

The oldest stone building in the city, begun in 1761 as a watchtower over the island’s only freshwater well and grown into the fort the ruling family lived in. It reopened as a museum in December 2018 after eleven years of restoration. The walled site also holds the Cultural Foundation and the House of Artisans, so treat it as a morning rather than an hour.

- **Time:** 2 hrs
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Morning
- **Tip:** Three venues, one site

Links: [Website](https://qasralhosn.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 6. Abrahamic Family House

Religious site · Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

Three houses of worship on one plot: the Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque, the His Holiness Francis Church and the Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue. David Adjaye gave each an identical cube, thirty metres on every side, then turned each to face the direction its own faith requires. Entry is free, visits are booked, and all three are in active use.

- **Time:** 1.5 hrs
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Morning
- **Tip:** Book a visit slot ahead

Links: [Website](https://www.abrahamicfamilyhouse.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 7. teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi

Immersive art · Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

Seventeen thousand square metres of rooms where the artwork is a physical phenomenon rather than a projection: air currents made visible, water held in a shape it should not hold, light behaving like a solid. It opened in April 2025 and is the largest thing the collective has built. Wear shoes you can take off and clothes you can get damp.

- **Time:** 2.5 hrs
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Evening
- **Tip:** Some rooms get you wet

Links: [Website](https://www.teamlab.art/e/phenomena/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 8. Yas Island

Theme parks · Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

The island Abu Dhabi built for its leisure economy: Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, SeaWorld and Yas Waterworld within a short hop of each other, with the Yas Marina Circuit wrapped around them. Formula Rossa goes from a standstill to 240 km/h in 4.9 seconds, a Guinness record for the fastest coaster launch. One park is an afternoon; two is a full day.

- **Time:** Full day
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** All day
- **Tip:** Pick two parks, not four

Links: [Website](https://www.yasisland.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 9. Jubail Mangrove Park

Nature · Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi

A two-kilometre boardwalk on stilts through grey mangroves on Jubail Island, between Saadiyat and Yas, with kayak launches at the far end. The birds are the reason to go early, and the crabs work the mud whenever the tide drops. It is the quietest entry on this list and the cheapest, and an hour here recalibrates a trip otherwise spent indoors.

- **Time:** 2 hrs
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Sunrise
- **Tip:** Book kayaks in advance

Links: [Website](https://jubailisland.ae/jubail-mangrove-park/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 10. Abu Dhabi Corniche

Waterfront · Corniche Road, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi

Eight kilometres of seafront with a separated cycle track, a shaded promenade and a Blue Flag beach in the middle of it, certified since 2011. It is where the city exercises once the heat drops, and the western end frames Emirates Palace and the Etihad Towers. Most of the length is free to use; the gated family stretch charges an entry fee.

- **Time:** 2 hrs
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Sunset
- **Tip:** Go after four in the afternoon

Links: [Website](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/beaches/abu-dhabi-corniche?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best restaurants in Abu Dhabi

Five kitchens that explain the capital, from the first Michelin-starred Emirati dining room to a fish grill on the old port.

1. **Erth** (Emirati · One Michelin star · Al Hosn): Modern Emirati cooking on the Qasr Al Hosn site, and the first Emirati restaurant anywhere to hold a Michelin star. It sources from farms in the Emirates. [Website](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/erth?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Talea by Antonio Guida** (Italian · One Michelin star · Emirates Palace): Antonio Guida’s Italian room inside Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, and one of the three restaurants that kept a star in the 2026 Abu Dhabi guide. [Website](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/talea-by-antonio-guida?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Hakkasan** (Cantonese · One Michelin star · Emirates Palace): Cantonese cooking in a dark, formal room at Emirates Palace. It has held its star through every edition of the Abu Dhabi guide so far. [Website](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/hakkasan-abu-dhabi?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **ryba** (Seafood · Bib Gourmand · Al Mina): Local fish over charcoal at the old port souq, and the least formal way to eat well in the capital. A Bib Gourmand, which is shorthand for value. [Website](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/ryba?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Mika** (Mediterranean · Bib Gourmand · Yas Marina): Mediterranean plates on the water at Yas Marina, priced so the bill stays reasonable. The obvious dinner if the day was spent on the island. [Website](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/mika?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best museums & galleries in Abu Dhabi

Five places to see work, or to watch it being made, beyond the three headline museums.

1. **Manarat Al Saadiyat** (Exhibition hall · Saadiyat Island): The Saadiyat Cultural District's exhibition hall and original visitor centre. Its programme turns over several times a year, and it hosts Abu Dhabi Art. [Website](https://abudhabiculture.ae/en/cultural-sites/culture-centers/manarat-al-saadiyat?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **421 Arts Campus** (Contemporary art · Mina Zayed): Two converted port warehouses, opened in 2015, running exhibitions and studios for artists based in the Emirates. The counterweight to Saadiyat. [Website](https://www.421.online/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Cultural Foundation** (Arts centre · Al Hosn): Founded in 1981 by Sheikh Zayed and reopened inside the Qasr Al Hosn walls. Galleries, a theatre and the Abu Dhabi Children’s Library share the building. [Website](https://abudhabiculture.ae/en/cultural-sites/culture-centers/cultural-foundation?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **House of Artisans** (Crafts · Al Hosn): Talli embroidery, Al Sadu weaving and khoos palm-frond work demonstrated by the artisans who still practise them. Small, and the best half hour on the Al Hosn site. [Website](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/things-to-do/culture/heritage/house-of-artisans?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Founder’s Memorial** (Public artwork · Al Ras Al Akhdar): A memorial to Sheikh Zayed built around a portrait assembled from thousands of suspended shapes that resolves into a face from certain angles. [Website](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/things-to-do/culture/landmarks-and-architecture/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best theme parks in Abu Dhabi

Five ticketed attractions on one island, close enough that a shuttle covers the gaps.

1. **Ferrari World Abu Dhabi** (Theme park · Yas Island): The first Ferrari-branded park, open since 2010 under a roof shaped like a car body. Formula Rossa reaches 240 km/h in 4.9 seconds. [Website](https://www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi** (Theme park · Yas Island): Fully indoor, across six lands of DC and Looney Tunes properties. That makes it the summer option, when the temperature outside rules almost everything else out. [Website](https://www.wbworldabudhabi.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **SeaWorld Yas Island** (Marine life park · Yas Island): Opened in May 2023 and recognised as the largest indoor marine-life theme park, built around an aquarium holding more than 25 million litres. [Website](https://www.seaworldabudhabi.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Yas Waterworld** (Water park · Yas Island): An Emirati-themed water park built around a pearl-diving legend, with rides that run from a lazy river to the ones that come with a safety briefing. [Website](https://www.yaswaterworld.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **CLYMB Abu Dhabi** (Adventure · Yas Island): An indoor skydiving flight chamber and a climbing wall in one building, both built at the scale the island builds at. The short, sharp option between two long park days. [Website](https://www.clymbabudhabi.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best beaches in Abu Dhabi

Five stretches of coast, from a free Blue Flag beach downtown to a new sports island.

1. **Corniche Beach** (Blue Flag · Al Markaziyah): Blue Flag certified since 2011 and the easiest swim in the city: lifeguards, showers and a shaded promenade. Free along most of its length. [Website](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/beaches/corniche-beach?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Saadiyat Beach** (Natural dunes · Saadiyat Island): The wildest of the city beaches: soft sand, a live dune line behind it, and a nesting site for hawksbill turtles that the island protects in season. [Website](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/beaches/saadiyat-beach?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Al Bateen Beach** (Family · Al Bateen): A calm, shallow bay on the western side of the island, with a separate women-only stretch. The choice when the wind is up on the Corniche. [Website](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/beaches/al-bateen-beach?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Yas Beach** (Beach club · Yas Island): A managed beach on the south shore of Yas with loungers, a bar and paddle sports. It is the quietest corner of an otherwise loud island. [Website](https://www.yasisland.com/en/things-to-do/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Marsana, Hudayriyat Island** (Waterfront · Hudayriyat Island): The newest of them, on the island the city turned into a sports district: a long sandy beach beside a marina, a splash park, and cycle, skate and BMX tracks behind it. [Website](https://www.hudayriyatisland.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best neighborhoods in Abu Dhabi

Five parts of the capital, and what each one is actually good for.

1. **Al Markaziyah & the Corniche** (Downtown · Abu Dhabi island): The grid behind the seafront: government blocks, the World Trade Center souk, and the shortest walk to a swim in the city. The base to pick if you are not renting a car.
2. **Saadiyat Island** (Museums & beach · Ten minutes off-island): Every museum on this list plus the best beach, ten minutes from downtown across a bridge. The quietest base, and the one that costs the most.
3. **Yas Island** (Parks & circuit · East of the city): Parks, the Grand Prix circuit, the arena and Yas Mall in one place. Worth basing on for a race weekend or a family trip, and awkward for anything else.
4. **Al Bateen** (Residential · West of the island): Low-rise, residential and old money, with the dhow yard where wooden boats are still built by hand at the water’s edge.
5. **Al Mina & Al Zahiyah** (Old port · North of the island): The working port and the district behind it. The fish market, the fruit and vegetable souk, the carpet souk and 421 Arts Campus sit within a few minutes of each other.

## Best day trips in Abu Dhabi

Five trips, from ninety minutes inland to the far end of the emirate.

1. **Al Ain** (90 min inland · Al Ain region): The garden city on the Omani border. Its oases and archaeological sites became the UAE's first UNESCO listing in 2011, and the falaj channels still run. [Website](https://visitalain.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Jebel Hafit** (Mountain road · Al Ain region): The highest mountain in the emirate at 1,249 metres, with a switchback road to the summit worth driving for its own sake. Green Mubazzarah sits at the foot of it. [Website](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/things-to-do/nature-and-wildlife/natural-wonders/jebel-hafit?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Liwa Oasis & the Empty Quarter** (Desert · Al Dhafra): Two and a half hours southwest into Rub’ al Khali sand. Tal Moreeb rises more than 300 metres, and the Liwa International Festival runs its dune climbs on it each winter. [Website](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Sir Bani Yas Island** (Wildlife reserve · Al Dhafra): An island reserve Sheikh Zayed began stocking in 1977. Oryx, gazelle, cheetah and giraffe range across 42 square kilometres, reached by boat. [Website](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/islands/sir-bani-yas-island?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Dubai** (90 min north · Emirate of Dubai): Ninety minutes up the E11 by road or intercity bus. Etihad Rail opened passenger services in June 2026 and its Dubai station is due on 30 September 2026.

## Best shopping & souks in Abu Dhabi

Five places to shop, from a Foster + Partners souk to the gold counters.

1. **World Trade Center Souk** (Souk · Al Markaziyah): Foster + Partners’ reading of a traditional market: shaded lanes and wind towers layered over a modern mall, on the site of the old central souk downtown. [Website](https://wtcad.ae/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **The Galleria Al Maryah Island** (Luxury mall · Al Maryah Island): The luxury end: around 400 stores on the island the city built for finance, with a waterfront dining terrace along one side. [Website](https://www.thegalleria.ae/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Yas Mall** (Mall · Yas Island): The emirate’s largest mall, joined directly to Ferrari World, which makes it the default lunch stop on a theme-park day. [Website](https://www.yasmall.ae/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Madinat Zayed Gold Centre** (Gold souk · Al Danah): Gold sold by weight across hundreds of counters, alongside a general souk of several hundred more shops. Prices track the daily rate, so ask for it before you bargain.
5. **Mina Zayed markets** (Markets · Al Mina): The working port’s fish market, fruit and vegetable souk and carpet souk, in a row. Morning is the only time worth going.

## Festivals & annual events in Abu Dhabi (2026)

- **Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix** (Dec): The season closer at Yas Marina Circuit, run into the evening under lights. The 2026 edition is on 3 to 6 December.
- **Eid Al Etihad (National Day)** (Dec): The federation was declared on 2 December 1971, and the capital marks it with parades, a fly-past and fireworks over the Corniche.
- **Liwa International Festival** (Dec–Jan): Dune climbs, camel and falcon competitions and heritage markets at Tal Moreeb in Al Dhafra, across the turn of the year.
- **Al Dhafra Festival** (Oct–Dec): The camel beauty circuit that works its way across Al Dhafra and finishes at Madinat Zayed each December.
- **Sheikh Zayed Festival** (Nov–Mar): A months-long heritage festival at Al Wathba with craft villages, country pavilions and nightly fireworks.
- **Abu Dhabi Festival** (Oct–Dec): The capital’s classical and contemporary arts season, now in its 23rd edition. The 2026 programme runs 10 October to 19 December.
- **Abu Dhabi Art** (Nov): The contemporary art fair at Manarat Al Saadiyat, with commissions sited around the city.
- **ADIHEX** (Aug–Sep): The Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition at ADNEC: falconry, saluki and equestrian trade.

## Must-try dishes in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

- **Machboos**: Spiced rice cooked with meat or fish and sharpened with loomi, the dried lime that gives Gulf food its edge.
- **Harees**: Wheat and meat beaten together over hours into a smooth savoury porridge.
- **Thereed**: Stew ladled over layers of thin regag bread until the bread collapses into it.
- **Madrouba**: Rice cooked down with chicken and butter until it gives up its structure entirely.
- **Balaleet**: Sweet vermicelli with cardamom and saffron under a plain omelette.
- **Chebab**: Saffron and cardamom pancakes off a griddle, eaten with date syrup and cream cheese. The other breakfast.
- **Khameer**: A soft yeasted bread crusted with sesame, served with cheese, honey or date syrup at any hour of the day.
- **Luqaimat**: Yeasted dough fried into small spheres and drizzled with date syrup.

## Abu Dhabi transport & airports

- **Zayed International Airport** (AUH): The capital's airport, renamed from Abu Dhabi International in 2024. Everything runs through Terminal A, built for 45 million passengers a year. Roughly half an hour from the Corniche. [Website](https://www.adairports.ae/en/OurExpertise/ZayedInternationalAirport?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Etihad Rail** (RAIL): Passenger services opened in June 2026, running Abu Dhabi to Fujairah in 1 hour 45 minutes from a station in Mohamed Bin Zayed City. The Dubai station follows. [Website](https://www.etihadrail.ae/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Buses & the Hafilat card** (ITC): The Integrated Transport Centre runs the city and intercity buses, paid with a Hafilat smart card rather than cash. City fares are a boarding charge plus a per-kilometre rate. [Website](https://admobility.gov.ae/en/pb-bus-service/hafilat-cards?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Taxis** (TAXI): Silver ITC taxis are metered, plentiful and cheap by European standards, and the hailing apps call the same cars. Abu Dhabi Link is the on-demand shared service, booked through its own app. [Website](https://admobility.gov.ae/en/taxi-service/about-taxi?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Abu Dhabi at a glance

- **Country:** United Arab Emirates
- **Region:** Emirate of Abu Dhabi
- **Population:** 2.82M · Abu Dhabi region, 2024
- **Founded:** Settled 1761 at Qasr Al Hosn
- **Nickname:** Father of the Gazelle
- **Language:** Arabic · English widely spoken
- **Currency:** UAE dirham (AED)
- **Time zone:** GST · UTC+4
- **Calling code:** +971 2
- **Airports:** AUH
- **Power:** 230V · Type G
- **Emergency:** 999

## Interesting facts

- Qasr Al Hosn began in 1761 as a watchtower over the only freshwater well on the island, and is still the oldest stone building here.
- The emirate's population reached 4,135,985 at the end of 2024, a rise of 7.5 per cent in a year.
- Sir Bani Yas Island has been a wildlife reserve since 1977 and now carries one of the largest Arabian oryx herds anywhere.
- Formula Rossa at Ferrari World goes from a standstill to 240 km/h in 4.9 seconds, a Guinness record for the fastest roller coaster launch.
- The Al Ain oases and their archaeological sites were the UAE's first UNESCO listing, in 2011, and their falaj channels are still in use.

## Watch

[Best of Abu Dhabi](https://wimup.com/watch/abu-dhabi.md), 14:17

## Abu Dhabi travel FAQ

### How many days do you need in Abu Dhabi?

Three to four. One day covers the Grand Mosque and Qasr Al Watan, a second the Saadiyat museums, a third Yas Island or the mangroves, and a fourth a run inland to Al Ain. Two is enough if you skip the islands entirely.

### When is the best time to visit Abu Dhabi?

November to March. Daytime temperatures sit in the twenties to low thirties, the outdoor season is running, and the Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Art and the desert festivals all fall inside it. July and August are extreme, and hotel rates drop to match.

### Is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque free to visit?

Yes. Entry costs nothing and runs on an access pass issued by the mosque centre, and the walk-in architecture tours are free as well. Visiting hours pause on Friday morning for prayers. Cover arms and legs, and hair for women.

### How do you get from Abu Dhabi to Dubai?

Ninety minutes up the E11 by car, intercity bus or taxi. Etihad Rail opened passenger services on 30 June 2026, and its Dubai station is due to open on 30 September 2026, which will put the two capitals of the federation on one line.

### Do you need a car in Abu Dhabi?

Not for the city. Taxis are metered and cheap, and the buses cover the island with a Hafilat card. A car earns its keep the moment you want Al Ain, Liwa or the road up Jebel Hafit.

## Nearby guides

- [Dubai](https://wimup.com/city/dubai.md): Day trip · 10 picks
- [Muscat](https://wimup.com/city/muscat.md): Oman · 10 picks
- [Riyadh](https://wimup.com/city/riyadh.md): Saudi Arabia · 10 picks
- [All of Asia →](https://wimup.com/asia): 71 cities

Part of the [United Arab Emirates guide](https://wimup.com/country/united-arab-emirates.md) · [Asia](https://wimup.com/asia.md)

## Sources

- [Abu Dhabi tourism board](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (official site)](https://www.szgmc.gov.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Louvre Abu Dhabi (official site)](https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Qasr Al Watan (official site)](https://www.qasralwatan.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Zayed National Museum (official site)](https://zayednationalmuseum.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Qasr Al Hosn (official site)](https://qasralhosn.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Abrahamic Family House (official site)](https://www.abrahamicfamilyhouse.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi (official site)](https://www.teamlab.art/e/phenomena/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Yas Island (official site)](https://www.yasisland.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jubail Mangrove Park (official site)](https://jubailisland.ae/jubail-mangrove-park/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Abu Dhabi Corniche (official site)](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/beaches/abu-dhabi-corniche?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Erth (official site)](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/erth?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Talea by Antonio Guida (official site)](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/talea-by-antonio-guida?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Hakkasan (official site)](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/hakkasan-abu-dhabi?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [ryba (official site)](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/ryba?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Mika (official site)](https://guide.michelin.com/ae-az/en/abu-dhabi-emirate/abu-dhabi/restaurant/mika?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Manarat Al Saadiyat (official site)](https://abudhabiculture.ae/en/cultural-sites/culture-centers/manarat-al-saadiyat?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [421 Arts Campus (official site)](https://www.421.online/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Cultural Foundation (official site)](https://abudhabiculture.ae/en/cultural-sites/culture-centers/cultural-foundation?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [House of Artisans (official site)](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/things-to-do/culture/heritage/house-of-artisans?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Founder’s Memorial (official site)](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/things-to-do/culture/landmarks-and-architecture/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Ferrari World Abu Dhabi (official site)](https://www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi (official site)](https://www.wbworldabudhabi.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [SeaWorld Yas Island (official site)](https://www.seaworldabudhabi.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Yas Waterworld (official site)](https://www.yaswaterworld.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [CLYMB Abu Dhabi (official site)](https://www.clymbabudhabi.com/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Corniche Beach (official site)](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/beaches/corniche-beach?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Saadiyat Beach (official site)](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/beaches/saadiyat-beach?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Al Bateen Beach (official site)](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/beaches/al-bateen-beach?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Yas Beach (official site)](https://www.yasisland.com/en/things-to-do/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Marsana, Hudayriyat Island (official site)](https://www.hudayriyatisland.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Al Ain (official site)](https://visitalain.ae/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jebel Hafit (official site)](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/things-to-do/nature-and-wildlife/natural-wonders/jebel-hafit?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Liwa Oasis & the Empty Quarter (official site)](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Sir Bani Yas Island (official site)](https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/islands/sir-bani-yas-island?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [World Trade Center Souk (official site)](https://wtcad.ae/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [The Galleria Al Maryah Island (official site)](https://www.thegalleria.ae/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Yas Mall (official site)](https://www.yasmall.ae/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Zayed International Airport (official site)](https://www.adairports.ae/en/OurExpertise/ZayedInternationalAirport?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Etihad Rail (official site)](https://www.etihadrail.ae/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Buses & the Hafilat card (official site)](https://admobility.gov.ae/en/pb-bus-service/hafilat-cards?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Taxis (official site)](https://admobility.gov.ae/en/taxi-service/about-taxi?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.