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
Heritage Village is a quick stop that gives you a glimpse of traditional Emirati life, with crafts, exhibits, and decent skyline views. It’s a good pick if you’re building an Abu Dhabi itinerary for 2 days and want something cultural that doesn’t take up too much time.
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
Louvre Abu Dhabi is the standout museum in the UAE and worth a couple of hours even if you're not into art. If you're mapping out what to see in Abu Dhabi in 2 days, this one belongs near the top—especially for architecture and air conditioning.
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
Warner Bros. World is indoors, fully air-conditioned, and built for families with younger kids and theme park fans—it’s one of the top things to do in Abu Dhabi with kids. If you’re figuring out things to do in Abu Dhabi in one day and want something theme park adjacent, this one checks the box.
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
Ferrari World is home to the world’s fastest roller coaster and is one of the more unique things to do in Abu Dhabi with family if you’re into speed and branding. For a theme park inside a mall complex, it’s better than it needs to be and easy to add to a 2 day Abu Dhabi itinerary.
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
The Grand Mosque is the one stop you can't skip on any Abu Dhabi in a day plan—massive, quiet, and open to non-Muslim visitors. Whether you're staying overnight or doing a day trip to Abu Dhabi, this is the anchor stop.
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
Emirates Palace is part luxury hotel, part sightseeing spot, and a good place to grab a coffee and walk around if you're into gold leaf everything. It fits well into any two days in Abu Dhabi plan, especially if you’re looking for indoor stops during the hotter months.
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
