Abu Dhabi is an up-and-coming destination that deserves a spot on your radar for your next family vacation
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The Best Time to Go to Abu Dhabi to See the Sights and Enjoy Temperate Weather
Published on May 08, 2025
When I told people my family of four was headed to Abu Dhabi for spring break, the most common reaction was curiosity. Where is Abu Dhabi on the map? Is it safe? Is it a good destination for families? When is the best time to go to Abu Dhabi? And how many days should you spend in Abu Dhabi?
After spending five fabulous days in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, I’m able to answer all those questions, as well as share more details about my family’s once-in-a-lifetime vacation and explain why you should add Abu Dhabi to your vacation bucket list too.
Read on to learn about Abu Dhabi as a travel destination, including when is the best time to go.
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Where is Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi is one of the seven United Arab Emirates (UAE) states; the UAE borders Oman on its east and Saudi Arabia to its south. It’s comprised of a series of islands and peninsulas on the Persian Gulf and measures about 26,000 square miles. Roughly the size of Maine, it has a population of 3.8 million, including a substantial number of global expats.
Is Abu Dhabi safe?
In a word: very. In fact, Abu Dhabi was ranked as the safest city in the world in 2024, for the second consecutive year by Numbeo, which compiled its list from online surveys. The surveys ask about general perception of crime levels, perceived safety during day and night, concerns about specific crimes, and severity of property and violent crimes. No U.S. city even cracked the top 80 on 2024’s list.
My own experience matches the survey. My family and I felt very safe the entire time we were there. We saw no people living on the streets or asking for money, and there were no hustlers offering their services as guides or trying to sell trinkets outside of the main tourist attractions.
We stayed at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, and my children and I took nightly strolls on the resort’s small beach. We always felt safe, even as we waded into the warm tranquil waters of the Persian Gulf by moonlight. I also felt secure as a woman, though there was a time or two when guides or hotel workers addressed my husband instead of me, which made me aware of the culture’s patriarchal nature. But I never felt threatened, nor was I leered at.
While Arabic is the national language of the UAE, everyone we encountered spoke fluent English.
Is Abu Dhabi a good destination for families?
When the Abu Dhabi tourism board initially approached me (as an editor for Reader’s Digest) about traveling to the country with my family, my first question was: “What is there to do with kids?” While my two kids, 11 and 10 years old, are good travelers—having visited Yellowstone and London, to name a few of our favorite past vacations—my younger child, in particular, needs a lot of activity to keep her occupied and happy.
We were able to tailor an itinerary to suit her needs while keeping the rest of the family happy too. We even snuck in a healthy dose of culture and educational activities.
A few of our many highlights:
- An afternoon tour of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. One of the largest mosques in the world, the marble edifice took 11 years to build and was completed in 2007. Featuring 82 domes, three giant chandeliers that combined are made of nearly 40 million red, green and yellow Swarovski crystals, and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, the mosque can hold up to 41,000 worshippers. It stands as a proud ambassador of the Islamic faith and welcomes visitors daily.
- A day at Yas Island, aka Entertainment Island. The UAE was founded in 1971, and one of the advantages of being a more recently developed country is that its cities are very well planned out—to wit, Yas Island. It’s home to four theme parks (which are largely indoors so they can be enjoyed year-round), theaters, marinas and more. My family loved Seaworld Yas Island, where we took in a dolphin show, petted sting rays, strolled past a shark tank and rode the awesome Manta roller coaster, which had only a short line the day we visited. I was not surprised to learn that Disney chose Yas Island for its newest theme park. It will fit right in!
- A visit to Saadiyat Island (Arabic for “Island of Happiness). This island is home to four museums and counting—Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is set to open in 2026. My visit coincided with the debut of teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, which is labeled as a 4-acre multisensory art experience. It’s hard to describe, but it’s similar to a Frameless experience, where you walk through art projections, with the added element of different types of flooring (think small hills and valleys, and trampoline-like tiles) and dry and wet areas (be prepared to take off your shoes!). While my kids weren’t able to attend with me, I know they would have been happy to spend hours here.
- A trip to the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Also on Saadiyat Island, the famed museum opened this branch in 2017. As part of a $540 million deal with the iconic French museum, the original Louvre loans part of its collection to the Abu Dhabi location. It’s worth a visit to see the stunning indoor-outdoor domed building and plaza that incorporates the waters of the Persian Gulf into its design.
- Dune riding in the Al Danah desert. I’ll never forget the look of pure joy on my kids’ faces as our skilled driver zoomed us up and down the sand dunes in a Toyota Land Cruiser. They loved it so much that they declared it the best part of our trip. This was followed by a buffet dinner of chicken and lamb shish kebabs in a camp setting with tents for shade and entertainment including a belly dancer and a fire dancer. We left sweaty, sandy and thoroughly amazed.
- A morning at the Emirates Park Zoo. We were treated to a private breakfast with sea lions. The trainers took the playful animals through a private performance just for us. We got up close with the adorable creatures while they did headstands, played with balls and posed for photos with us. In a separate activity, we fed giraffes their breakfast—I’ll always remember how gently the giraffe lapped up a romaine leaf directly from my hand.
- A tour of Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation. This plaza is home to Qasr Al Hosn, a fort built in the 1760s and the oldest stone building in Abu Dhabi. With its turrets and waterfront location, it reminded us of St. Augustine, Florida’s Castillo de San Marcos, built a century earlier. I also recommend a tour of the House of Artisans to learn about weaving, basket-making and other traditional crafts of the area in a hands-on environment. We also popped into the Children’s Library, where the kids got to make their own woven bookmark and climbed on sand dunes made of pillows. (All are part of the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation.)
What’s the food like in Abu Dhabi?
My son is a picky eater and has been known to subsist on bread and water when we travel, so this question was top of mind for me as I decided whether traveling to Abu Dhabi was right for my family. Fortunately, everywhere we went, the food was fresh and delicious, and most restaurants either offered a kids’ menu or were willing to make accommodations for picky palates.
Much of the food is Lebanese-inspired—I was happy to indulge in hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh and the aforementioned shish kebabs of chicken and lamb on a near-daily basis. (My son was satisfied with chicken skewers with french fries.) Note that as Abu Dhabi is a Muslim country, you won’t find pork on the menu anywhere.
One of our most memorable meals was lunch at Erth Al Hosn, on the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation plaza. The restaurant, with its sand and desert hues and in-ground seating, looks like it would be at home on Luke Skywalker’s native Tatooine. The menu features Emirati cuisine and flavors—we enjoyed a kale salad with grapefruit and avocado, cauliflower tabbouleh, grouper with potatoes, short ribs and ghee chicken.
The country is also home to outposts of upscale restaurants with world-famous names, including Fouquet’s and Frangipani. We had the pleasure of eating at Zuma and Hakkasan, two London-based restaurants serving Japanese and Chinese fusion, respectively. Surprisingly, though my son is picky, he enjoys sushi—our dinner of hamachi, rolls and sushi at Zuma was a favorite all around. At Hakkasan, the server offered to have the chef make fried rice and noodle dishes kid-friendly with less spice, while my husband and I enjoyed a rainbow-colored assortment of dim sum, Peking duck and Wagyu beef.
Where’s the best place to stay in Abu Dhabi?
Similar to the restaurants, you’ll find many familiar names when it comes to lodging in Abu Dhabi. We stayed at the family-friendly Fairmont Bab Al Bahr. It has a kids club for children 8 and younger, a large pool with a maximum depth of about six feet that has several shallow areas made for kids and a small beach area.
The Fairmont has several restaurants, including Marco’s Italian and Cafe Sushi, serving sushi on a conveyor belt, plus you can upgrade to club level, which offers a complimentary buffet breakfast, tea time and happy hour, all with snacks and beverages.
A more budget-friendly option for families is the Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island. It’s located near all the amusement parks, is 10 minutes from the airport and has a large pool and golf course.
Or for the ultimate in luxury, opt for a stay in the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental. Housed in an opulent landmark building, the property has impressive fountains, gardens and a stunning design, which includes 114 gold domes, more than 1,000 chandeliers, and metallic and glass mosaics. It’s home to Hakassan and 10 other restaurants.
How many days is enough in Abu Dhabi?
My family spent five full days in Abu Dhabi, which was just about right. If we had an extra day, I would have enjoyed having one full day of leisure where we could lounge by the pool at the Fairmont. The downtime would have helped us refuel for all our other adventures. That said, there wasn’t an experience that we missed out on during our time there.
When is the best time to go to Abu Dhabi?
We visited in mid-April, when the average temperatures ranges from 72 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit. However, on the day we arrived, the temperature topped 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was hot to the point of being unbearable when not in the shade as we toured the mosque. Fortunately, the temperatures dropped down to a more manageable average in the 90s for the rest of the trip.
That said, the best time of year to go is anytime but the summer, when temps soar to 107 and trips to the desert are made nearly impossible. In the winter, temperatures range from the low 60s to the high 70s. You’ll also want to avoid traveling to Abu Dhabi during Ramadan, when many residents are fasting during the day and the atmosphere is more subdued.
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Sources:
- Experience Abu Dhabi
- Numbeo: “Safety Index by Country 2024”
