The cultural capital of the United Arab Emirates will engage the most restless minds with its iconic galleries and museums, including the Louvre and, from 2025, the Guggenheim. Architecture fans can wander streets of opulent, statement-making Islamic structures, including the country’s largest mosque, while those looking for adventure will find thrills in abundance at the world’s biggest man-made surfing wave, plus an entire theme park built for speed junkies.
When it’s time to take the pace of city life down a notch or two, a day trip from Abu Dhabi offers respite from development and fast pace. Beyond the city limits lie endless empty desert dunes and unlikely discoveries, from exotic wildlife to soaring cliffs of sand.
Read on for five of the best day trips from Abu Dhabi within a few hours of the city limits.