Abu Dhabi & Dubai Guide (May 2023)
A parents-only Abu Dhabi and Dubai trip with mosques, museums, malls, a wedding weekend, and the practical lessons that made the trip easier than expected.
Adults
11 days
Why we went
A close friend's wedding in Abu Dhabi. We turned it into an extended trip — mostly Abu Dhabi with one night across in Dubai.
Where we stayed
Andaz Abu Dhabi for the main stay and Conrad Dubai for one night. The Andaz had a great location near the Corniche and the vibe was relaxed. The Conrad was solid for a quick overnight to see Dubai's highlights.
What we saw and did
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was the standout — go early. Louvre Abu Dhabi was worth a full morning. Qasr Al Watan was beautiful inside but the exterior in the heat was brutal. In Dubai: The Frame, Dubai Mall, and the Museum of the Future. The Frame is a quick stop with great views. Museum of the Future was more spectacle than substance but still worth it.
The Dubai Metro was also genuinely useful for getting around and is worth using when it lines up with where you are going.
How to pace it
Do everything outdoors before 10 AM or after 5 PM. The middle of the day is for malls, museums, or the hotel pool. We tried one midday walk and lasted about fifteen minutes.
Food quality was consistently high throughout the trip, but some places do take dress codes seriously. We were turned away from lunch once for wearing shorts, so it is worth packing at least one more polished daytime outfit.
One practical tip
Get a local SIM when you arrive. It makes using services like Careem, which is basically the local version of Uber, much easier and is worth it for getting around smoothly.
Would we go back
With kids, probably not in May — the heat makes outdoor time very limited. But as a parents-only trip it worked well. Abu Dhabi felt more our speed than Dubai, which leans heavier on spectacle.
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