A day trip to Abu Dhabi from Dubai

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are not far apart; the drive takes about an hour and 20 minutes. So, if you are staying in Dubai for a few days and would like to see some of Abu Dhabi as well, a day trip is truly ideal. You can choose to rent a car and head out on your own, but there are also plenty of organized tours on offer where everything is taken care of. We opted for the day trip below and had a fantastic time in Abu Dhabi!

Ferrari World

We were picked up from our hotel in the morning and drove to our first stop, Ferrari World, in just over an hour. Along the way, we were told all sorts of things about Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the rest of the United Arab Emirates. It was nice to learn more about how people live here and how the emirates came together. The stop at Ferrari World was a short photo stop; you don't actually go into the theme park, but you can walk around the shops for a bit. A Formula 1 race is also held here annually, so if you are a fan of that, it is fun to catch it. Of course, full day trips are also available that only take you to Ferrari World; if that appeals to you, you can always book that as well.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

After the photo stop and restroom break, we drove on to the highlight of our day trip to Abu Dhabi: the famous Sheikh Zayed Mosque. The mosque is the largest in the country and is known, among other things, for its white marble architecture. Additionally, this mosque houses the largest hand-knotted carpet and many beautiful pillars and chandeliers. The mosque is named after the founder and first president of the United Arab Emirates, and during our drive to the mosque, we were told more about its history.

Upon arrival at the mosque, a number of rules will be explained to you. As a visitor to the mosque, you are required to dress respectfully. This means that as a woman, you must wear covering, loose-fitting clothing and cover your hair. You can borrow abayas and hijabs from the mosque for free if you do not have them with you. For men, long trousers and a T-shirt are sufficient, as long as you cover your legs and shoulders and your clothing is not see-through. Striking texts on clothing and visible tattoos must also be covered.

If you, as a visitor, do not adhere to Islam, you cannot visit the prayer rooms, but you can view a large part of the mosque with a tour.

Louvre museum or Etihad Towers

Depending on the tour you book, you will visit the Louvre Museum afterwards or, like us, the Etihad Towers. You can often see in advance on GetYourGuide where your tour stops. When we were there, the Louvre Museum was not yet open, so we went to the Etihad Towers. We were allowed to go inside with the group to the top floor, where we had a beautiful view of the Emirates Palace and the rest of Abu Dhabi.

After this last stop, we drove back to Dubai in an hour and had a very nice day in Abu Dhabi. A lot was told about Islam and the history of the country, we were offered plenty of drinks in between, and there was also time for lunch. In short, a nice day trip to include if you are in Dubai for a few days!