10 Best Family Things to Do in Abu Dhabi

Ferrari World is a massive indoor theme park in Abu Dhabi with over 20 high-octane rides for just about everyone in the family. It was established on Yas Island as the world’s first Ferrari-themed amusement park in 2010.

Expect plenty of thrilling experiences throughout the day at Ferrari World. You can experience intense speed at Formula Rossa, a rollercoaster that goes from 0 to 240 km/h in 4.9 seconds. Flying Aces takes you up to 63 metres at a 51-degree incline and speeds of up to 120 km/h. Families with toddlers can enjoy live shows featuring gravity-defying acrobats and optical illusions, or spend time at the theme park’s soft adventure play area.

Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi comprises 6 fun-filled zones inspired by some of its most iconic movies and cartoons. You can find around 29 rides within the 15-hectare theme park, including carousels, bumper cars, rollercoasters, and simulator rides.

Warner Bros. Plaza is the theme park’s epicentre, where you can find a wide range of dining and shopping options. The Starlight serves classic American cuisine like steaks and lamb chops, while Celebrity Scoop offers decadent sundaes, malts, and milkshakes. You can also purchase mugs, hats, and tees as mementoes of your visit.

Yas WaterWorld is an award-winning theme park in Abu Dhabi. It has around 45 water-based rides and attractions that suit just about everyone, making it one of the city’s most popular family attractions. Toddlers can enjoy slides, geysers, and water cannons at Marah Fortress, while parents can relax on sunbeds by the manmade Amwaj Beach.

Thrill-seekers can enjoy Dawwama, one of the largest hydromagnetic-powered waterslides in the world. Jebel Drop sends you down a 10-storey vertical slide, while Falcons Falaj takes you (and 5 companions) through a series of twists and turns on a water coaster.

Yas Kartzone is a high-speed outdoor centre with 3 configurations along a 1-km-long track. Kids can get behind the wheels of a go-kart and race against each other for the fastest time.

Sessions are categorised by age range (5 to 7, 8 to 12, 13 and above), with a safety briefing, racing gear, and 1-year membership included. Everyone also gets a printout of their driving performance at the end of the session. Parents can watch their kids in action at the Yas Kartzone Box Park.

Khalifa Park is worlds away from Abu Dhabi's modern landscape. It serves as a recreational spot for families, with pretty flowerbeds, a manmade lake, miniature waterfalls, and playgrounds for little ones.

You can ride a train that runs along the perimeter of Khalifa Park. It stops at onsite attractions such as the Khalifa Park Library, Murjan Splash Park, and the Abu Dhabi History Museum. The park is busiest on weekends, when families enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities, have BBQ picnics, and simply relax together.

A'l Bahar is a prominent gathering spot on the Abu Dhabi Corniche. This 500-metre-long promenade has ample family-friendly entertainment outlets, restaurants, and shops overlooking the Arabian Gulf. 

You can even enjoy a swim in the turquoise water, lounge on the sand, or take part in some beach games. Basketball courts, football fields, badminton courts, and an outdoor boxing gym are just some of the many sports facilities at A'l Bahar. 

The Abu Dhabi Heritage Village is an open-air museum offering an immersive look into the UAE’s traditional desert life. The recreated complex has all the elements you’d find in a traditional village, including a mosque, a souq (street market), falaj (irrigation channel), and several barasti (houses).

There are craftspeople working on ancient practices like pottery, metalwork, and glassblowing within the village. The Abu Dhabi Heritage Village is a world away from Abu Dhabi’s modern landscape, making it a great place for families and those who want to see a different side of the city.

CLYMB Abu Dhabi appeals to thrill-seekers with its indoor climbing wall and skydiving flight chamber, both of which are among the largest in Abu Dhabi. It occupies a silvery futuristic-looking building on Yas Island, near Ferrari World and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi.

Aspiring climbers – kids and adults alike – can take part in hands-on bouldering and auto-belaying group courses. The indoor climbing wall stretches up to 42 metres, with 13 routes to suit all levels. If you’re interested in skydiving, head to CLYMB Abu Dhabi’s state-of-the-art flight chamber. At 32 metres, it’s one of the world’s tallest vertical wind tunnels.

Marina Mall is a 4-storey complex near Abu Dhabi’s sea-facing Corniche Road. It has over 400 stores carrying upmarket and high street brands, including Gucci, Aldo, Dior, H&M, and Mont Blanc. One of the mall’s standout features is its observation deck, which offers expansive views of the Corniche, Arabian Gulf, and Emirates Palace.

Families can find plenty of things to do at Marina Mall. There’s an ice-skating rink, a 10-pin bowling alley, and a cinema showing the latest blockbusters. Kids can spend hours at Bounce, an indoor trampoline park with slides, slacklines, dodgeball courts, and fast-track trampolines.

KidZania Abu Dhabi is a prominent edutainment centre on the ground floor of Yas Mall. This interactive miniature city provides 40 realistic yet playful depictions of careers in medicine, construction, retail, and media. Most activities are suitable for children between 4 and 16 years old.

Your kids can become surgeons, nurses, or paramedics at the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, join a sports team at the Stadium, or create a stop-motion short film at the Majid TV Animation Studio. Costumes and equipment are provided for added realism to the experience.