The best time to visit Abu Dhabi is November through March, when temperatures are comfortable and sightseeing is enjoyable. This is prime season for outdoor exploring, desert safaris, and beach days.
April and October can still work, but expect warmer days.
May through September is extremely hot — doable if you plan around indoor attractions, pools, and early mornings, but not ideal for first-timers.
Abu Dhabi may feel laid-back, but it delivers when it comes to bucket-list experiences.
Don’t miss:
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — one of the most breathtaking buildings I’ve ever seen
Louvre Abu Dhabi — iconic architecture + rotating global exhibitions
Emirates Palace — even if you’re not staying there, it’s worth seeing
Observation Deck at 300 — skyline views without the crowds
Desert safari — dunes, camel rides, and sunset views outside the city
Corniche Beach — clean, calm, and surprisingly peaceful
Qasr Al Watan — the presidential palace that’s open to visitors
Abu Dhabi is easy to reach, especially if you’re already traveling through the Middle East.
Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) serves nonstop and connecting flights from Europe, Asia, and North America
Many travelers pair Abu Dhabi with Dubai — it’s about 1 to 1.5 hours by car
Taxis and private transfers from Dubai are straightforward and affordable
Getting around Abu Dhabi is simple and stress-free.
Taxis are plentiful, safe, and reasonably priced
Ride-share apps like Uber and Careem work well
Renting a car is helpful if you plan to explore outside the city or visit the desert
The city is spread out, so walking isn’t always practical
Dress modestly in mosques and cultural sites — shoulders and knees covered
Book mosque visits earlier in the day for cooler temps and better photos
Fridays are slower mornings due to prayer times
Alcohol is available in hotels and licensed venues, but not everywhere
Plan outdoor activities early morning or near sunset
Abu Dhabi is incredibly safe and well-organized — it’s a very easy destination to navigate
Let’s talk about when to actually book that Dubai trip you’ve been pinning for two years. I get asked this constantly, so here’s the honest breakdown: October through April is your window. Anything outside that and you’re basically touring in a sauna!
October and November give you warm days and cooler nights, which is basically the sweet spot for wandering around without melting. December through February is peak season: gorgeous weather. March and April are the quiet insider pick, right before summer heat shows up and ruins everyone’s plans.
Saving this for later? That’s what it’s here for. Full breakdown linked in bio.
If you’re chasing energy, beaches, nightlife, and nonstop luxury, Dubai takes the crown. If you’re craving culture, iconic architecture, and meaningful landmarks at a slower pace, Abu Dhabi shines.🤍
My advice? Base yourself in Dubai and do Abu Dhabi as a day trip! The perfect balance of excitement and culture in the UAE.
Want the full breakdown? Check out my Dubai and Abu Dhabi guide for tips, itineraries, and must-sees!
I do not like seafood. 🐟 So when I booked a tasting menu at a restaurant built around aquarium walls at Atlantis The Palm, I was nervous.
Ossiano sits underwater fish gliding past the whole meal, moody lighting, the kind of room that makes you lower your voice without meaning to. It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. You’re paying for the entire experience.
Here’s the honest part: they have a vegetarian tasting menu, and I assumed it would be an afterthought. It ended up in my top five meals of all time. Course after course, the same care and precision as the seafood-forward menu everyone comes for. They even swapped in a steak for the main and it still felt cohesive with everything around it.
By course four you’re full. They bring out three more breads anyway. I ate all of it. No regrets.
Small detail that stuck with me my dress was black, so they swapped my napkin from white to black without me asking. That’s the kind of thing that tells you everything about a place.
Full breakdown of the menu, the vegetarian option, and what to expect linked in bio.
Dubai is all skyline until you drive an hour into the dunes and it goes completely silent. Bab Al Shams was that shift for us: slower, quieter, more intentional than anything we did in the city.
If you want nightlife or walkable everything, this isn’t your stop. But if you want a night that feels like a reset, it delivers, polished service, food I’m still thinking about, and a setting that never tries too hard.
Full review (and whether it’s worth adding to your Dubai itinerary) is linked in bio. 🏜️
I flew @emirates economy to Dubai fully expecting to just survive the flight. We booked seats by the exit row — @bradplummer1 got the legroom (he’s 6’7”), I got a normal seat right next to him, and it saved us money over booking two extra-legroom seats. Smart trick if you’re traveling with someone who needs the extra space and you don’t.
The food alone earned this post. Warm chicken, a Waldorf salad that actually tasted fresh, real butter on the roll, and a breakfast spread that put most airport brunches to shame. Add in the twinkling-star cabin lighting once dinner wrapped, and it felt less like a flight and more like the trip had already started.
Not everything was perfect — the wifi didn’t work for me at all, so if you’re planning to get work done in the air, download what you need beforehand. But that was the only miss in an otherwise excellent long haul.
If you’ve got Emirates lounge access in Dubai, use it. Showers, buffets, quiet corners to nap it makes the layover feel like a reset instead of a slog.
Full review seats, food, lounge, and the wifi situation is on the blog. Link in bio. ✈️
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
