I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this before that you can get antsy being in Riyadh too long. I often feel limited in our movement (have to be driven, must wear an abaya, trips are planned around prayer times, etc.) and in the variety of what’s available to us (no good Mexican food, can’t go see a movie, not really any museums, etc.). I go through periods when I’d rather not leave the DQ, so I end up feeling like a bit of a recluse. And J works a lot here, often with long hours, so he’s been in need of a break for a while. Plus, we’re surrounded by people who are constantly traveling so when we’re not we get a little FOMO. While we’re living here, we want to see as much of the region as we can. Bahrain is so nice and easy to travel to since it’s an only drive away, but it’s time to hop on a plan and see something new. Which brought us to Abu Dhabi.
You might be asking, why Abu Dhabi over Dubai? In US comparisons, it’s probably like going to West Palm Beach vs. South Beach. For us we just wanted something really chill. We definitely want to check out Dubai though so maybe we’ll go for a long weekend sometime soon.
When we travel we keep things pretty loose. We don’t plan out our days, but rather make a list of priorities when it comes to sightseeing and eating, then just tick things off as we go. Being flexible and agile, especially with kids, makes for much less stress. I’m so lucky to have married someone with the characteristics I love in a travel companion.
That being said, we wanted to see the Grand Mosque, go to the Louvre, check out Emirates Palace, spend a day at Saadiyat Island and take The Gents to Legoland. As for restaurants, there wasn’t anything we HAD to eat at. There are a lot of nice places, especially around our hotel, so we knew we’d eat really well. J has some colleagues who are posted at the Embassy there so we wanted to see them as well. One of them was so kind to let us borrow her nanny for a couple evenings so we could get out on our own. A Godsend! Unfortunately The Gents both had tummy issues ALL week and there were sand storms/high winds 2 of the 5 days we were there. The only thing we didn’t do was go to Saadiyat Island. All in all, it was a really successful trip. These kids are troopers and they never cease to amaze me.
There is definitely more in Abu Dhabi than we took advantage of. We would love to have gone to Ferrari World but C&R couldn’t have gone on any of the rides, which would have meant that J and I would be taking turns. It was even tough for them to get the full Legoland experience, but we did all that was allowed. There are also sailing trips and more Middle Eastern culture to take in. Having toddlers limits some activities anywhere you go though. When they’re a little older it will be easier, so for now we make the most of all we can.
One additional note, I was really impressed with the level of service and catering to children everywhere we went. Abu Dhabi seems very family-oriented, which makes sense with the number of expats livings there. Everywhere we went there were small children and restaurants always had enough highchairs and crayons. Staff in shops and restaurants always stopped to interact with The Gents. It was really sweet.
If you're thinking of visiting, don't hesitate to reach out with questions. Here’s a quick rundown of our week…
STAY
Rosewood Abu Dhabi – we’re big fans of the Rosewwood since we stayed there for an extended period before we left DC. The hotel and rooms are gorgeous, the amenities are great and service is impeccable. They have kids services as well, including a kid’s club and nannies for hire. When we arrived cribs were already set-up. There was a mini pop-up castle in our room, with gift bags for The Gents, as well as children’s toiletries. Cookies, other sweet treats and milk were waiting for us when we arrived.
SEE
Grand Mosque – come completely covered (hair, shirt to wrists and pants to ankles) in regular clothing or an abaya, unless you want to wear a loaner abaya. Also be prepared that you will be walking barefoot as soon as you enter the mosque. I had never been in a mosque before so I had no clue.
Legoland Dubai – we had a lot of fun and we were surprised with Dubai Parks, which also included Motiongate, Bollywood and Riverland. The surrounding area of theme parks was also a pleasant surprise with all sorts of Western chain restaurants to make you feel back at home.
Emirates Palace – this used to be an actual palace so you can imagine how grand it is. We didn’t spend a lot of time here and it was in the evening so we could see much. The grounds were rolling and immaculate. A friend later showed us pics of a hotel room she had been in and it was jaw dropping. We walked around a bit after our Haakasan dinner. The shops are luxe and geared towards Emiraties. I had fun just looking at the Rolex watches that you’d never see anywhere else with leopard print brands, swirling diamond designs in the bracelet and ombre gemstone bezels.
Louvre Abu Dhabi – I’m so impressed with this place. Not only are the grounds and building an architectural delight, the pieces on rotation are incredibly special. You don’t get to see these types of works often. The art history lover in me was swooning.
EAT
Leopold’s of London – an easy breakfast spot for good coffee and tasty simple breakfast. We usually had croissant, muffins and yoghurt, but they have some nice plated breakfasts and salads. Also got chicken nuggets and pasta for the gents in evening.
Rosewood Aqua (breakfast buffet) – pricey, but has everything you could need.
Loco – what a treat to have Mexican food! We both got chicken enchiladas, something we haven’t eaten in a very long time. The boys had grilled shrimp and nachos.
Prego’s – an Italian spot, known for their pizzas. You can also get some really nice cheeses and PORK charcuterie!
Bentley’s Kitchen – I felt like I was in a London gastro pub. Good comfort food. We both got burgers and shared with C&R.
Haakasan – when I found out there was one here I was really excited because this is a favorite place of mine in London. Even though the original chef has sold of the global chain, the food is still great and did not disappoint.
Dai Pai Dong – they serve all you can eat dim sum during lunch hours!
Butcher & Still – intended to be a traditional Chicago style steakhouse, we were in awe of the aesthetics of the restaurant (think of every art deco leather Restoration Hardware piece you can imagine) and authentic quality of food. This place made me homesick for Chicago, but filled my craving for a bone-in filet, and wedge salad.
Roberto’s – we celebrated Valentine’s here with The Gents. For being a white tablecloth restaurant I was impressed that there was a kids menu. They noshed on calamari fritti and pizza margherita, while J enjoyed black truffle risotto and I had the fusilli cacio e pepe con ragu, which I want to replicate.
SHOP
The Galleria – we spent a lot of time in this ultra high-end mall. The only designer missing was Chanel. No, I didn’t buy anything (other than restocking on French skincare products) but it was nice to look and get some ideas. The mall is situated between the Rosewood and Four Seasons, on the waterfront, with restaurants dotting the waterfront path.
Yas Mall – before our return flight we had a little time to kill so we stopped at Yas Mall since so many people have told us about it. It’s on Yas Island, a new development. Wasn’t really in the mood to buy anything, but gathered more ideas for upcoming purchases.
Note: Prices are a little more than you’d expect for certain brands. For instance, we can’t get Kiehl’s in Riyadh so it’s has to be ordered online. They had it at a Yas but it was ridiculously expensive. The French skincare products I purchased were also more expensive, but those are much tougher to find online and take forever to ship (from France, to US, to Riyadh) so I paid the premium for convenience. With any place we go we do our research on product prices, exchange rates and VAT to make sure we’re not getting gouged.
TRANSPORTATION
Taxis are very reasonably priced and Careem (Uber of the region) is easily available. If you’ve got kids it’s a good idea just to rent a car. They’re affordable and make getting around so much easier.