Rainy day · Abu Dhabi · United Arab Emirates
7 things to do in Abu Dhabi when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Chris Down, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Hosn and Ferrari World. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 23–30 hours across 5 areas; all charge for entry. January is usually the wettest month, with about 2 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 23–30 hours
- Areas
- Saadiyat Island, Downtown and Yas Island
Abu Dhabi on a rainy day
Museum · Saadiyat Island
1.Louvre Abu Dhabi
Walk the waterfront promenade under the dome at the end of your visit; the light patterns are strongest in the late afternoon.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Couples
Historic site · Downtown
2.Qasr Al Hosn
Visit the House of Artisans in the same compound to see Al Sadu weaving demonstrations.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Theme park · Yas Island
3.Ferrari World
Ride Formula Rossa early, before queues build, and bring nothing loose; goggles are provided.
- Time needed
- Half to a full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Palace · Ras Al Akhdar
4.Qasr Al Watan
Stay on for the evening light show on the palace façade, which needs a separate or combined ticket.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- After dark
- Photo spot
Theme park · Yas Island
5.Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi
Families with young children can spend most of the day in Cartoon Junction and Bedrock, where rides have lower height limits.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
Aquarium · Yas Island
6.SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
Check the day's show schedule on arrival and plan the realms around the shows you want to see.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Aquarium · Khor Al Maqta
7.The National Aquarium at Al Qana
Pair it with an evening visit to the Grand Mosque, about five minutes away by taxi.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Saadiyat Island | Louvre Abu Dhabi | 2–3 hours |
| Downtown | Qasr Al Hosn | 1.5 hours |
| Yas Island | Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi | Half to a full day + Full day + Full day |
| Ras Al Akhdar | Qasr Al Watan | 2–3 hours |
| Khor Al Maqta | The National Aquarium at Al Qana | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 1 low cost, 3 mid-priced, 3 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Saadiyat Island and Downtown): Louvre Abu Dhabi → Qasr Al Hosn, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Yas Island): Ferrari World, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Yas Island): Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Yas Island): SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Ras Al Akhdar and Khor Al Maqta): Qasr Al Watan → The National Aquarium at Al Qana, at least 4 hours.
The wettest months
- January: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 2 rainy days, busy crowds. Peak season: sunny, warm days and cool evenings that may need a light jacket.
- February: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 2 rainy days, busy crowds. Some of the most comfortable weather of the year for sightseeing and outdoor dining.
- March: highs of 30°C (86°F), about 2 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm days and pleasant evenings; beaches and water parks become comfortable, and the cooler season's outdoor festivals wind down.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Corniche and Al Khalidiyah — Beachfront promenade, tower hotels and parks along the island's north-western shore
- Ras Al Akhdar and the Breakwater — Palace hotels and landmark towers at the western tip of the island
- Saadiyat Island — Museum district and a long natural beach about 15 minutes north-east of downtown
- Yas Island — Theme parks, the F1 circuit, Yas Mall and a waterfront dining strip
- Khor Al Maqta — Canal-side hotels and Souk Qaryat Al Beri facing the Grand Mosque
More of Abu Dhabi
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Abu Dhabi?
Louvre Abu Dhabi. Jean Nouvel's museum sits under a 180-metre steel dome whose layered latticework scatters light like sun through palm fronds.