New Year, new weekend, and new fantastic things to do in Abu Dhabi. While things have been changing with new weekend days for some of us, one thing remains the same: we’ve got the very best things to do this weekend.
We’re coming off an awesome week, and there is even more fun happening in the coming days so bundle up (it’s windy out these days) and explore the city. From the very best food to top new experiences, Abu Dhabi is brimming with brilliant activities to make your weekend awesome.
Ready to drool? For the best food and drink in Abu Dhabi click here.
Ready to chow down at brunch? For the city’s best brunches click here.
Let’s not forget about the arts. For all things culture in the capital, click here.
Looking to get active? Click here for the best sporting activities.
Eat a delicious burger or chicken sando at Pickl
Devoted fans of Pickl begged, pleaded, crossed borders and sent countless DMs asking for a Pickl in Abu Dhabi. Now the UAE-born burger brand officially has a home in trendy Mamsha Al Saadiyat and it’s the perfect place for a bite this weekend. Drool.
Read the full Time Out review of Pickl here.
Open Sat-Wed 11am-1am; Thu-Fri 11am-2am. Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island. eatpickl.com.
Get your tickets to the FIFA Club World Cup
Love the beautiful game? Get your hands on FIFA Club World Cup tickets on FIFA.com/tickets by using a Visa card until Friday January 7 at noon. There are a range of affordable tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis. Prices range from Dhs20 for a category four ticket to Dhs200 for a category one ticket for the final. Afterwards you can purchase tickets with any cards, but they’re selling fast.
Click here to read more about the FIFA Club World Cup.
Until January 7. www.fifa.com/tickets
Go for brunch at LPM Restaurant & Bar
LPM Restaurant & Bar Abu Dhabi has a brand new French Riviera-inspired brunch inspired by the restaurant’s impressive pink grape selection and will run exclusively in Abu Dhabi. Feeling hungry? The sharing-style brunch features an array of French food, drinks and music. You will need a minimum of two people to book.
Click here to learn more about the new brunch.
Dhs375 (soft), Dhs450 (pink grape, mixed), Dhs575 (sparkling). 1pm-3pm. LPM, The Galleria Al Maryah Island (02 692 9600).
Grab fresh produce at the Farmer’s Market
Deerfields Mall has re-launched its Farmers Market after a long hiatus and we’re ready with our wicker baskets.The Farmers Market at Deerfields Mall enables more than 20 local farmers to showcase their homegrown produce and interact with consumers. It runs every Friday to Sunday from 4pm to 10pm and is located in the recently renovated garden area.
Click here to learn more about the market.
Fri-Sun, 4pm-10pm. Deerfields Mall, Al Bahyah, www.deerfieldsmall.com.
Stick a triple Salchow on the rink at Zayed Sports City
You don’t have to be a professional figure skater to look sub-zero levels of cool at Zayed Sports City. Okay, so a triple salchow may not be quite possible for beginners – in fact, it could be downright dangerous for those of us who are most closely resemble Bambi on ice. But this is still quite literally the best place to create wintery vibes in the capital.
Open Sun-Wed noon-5pm and 6.30pm-6.15pm, Thu noon-10.30pm, Fri-Sat 10.15am-10.30pm. Zayed Sports City, zsc.ae (02 403 4200).
Swim with sharks at The National Aquarium
You don’t need to be a licensed scuba diver to get into the tank at The National Aquarium in Al Qana. You heard us. Slap on your wetsuit because this is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with wildlife that you’ll definitely want to try. Swim with hundreds of rays, sharks, fish and other wildlife for one of the coolest experiences you can do have Abu Dhabi.
Click here to see our exclusive first look at the shark dive experience.
Dhs790 (Shark Dive), Dhs1,210 (Discover Scuba Diving). Timings vary; open to kids aged 10 years and older. The National Aquarium, Al Qana support@alboomdiving.com (056 829 6923).
Tap into your creative side at Makerspace Al Zeina
Makerspace Al Zeina is now open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 9pm. Learn something new, start a new project, or build on existing skills at this incredible creative space. There are two new classes to try this month: Digitizer Pro Embroiderer Software and CNC Embroiderer SBU, which is ideal for anyone interested in textiles.
Click here for all the best books to read in 2022.
Open Sat-Thu 9am-9pm. Al Zeina, Al Raha Beach www.makerspace.ae (02 558 8624).
Try the mango sticky rice at San Thai Diner
There’s a new Thai restaurant, San Thai Diner, in town and from what we’ve heard it packs some serious flavour. The new spot is open from noon to midnight daily and does free home delivery when you order over the phone. It’s located on Hamdan Street, next to Mister Baker, and looks like a cozy spot for a bite.
Click here to learn more about the new restaurant.
Open daily, noon-midnight. Tourist Club Area (02 622 1620).
Watch the Gulf 12 Hours race at Yas Marina Circuit
Looking for some wheel to wheel racing this weekend? Gulf 12 Hours is an exclusive endurance race that is one of the toughest and most celebrated in the region. The 10th edition is taking place at Yas Marina Circuit from Thursday January 6 to Saturday January 8 with drivers taking on the newly reconfigured track.
Click here to learn more about the race.
Prices vary. Jan 6-8. Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, gulf12hours.com.
Zip across the wave pool at West Bay
Climb, zip and swim at West Bay’s new Adventure Park, featuring the only wave pool and lazy river in downtown Abu Dhabi, plus a zip-line and climbing park.The new spot is the perfect place for families, with cabanas for mums and dads to relax in while the kids have a blast climbing and exploring.
Read more about the new opening here.
Dhs50 (zip-line or ropes course), Dhs75 (both). Daily, 10am-6pm. West Bay Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Corniche (02 692 4375).
