Ride the bus
As part of the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport’s long term plan to bring sustainable public transport to the entire emirate by 2030, 125 brand new air-conditioned buses are currently in service all over town. With a variety of lines that run from Zayed Sports City, through the middle of town and out to all the malls, these new green and white buses are clean, easily accessible, and provide priority seating for ladies, especially ones with kids. Some toddlers relish a ride on the bus nearly as much as a trip to Disneyland!
Laze on the newly refurbished Corniche public beach
For many years, the public beach along the Corniche was dilapidated, dirty, and nothing short of sleazy. Not anymore. Recent construction has brought new life to this gorgeous stretch of park land. Several kilometers of sidewalk run up to and alongside the new beach, which includes a separate section just for women and children. Can’t be bothered to load up on provisions? Visit the row of coffee shops and cafés, including a Baskin Robbins, right in the middle of the beach. On the side of the Corniche opposite the waterfront, between 26th Street and Airport/2nd Road, you’ll also find several giant playground areas suitable for kids of every size. While a small fee applies to the ladies only beach, everything else is free – including the all-new Wi-Fi internet service (we’re still not sure whether laptops and sand make for a happy mix).
Boat out to Lulu Island
Looking to get off the beaten track? Check out Lulu Island, the man-made six square km island that stretches from the Abu Dhabi breakwater to the Mina Zayed. Boats take visitors from a jetty near the Emirates Heritage Village (opposite Marina Mall) to Lulu Island, where air conditioned buses and a little train wait to take them to various spots around the island. You could pack your own BBQ equipment, but the island currently holds two restaurants and four coffee shops, two stretches of beach, changing rooms, cafeterias, dunes, mosques, two artificial lakes, and a track for camel and horse riding. Opening hours are from 8am to 8pm, and the entrance fee is Dhs15. Once on the island, all activities are free.
Get the hump
Of course, if you’re in the area, it’d be a shame to miss out on a trip to the wonderful Abu Dhabi Heritage Village itself. The recreation of a traditional Bedouin encampment is all well and good, but as far as the kids are concerned, the camel rides are where the action’s at. Get your cameras ready (it’s a photo-friendly area) and climb aboard the only animal that unfolds! The village can be found at Breakwater, and – better still – it’s free to get in. Why not drop in on your way to Lulu Island? Give the camels something to smile about.
Go fly a kite
The latest craze for the big boys and girls (read: mum and dad) involves hitting the surf attached to a kite… but why should they have all the fun? Abu Dhabi Beach is the ideal place to unfurl your wings and take part in one of the oldest pastimes known to human beings: kite flying. No need to splash out much money here – just grab some coloured paper, some garden bamboo sticks, a roll of tape and a ball of string, and let your creativity fizz. 20 minutes should be all you need to knock something together, then you’ve got the rest of the day to soak up some sun and let the kids fly free.
