There are loads of restaurants and bars to go to in Abu Dhabi, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other things to do on a night out.
Laser tag
Not just a popular past time for kids’ birthday parties, laser tag is growing in popularity as a corporate team building exercise and a date activity. Check out Thrill Zone – the games can start at just two players and can accommodate up to 20. Tie on your laser tag vest, keep your eyes sharp, and may the best man (or woman) win. The loser has to buy dessert…
From Dhs95. Sat-Wed 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-12am. Thrill Zone. Deerfields Mall, level 4 (02 551 3155).
Get out on the water
|We still have a couple more weeks left of gorgeous weather, so it makes sense to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Step away from a swimming pool and head out further afield on a kayak or paddle board. Noukhada Adventure Company offers kayak rentals if you want to paddle out for your own trip or will take you out on guided tours of the mangroves – it offers day tours, night tours, and sunset and sunrise tours
From Dhs160. Daily 9am-6pm Noukhada adventure Company (02 558 1889).
Go dancing
Something you can do at any age, dancing is great way to socialise and break out of your comfort zone. If you keep it up reported benefits include increased flexibility, better posture, and a more positive mood among others. Plus, since there is absolutely no way you can be distracted by your phone or outside stimuli, you get to focus exclusively on your date. In the best case, you find an activity you want to keep up together, and in the worst case you have a night of fun with no obligation to return. Arthur Murray dance studio has great offers for beginner dancers.
Prices vary. Sat-Wed 1pm-10pm; Fri 11am-5pm. Arthur Murray Abu Dhabi, off Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street (02 645 7372).
Reach new heights
A slightly more active option, CLYMB ABU DHABI offers a great indoor climbing environment, including the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall (almost 43m). With a total of five walls to climb, you’re able to choose one that suits your strength and fitness level. If climbing isn’t your taste, take your date indoor skydiving in a flight chamber measuring an impressive 9.7m by 32m. It’s suitable for all skill levels and something completely different.
from Dhs100. Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 12pm-10pm. Yas Island (600 511115).
Be tourists
See your city from a new perspective with a guided tour of all the major landmarks. Rayna Tours offers an eight-hour trip that covers some of the most popular landmarks, including Ferrari World, Saadiyat Island, the Corniche, Heritage Village and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, among others.
From Dhs280. Tours start at 9am. Rayna Tours (04 208 7444).
Rev your engine
Located next to Yas Circuit and Ferrari World on Yas Island, Yas Kartzone offers a well-maintained 1 km kart track. Children have a separate track to adults and all the racing suits, helmets, gloves and race shoes are provided. Drivers watch an instructional briefing video and the track offers a variety of challenging twists.
From Dhs120. Daily 9am-11pm. Yas Kartzone, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island (02 659 9471).
Immerse yourself in the spoken word
Performance poetry, spoken word and cool beats playing in the background, Rooftop Rhythms is a brilliant event that brings together the city’s creative types. Check it out.
Various times and dates. The Arts Center at NYU AD, Saadiyat Island, rooftoprhythms.org.
Go bowling
Bowling is not only fun, it gives you the chance to interact with the other person in a different way than if you were eating food across from them. Based in Marina Mall, Emirates Bowling Village has 32 bowling lanes and an indoor multi-sport court in case you want to try something different after your game (such as football, basketball, badminton, volleyball, billiards, table tennis, play station and VR games). It also has a restaurant for when hunger, erm, strikes.
Prices vary. Sat-Wed 10am-12am, Thurs-Fri 10am-1am. Emirates Bowling Village, Marina Mall (02 681 1185).
Or… Stay in and follow a YouTube tutorial
If you really don’t want to go out, why not turn off Netflix and take advantage of the millions of YouTube tutorials available? This can be anything from trying to make a souffle to creating art. Pick something you’ve never done before, grab whatever supplies you need and get to it. For the more competitive, see who can come out the other end with the best result.
