A Tour of Abu Dhabi

 
I am a big fan of hop on hop off tours around the world. I have done them in several cities and countries and the main reason being, the tour takes you to all the main attractions in the city AND it comes with readily available transportation. You don’t have to navigate the city alone (unless you want to), if you are short on time you can see the city in just one day AND it comes with a voice guide in several languages. This tour also included a coupon book, free bottled water and maps.
Here are the highlights from the Big Bus Tours Hop on Hop Off Abu Dhabi I’ll be your tour guide.

There are two routes: the red one is the main one and runs every 30 or so minutes. The purple route covers Yaz island and picks up from the mosque every 60 minutes and goes back around the island.  I didn’t make it to the island due to time constraints and suffering from jet lag, but I would recommend it. I wanted to go to see the Formula One racing and Ferrari World.
The main route (red) has 16 stops. I didn’t get to all of them but these are the best stops in my opinion:
Marina Mall. There’s a lot of great shopping in the mall and as an added bonus, you can ride the sky tower to see views of Abu Dhabi and get 20% off your check while you are up there. I opted for a frozen mocha and it was Delish!
 

Etihad Towers. There is amazing food to be found here, high end shopping and a 74 story view from the Observation Deck 300. Entrance is 50% off with a hop on hop off ticket and well worth every cent.

Read More: The best food in Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: This architectural masterpiece has it all. It is probably the most beautiful place I have ever been inside. This is the countries grand mosque and one of the largest in the world. The mosque can accommodate over 40,000 worshipers! It is a very large, exquisite building.


TIP: Ladies, you need to be covered up, including your head, for entrance. 
Souk: We ended up walking around here and then eating lunch inside that was delicious. You can find a lot of crafts and souvenirs here to take home.

 
Dhow Corniche Cruise: This is free to ride with the purchase of a hop on hop off ticket! So don’t miss your chance to go on a Dhow Cruise. the boat doesn’t move fast so you can enjoy the scenery and take it all in.
 

 
Our visit in Abu Dhabi was too short but I would love to come back for a week or two and see the whole city. There’s just so much to see and do!