Abu Dhabi in a Day

More developed and simultaneously more of a relaxed vibe, Abu Dhabi offered a surprising alternative to the hustle and bustle of Dubai. Only an hour away, the city is growing like crazy with some of the highest end malls, brands, museums and restaurants. But there’s a cultural side as well. Here’s how to experience it all in 24 hours. 

Getting in and around:

Simple. Cab or taxi. Not much to it. Pro tip-getting in and our of the Louvre SUCKS, so make sure when you get there, you have the driver drop you off just outside the gates, and pick up in the same spot. Don't wait in no damn line.

What to do:

Sheik Zayed Mosque

Words simply do not describe the beauty of this mosque. In my opinion, it creeps into the same level of beauty as the Taj Mahal. Visiting is free, but do remember that it is a mosque and women must be covered head to toe out of respect for the mosque. Beautiful white, blue and gold tiles make this one of the most aesthetically pleasing buildings in the world, and the sheer scale itself made my heart beat that much faster. It's an imposing building to say the least, and seeing it when we did (just before and during sunset) gave it a dynamic character which was unique. Of course, it's crowded as hell, but we still managed to get some great pictures. And here's another pro-tip. If you're a girl, or with a girl, have the girl go to the bathroom. It's located on it's own wing of the mosque where it is almost empty because no men are allowed (although I feel like I could have snuck in somehow, I just didn't want to risk it). Going there is just beautiful, as I had my sister video the walk through the almost empty part of the mosque so I could see it for myself. She said that she got the chills from just how beautiful and imposing the building was.

There are really no adjectives to describe how amazing this mosque is. I got the chills walking through it and I still do looking back on photos and videos even though they barely do it any justice.

The Louvre

One of the best buildings completed in 2017, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is a work of art that houses works of art. Unfortunately, the line was too long and we had almost no time, but we still basked in the beauty of the "roof" (an 8 layer tessalation of stars stacked on top of each other to create a beautiful play on light, weighing more than the Eiffel Tower) and overall design within water of the building. It's a must visit, and definitely book your tickets online before hand so you can actually go inside the building and not wait an hour in line.

Definitely book your tickets in advance, especially if you're traveling during the peak season, so you don't have to wait an hour to go in and be forced to miss out on really experiencing this incredible work of architecture.

Shop

The Galleria is where we did some damage, and my goodness I don't think I've ever seen such a high end mall. You couldn't spend $100 here if you tried. Every name brand you can think of had a huge store here. So if you want to splurge, this is the place to do it.

What to eat:

Nus.ret

Hands down the best steakhouse I have ever been to. The same was said by my meat-loving father. This place really does live up to the hype created by the infamous "Salt Bae". We had meat sushi and beef carpaccio to start, both of which were uniquely prepared-meat sushi is raw meat on rice, "cooked" with a blow torch table-side and the carpaccio was basically tuned into a burrito with the thinly sliced beef wrapping cheese, arugula, and croutons, topped with some salt and pepper and olive oil. It tasted even better than it sounds. Then for our meals, we had the Istanbul Beef, which was perfectly simple and awesomely prepared, thinly sliced tableside, the meat spaghetti, which were thin cut of meat resembling pasta and again, simple yet cooked just right. But the surprise entrée of the night was my sister's-the Nusret Salad. It was probably the best salad I have ever had ironically enough. We were all over the salad, and it disappeared almost as fast as it appeared. Also, the drinks were great, especially the Nusret special, which was non-alcoholic but almost addictive in how flavorful it was. Located in the Galleria with views over the bay, do NOT miss out on dining here, where the waiters' mustaches greet you with a warm smile and serve you some great meat (and veggies!)