Abu Dhabi comes alive in summer with a lively programme of major events and memorable experiences, alongside a variety of indoor attractions designed for comfort throughout the season.
From headline entertainment at Etihad Arena to theme parks and nature escapes, the city offers plenty of ways to enjoy both indoor and outdoor activities at your own pace.
Live out Loud: Summer at Etihad Arena
If you live for big nights and bigger crowds, let the summer take you towards Yas Bay, where the 18,000-seat Etihad Arena hosts the season’s line-up.
This Is Michael
One of the world’s biggest celebrations of the King of Pop moonwalks into the capital this August.
This Is Michael is led by acclaimed performer Lenny Jay and brings Michael Jackson’s greatest hits roaring back to life.
The two-hour production stacks more than 20 songs, live vocals, iconic costumes, and full-scale staging into one electric night. It is a family-friendly spectacle built for fans of every age.
- Date: Saturday, 22 August 2026
- Venue: Etihad Arena, Yas Island
- Tickets: Tickets available for purchase from Etihad Arena website. Prices starting from AED 160
Get Get Aww SB Girls : Live in Abu Dhabi
Get ready to swing and groove with synchronized dance routines this August.
The Filipino sensation Get Get Aww SB Girls will light up the Etihad Arena with high-energy choreography and dazzling stage production..
- Date: 8 August 2026
- Venue: Etihad Arena, Yas Island
- Tickets: Tickets are available for purchase on Etihad Arena, with prices starting around AED 349.
The Adrenaline Epicenter: Yas Island
Yas Island is where the excitement continues long after the lights go down.
Just minutes apart stand some of the region’s most celebrated theme parks, many of them fully indoors, offering the perfect escape from the summer heat without slowing the pace of the adventure.
Avail a Yas Island multi-park pass to bundle two, or all four major parks across several days, so you can pace the adventure.
Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
If you are a speed fanatic, this one is for you. Ferrari World is home to more than 40 record-breaking attractions, including Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest roller coaster.
Buckle up for an explosive launch that rockets you from 0 to 240 km/h in just a few seconds, before twists, turns, and breathtaking speeds leave you ready to do it all over again.
The records do not stop there, so why should you? The adrenaline continues with attractions like Flying Aces, Turbo Track, and Mission Ferrari, each delivering high-speed thrills and gravity-defying moments.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi
As the region’s largest indoor theme park, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi brings six fully climate-controlled immersive lands together under one roof.
Across Gotham City, Metropolis, Cartoon Junction, Bedrock, Dynamite Gulch, and Warner Bros. Plaza, superheroes, supervillains, and beloved cartoon icons come to life through nearly 30 rides and attractions.
Families with younger kids will love the slower-paced fun of the Scooby-Doo! The Museum of Mysteries dark ride, the chaotic chase of the Tom and Jerry Swiss Cheese Spin, and the gentle Cartoon Junction Carousel.
Round it out with live character shows and meet-and-greets where costumed superheroes and Looney Tunes favorites step straight off the screen.
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi
Make a splash at the expanded Yas Waterworld, where the 2026 Lost City expansion has made the adventure even bigger.
Start with some of the park’s biggest record-breakers.
Dawwama, the world’s largest six-person tornado water slide, race through Bandit Bomber, the Middle East’s longest suspended roller coaster, or test your nerve on Liwa Loop, the park’s fastest and most exhilarating slide
Then let the joyride climb its peak with the new wave of action from the Lost City expansion featuring the UAE’s tallest waterslide, raft ride, raft slide, and more.
SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
For a cooling day of fun rides and playful hide-and-seek with curious sea creatures, dive into the various marine-themed experiences at SeaWorld Yas Island.
Enter eight ocean realms under one climate-controlled roof that unfold across more than 15 interactive experiences.
Pair that with over 100 unique animal experiences.
Wander from waddling king penguins and Pacific walruses in the chilly Arctic and Antarctic realms to playful bottlenose dolphins and flamingos in the Tropical Ocean.
The family-sized thrills keep coming, and there’s a real adrenaline hit for the brave: start with high-speed roller coasters and twisting water rides, or opt for gentler splash zones for younger visitors.
The experience is rounded off with a spectacular 360° LED show that brings the ocean to life overhead.
CLYMB Abu Dhabi
To fly without leaving the ground or searching for your passport, head over to CLYMB Abu Dhabihome to the world’s tallest indoor skydiving flight chamber and the world’s tallest indoor climbing walls – certified by Guinness World Records.
The ultimate adventure hub in the region packs two record-breaking experiences into one climate-controlled space.
Take flight in the world’s widest indoor skydiving chamber, where powerful fans float you up to 104 feet in the air — no plane or parachute required.
Then test your grip on The SUMMYT, the region’s tallest indoor climbing wall at 138 feet, with routes for first-timers and seasoned climbers alike.
Yas Marina Circuit
Pick your speed and live out your dreams of becoming an F1 driver here. Choose from standout experiences like driving the Formula Yas 3000 single-seater or Aston Martin GT4, or opt for high-energy fun with the Caterham Seven, Drift Taxi, or Yas Kartzone.
When the sun dips, TrainYAS opens the floodlit circuit for evening cycling, running, and walking, so you can smash an F1 track in the cooler night air with free entry on selected sessions.
The Great Outdoors: Exploring the Wider Emirate
From white-water rapids in the mountains to dune-bashing in the dunes, the wider emirate is a high-energy playground.
Time your outdoor adventures for early mornings or golden-hour evenings to beat the summer heat.
Al Ain Region: Rapids, Peaks, and Starlit Camps
Wadi Adventure
Head inland to the Garden City to be part of adventures the popular desert stories do not tell you about.
Wadi Adventure, at the base of Jebel Hafit, is home to the Middle East’s first man-made white-water rafting channels, also perfect for kayaking and surfing.
Jebel Hafit
Feel like a king (or queen!) on top of the world when you tower above it all on Jebel Hafit, Abu Dhabi’s highest peak at 1,249 meters.
At the UNESCO-listed Jebel Hafit Desert Park, you can hike and bike scenic trails, take a guided buggy or camel trek past 5,000-year-old tombs, and camp under the stars, choosing your own tent to an air-conditioned dome.
Coastal Escapes: Saadiyat & Jubail
Jubail Mangrove Park
Cool off on the coast with a slow paddle through the mangroves.
Kayak across quiet tidal channels at Jubail Mangrove Park, where you’ll pass a sanctuary rich in native birdlife and marine life.
The boardwalks and water trails are designed to protect the ecosystem at every turn, providing an environmentally-friendly guardrail to your day of fun here.
Saadiyat Island
Over on Saadiyat Island, swap calm waters for the open sea, where kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and watersports deliver a fresh-from-the-sea view of the city skyline.
Time it for early morning and you may be lucky enough to spot dolphins offshore or catch a glimpse of Saadiyat’s hawksbill turtles before the heat builds.
Explore more to find out how you can join in on the summer fun now.
