How to Hold a Picnic in Abu Dhabi: A Complete Guide 

With the pandemic, we understand how hard it could be to plan a fun outing with friends and family while still staying safe. We think picnics are a great way to do just that! Especially with such beautiful weather, it would be a waste to stay indoors and not enjoy natural parks, gardens, and beaches in Abu Dhabi. Below we will be reviewing the best picnic places in Abu Dhabi, plus a couple of shops to get your own picnic sets and food.

Picnic Spots in Abu Dhabi

Masdar Park

Masdar city is a city that depends on renewable energy and has many entertainment facilities for everyone. One of the amazing spots there is Masdar Park.

Masdar Park is easily accessible by most of Abu Dhabi’s different areas such as Yas Island, Khalifa City, and Shakhbout City which makes it a popular picnic park in Abu Dhabi. It is one of the best places to visit in Abu Dhabi with family because it is filled with different services allowing you to enjoy a safe, family-friendly outing without worrying too much about what to do and what food to bring with you.

The park’s many services include: 

• Security everywhere to ensure your kids’ safety. 
• Kids playgrounds (check their availability since they are sometimes closed due to covid).
• Food trucks: offering many options and a variety of cuisines such as Japanese, Lebanese, American, and much more. 
• Scooters and bikes are available: electric scooters are available by circ, bikes from ADCB. 
• Toilets.
• Tables and chairs are available if you wish to sit and relax or eat rather than sitting on the grass.  
• A big parking area where you can park your car easily without struggling to search for an empty slot. 
• Walking area separate from the biking area; 2 different paths to ensure safety. 
• Big grass area for kids to play and for picnics. 
• Charging station for devices like phones, tablets which is very helpful if a device is out of charge. 
• Electrical car charging stations are also available in the park.
• No entry fees and no age limit. 
• De Larta Shop that sells skincare products.

This park has most of the things that you need to entertain yourself and your family or friends on a picnic day. You don’t even need to prepare for anything because everything you might need is available and much more. But if you wish to look the part for the picnic, check out the shops we recommend for picnic kits down below. 

Yas Park

Yas Island is famous for its theme parks but we have discovered one of the hidden spots in it that are perfect for a family outing, which is Yas Gateway Park.

Yas Gateway Park is one of the best places to go for a picnic in Abu Dhabi to chill and enjoy the company of family and friends, especially during this time where we are trying to avoid crowded areas and look for a quiet, peaceful, isolated and landscaped place such as this.

The Yas public park is located off Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed highway. It’s divided into two sections, which are  Yas Gateway Park North and Yas Gateway Park South. Due to the pandemic, the garden closed its doors and stopped accepting visitors to it, but recently Yas Park reopened the two parts of it, and we decided to visit and review the southern part of it for you.

When you enter the park gate, you will find designated parking spaces, or you can place your car in any spot you prefer, or close to where you will set, but not on the grass because you will be fined up to AED 500 for this behavior. Plus, you will find the park rules and regulations set by Abu Dhabi City Municipality at the entrance, and we recommend you kindly adhere to them.

The garden has large green areas where you can choose any spot you like to start your picnic with your loved ones. Besides, it has many services that facilitate your visit such as: 

• Toilets distributed across the garden and close to the parking spaces. 
•  A free tennis court, but it’s temporarily closed due to Covid-19. 
• A covered and safe kids’ playground, where your lovely children can have some fun playing on this spot, or they can bring their own bicycles and enjoy cycling in specific areas at Yas Park. 
• There are also designated barbeque areas, where you can grill on it rather than bringing your own BBQ stuff because you are not allowed to do that. 

An important note to mention, there are no food and beverage outlets or food trucks in Yas Gateway Park. So, it’s advisable to bring your trip supplies with you. And if you forget you can easily visit Yas mall to order or pick up some meals from there for your picnic. 

While reviewing the park, we found some visitors enjoying riding e-scooters belonging to the Circ company, and we gave it a try. You can download the Circ app, sign in, look for nearby e-scooters on the map, unlock it using the Circ app, wear your helmet, and enjoy riding at Yas Park.

A Secret Garden in Abu Dhabi

The Secret Garden is one of the hidden spots discovered in Abu Dhabi that would be a great choice for a picnic close to nature. The secret place is located off Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street. It’s actually a part of Al Khaleej Al Arabi Park, a public garden overlooking the sea. This place has large green spaces, seating areas, designated barbeque spots, kids’ playgrounds, sports courts, toilets, and parking lots. 

When you enter the park, go to the western side of it to find your new escaping spot. You will see a long path covered with tall trees, a seaside view on your left, and a calm place where you can enjoy watching the sunset with your beloved ones.

The secret garden is the perfect place to escape from the city noise, but there are some things you should know in advance. First, BBQ is only allowed in specific areas, not near this spot. Second, there are no food and drink outlets there, so it’s recommended to bring picnic stuff with you. Finally, it’s advised to visit the park only during the day, because there are no lights in this spot.

Since the secret is out, this is your time to give it a visit and remember to keep the place clean as you found it!

Abu Dhabi Corniche Beach

The Corniche Beach in Abu Dhabi is the perfect spot for enjoying both a dip in the aquamarine sea and a picnic on the velvety white sands. The beach is accompanied by a spectacular mahogany walkway that is aligned with clean-cut bushes; which is also perfect for a stroll by the beach.  If you are looking to sunbathe, you can also rent sun loungers and umbrellas for the fee of  25 AED per sun lounger.

This will be one of your new favorite picnic spots because there are many things that you can do. You can take your grilling skills out for a ride in their cabanas, take a therapeutic walk on the soft sand, watch the kids play in the disinfected playground, have a friendly basketball game on the court, and much more. This spot is lovely for a picnic around the time the sun sets because you can see the cotton candy colors that paint the sky above the Persian Sea with a view of Al Marina.  

A picnic in Corniche Beach is very ideal as you can spend your entire day there. In the afternoon you can take a refreshing swim, watch the kids build their sandcastles, soak in the golden sun, and change your clothes just in time for the sunset. After the sunset, you can have a delicious meal from any of the restaurants/cafes available to complete your beach picnic at night and relish the view.  Listening to the sound of the waves crashing the shore, watching the sky turn into a deep dark blue, and having your loved ones around you is a perfect way to have a memorable picnic. 

Corniche beach has different sections and each section caters to different categories and rules which are: Al Sahil Beach, gate 4-6, has no entry fee and it is open for all; Gate 1-3 is mainly for families and has an entry fee. The entry fee is only 10 AED for adults and 5 AED for children; infants under the age of five enter for free. The gated beach (1-3) has clean restrooms, changing rooms, and lifeguards on duty until sunset. Gates 1-3 are usually less crowded and quieter. The beaches’ working hours are from 8:00 am -10:00 pm. There are two parking lots that can be used for the beach and they are located here, opposite the beach, and it is a quick five minutes walk away.

During this pandemic, the authorities of the beach have been extra careful with following the guidelines that have been set for the safety of the visitors. At the entrance, each visitors’ temperature is checked and they are asked to sanitize their hands. There are also outlined circles on the beach that are set 2 meters apart and can only contain 4 people at a time. The security guards that are scattered amongst the beach, break apart large parties of people as it is not allowed. Lastly, since both gate 2 and 3 allow access to the same section of the beach, they only allow entry at gate 3 and exit at gate 2. This is to ensure that there is no overcrowding at the gates. 

There are many facilities that are available inside and outside the gated beaches that can beautify your visit, such as:

• A variety of different restaurants and cafes that you can dine in or take away your favorite food for your picnic outside the gated beaches. Inside the gated beaches, the only two stores that are currently open, are a small grocery shop, and a cafeteria. 
• A basketball court that is free and open for all.
• A cycling track outside of the gated beaches (there were e-scooters available but they have been removed recently as per their COVID-19 precautions).
• Multiple covered and sanitized kids’ playground.
• Restrooms and changing rooms.

The Corniche Beach is located here, and you can find a guide to all the gates here.

Best Stores to Buy Picnic Supplies From

Don’t know how to get ready for a picnic? Or what stuff you should bring for your outing? Don’t worry about that anymore. We uncover the best three shops where you can find everything you will need to prepare for the perfect picnic. 

Awani World of Homewares

If you are looking for a complete set of picnic gadgets and accessories, then Awani World is your right destination. Awani store is one of the well-known places in Abu Dhabi where everyone goes to buy high-quality home products for hospitality and cooking. The shop sells a wide range of picnic equipment with different designs and sizes. It offers a full picnic basket set for 4 people, which includes plates, spoons, knives, forks, and a medium-sized blanket for only AED 200. You can go for a complete basket or buy separate items as you like. The shop has picnic baskets, bags, blankets, foldable tables and chairs, mini gas stoves, and much other stuff. 

You can physically visit Awani store, which is located in Bawabat Al Sharq Mall, on the first floor near the Nova cinema. Or you can order their products online, where it will take you to their Instagram page to choose the product(s) that you want to buy, then WhatsApp them with your choices and needed information such as your name, location, payment options. 

• Phone Number: +971 2 621 4010
• Instagram: @awaniworld
• Delivery: Delivering to all Emirates

April General Trading Shop

April shop is located in BaniYas city. This shop sells many picnic supplies like baskets, carpet, cushions, trays, cutlery and crockery all in one place. Most of the products are very low in prices compared to the market.

 If you don’t have time to go there don’t worry because you can also order through their WhatsApp number and they will deliver it to your doorstep. All product pictures are available in their Instagram account which makes it easier to shop.

• Phone Number: 050 497 6766
• Instagram: @april.shop.ae
• Delivery: Delivering to all emirates 
• Location: Bani Yas

City Felash

City Felash is a department store that contains a variety of different items at lower prices compared to the market. It has almost all the equipment you may need for your picnic. They have beautifully designed baskets that can be used accompanied by their light and colorful plastic plates, cutlery, and cups. City Felash also has plush carpets and pillows that you can take with you to make your favorite picnic spot feel like home. This store is definitely one of those one-stop shops where you will find all, big and small, items that will complete your picnic.

There is only one branch of City Felash and it is located here, outside of Abu Dhabi, but it is worth the trip! Their working hours are from 9:00 am – 12:00 am all week, and they are very active on social media. You can view most of their collection on both Instagram and Snapchat then proceed to WhatsApp to proceed and confirm your order. 

• Phone Number: 055 773 7547
• Instagram: @city_felash
• Snapchat: @city_felash
• Delivery: Delivering to all emirates

“Sharing is Caring” for Picnic Food

A picnic isn’t complete without delicious food. That’s absolutely true, but sometimes we struggle with what kind of food to prepare and pack for a family outing. No worries since Sharing is here!

Sharing restaurant is one of the best local businesses that serve a selection of sandwiches, pastry, sweets, appetizers, and drinks. The restaurant is getting attention from everyone due to the variety of products, packaging, and fast delivery.

You can order online through the Sharing website. It will take you to a page to choose the products and meals you want, determine the amount (small or big boxes). After that, it will ask you to fill out needed information (name, phone number, and location), then give you the choice to pick up your order from one of the three branches of Sharing in Abu Dhabi or it will be delivered to your point out location. The website provides you with the option of paying using a credit card only.

Based on our experience with Sharing, the order was delivered on time. It was in a good condition. Plus, the food was delivered hot, although the distance was so far. The food we ordered was well organized and packaged, sandwiches and pastry were in many sizes which make it easy to serve it. An A+ goes to Sharing for this service.

• Instagram: @Sharing_uae
• Website: Sharing is Caring
• Branches & Pick Up Locations: Abu Dhabi, Baniyas, & Alain
• Delivery: To Abu Dhabi & Al Ain  

Enjoy your Picnic!

Hopefully, we have answered all your questions or at least provided you with inspiration about how you can get ready for a picnic. And if you are planning to celebrate an event with a cake during your picnic make sure to check out our review on The Best Cake Shops in Abu Dhabi.