Not sure how to spend your spring break? Looking to unwind after a stressful midterm season? Check out these suggestions for safe and affordable activities happening around Abu Dhabi during the break!

Explore your inner-artist with drop in sessions at Manarat al Saadiyat. For 50 AED per two-hour session, you can check out either their ceramics, pottery or drawing and painting workshops. The price includes all materials and supplies, and you can bring home either a new piece of ceramics or a painting to decorate your room with. Workshops are held everyday, and Manarat can be easily reached on the 170 bus from NYU Abu Dhabi. For more information about timings, check this link.

Photo courtesy Anatara Eastern Mangroves

Enjoy a day by the pool at Anantara Eastern Mangroves Resort and Spa. During the month of March, the hotel is offering discounted day passes on weekdays to their infinity pool overlooking the mangroves for 50 AED. Reservations must be made in advance over phone or email. To get there, you can either take a taxi or take bus 170 to the city, and then transfer to bus 56 which will take you to the hotel. For planning your route on public transport, use the Darbi app, and for information about booking, check out this link.

Photo courtesy Etihad Modern Art Gallery

From the 8th to 11th of March, the Etihad Modern Art Gallery is hosting an art exhibition that brings together the work of three female visual artists in celebration of International Women’s Day. The exhibition is free to attend, but tickets must be reserved through this link to help ensure proper Covid precautions. To get there, take bus 170 from campus and get off at the eighth stop. Then, transfer to bus 5 or 65. The gallery is located behind Al Bateen Mall.

Photo courtesy of Louvre Abu Dhabi

Now that the Louvre Abu Dhabi has discontinued its reduced-price student admission, admission to the museum in our backyard can seem a bit expensive. However, they have launched a new annual student pass. For the price of less than two visits to the Louvre, the pass allows students unlimited access to the museum’s exhibitions for one year. Passes cost 120 AED and can be purchased at the museum’s Membership Desk or online here. No easy bus links exist between campus and the Louvre, but you can easily bike there using one of the campus bike share program’s bikes.

Photo courtesy of WhatsOn Abu Dhabi

Opened last year, Abu Dhabi’s Marsa Mina transforms Zayed Port into a daily street festival. With more than 10 permanent street food trucks, this is the perfect place to spend an evening outdoors trying new foods and cooling down on the seafront. Bring a group of (four!) friends and taste test different types of street food. You can easily get to Zayed Port Gate One by taking the public bus route 170 from campus into the city. Get off at the sixth stop, and then transfer to bus 54. Get off at the fourth stop, and then walk from gate one to gate two, where Marsa Mina is located.

Photo courtesy of Abu Dhabi Cultural Summit

The Abu Dhabi Cultural Summit will take place virtually from March 8 to March 10, and is the perfect space to explore global leadership outside of classes. Convening over the topic of “The Cultural Economy and the Economy of Culture”, this summit brings together discussions from leading world experts, film screenings and artist performances. Use this link to register and to receive the full schedule and event links.

Photo courtesy of TrainYas

Sweat out your stress from midterms at the Yas Marina Circuit. Every Tuesday and Sunday evening from 6-10pm, the world-famous race circuit opens its lanes to bikers, runners and walkers. The event is completely free and includes complimentary use of a bicycle and helmet. Take the campus shuttle to Yas Mall, and then take the complimentary Yas Island shuttle service to get to the race track. Pre-registration is not required but is encouraged due to limited capacity during Covid.