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A visit to the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital is worth every minute of the drive out of Dubai (about 45 minutes). This facility, the only one in the world, is devoted to the preservation and health of these amazing birds which play a central role in the history of the Emirates. On a visit to this facility, you’ll be able to hold a falcon on your wrist, learn about the different types of falcons, watch the staff perform some “maintenance” on a bird (typically talon and beak trimming), and even see a feeding. You’ll learn how falcons came to this region (they are not indigenous) and how they travel (with their own passports!). You need to book your tour in advance and while you’re there, you might take a brief side trip to see the beautiful Salukis, hunting dogs that are house in a nearby facility. http://www.falconhospital.com/ Visits are easily booked through the website, the staff are warm, and they do a thorough job accommodating all visitors. Just a short drive outside of Abu Dhabi, it’s well worth the trip.

About 20 minutes from downtown, there’s a long, flat stretch of sand called Kite Beach because local kitesurfers flock here every afternoon when the wind picks up. You can rent a kiteboard and hire a coach for the day to teach you the basics—or take it easy and bring a picnic while you watch the kites dip and swoop like huge butterflies across the aquamarine sea. Just want a swim? You can splash around until midnight thanks to two “Smart Power Poles” that light up the water.

Interested in nature and biodiversity? Head out to Al Wathba, a 40-minute drive from the city, where you can watch the flamingos and other wild birds that use the freshwater lake as a stopover during migration. You can also stroll along the pedestrian paths that wind through the salt marshes, and explore the visitor center, which offers information about Abu Dhabi’s unique environmental heritage and the various species that make their home in the reserve.

With the rise of IMAX, cultural institutions and museums have become the places to see repertory films on the big screen. Abu Dhabi has its very own world-class repertory-film program—and best of all, it’s free to attend the screenings. Located at the Manarat al-Saadiyat complex in the city’s Saadiyat Cultural District, Cinema Space shows films from all over the world, including restored classics and family movies. In the past year, Cinema Space has featured—among many worthy films—a stunning restoration of Stanley Donen’s Two for the Road, Disney’s 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, and the Oscar-nominated Macedonian film Before the Rain. Check its site to see what cinematic treasure will be showing when you’re in Abu Dhabi.