Riyadh – A Night Owl’s Paradise 

Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is one of the largest in the GCC area with over 7 million people. Since living in the area, we’ve been lucky enough to visit the other Gulf countries and cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait. We had high hopes for visiting Riyadh as there has been a lot of hype around Saudi as they increase tourism with their Vision 2030. Saudi Vision 2030 is changing a lot of the city. They are in a massive building phase creating so many new things: insane outdoor parks with so many trees and futuristic spaces. They are hosting the FIFA World Cup 2034, the World Expo 2030, and putting in bids for other events. The progress they are making to be a city that can host these styles of events is outstanding. 

Unfortunately, we were pretty underwhelmed. Yes their infrastructure is being well built with a nice updated airport, highway system, and venues for large events like Comedy Festival and raves in the desert, but as a tourist with just two days, it was a little underwhelming to walk around. Let’s get into more specifics below.  

If you want our article on Saudi Arabia Things to Know Before You Go, click here to learn about the visa process, money (as not all stores accepted our foreign credit cards), and appropriate clothing to respect their culture and values.

Landing in Riyadh 

The King Khalid International Airport has undergone renovations and updates making it very nice and modern. One telling thing about an airport is how their immigration process is laid out and the gates we went through were well laid out and quick. We only waited about 10 minutes in line. The same can be said with baggage claim. It’s very nice. 

Getting out of the airport you have a few choices: you can get picked up by a car, use their new modern metro train system, or call a ride share. Both Uber and Careem operate in Saudi making it convenient. Just follow the signs for the ride share pick up location based on your terminal. One nice thing is that the airport has well marked signs in English, Arabic, and Chinese so it’s easy to navigate. Do note that very friendly taxi drivers will flatter you by offering you a free ride, it is not in fact free. They are just being nice as they walk you to their car but you do in fact have to pay for this ride. 

Speaking of the metro system, the train is new in Riyadh. It was launched in Dec 2024 and is the first driverless metro system in the world! Right now, the lines are still fairly limited but they are adding new lines which will help get you more places. For now, check GoogleMaps to see if the metro will take you where you need to go. It’s definitely cheaper than taxing everywhere, but does take longer. You can either buy a reloadable card for a few riyal or a one time ticket. 

Where to Stay in Riyadh 

There are lots of hotels all over the city. You can find everything from cheap bare bones hostels to big brand name hotels to luxurious resorts. If you are going for a conference, event or festival, stay near the event. We liked the central/north part of the city the best as it was closer to things to do. To be honest, you’re going to have to take taxis to a lot of places as the city is so spread out, so there is not really a centrally located place. 

A Night Owl’s Paradise – The Late Night Culture of Riyadh 

One thing that was striking as a tourist is how everything is open late. On the weekdays, malls and restaurants stay open til 1am, but on weekends they can stay open as late as 4am! This also means that most places don’t open early. We found a lot of restaurants didn’t open til 1pm and some locations like Boulevard World didn’t start until 4pm. So make sure to check the times when places are open as you plan your trip. We are typically morning people so we had to shift our schedules. 

Also note that the work week is Sunday through Thursday with Friday and Saturday being the weekend. Fridays are a holy day so we found even less things open in the morning/early afternoon. I would advise against traveling to Saudia Arabia during Ramadan if possible. During the holy month of Ramandan you are not allowed to eat or even drink water in public, even as a foreigner. The month of Ramadan changes by about two weeks every year so check the dates you are traveling. 

The People 

We really enjoyed how insanely friendly everyone we met in Saudi was. Everyone said hello or smiled at us. I mean everyone from the taxi driver to the information desk at all sights to the check in agents. Everyone was overly friendly. It’s a super safe place to be as a traveler and it was great to know we could ask anyone for directions or help and they would offer it. Speaking of safety, another huge benefit of traveling in Saudi is that theft and pick pocketing doesn’t happen. We left our wallets, cellphones, and laptops on cafe tables while going to the bathroom and no one took them. That ease of knowing you’re safe is great. 

What to See and Do in Riyadh

Old City Riyadh – South 

Up until the 1950’s, the center of life in Riyadh was in the Old City Square area. Here you will find the Fort Masmak, the AlSafat Square, the Thumari Gold Market, and Souk Al Zal. They are all within a block or two of each other so you can walk around the area and see it all. 

Fort Masmak is an old Fort that has been transformed into a museum. It’s free to enter and it’s a must see. We think it has the best display of both the city’s history and artifacts from Saudi Arabia. You can walk the main floor area and each room has artifacts and information panels in both English and Arabic explaining the city’s history. Pro tip: free bathrooms located here. 

Directly next door is the AlSafat Square which was a little lackluster to look at but has a captivating history. This square is where the city conducted its public beheadings. We thought it was a historical thing but they have taken place as recently as until 2022! Today it’s a basic square with a few restaurants and cafes. It’s a great place to grab a coffee or tea and relax before you keep exploring. 

The markets (Thumari Gold Market and Souk Al Zal) that surround the Fort and Square are really quiet. Over half the shops were closed and we were there on a weekday when everything was supposed to be open so it felt a little sad. 

Overall it’s worth a stop here to get a little history, a little shopping, and a little local life/culture but it might not blow you away. 

Museums 

Riyadh hosts some amazing museums throughout the city. The National Museum is free to the public with great exhibits detailing humanities history in the region. They also have a few rotating exhibits that require a paid ticket. It’s a great stop to learn more about the culture and historic people of Saudi Arabia. Also in the same complex is the Murabba Historical Palace. You can tour for free an old palace to see things like classic cars of the royal family and other well preserved heritage items. Also as mentioned above, don’t miss the Fort Masmak for history and picture of the old city of Riyadh. 

Modern City – North 

The current modern city is expanding to the north. The metro system runs underneath Olaya Street making it easy to get on and off at lots of shopping stops in the area. We walked Olaya St from Al Faisaliah Tower past Kingdom Centre to the Taibah markets. 

Honestly, it was just ok. While there are many modern shopping sites like Centria Mall, there are many old malls with empty store fronts along Olaya Street. One main attraction here is the  Kingdom Center Sky Bridge. Located in the Kingdom Centre Mall which is currently being updated and renovated while remaining open, you can go to the top floor to see incredible views of the city. Just buy tickets on the main floor and take the elevator up. Pro tip: catch a sunset view here to get the best views! 

Farther north are the Taibah Markets. These markets, while very large and well maintained, mainly sell abayas (full length robes to cover women) and other women’s clothing. It would be hard to find other souvenirs here so it’s more of a viewing area than a shopping area for tourists. 

To the northwest is Boulevard City. This entertainment district is free to enter. The subway doesn’t take you there so be prepared to pay for a cab ride. It feels a little bit like a theme park as they basically made a walking path of a city with shops and restaurants all outside. There are experiences like the WWE, haunted houses, kids play areas, and VR but all require entry fees.

It doesn’t open til 4pm but stays open til 4am! We assume the reason for the late opening is that the weather is much more pleasant at night which makes walking around Boulevard City much more enjoyable. We walked the whole thing and while it’s impressive what they built, it feels pretty fake. I can see how this area is prime for hosting big events like the Comedy festival and other music festivals. They have large venues/facilities, parking and restaurants. 

Boulevard World is next door and you need to buy tickets online in advance. Apparently you are not able to buy tickets at a window by just walking up. Boulevard World is a huge theme park, complete with rides and food, where you can visit other countries like Egypt and France. We did not go ourselves but have heard that people who enjoy theme parks may enjoy this. 

Outside of the City

The city of Riyadh is a gateway to nature in Saudi Arabia. While trees and lush forests don’t abound, what Saudi does have is amazing deserts. There are many desert experiences you can enjoy like: 

Adventure Activities: A desert safari in Riyadh typically includes exciting activities such as dune bashing, where skilled drivers navigate 4×4 vehicles over the golden sand dunes. You can also enjoy quad biking and sandboarding, which provide a thrilling way to explore the desert landscape. 

Cultural Immersion: Many desert safari tours offer a glimpse into traditional Saudi culture, including experiences like camel rides, enjoying Arabic coffee, and dining under the stars in a traditional tent. Evening entertainment often includes Tanoura dances, belly dancing, and live music, creating a rich cultural atmosphere. 

Stargazing: The clear desert skies provide an excellent opportunity for stargazing, making it a perfect setting for a night out in nature. Many tours include a chance to relax and enjoy the tranquility of the desert after sunset. 

We highly recommend a trip out to the Edge of the World where you sit on the edge of a giant drop off. It literally feels like you are on the edge of the world. Trips go daily for hiking and of course sun set. It’s about a 2 hour drive from downtown so plan a full or half day adventure. 

To Visit Riyadh or Not to Visit Riyadh? 

Honestly, as a traveler, I would not visit Riyadh again. I think it could be a great place to live. We noticed lots of beautiful strip malls with new shops so I can see how life here could be nice. But as a tourist for 2 days, it was hard to get around, the city is so big and everything is so spread out that it took forever to get anywhere. We love walking so we walked a lot (50,000 steps in two days) but we had to use taxis more often than we normally do. Traffic is horrendous so we spent a lot of time just sitting in a car. 

Also while there are more museums (and free which is amazing) the repeated history got repetitive after a while. There seems to be not much to do unless you’re coming for a specific event like a music or comedy fest. The nature things are all 2+ hours from the city so you need a full day to do each. 

Overall Riyadh is lower on our list of GCC cities to visit. We’d recommend Dubai, Doha, or Oman over Riyadh.