Do children need their own Saudi visa?

Yes. Every traveller including infants needs an individual tourist eVisa. Citizens of 66 countries can apply at visa.visitsaudi.com for SAR 535, or about SAR 480 as a visa on arrival. It is valid for one year with multiple entries and allows up to 90 days per entry, capped at 180 days in a year.

What does a 10-day family trip to Saudi Arabia cost?

Accommodation dominates: roughly SAR 700-1,500 a night in Riyadh, SAR 1,200-3,000+ in AlUla and SAR 600-1,200 in Jeddah for a family room. Add two domestic flights at SAR 300-800 per person, Hegra tours from SAR 95 per person, and SAR 300-500 for a family dinner out. AlUla is the single biggest line item, so shortening that leg is the fastest way to cut the total.

When is the best time to take children to Saudi Arabia?

October to April. Riyadh and AlUla regularly exceed 40°C from May to September, which rules out the desert and open-air archaeological days in this itinerary. Winter evenings in the desert can drop below 10°C between October and February, so pack layers.

How do families travel between Riyadh, AlUla and Jeddah?

By air. Riyadh to AlUla takes about two hours and AlUla to Jeddah about 90 minutes, at roughly SAR 300-800 per person; driving those legs costs a full day each. Within cities, Uber and Careem operate everywhere and Riyadh has a driverless metro with six lines and 85 stations, open since January 2025.

Are child seats available in taxis and ride-hailing cars?

Not as standard. Some Uber and Careem categories offer them in Riyadh and Jeddah, but availability is inconsistent, so most families travel with a portable booster or an inflatable seat. Rental cars can be booked with child seats if you reserve them in advance.

What is there for younger children in Riyadh?

The National Museum of Saudi Arabia costs SAR 10 per person and holds most children for about two hours with dioramas and interactive screens. The Kingdom Centre Skybridge is SAR 60 for adults and SAR 25 for children. Six Flags Qiddiya City, 40 minutes out of town, has 28 rides and admits under-4s free, with tickets from about SAR 320 for adults.

Family-Friendly Saudi Arabia: 10-Day Itinerary with Kids

By Explore Saudi Team · Published 16 February 2026 · 13 min read

Ten days for families: Riyadh, AlUla, Jeddah and a Red Sea beach day, two short domestic flights, with SAR prices per night and eVisa rules.

Key Takeaways

Tourist eVisa: 66 eligible nationalities, SAR 535 online or about SAR 480 on arrival, valid one year with multiple entry, up to 90 days per entry and 180 days per year - every family member including infants needs their own visa (visa.visitsaudi.com).
Travel October to April. From May to September daytime highs in Riyadh and AlUla regularly pass 40°C, which makes the outdoor days of this route impractical with children.
Two domestic flights carry the route: Riyadh-AlUla about 2 hours and AlUla-Jeddah about 90 minutes, SAR 300-800 per person - book these and the Hegra tour (from SAR 95) weeks ahead in season.
Nightly budget anchors: Riyadh family suites SAR 700-1,500, AlUla family rooms and villas SAR 1,200-3,000+, Jeddah family rooms SAR 600-1,200; a family dinner out runs SAR 300-500.
Six Flags Qiddiya City, 40 minutes from Riyadh, opened on 31 December 2025 with 28 rides; adult tickets from about SAR 320, children from SAR 265, under-4s free - check height limits before promising the big coasters.
Riyadh has a driverless metro (six lines, 85 stations) running since January 2025; elsewhere use Uber or Careem, where child seats are not standard, so bring a portable booster.

How This 10-Day Family Itinerary Works

This itinerary uses three bases connected by two short domestic flights: Riyadh (days 1-3), AlUla (days 4-6), and Jeddah with a Red Sea beach day (days 7-10). Each leg mixes one big sight per day with downtime, because ten days of back-to-back attractions wears out children and parents alike. All prices below are in Saudi Riyal (SAR); 1 USD is roughly 3.75 SAR.

Quick Facts for Your Family Trip (2026)

Visa: Citizens of 66 countries can apply for the tourist eVisa at visa.visitsaudi.com. It costs SAR 535 online (SAR 480 as visa on arrival), is valid for one year with multiple entries, and allows stays of up to 90 days. Every family member, including infants, needs their own visa.
Best time to visit: October to April. From May to September, daytime temperatures in Riyadh and AlUla regularly exceed 40°C. See our month-by-month guide.
Language: Arabic. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and at tourist sites.
Dress code: An abaya is not required for visiting women. At cultural and religious sites, everyone should cover shoulders and knees. Details in our what-to-wear guide.
Alcohol: Prohibited throughout the country. Hotels and restaurants serve mocktails, fresh juices, and specialty coffee instead.
Getting around: Uber and Careem operate in all major cities. Riyadh also has a fully operational driverless metro (six lines, 85 stations) since January 2025.
Before you book: As of August 2026 the US State Department holds all of Saudi Arabia at Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) and names a do-not-travel zone along the Yemen border. No stop on this route lies in that zone, but read your own government's current advisory before committing to dates and keep the booking flexible.
Connectivity: 5G coverage in all cities; local SIM cards and eSIMs are sold at airport arrivals.

Days 1-3: Riyadh

Start in the capital. Family-friendly hotels in Olaya or the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) run SAR 700-1500 per night for a family suite, and both areas sit on the metro network. Full city detail is in our Riyadh travel guide.

Day 1 - history at a child's pace. The National Museum of Saudi Arabia (entry SAR 10 per person) covers the peninsula from prehistory to the modern state with dioramas and interactive screens that hold kids' attention for a solid two hours. Afterward, walk the ramparts of Al Masmak Fort (free), the mud-brick fortress at the center of the 1902 recapture of Riyadh. In the evening, head to Diriyah, the UNESCO-listed birthplace of the Saudi state: the restored At-Turaif district is lit after dark, and the Bujairi Terrace across the wadi has a dozen family-friendly restaurants. Budget SAR 300-500 for a family dinner.

Day 2 - modern Riyadh. Ride up the Kingdom Centre Tower Skybridge (SAR 60 adults, SAR 25 children) for a view over the whole city, then lunch in the mall food court below. In the afternoon, choose by age: Riyadh Boulevard City has arcades, VR halls, and live shows (general access typically SAR 50-100 per person, attractions extra), while thrill-seeking families can drive 40 minutes to Six Flags Qiddiya City, which opened on December 31, 2025. It has 28 rides across six themed lands, including Falcons Flight, currently the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster. Tickets start around SAR 320 for adults and SAR 265 for children; kids under 4 enter free. Check height requirements before promising the big coasters to younger children.

Day 3 - the desert. The Edge of the World (Jabal Fihrayn), about 90 minutes northwest of Riyadh, is a cliff line dropping several hundred meters to the plain below - one of the most striking landscapes in the country and a highlight for school-age kids. Access requires a 4x4; private family tours with transport and a picnic cost SAR 800-1500. Note that the site closes in the hottest months and after rain. Return to the city for a slow afternoon at the hotel pool before your evening flight to AlUla. More desert options are in our adventure tours guide.

Days 4-6: AlUla

Fly Riyadh to AlUla in about two hours (SAR 300-800 per person; book early in high season). Accommodation is the biggest cost here: family rooms and desert villas run SAR 1200-3000+ per night. For the full picture of the region, see our AlUla travel guide and the 3-day AlUla itinerary.

Day 4 - Hegra. Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site is visited by guided tour only (from SAR 95 per person, book ahead at experiencealula.com). Children respond strongly to the scale of the Nabataean tombs - more than 100 monumental facades carved into freestanding sandstone outcrops around 2,000 years ago. Combine it with Jabal Ikmah, a canyon of ancient inscriptions often called an open-air library. In the evening, book a stargazing session; AlUla's desert skies are among the darkest accessible to tourists anywhere.

Day 5 - Old Town and adventure. Spend the morning in AlUla Old Town, a maze of several hundred restored mud-brick houses with a covered souq, craft shops, and cafes for lunch. In the afternoon, pick one activity: a desert buggy tour (SAR 400-800 per buggy), a camel ride through the wadis (SAR 150-300 per person), or - for a splurge - a sunrise hot air balloon flight the next morning (SAR 1000-1500 per person, weather dependent, book well ahead).

Day 6 - rocks and crafts. Visit Elephant Rock (Jabal AlFil), a natural sandstone arch shaped like its namesake, free to visit and best at sunset when the on-site cafe terrace fills up. Pass by Maraya, the mirrored concert hall that reflects the desert around it, then join a pottery or crafts workshop in Old Town. Finish with dinner overlooking the illuminated Old Town before an early night - day 7 starts with a flight.

Days 7-8: Jeddah

Fly AlUla to Jeddah in about 90 minutes. Hotels along the Corniche or near the center cost SAR 600-1200 per night for a family room. Our Jeddah travel guide covers the city in depth.

Day 7 - Al-Balad and the Corniche. Jeddah's historic district, Al-Balad, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of coral-stone merchant houses with carved wooden roshan balconies. Kids enjoy the souqs - spices, textiles, gold - and Nasseef House, where the staircase was built wide enough for a camel to climb. Lunch on Hijazi classics like saleeg or mandi at a local restaurant. In the late afternoon, move to the Corniche: playgrounds, open lawns, bike rentals, and King Fahd's Fountain, the tallest fountain in the world, which is lit after sunset.

Day 8 - theme park and aquarium. Al Shallal Theme Park (entry SAR 50-70, rides extra) has an indoor ice rink and rides for younger children. In the afternoon, the Fakieh Aquarium (SAR 60-80) shows Red Sea marine life and runs a popular dolphin and sea lion show. End with a seafood dinner on the Corniche.

Days 9-10: Red Sea Beach Day and Departure

Day 9. Book a day pass at a private beach resort north or south of Jeddah (SAR 150-300 per person, typically including pools and beach access). The Red Sea's near-shore reefs make for easy snorkeling; several resorts run guided sessions suitable for children who can swim confidently. If you would rather stay overnight on the coast, smaller established resorts along the Jeddah coastline offer family rooms - a calmer alternative to squeezing in another city day.

Day 10. Depending on your flight time, fit in a final souvenir run in Al-Balad or a slow morning at the pool, then head to King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED). Allow extra time for check-in with children.

Planning Tips for a Smooth Family Trip

Book early: AlUla accommodation and Hegra tours sell out weeks ahead in high season (October-April). Domestic flights are cheapest 4-8 weeks out.
Plan around prayer times: Some shops and restaurants pause briefly at prayer times, and everything closes for Friday midday prayers. Build flexibility into meal plans.
Ramadan: If your dates overlap with Ramadan, expect shorter opening hours by day and lively evenings after sunset. Eating in public during fasting hours is prohibited; hotels serve guests discreetly.
Heat management: Even in winter, midday sun is strong. Schedule outdoor sights before 11 AM or after 3 PM, and carry water everywhere - 2 liters per person on desert days.
Payments: Cards and Apple Pay are accepted almost everywhere, but carry some cash for souqs and small kiosks. Our money guide has ATM and fee details.
Pack: Comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, hats, and light layers - desert evenings from October to February can drop below 10°C.
Insurance: The eVisa includes basic medical insurance, but comprehensive family travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is still worth buying.

Practical Notes on Traveling with Kids in Saudi Arabia

Food is rarely a problem: international chains and familiar dishes are available in every city, supermarkets are well stocked, and most restaurants welcome children late into the evening - Saudi families themselves eat out with kids as a norm. Healthcare in the major cities is modern; large hospitals such as King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh and the Saudi German Hospital in Jeddah operate around the clock, and your hotel can point you to the nearest clinic for minor issues.

Distances between regions are large, so domestic flights beat driving for this route. Airports are efficient, but security and transfers still eat time - morning flights protect your sightseeing days. Within cities, ride-hailing with children is straightforward, though car seats are not standard; request one in the app where available or bring a portable booster.

Finally, expect friendliness. Locals often chat with visiting families, and children get plenty of positive attention. If ten days feels short, our two-week itinerary extends this route to the Eastern Province and beyond.

Three bases, two flights, ten days - on your dates

This sequence only holds together if the AlUla nights and the two domestic flights line up. Put your travel window into the Trip Planner to lay the days out, then pick the family rooms for each leg in our hotel guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do children need their own Saudi visa?: Yes. Every traveller including infants needs an individual tourist eVisa. Citizens of 66 countries can apply at visa.visitsaudi.com for SAR 535, or about SAR 480 as a visa on arrival. It is valid for one year with multiple entries and allows up to 90 days per entry, capped at 180 days in a year.
What does a 10-day family trip to Saudi Arabia cost?: Accommodation dominates: roughly SAR 700-1,500 a night in Riyadh, SAR 1,200-3,000+ in AlUla and SAR 600-1,200 in Jeddah for a family room. Add two domestic flights at SAR 300-800 per person, Hegra tours from SAR 95 per person, and SAR 300-500 for a family dinner out. AlUla is the single biggest line item, so shortening that leg is the fastest way to cut the total.
When is the best time to take children to Saudi Arabia?: October to April. Riyadh and AlUla regularly exceed 40°C from May to September, which rules out the desert and open-air archaeological days in this itinerary. Winter evenings in the desert can drop below 10°C between October and February, so pack layers.
How do families travel between Riyadh, AlUla and Jeddah?: By air. Riyadh to AlUla takes about two hours and AlUla to Jeddah about 90 minutes, at roughly SAR 300-800 per person; driving those legs costs a full day each. Within cities, Uber and Careem operate everywhere and Riyadh has a driverless metro with six lines and 85 stations, open since January 2025.
Are child seats available in taxis and ride-hailing cars?: Not as standard. Some Uber and Careem categories offer them in Riyadh and Jeddah, but availability is inconsistent, so most families travel with a portable booster or an inflatable seat. Rental cars can be booked with child seats if you reserve them in advance.
What is there for younger children in Riyadh?: The National Museum of Saudi Arabia costs SAR 10 per person and holds most children for about two hours with dioramas and interactive screens. The Kingdom Centre Skybridge is SAR 60 for adults and SAR 25 for children. Six Flags Qiddiya City, 40 minutes out of town, has 28 rides and admits under-4s free, with tickets from about SAR 320 for adults.