Tag: jeddah

Jeddah is just an 1,5 hour flight away from Riyadh making it the ideal weekend getaway destination in Saudi Arabia with all the cool things to do in Jeddah.

Sometimes we don’t have to travel far or abroad for a relaxing weekend getaway! Saudi Arabia offers many great destinations for families to choose for a staycation.

Jeddah has always been a favorite staycation destination of mine in Saudi Arabia because it offers so many fun activities. There are so many fun things to do in Jeddah and each trip we discover something new.  It´s easy to find flights to Jeddah on five different domestic airlines that fly to Jeddah daily from all major cities in Saudi Arabia. The best thing about Jeddah for me is definitely the Red Sea and all the leisure opportunities it offers to visitors.things to do in Jeddah with kids

I travel to Jeddah several times a year with my children for some much needed Vitamin Sea and always feel so energized from the ocean breeze and change of scenery. Sometimes a weekend trip to Jeddah feels like you’ve actually gone abroad, the landscape and local culture are so different from what we have in Riyadh.

I would say Jeddah is a must visit at least once for everyone living in Saudi Arabia! Whenever my mom visits Saudi Arabia (she’s visited us 8 times already!) I always take her to Jeddah for a weekend, because nothing beats the Red Sea breezes and the Jeddah vibe.things to do in Jeddah with kids

So what are the best things to do in Jeddah, especially if you’re traveling with kids? I’ve gathered a list of my favorite things to do in Jeddah with kids (and of course why not for adults too) for some ideas and travel inspiration! Jeddah has developed a lot during the past years and there’s constantly new things to do in Jeddah especially around the newly opened Jeddah Corniche area.

Things to Do in Jeddah

Visit the new Jeddah Waterfront and Corniche

A must see when in Jeddah is the new Jeddah Corniche and waterfront area. The new Jeddah Corniche has become a hot spot for families to spend time together ever since its opening in 2017. You’ll find a beautifully landscaped waterfront area with parks, recreation facilities, children’s playgrounds, fountains, beaches and cafes. The best way to explore the Corniche is on foot, so make sure you to stay closeby with walking distance to the best spots on the Corniche to avoid traffic, especially on weekend evenings. Check out where to stay on the Corniche at the end of this post.

things to do in Jeddah with kids things to do in Jeddah with kids

Al Balad

A visit to Jeddah is not complete without a visit to the historical city, Al Balad. A UNESCO listed heritage site, the area is best visited in the early mornings or in the late afternoon/ evenings. Learn about the history of Jeddah by visiting Naseef house and browse through the colorful souks. More things to do in Al Balad here: 10 Things to do in al Balad, Jeddah

things to do in jeddah

things to do in jeddah

Fakieh Aquarium

Located just on the Corniche, it’s very easy to walk to the aquarium and spend several hours learning about the colorful marine life that can be found in the Red Sea. The Jeddah aquarium is a perfect way to experience the underwater world of the Red sea without the need of getting wet! Kids will be in awe of all the different kinds of fish and corals and a walk through the ”fish tunnel” where visitors can watch sharks, turtles, rays and fish swim above them.

Day at the Beach 

There are some family friendly private beaches to visit for a day trip located in Jeddah’s North Obhur area. The whole family can swim together at Lafontaine beach, Coral Beach Resort, Salhia beach, Silver Sands beach, Fal beach, Sheraton, Oia, and La Plage beach. Women can swim in bikini and swimsuit on the private beaches. Most of these places do require a yearly membership but some allow day passes as well. For the best public beaches in Jeddah, the ones on the New Corniche area are safe with calm waters that allow for children and men to swim.

Another option is driving further up north to Durrat AlArous where you an rent a villa or apartment next to the beach. There’ a very nice Marina with restaurants and shops, you could hire a boat out for the day from Durrat.

things to do in Jeddah with kids

The most beautiful beach in Jeddah

Day out at Red Sea

Red Sea divers, Blue Reef divers, and many other dive operators can arrange boat trips for day trips out to the reefs for snorkeling, diving, fishing and swimming. This would be ideal for older children already comfortable in the water. The reefs outside of Jeddah are a great place to explore with kids, the colorful corals and the many different kinds of fish will keep kids entertained for a long time.Things to do in Jeddah- fishing at Red Sea

Things to do in Jeddah day out at Red Sea

Eating out

Jeddah has plenty of great family friendly restaurants, many of which can be found along the Corniche and in the Red Sea mall.  Papaya restaurant, which is right next to Souk Shatee, is located inside an indoor tropical garden with small fountains and daylight coming in from the glass roof. Recommended especially for breakfast and lunch time. For the evenings, try out the restaurants near the waterfront, for views out to the Red Sea restaurants next to New Corniche. A new beautiful outdoor place by the sea is restaurant Angelina.

For traditional Saudi food Hejazi style, head to Aseil restaurant or try The Social Kitchen, where you’ll be treated to one of the first Saudi female chef´s cuisines!

things to do in Jeddah

Restaurant Papaya in Jeddah

Corniche evening stroll

The new Jeddah corniche itself is lovely, clean and family friendly option to spend a relaxing evening. Numerous imaginative, safe playgrounds have been built along the Corniche and visitors can admire local Saudi artists works there too. You can stop by to watch fishermen fishing on the pier or have an ice cream in one of the many cafes on the Corniche. Don’t miss a visit to the JEDDAH-sign after sunset, the best place to take memorable shot of your Jeddah staycation!things to do in Jeddah

Bounce with whole family

If you fancy some indoor fun and physical activity to get the energy drained out of your kids, the biggest trampoline park in Jeddah, BOUNCE INC is the place to go.  They have lots of different activities like wall running and dodgeball and activities suitable for all ages plus a section dedicated just for women.

World’s tallest fountain

Many do not know that Jeddah is home to the tallest fountain in the world! The King Fahad fountain, Shooting sea water up to 300 meters high, is best viewed from the southern Corniche areas.

Al Shallal theme park

With an impressive artificial lake at its center, a planetarium, ice skating rink, boat rides, lots of rides for kids of different ages (and adults too) a day at Shallal theme park is highly recommend fun time for the whole family.

Al Tayibat Museum

The Tayyebat Museum for civilizations is an amazing museum which is built in Hejazi heritage village. It’s a great way to get a glimpse of the culture, architecture, traditional clothing and lifestyle of each region of Saudi Arabia.

things to do in Jeddah

Traditional Saudi clothing at Tayyibat civilizations museum in Jeddah

things to do in Jeddah

Red Sea Mall

Undoubtedly the best mall in Jeddah and located just minutes away from the new corniche area, Red Sea mall offers a variety of activities for kids, a vast selection of restaurants, and of course great shopping!

Where to stay in Jeddah:

For families traveling with kids the new North Corniche is a great option and  family friendly area to stay in Jeddah.  This is an ideal spot to be based because you can walk to the children’s playgrounds, beaches and parks from the hotel in a few minutes without having to worry about the traffic and parking hassles. At the Jeddah Corniche, you can watch the sun setting from your room and dine in the many different restaurants of the area within walking distance. Plenty of hotel chains are located along the Corniche.

Another great option for families is Om Shada suites, which is located in an ideal location near to airport. The new and clean apartments, furnished with Asir inspired decor, are located just off Madinah road, which makes it easy to drive up to North Obhur for a day at the beach and back to the city for the evening. Rooms are spacious, with living rooms, kitchen for self catering options, and they even have washing machines.

Interested in exploring Saudi Arabia further? Head to the Explore Arabia page for more destination in Saudi Arabia!

Find more Things to do in Jeddah here

Some of you may already know that I’ve been making Saudi souvenirs as wall calendars for several years now, five consecutive years in fact! I love compiling and designing the calendars using imagery from my travels around Saudi Arabia, despite it being a huge hassle every year to produce and print them.

The hardest part is choosing ONLY 12 beautiful places in Saudi Arabia (from hundreds of options) and then from those 12 locations, having to select just one or two images to showcase the location in the best possible way. It takes me about three months to finish the entire calendar design because I want the result to be perfect. I try to include something from each region of KSA and showcase the surprising diversity in landscape, culture and colors of Saudi Arabia.

The calendars make the ideal Saudi souvenirs to take back home to show the beauty of Saudi Arabia in a compact and affordable package. They would also make great gifts to visiting foreign friends. For more Saudi inspired gifts check out my Instagram: Inspired by Arabia

For this years calendar cover design I chose to feature al Qatt al Asiri, the traditional wall paintings of Asir region. These wall murals are done entirely by the women of Asir who have mastered this art form for centuries.

I was thrilled to hear that Qatt al Asiri was selected as intangible heritage by UNESCO in 2018 so the choice was perfect to celebrate this recognition! More al Qatt alasiri art can be found inside the calendar.

Other Saudi Arabia UNESCO sites (already listed or tentative) featured in this calendar: At Turaif district, Madain Saleh, Al Balad, Dhee Ayn village, Rijal Alma’a village and Hejaz railway.

So where can you get one of these wall calendars?

I’ve selected some of the best places in Riyadh, Khobar and Jeddah that you definitely should pay a visit to, even if you don’t get a calendar or other Saudi souvenirs :)

Perfect Saudi souvenirs-Wall calendars

Riyadh

 

Haya Tours office

Salwa is a wealth of information and visiting her office at Alia plaza you can book tours and grab a calendar as a souvenir!

 

Draft Store Centria mall second floor

This shop is addictive, each time I go there I find new cool things and gift ideas. You will be compelled to grab something every time you visit! Magic Kingdom wall calendars can be found there too as well as many other items you could take home as Saudi souvenirs and gifts from the region. Find them on instagram: @draftthoughts

Open all day 10am -11pm (no break in between ??)

The Blossom Tree Bustan Village compound

Lovely concept store inside Bustan compound. Accessories and home decor, Saudi souvenir ideas. They stock the Inspired by Arabia canvas at Blossom tree.

Jeddah

Crate

A must visit place when in Jeddah- they select the best home bakeries, local designers and producers so you are guaranteed for a treat. Have coffee and shop for the perfect gifts in a beautiful instagram-worthy environment! They also host events and concerts at Crate- stay up to date on instagram: @crateksa

Al Khobar

Desert Designs

The go-to place for Saudi souvenirs in Eastern Province. Magic Kingdom wall calendars, Saudi doors pillows, phone covers from the Inspired by Arabia brand are available there too.

For more souvenir ideas from Saudi Arabia check out Susie’s post: Souvenirs from Saudi 

Online stores:

 

Lulu publisher (U.S.A & Canada)

Lulu is a print on demand site and they will produce and ship the calendar to you worldwide, shop online here: Magic Kingdom Wall Calendar 2018 

 

Calendar Sponsor

Special thank you to calendar sponsor al Nakhla residential compound! Al Nakhla compound won the title of Best Luxury Residential compound in Saudi Arabia 2017, and once you visit this compound you will no doubt see why! It’s like stepping into a luxury holiday resort, except that people actually live there!

A very family oriented compound, with daycare, kids playgrounds, plenty of different pools ( 23 pools!), safe places for kids to ride bikes, skate and play.  I’ve tried their open air buffet at the Majdool restaurant by the gorgeous pool. I’d highly recommended to try it out as an alternative to the five star hotel buffets for a more relaxed atmosphere.

Al Nakhla’s recreation office is well known for hosting some of the best events in Riyadh, and they allow visitors to attend! The best way to stay up to date with al Nakhla events is to follow their social media channels: Instagram and Facebook page.  Visit their website for more compound info: Al Nakhla Residential Resort

Al-Balad, which literally translates to “The City”, is the historical area of Saudi-Arabia’s second largest city Jeddah. Founded in the 7th century, Balad historically served as the city center of Jeddah until the big oil boom when most families started moving out the area. Al Balad Historical District, which was just recently added into the UNESCO World Heritage sites list, is my absolute favorite part of Jeddah. I will never become bored of wandering in the narrow alleyways, discovering brightly colored Mashrabiat and rawashaan, the specs of color, the friendly people, the smells and sounds of Balad. Al Balad will literally tickle all your senses.

10 things to do in al Balad Jeddah

10 Things to do in al Balad Jeddah

Here are ten reasons why you should not miss a visit to this unique heritage site! For the best info on the history and background of different areas and buildings, it’s recommended to take a tour of Al Balad district with an experienced and knowledgable local guide. When mom and I last visited Jeddah, we were fortunate to have the awesome ‘Susie of Arabia’ who writes the blogs Susie’s Big Adventure and Jeddah Daily Photo, as our personal guide. Susie is, like myself, a self-proclaimed door addict, we share a love (or obsession?) with the colorful doors and windows of Balad. I think we spent a good three hours just looking at different kinds of doors (poor mom)! We walked around for the entire morning until early afternoon, Susie showing us around her favorite spots in Al Balad. Susie is an American woman married to a Saudi, she’s been living in Jeddah for almost the same period of time that I’ve been in Riyadh (soon 7 years! ). This is my mom posing with Susie:Things to do in Al Balad Jeddah

Top Ten Things to Do in al Balad Jeddah

1. Do some real life time traveling and discover the rich history of the Balad district. The two gates to the Old City, built in typical Ottoman style, are the Gate of Medinah (Bab al Madinah) and the larger more well preserved Mecca gate (Bab al Makkah). Beautiful, intricately designed old merchant houses can be found all over the area, the most famous being Al Naseef House (Beit al Nassef). This stunning building has been fully preserved and is now open to public as a museum. Another museum worth visiting is the Jeddah Municipality Museum. The very first school-now museum, in the entire Arabian peninsula is located in Al Balad (Madrasa Al Falah).

Al Shafei mosque which is also known as the “Ancient Mosque” dates back to  7th century AD. This mosque is undergoing a huge restoration project because over the decades it has ‘sunk’ into the ground which makes it look like it’s being swallowed by the earth. Sadly many if not most of the residential buildings have been neglected. If restoration and preservation projects are not urgently undertaken in the area, most likely this architectural gem will slowly perish. Some of the houses have suffered extra damage from the floods and entirely collapsed into the streets. What is most unfortunate is that government seems to be more focused on developing other areas of tourism and skyscrapers and other modern buildings are making their way into this historically unique and invaluable heritage site. Hopefully action will be taken before this treasure is lost forever.

al balad skyscraperjeddah oldest mosque jeddah ancient mosquemosque ancient jeddah2. Practice your photography skills. Whether its street photography, architecture, food, portraits or even macro, Balad offers something of interest for all photo enthusiasts. The best time to visit would be early weekday mornings. If hustle and bustle is what you’re looking for, a Friday afternoon will surely deliver just that.fruit souk jeddah3. Meet the friendly and welcoming people. Don’t be afraid to start a conversation, you won’t regret it! Saudi families and lots of different nationalities still live in the old houses of Al Balad.jeddah welcome4. Explore what the famous Balad souk Al- Alawi has to offer. Find shumagh, abaya and scarves in all colors imaginable, leather bags, shoes and sandals, jewelry made from coral. Oud, frankincense, Arabic perfumes, oils and incense burners to use them all in. Sample the dates, spices, Arabic coffee beans, fresh fruits and vegetables. Or how about some fresh hibiscus flower tea known locally as ‘Karkade’?frankincencesouk albalad5. Sample the food of Al Balad’s small food stalls. Delicious, cooked on the spot snacks and Arabic breads can be found at every corner. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Prices start from 1sr for a shawarma!balad food stall6. Shop for authentic Saudi Souvenirs. If you’re not the tourist type that goes for plastic camels or burkha clad bopple-heads, Al Balad’s souk is the place for you. Some items of interest would be frankincense, which comes in several different forms and varieties and the ‘Saudi style” incense burners to use with it. There’s huge blocks and little cubes which can used like chewing gum, frankincense essential oils are famous for their healing properties and can be used both internally and externally. You can also find other Arabic perfumes and Oud here. Exotic spices and dates can be found in abundance as well as beautiful lanterns, colorful scarves, Saudi style leather sandals and much more.

Check out Inspired By Arabia for al Balad inspired home decor, accessories and art.jeddah street vendor20140815-200237-72157235.jpg7. Marvel at the mosques. Some of the tiniest and dare I say cutest mosques you’ll ever encounter can be found in Balad’s narrow alleyways, nestled between houses, shops and walkways.albalad mosque8. Climb to the rooftop of Al Naseef house just before Maghreb prayer time to catch the sunset over Al Balad’s rooftops. the sound of the beautiful Athan (call of prayer) being called out from all over the city will overwhelm your senses. An experience you will never forget.jeddah history9. Obsess over doors and windows. Balad is a dream come true for all kinds of architecture lovers but especially captivating for those of us who just can’t get enough of all kinds of doors! The historical area is famous for the bright colored window and door covers called Mashrabiya and  Rawashaan. The window covers were designed to catch the breeze and cool the houses but at the same time to allow the womenfolk inside some privacy by blocking the views.saudi color door jedda green and blue al balad balconies  10.  Relax and unwind at a Sheesha cafe. Stop by one of the small outdoor sheesha (also known as hookah)places or if the hubbly bubbly is not your cup of tea, try some Arabic coffee instead. (unfortunately these places are for men only..) sheesha street cafe jeddah  More ideas of Thing to do in Jeddah here: Jeddah Staycation with Kids- Why you should visit Jeddah