Eid al-Fitr in Riyadh

This year's Eid al-Fitr, my husband and I chose to just stay in Riyadh throughout the holiday, except for that day-trip to Al-Khobar. Maybe some other time (if we are still here), we'll go to other cities like Jeddah, Makkah, or Abha.

Surprisingly, there were still a lot of amazing spots in Riyadh that we haven't been to. Most of these places were just an hour drive away from our home. We visited three new places that were recommended by locals and fellow expats. Here they are:

National Museum of Saudi Arabia

Entrance is only 10 SAR per person. If you enjoy museum visits and like learning through displays and artifacts, prepare to spend 2 to 3 hours reading about history and going around the exhibits. But if you're just passing the time and just want to check out the museum, an hour stay or less will do. The park outside the museum is good for picnics and to just chill out. I appreciated more the presentations and flow of this museum than the one we visited in Bahrain. They are both educational, anyway.

Rawdat Khuraim (The King's Forest)

There's a huge designated public area which can accommodate people who like to picnic and camp. The parking areas are also spacious.  We saw an herd of camels looking for food when we went. I think it's best to visit during winter or during the transition from winter to summer when the forest is booming with colors. During summer, the forest could be too dry, nevertheless, you would still enjoy it especially if love bird-watching.

  

Camel Trail 1

If you are into hiking, then Camel Trail 1 would be a good choice for you. You don't need a 4x4 car to come here, just be careful driving in the rocky roads. Trekking down and back the trail would take an hour if you're fast, and would leave you sweating especially in the heat of summer. Don't forget to bring your water and towel. The surrounding views are spectacular. We've been here twice and we usually met a group of two, who also hiked the trail.

  

We hope to see more places here while we have the opportunity. The circumstances for expat living in the kingdom are becoming more challenging every year. We hope to get as much as we can from the experiences of living here. :)

P.S. Sharing another nice song here. Have a listen!