What there is to do for fun in Saudi Arabia as of October 2026: Riyadh Season, cinemas, Six Flags Qiddiya, Diriyah and AlUla, with notes on what has been postponed.
Reviewed by Saudi Expats Team, October 22, 2026
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The biggest entertainment event right now is Riyadh Season, which opened on 21 October 2026 for about ten weeks. Beyond that, the Kingdom has cinemas in major cities, large theme parks around Riyadh, a Diriyah winter season and AlUla's tourism calendar.
According to Gulf News, the seventh Riyadh Season opened on 21 October 2026 with 10 weeks of programming. It includes:
Gulf News gave no ticket prices or closing date. Buy tickets through the official channels, and check the date and venue of each event before you book.
Six Flags Qiddiya City was announced to open on 31 December 2025 in Qiddiya, in the Tuwaiq Mountains, about 40 minutes from Riyadh. Argaam reported 28 rides across six themed zones, tickets at SAR 325 for adults and SAR 275 for children (under four free) at launch, daily opening at 4 p.m. and free shuttles from a Riyadh Metro station from 3 p.m. for ticket holders. Those are launch details from November 2025; prices and hours may have changed. Six Flags Qiddiya and Aquarabia Qiddiya both appear on webook.com, so check there for current tickets.
Saudi Arabia lifted its cinema ban in 2017 and the first cinema opened in 2018, according to Screen Daily. As of its December 2022 report, the main operators were Muvi Cinemas (Saudi-owned, the largest), VOX Cinemas (Majid Al Futtaim) and AMC, with others including Cinepolis, Empire, Reel and Grand. Branch lists change quickly, so use each operator's app for showtimes near you.
One verified example: Red Sea Mall in northern Jeddah has a VOX cinema with 12 halls, including IMAX, a VIP hall and a kids' hall, per Wikipedia.
Experience AlUla lists these experiences as of October 2026 (prices are the starting prices on its site):
For more outdoor ideas see our outdoor activities guide. For food, see restaurants in Riyadh.
Facts in this guide were checked on 22 October 2026 against these pages. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the official page before you pay or apply.
Residents book an Umrah permit in the Nusuk app, hold one active permit at a time, and get a Rawdah slot free in the same app. Permits are suspended around Hajj, so check dates before you plan.
Verified places to visit in Al Baha: Raghadan Forest Park, the 400-year-old stone village of Dhee Ayn, Baljurashi's Saturday market and the summer festival.
A covered market in central Al Hufuf with about 422 shops, part of the Al-Ahsa Oasis UNESCO World Heritage Site. What it is and how to plan a visit.
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