🇺🇸

United States

الولايات المتحدة

📖 Full guide⚡ Active destination2 reviews · 5 logged tripsLast updated: 23/07/2026👨‍👩‍👧 Family & fun 🛍️ Shopping 🏞️ Nature & mountains 🧗 Adventure

A continent in one country: New York and LA, Florida's Disney and Universal worlds, Vegas and the Grand Canyon — every travel style has an American version, with flights between them.

ℹ️ General information

Capital: Washington D.C.

Language: English

English among locals: Primary language

Currency: United States dollar (USD)

Time zone: UTC-05:00 / UTC-06:00 / UTC-07:00 / UTC-08:00

Weekend: Saturday–Sunday

🛂 Visa for Saudi passport

Visa required — 180 days

B1/B2 visa required: DS-160 form + embassy interview (Riyadh) or consulate (Jeddah/Dhahran). Interview slots can be weeks out — apply early; the visa is usually 10-year multiple entry.

Official source ↗

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.

🕓 Last officially verified: 05/08/2026

🗓️Best time to visit

April–June and September–November broadly; Florida in winter, northern national parks in summer.

🕌 For the Muslim traveler

Halal food: Good in big cities (NYC, LA, Houston, Chicago and community suburbs); apps locate options — plan ahead on road trips.

Prayer places: Mosques in every major city and active Islamic centres; public prayer rooms are rare.

Friday is an official holiday: No

🌙Ramadan & Eid

Active mosques and Islamic centers in every major metro hold taraweeh and iftars.

🎭Culture tips

Tipping is effectively mandatory (18–22% at restaurants) and applies to most services. Listed prices exclude tax. Distances are huge: don't cram two coasts into a week.

💳Cards & payments

Cards for everything; listed prices exclude tax. Apps: Uber/Lyft, OpenTable.

📲Apps & internet

Everything works. Uber and Lyft (compare prices); big cities have solid transit apps — beyond them a car is near-mandatory.

🚗Driving there

Traffic keeps to the right side of the road, as in the Gulf (steering wheel on the left); Saudi licenses are accepted for short visits in most states (an IDP smooths things). America is a car country — outside NYC/Chicago/DC you'll need one.

💵Tipping culture

Effectively mandatory: 18–22% at restaurants, USD 1–2 per bag, 15–20% for taxis — genuinely budget for it.

📶SIM & eSIM

T-Mobile/AT&T prepaid (~USD 40–50); tourist eSIMs are usually cheaper.

🚇Getting around

Dense domestic flights between cities; NYC/Chicago/DC have good transit, elsewhere you drive.

💰 Approximate cost

Good big-city hotel USD 180–350, meal USD 20–40 before tip. Orlando and Vegas offer better hotel deals.

ℹ️ Prices are approximate and subject to change

🛡️ Safety

Varies sharply by city and neighbourhood — research where you stay, avoid isolated areas at night. Healthcare is excellent but wildly expensive: strong travel insurance is essential.

⚠️ Key laws before you travel

Laws vary by state (speeds, right-on-red, smoking). Carry your license; with police keep hands visible, no sudden moves. Jaywalking is fined in some cities.

ℹ️ Laws change — verify with official sources; this is not legal advice.

💊 Restricted medications

Banned: narcotics and "date rape" drugs like Rohypnol and GHB, plus any medication not FDA-approved. Controlled substances (more than a 50-dose supply) need a DEA import permit. Personal use is fine with an English-language prescription, original packaging, and no more than a 90-day supply.

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.

🆘 Emergency & your embassy

Unified emergency: 911

Your embassy (🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia): طوارئ السعوديين بالخارج / Saudi emergencies abroad: 00966920033334 — الرقم الموحد للخدمات / services: 00966920011114 — أقرب سفارة وأرقامها المحلية / nearest mission & local numbers: saudiembassy.sa + تطبيق MOFA

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.