Dammam to Philadelphia Flights

  About Dammam

Dammam is the sixth-largest city of Saudi Arabia and capital of the Eastern Province of the kingdom. It got its name from the Arabic word 'Dawwama' which means whirlpool. The city has grown potentially and now accounts for about a quarter of the world's total oil reserves. It was the discovery of oil wells in this region that led to its overnight growth and quick success. The city has a growing population of about 1.5 million. The locals here follow their culture and traditions strictly, no matter how much they embrace modernisation in terms of their standard of life. As the city is developing, it is also focusing on making it more tourist-friendly. Dammam has quite a lot of tourist attractions in the city, mainly for you to go with your families. The Dolphin Village has become quite popular and is one place your kids will definitely love. Like most cities in UAE, Dammam also has a vibrant and active shopping scene. You can buy from the top brands, or you can go shopping in the local markets, the choice is yours. Not to mention, you will love the food here.

Best Time to Visit Dammam

Most cities and countries in the UAE witnessed only two seasons, extreme summer and extreme winter. November to April is when Dammam experiences winter. The temperature ranges from 13 to 30 degree Celsius and while the days are warm, the nights get chilly. This is a high tourist season for Dammam. Make sure you book your hotel in Dammam several weeks in advance because the prices will increase closer to winter and availability also might be an issue. You will also have to book your flight tickets to Damman in advance. If done at the last moment, it might get difficult to get cheap flight tickets to Dammam. All the tourist attractions will be accessible during this time. The weather is slightly warmer in March and April as compared to the previous month. Dammam has a couple of diving academies that you can visit during this time if you want to learn diving. The water will not be too cold as compared to December, January and February. It will neither be too cold nor too hot. You can also go on a food tasting tour in winter.

May to October is summer in Dammam, and the temperature reaches up to a maximum of 41-degree Celsius. June to August are the hottest months in the city. The scorching heat makes it unbearable for you to step out or sign up for any sightseeing tours for the day. However, evenings and nights are comparatively pleasant. Since the locals also observe fast during Ramadan, a lot of them are given week offs from work. This is a low season for tourism in the country, and you won't even get access to all of the tourist attractions in the city. Needless to say, the hotel prices drop during summer, courtesy the low season. You might, however, come across interesting flight deals to Dammam online and at better prices. It is highly recommended that you travel to Dammam only during winters.

Places to Visit in Dammam

Dammam has a couple of beautiful corniches and also houses a human-made Coral Island. The city is slowly rising as one of the hot vacation destinations and already has a couple of interesting things lined up for tourists. Dolphin Village is one of the major attractions in Dammam. It is situated at the entrance of Coral Island and offers air-conditioned lounge seats so you can catch the dolphin and seal shows with your family and friends. You will have to pay a nominal fee to enter, but it is worth every penny. Make sure you get the best seats though, and to get that, you might have to reach quite early. You can also head to Adventure World that has indoor games, rides and play areas for kids along with some dining options. You can also head to Murakkabat Mountain Park to enjoy the lush greenery amidst a desert. You can either jog here or take a stroll in the park. Share Al-Hob (Love) Market is another tourist spot that you must head to if you want to go on a shopping spree. You can buy a lot of traditional goods here and a couple of souvenirs for your family and friends, too.

Coral Island is a human-made wonder in Dammam that you cannot miss. This is one of the best tourist attractions in the entire city. You can also head to Heritage Village to get a feel of the Saudi culture. Tarout Castle is yet another marvellous tourist attraction that was built in 1600 BC. You can also visit the Dammam Regional Museum. The speciality about the museum is that there are six halls here, each of them showcasing six different categories from the stone age. You can head to Half Moon Bay if you want to learn how to dive and King Fahad Park to relive your childhood.

Things to do in Dammam

One of the first things to do in Dammam is to try the food here. Middle Eastern cuisine is popular all over the world, and there is nothing better than trying it in the Middle East itself. You can either sign up for a guided tour of the city or explore the city on your own. Head over to Heritage Village to get a glimpse of the Saudi culture. Dammam is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and even though it has embraced a modern way of living, the locals make sure they keep their tradition alive. Dammam is the perfect place to head to for a family vacation, especially if you have kids. The Dolphin Village and Adventure World are two of the most entertaining attractions in the city. You can also head to the Tarout Castle, which was built in 1600 BC. If you go for a guided tour of the castle, you will get to know more about the inception of the castle and interesting stories around it. The King Fahad Park is another tourist attraction you can head to spend some leisure time with your family and to relive your own childhood. The city also has several diving academies that you can enrol into and learn how to dive. However, this might only be possible during early winter and late summer when the temperatures are normal. It might get a tad uncomfortable to dive underwater during winter when it is already cold outside, and while summer is the best time to go underwater diving, that's probably the only thing you will get to do on your trip.

Food and Restaurants in Dammam

Dammam is popular for its middle eastern cuisine. Though you get to try cuisines from all over the world in every city in Saudi Arabia, it is the middle eastern food that people love the most. Heritage Village is a very popular restaurant with a very comfortable decor that makes the dining atmosphere delightful. If you are in the mood for some American-style steaks, you can head to Steak House. Manoosha Alreef is popular for its fast food and Lebanese cuisine. Head over to Brasa de Brasil Churrascaria for authentic Brazilian food and to Fayrouz Lebanese Restaurant for lip-smacking middle easter and Lebanese cuisine. You can also try some of the high-end restaurants in the city like Asahi Oan-Asian Restaurant for Japanese and Asian food, Kunefeci for Turkish cuisine, View Cafe for Indian and Arabic cuisines, and Al Diwan for barbecue. Finding a decent restaurant that serves vegetarian food might be a tad difficult since most tourists and locals, too, are meat lovers. However, the food scene is barely disappointing in Dammam, and you will leave both impressed and satiated.

How to reach Dammam (Transportation)

King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia is the third major hub for Saudia, which was called Saudi Arabian Airlines before. The flight connectivity to Dammam from India is excellent. Gulf Air and AirArabia have frequent flights to Dammam from India with layovers at Manama and Sharjah. Getting cheap flight tickets to Dammam is not very difficult if you book at the right time. You can also look up exciting flight deals to Dammam online. You might end up getting a good deal if you have planned an impromptu trip. Getting a taxi or shuttle service from the airport to your hotel is quite convenient and not much of a hassle. The staff at the airport is also quite helpful. If you have to wait for a long time to board your flight, you have lots of options inside the airport to help pass the time. The airport is well-equipped with WiFi, smoking areas, restaurants, lounges, cafes, duty-free shops, currency exchange, ATMs and a lot more. In fact, you will also get through immigration and all the other formalities quite quickly since the staff is very efficient.

  About Philadelphia

The city of Philadelphia, located in Pennsylvania, is the largest city in the state and has a rich and prominent history. Known to be the place where the Independence Declaration was signed, and the country was freed from the colonial rule. Many other revolutionary incidents have also taken place in the city. It is the sixth most populated city in the US. The city is also noted for its plethora of prominent universities and colleges. The city is also the centre for Pennsylvania's economic activities. Travelling to Philadelphia is convenient and traversing within the city is also quite comfortable. With various historical locations and places to visit, the city easily becomes one of the top destinations to check out in the United States.

Best time to visit Philadelphia

Philadelphia enjoys a fancy spring season from March to May. Not only is this time good for nature enthusiasts to soak in all the beauty of the place but also for photographers to indulge in postcard-worthy grabs. Spring brings along with it, a refreshing air while the brisk temperatures start to subside. Usually, the temperatures range between 10 degree Celsius to 22 degree Celsius, which means you will have to carry your winter jackets. The comfortable weather will only make you want to stay outdoors all day. One of the biggest highlights of the spring season is to watch the cherry blossoms in Philadelphia bloom in Fairmount Park. This is a sight your photography skills can try to capture but wouldn't be able to bring out its absolute beauty. It's an experience, and that is incomparable to the pictures taken. Plus, during this time, the city also rings in amazing festivals and events such as St. Patrick's Day Parade, Philadelphia Flower Show, Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, Philly Craft Beer Festival, Philly Black Pride, Philadelphia Children's Festival, Philadelphia Antiques & Art Show, to name a few. Not only the weather but even the hotel prices in Philadelphia are cheap and affordable.

The months from June to August are also quite favourable as they are peak summer for Philadelphia. The city bustles with tourists as the temperatures rise to an agreeable 30 degree Celsius, which is quite pleasant. The city also sees more festivities such as Philadelphia Folk Festival, Philly Beer Week, Philly Pride Parade and Festival and Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest, to name a few. With so much happening, the prices to book hotels in Philadelphia also takes a surge. Finding a decent hotel room in Philadelphia for cheap during summer is next to impossible. However, if you don't mind the winter rush of the city, December to February is your time to shine. The city witnesses cold winters with the temperatures dropping to negatives too, sometimes. However, that only means there is snow on the streets and cheap and affordable hotels in Philadelphia. The locals manage to spruce up the frigid weather by ringing in new festivities such as Philadelphia Auto Show, Christmas Light Show, Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest and Mummer's Parade, to name a few. These activities certainly help keep the spirits up.

Places to visit in Philadelphia

Philadelphia has some great historical significance as it is recognised to be the place where the American founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. The event took place in the city's Liberty Bell Centre, which automatically becomes one of the famous tourist sites to visit. It is located in the Independence National Historical Park and witnesses tourists all-round the year, especially during the peak season. Opposite the Liberty Bell Centre is the Independence Hall, another important Gregorian-style structure that has contributed to American history. While you're engaged in some historical and educational tour, do visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art which has works of artists such as Matisse, Picasso, Van Gogh and more. John F Kennedy Plaza, famously recognised as the LOVE Park, is an alluring stretch of green expanse that boasts the beauty of the city. You also have the National Museum of American Jewish History as one of the establishments to visit.

Things to do in Philadelphia

The city has far too many things that should be done by a traveller. Aside from taking pictures at the LOVE Park or visiting the Philadelphia Zoo, you can also go on a food tour to the Reading Terminal Market. Further, you can stroll through the posh and swanky lanes of Rittenhouse Square, where you will find top-notch restaurants, a thriving lifestyle and the Mutter Museum. To satiate the adrenaline rush that you wish to experience, visit the Wissahickon Valley Park and go on a horseback riding expedition. You can further take up mountain biking and hiking as other activities in the park.

Food and restaurants in Philadelphia

Over the years, the culinary scene of Philadelphia has evolved with a slew of up and coming food establishments taking over the streets. You will notice some new and amazing restaurants and dining establishments that are classy and pricey. Much of these establishments can be found at Old City and Rittenhouse Square. So if you plan to enjoy a lovely fancy evening in Philly, you can find some of those in these areas. Restaurants such as Parc, The Love and The Dandelion are some of the places that promise to give you a dining experience of a lifetime. Of course, it is important that you make prior reservations as you might not get tables here. At the city centre, you can find some more places that would satiate your culinary desires. From French to Indian to Japanese, you will be able to taste the world cuisine in Philadelphia. Of course, the list of cuisines doesn't end there. You can further explore good food and go for an Italian rendezvous at the Talula's Garden. What makes this place exceptional is how the ingredients and vegetables used are very fresh and delicious.

Philadelphia's highlights in terms of culinary are pretzels and cheesesteak. A cheesesteak is basically a hoagie-like sandwich where thin slices of steak are placed between the slices of bread while some cheese, onions, peppers and mushrooms are added to bring about a magnificent flavour. South of Philadelphia is the best place to get your hands on these sandwiches. In fact, the Italian Market is the perfect place for you to find the cheesesteak. You can also customise these sandwiches. If you wish to go to the popular ones, Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's Steaks are the two popular shops where you can find the best cheesesteaks. Reading Terminal Market is another establishment where you will find a plethora of tasty dishes. Philly's BYOB (bring your own bottle) is also good if you are running on a budget. But do learn about the policies of the place before visiting the place as they have their own set of rules that you must abide by. Some more names for your perusal are Beiler's Bakery, Cafe La Maude, Bistro Romano and Ristorante Pesto.

How to reach Philadelphia

Flight connectivity to Philadelphia from India is excellent as there are many connecting flights to the city. Despite being one of the largest cities in the US, there are no direct flights to Philadelphia from India. Cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata. Out of the mentioned Indian cities, Mumbai and Delhi are the only two metros which have the most number of flights flying to Philadelphia. There are regular flights to Philadelphia which fly every day from India. Airlines such as American Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways, Swiss, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, have flights to Philadelphia. Since there are no direct flights to Philadelphia, often much of these airlines have layovers and connecting flights to reach the city from India. These airlines have layovers in international cities such as Doha, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, to name a few falling in this international route to Philadelphia. Sometimes if there are more than one stops, connecting flights can be found in the US at cities such as Chicago, Boston, etc. There are flights that connect from London as well if you pick British Airways as your airlines for travel.

Getting cheap flight tickets to Philadelphia would be tough since the round trip always surpasses more than a lakh INR. However, if you book your tickets to Philadelphia in advance, you might be able to snag some cheap flight deals online. In fact, as long as you're able to book your hotels in Philadelphia, months in advance, even that would help you ease down splurging extra bucks. There are often many flights and hotels combo deals online that you can probably take up, depending on how you time your plans and if you get lucky. Often people choose to get a ticket to a cheaper city in the United States to fly out. From there, options of rental cars, taxi cabs and other such provisions are available which make travelling to Philadelphia cheaper and experiential. One of the popular routes to Philadelphia is from Mumbai and Ahmedabad as these cities have more flights, plus they are better connected.