Dammam to St Louis 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 St. Louis

Nestled along the sparkling Mississippi River in Missouri, is the beautiful city of St. Louis. The city is iconic in many ways as it has a rich history and also the cultural hub of the place. From barbecued meat to pubs playing blues, the city is lovely and was named after Louis IX of France.

Best time to visit St. Louis

Missouri's summers can be pretty hot and winters, just as cold. However, their spring and fall seasons are just perfect with balanced weather that attracts a lot of tourists. St. Louis enjoys great springs and autumns as the city turns into lovely foliage of orange. Although the two-season is quite short compared to winters and summers, spring and autumn's quaint vibe does good for the city of St. Louis. The city witnesses fall between September to October. During this time, the weathers transition from hot to cold, giving the city just the perfect setting for events and other activities. The autumn months actually open gateways to a plethora of events and festivals hosted by the city to entertain the locals as well as tourists. Events such as Big Muddy Blues Festival, Great Forest Park Balloon Race, Taste of St. Louis, Best of Missouri Market, Saint Louis Art Fair, LouFest, to name a few, are celebrated between September and October.

The hotel prices do get a little steep during autumn as the festivals bring in a lot of action in the tourism industry. Many tourists from within the state as well as from other states in the US, flock over to St. Louis to indulge in these events and celebrations. Hence, finding hotel reservations in St. Louis could get challenging. But if you do plan beforehand, you might not have to worry about these issues. November through March might not be a good time to visit St. Louis as the temperatures are quite unfavourable. However, do not miss their Mardi Gras celebrations which take place in March. It is the second-best in the country after New Orleans. You will also get a good deal on hotel bookings in St. Louis during this time. Besides, the month also sees a drop in temperatures as the city starts to make room for spring. Speaking of which, April and May are also a good time to visit the city as the weather is very tourist-friendly and the city rings in various interesting festivals that cater to audiences with multitudes of interests.

Places to visit in St. Louis

The city of St. Louis has a diverse range of places that you can visit. They start from beautiful museums to amazing parks. The first place that you can start with is the Gateway Arch. It is the pride of St. Louis as it takes tourists through the history of the city. Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis is another lovely structure that you would like to visit. It has a very neo-Byzantine Roman Catholic architecture. The Saint Louis Zoo is another lovely place where you can hang out and check out the plethora of wild animals such as sloths, tarantulas, gators, armadillos, penguins and more. The Saint Louis Art Museum is a good place to be marvelled by the art exhibits. There are over 34,000 works of artefacts that will amaze you. Saint Louis Science Centre is another fun place where you can revel in the exhibits of animals, skyscrapers, space and more. The Missouri Civil War Museum is an important place that you should visit as it retells the history of the Civil War and St. Louis' role in the conflict.

Things to do in St. Louis

The Forest Park of St. Louis gives New York City's Central Park a fierce competition for being a gigantic green estate. The place has many recreational activities such as fishing, museums, trekking trails and more. Since the garden is over 500 acres in area, there are too many things that can be done. Trekking, fishing, boating, a golf course, zoo, attending concerts, are some of the things that can be done in the park. You would not be bored here. In case it is all too much of work to do, you can simply lay on the grass and enjoy the St. Louis sun. Grant's Farm has historical significance as it was built by Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant. The farm has alpacas and more such cattle. The Missouri Botanical Garden is a fun place where you can check out the limestone cave as well as sit atop a treehouse. The place certainly stands tall as one of the attractions in the city. The Bush Stadium is very famous as you will get to experience St. Louisians cheer for their favourite baseball team. Indulging in the food culture of St. Louis is a must-try.

Food and restaurants in St. Louis

St. Louis is a multicultural haven with a vibrant and thriving food culture. From Bosnian delicacies to Italian treats, you will find many styles and cuisines of multiethnic backgrounds. In fact, it is actually recommended that you peruse through the Explore St. Louis Neighbourhoods page before stepping out for chow time. It would also help to ask around to get some good recommendations for food in the city. Because of its plethora of options, it is essential that you find the ideal establishment that works with your sensibilities. Since the city does have famous dishes including their own rendition of St. Louis-style barbeque and ribs, it would be nice to first list out what you want to eat and what your options are. You can start your food rendezvous in the city by opting for a classic deli sandwich from Blues City Deli. It is located in Benton Park and makes the most sumptuous and succulent sandwiches. You can also check out Adriana's on the Hill for variety in the sandwich business

Stacked STL also has a good recipe of American food that would cater to your gastronomical needs. To indulge in the classic St. Louis style food, including barbecued meat and ribs, Bogart's Smokehouse and Pappy's Smokehouse would be the best. They do know how to grill their meat and serve a generous spread. The city also has an interesting melange of Italian and Bosnian cuisine that has often caught the fancy of tourists. For a traditional Italian food rendezvous, you can visit Charlie Gitto's and Zia's on the Hill, both located in the Hill District. They are recognised for their exquisite ravioli with a twist of toast. The meat-filled pastas that are panfried make for a wholesome meal. The city's Bosnian food establishments are located five miles outside the centre. At the Grbic Restaurant & Events, you can sink your teeth in their celebrated grilled beef sausages and rolls. Other places that are a must-visit in St. Louis include Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, Gioia's Deli, Roberto's Trattoria and Chophouse, The Crossing and Eleven Eleven Mississippi.

How to reach St. Louis

St. Louis is much in the interiors of the United States and hence, requires some layovers and flight changes. There are no direct flights to St. Louis from India, and it requires a bunch of flight changes and even layovers with long durations. However, the good news is that flight connectivity to St. Louis from Indian cities is quite good. There are a bunch of airlines that offer services to connect Indian cities to St. Louis. Airlines such as Lufthansa, United Airlines, British Airways, Air France, Delta Air Lines, to name a few, have flights to St. Louis from India. The best part about these airlines is that they only have layovers and there is no change of flights required. The most popular route to St. Louis is from Germany. Many of these airlines have layovers in Munich and Frankfurt. Since the layovers are in European cities, they require Schengen transit visas. Applying for a transit visa is very easy as you need to get in touch with the embassy or fill up an online form. It is easy to get hold of a transit visa. Often the layovers in the European airports are quite long.

The flight duration to St. Louis from India is a little time-consuming as the city is in Central America. Due to this, airlines require a second layover in cities within the US. Domestic routes are used to connect flights to St. Louis. The flight duration is close to 26 hours, and the flight tickets are also quite expensive. Finding a cheap flight ticket to St. Louis would be the dream. However, due to the distance and the multiple layovers, the ticket prices to St. Louis from India are often very expensive. You could always opt for making advance booking of flights to St. Louis to be eligible for an online discount. It would be best to use this method as you will have plenty of time to find flights and deals too that would give you discounts on flights to St. Louis. You can also make your hotel reservations in St. Louis while booking flights. Combining the two might help you snag some decent deals online. You could also use up some miles, if you have been collecting them, as a trip to St. Louis could use some miles to save on money.