Here's What It's Like to Visit Saudi Arabia as a Woman

While Saudi Arabia has long taken steps to keep tourism at bay, all of that changed in late 2019. The mysterious Kingdom decided to open its doors to travelers from 49 countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, via a new Electronic Visa program.

With that announcement, adventure-seekers and culture lovers had the opportunity to visit Saudi Arabia for up to 90 days at a time. I was one of the first Americans to visit under the Electronic Visa program, and as a woman traveling alone, I was curious but also cautious about visiting this country. After all, gender segregation is the norm in Saudi Arabia, and women were only granted the right to drive in 2018.