Traveling around Saudi Arabia. What's the best way to get around?

[Shalkohak]

Sick of the American winter and want to swap it for a couple of weeks of Asian heat, so Saudi Arabia is the plan. Been wanting to see Mecca and Medina for a while now, not from any religious angle but purely out of curiosity about the history and architecture behind these places. The country is huge though and I want to move around freely without being tied to tour schedules. What makes the most sense for getting around out there and where do you even rent a vehicle?

[Fawn]

Saudi Arabia has decent highways connecting the major cities, so driving yourself is actually a pretty solid way to go. Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca and Medina are all linked by well-maintained roads and distances between them are manageable. Just keep in mind that Mecca has restrictions for non-Muslims on entering certain areas, so worth doing a bit of research beforehand on what's accessible. Car rentals are available at airports and in city centers from the usual international companies. For shorter distances within cities, ride-hailing apps like Uber work fine and are widely used there.

[Eye for an eye]

A motorcycle gives you a lot more freedom and a completely different feel for the landscape compared to sitting in a car. Saudi Arabia has some really scenic stretches of road, especially around the Hejaz region and heading south toward Taif. The weather in winter months is genuinely comfortable for riding, nowhere near the brutal summer heat. Motorcycle rental in Saudi Arabia is available here https://getrentacar.com/en-US/motorcycle-rental/saudi-arabia . Good range of bikes available and you can sort everything out before you even land, which saves a lot of time on arrival.