Khobar is a young city without much of a historic core, but it has a few genuine sights and several rewarding excursions within easy reach. The long Corniche is the social heart of the city in the cooler months; the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in nearby Dhahran is one of the most ambitious cultural complexes in the Gulf; and Half Moon Bay, 25 km south, is the best of the local beaches.