Tel Aviv is a fabulous, friendly city. And it is perfect for families with young children to visit – this is a city that loves kids! If you’re planning on visiting Tel Aviv with a toddler or baby, here are the top 10 things that you should add to your itinerary right now.
If you’re looking for a more in-depth travel tip guide with information about transportation, breastfeeding, jellyfish, and more, check out my Tel Aviv with a Toddler or Baby: Know Before You Go!
Explore the Old Train Station
The Old Train Station, or HaTachana, was built in 1892 and was the first railway station in the Middle East. It was once the terminus for the Jaffa-Jerusalem railway.
But nowadays, it serves an entirely new purpose – it is a cosmopolitan little shopping center, full of cute cafes, trendy boutique shops, and wine tasting rooms.
More importantly (at least, according to every toddler ever), the complex sits in the former train station, meaning that children can play on the unused railway tracks and even explore some old train cars! And what toddler doesn’t want to do that?
Shop and people watch at Shuk HaCarmel
Also known as the Carmel Market, Shuk HaCarmel is the largest shuk in Tel Aviv, and has been around since 1920. As an authentic Middle Eastern-style market, you can expect a chaotic hustle-bustle of vendors selling everything from fresh produce and spices to cheap electronics and clothing.
This is definitely a place to keep your toddler very close. Even better if you babywear. While little ones will love to see, smell, and taste their way through the market, it could get a little overwhelming. I wouldn’t plan to spend too long in the shuk, but I wouldn’t want to miss it, either!
Beaches, beaches, beaches!
If you’re planning a trip to Tel Aviv, chances are you already know about the beaches. Fun in the sun in the Mediterranean Sea? Yes, please.
Many of the popular beaches have breakers to prevent big waves, life guards, and tons of facilities, making them ideal for families with young children. Even so, be cautious to stay in the designated swim areas. And if you’re going in July? Watch out for the jellyfish.
Gordon, Frishman, and Bograshov are the three most popular beaches, meaning you will find tons of people, but also great food and facility options, and even a decent playground. They’re all in a row along the Tel Aviv promenade, and we couldn’t discern which was which as they blended into each other.
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Expect to shell out a few shekels to get a great spot by the beach – totally worthwhile to have a place to lounge and enjoy some hummus and drinks! And know that all of the prices along the beach are set by the municipality, so you will pay the same for a water, beer, pretzel, or plate of watermelon no matter where you eat.
At the north end of the promenade, Metzitzim is supposed to also be great for families, although we didn’t personally make it there. We did really enjoy the more laid-back vibe of Herzliya beach, 20 minutes north of Tel Aviv.
Eat (and Instagram) your way through Sarona Market
My first thought upon entering Sarona Market: we have entered Hipster Wonderland. But in a good way.
Everything in this market, which functions like an upscale food court with dozens of stalls selling a variety of cuisines, is perfectly instagrammable. You can wander from fish bar to halva shop to ramen counter, all with a wine or Israeli beer in hand.
I found it very reminiscent of Barcelona’s La Boqueria, although to me, Sarona felt more welcoming and comfortable. And the people watching was top-notch! We went for dinner and were a little disappointed when it closed at 11 (we were very jet lagged), but found the immediate area to have plenty of late night restaurants and bars.
Explore the Jaffa Flea Market area by night
…or by day. But we went at night to get a sense of the bustling nightlife in the city, and this is just one small piece of it.
With bars and restaurants spilling out of every alleyway, you’ll get not only great food options, but tons of people-watching as well. While I wouldn’t necessarily call this a “family-friendly” zone, we found restaurants to be accommodating and everyone to be super friendly with our kids. We were there at the beginning of the night, as nightlife in Tel Aviv doesn’t really get going until well after midnight, so that might have impacted how welcoming it felt for us with two kids.
The street art here is fabulous, the food is delicious, and you can easily walk to some major landmarks, like the Jaffa Clock Tower. Built during the Ottoman period, this clock is a sight to see at night!
Head north to get lost in Herzliya Park
Just 20 minutes to the north of Tel Aviv is the city of Herzliya. This is actually where we stayed, and I highly recommend the beach up here!
But even if you’re not staying in Herzliya, it is worth the trip up to the area for Herzliya Park.
It is probably the best public playground I’ve ever seen – and I’ve explored some good ones. It is certainly the largest. And if your child loves slides? This is the place for you.
Seriously, look at this place. There are so many slides, my toddler couldn’t begin to keep track of them all. She had all the confidence in the world, but I made her progress through longer and longer slides until finally I gave in and let my 2-year-old go down this behemoth:
She loved it.
This amazing playground is just the beginning, though. Herzliya park is actually much larger (180 acres!), and includes an amphitheater, a lake, a bike path and running trails, sculptures, a petting zoo (apparently – we did not find it), multiple smaller playgrounds, a mountain bike park, an off-leash dog park, and more.
You can read more about Herzliya Park here.
Next to the playground is a lovely little cafe with plenty of smoothie and popsicle options. Toward the other entrance to Herzliya Park we found and loved Cafe Gan Sipur for a hearty Israeli meal in a very kid-friendly environment.
Check out the Israel Children’s Museum
In full transparency, we did not make it to this museum while we were there. However, it came highly recommended from my husband’s colleague – a Tel Aviv local with young kids of his own.
The Israel Children’s Museum is a little different from other children’s museums in that all of the activities are guided. It’s an educational-cultural institution that has a mission of “promoting tolerance, respectful dialogue, and non-violent communication between children of all backgrounds and ethnicities”.
One thing to note is that there are strict age guidelines for children to be able to enter and participate in the activities. There are several activities for the 2.5 – 4 year old age range, but babies are not allowed to enter any of them.
Pre-booking is required, and English tours will need at least 4 participants to open. See the museum’s website for more information.
Amble along the promenade from Tel Aviv to Jaffa
Okay, I know I already talked about the amazing beaches, but I would be remiss to not mention the Tel Aviv promenade itself.
A series of boardwalks running the length of the 13 official beaches of Tel Aviv, you can easily spend an afternoon and evening wandering from beach to beach, stopping in to sample foods from an amazing assortment of restaurants along the way.
Feel like stopping for a work out? There is exercise equipment about every mile or so, all with amazing views out over the water. Need to let the little ones run out some energy? Try the fantastic playground at Bograshov Beach.
At 14km long, you probably won’t make it through the entire promenade with kids in tow. But you won’t need to if you just want to get a sense of the amazing beachfront culture of Tel Aviv.
While you’re on the promenade, you might want to stop and…
Take a dip in the Gordon Pool
Sure, beaches are great and all, but sometimes it’s nice to enjoy all the amenities of a luxurious pool. Three luxurious pools, to be exact.
The open-air saltwater Gordon Pool complex houses an Olympic pool, a children’s pool, and a toddler pool – something that I am always thrilled to find. It is also a piece of history, having been built in 1956 and once catering to the celebrity crowd. It fell into disrepair, but in 2009 it was restored to it’s former glory and is now a hot spot for locals and tourists alike.
Overlooking the Tel Aviv Marina, Gordon Pool is a great place to relax on the sun beds after doing some laps while the littles have a dedicated place to swim.
Feast your eyes on the Nahalat craft fair
Every Tuesday and Friday, Nahalat Binyamin Street closes down to cars and hosts an arts and crafts fair. So many things to look at!
Little ones will love all of the bright colors and fun artwork, and you might just find the perfect souvenir while supporting local artists. There are over 200 stalls and everything is handmade!
Even though it is the largest craft market in Israel, the standard of quality is kept very high. And the artists are required to be there to sell their work, meaning that you will buy directly from the person who created the unique piece!
The Nahalat craft fair is adjacent to the Shuk Ha’Carmel, so if you plan it right, you can have an awesome day of shopping!
Finally, check out these great books to prepare for your trip!
That is the best of everything we did, and then some. But what did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
to pin for later:
All photos are mine, or used with permission from these talented artists on unsplash.com: Kristina Balić and Simon Goetz
1 thought on “Top Ten with a Toddler: Tel Aviv!”
I loved it at the playground. And I think the petting zoo is at the lake, with all the ducks?