What we did & where we stayed in Jerusalem with a baby and toddler
There are few cities in the world that can rival Jerusalem for historical significance. This legacy, along with its fascinating place in current events, and some incredible architecture, have long put Jerusalem on my bucket list.
And so, when my husband was asked to travel to Israel for work, we brought the kids along to Tel Aviv and went a few days early to explore this ancient city.
We had nowhere near enough time to see everything I wanted to see (the Dome of the Rock, for example, which is only open to tourists at a few specific times during the week), so this is just a snapshot until we’re able to get back there for longer. But here is a brief glimpse into family-friendly Jerusalem!
Jerusalem is a large and modern city, but within it, you will find the walled Old City. The Old City is a little under 1 square kilometer and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wandering through the labyrinth of stone streets in the Old City, you can feel the history of the place. You might at any moment round a corner and find an incredibly important monument, whether it be the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Temple Mount, the Dome of the Rock, or any number of other magnificent sites.
We loved just meandering and soaking in the culture. Many of Jerusalem’s residents are Orthodox Jews, and we were thrilled to learn so much about their lifestyle while we were there.
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One important element of that lifestyle is Shabbat – the day of rest, or sabbath. Shabbat begins every week at sundown on Friday, and continues until sundown on Saturday. During this time, observant Jews refrain from working, operating machinery, and many other tasks that we take for granted as a part of everyday life.
Shabbat is a time for celebration, for feasting, and for spending time with your loved ones.
Nowhere was this celebration more apparent than at the Western Wall! Although the Western Wall is generally a place of quiet reflection and solemn prayer, it completely transforms come Friday evening. The people of Jerusalem ring in Shabbat at the Wall every week with quite the festive party!
Throughout the plaza, young men and women form massive circles, spinning and singing and dancing, and apparently trying to out-do the other groups! It is chaotic and fun and quite a sight to see.
It should be noted that for Orthodox Jews, it goes against their beliefs to have their photo or video taken during Shabbat. My photos are all from the time leading up to sundown, but once Shabbat officially starts, please be sure to put the camera away!
Outside of the Old City, Jerusalem is full of incredible food, interesting sites, and way more to do than we could possibly cover in our time there.
While we had some concerns about not being able to find restaurants that would be open during Shabbat, those concerns turned out to be unfounded. Yes, it is slightly harder to get around – the buses do not run. And many businesses will be closed. But there are plenty of Muslim- or non-Orthodox-owned businesses that stay open during the sabbath, and taxis were easy to find. We did not find Shabbat to be an inconvenience to our time in Jerusalem, but instead an interesting cultural experience to learn about.
Where we stayed in Jerusalem
We stayed at a cute little AirBnB with exposed brick and a lovely courtyard, about ten minutes outside of the Old City, for a fabulous price. If you’re wondering if an AirBnB is the right choice for your family, you can find my advice from staying in dozens of AirBnBs with kids here.
We really liked staying so close to the Old city. We only had a few days in Jersualem, and wanted to spend most of our time exploring the historical center. But we also loved that just outside of our AirBnB was this fabulous umbrella street! As well as several great restaurants, one of which was open (to children!) when we went there at 1am during Shabbat… thanks, jet lag!
Would we visit Jerusalem again? Absolutely. There is so much that we weren’t able to see and do. It’s a good thing my husband gets asked to visit Israel for work once per year – we might just get another chance before too long!
Do you have any questions that I can answer about visiting Jerusalem with kids? Use the comments section below!
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16 thoughts on “Why We Loved Jerusalem with Kids”
Your photos are beautiful. I have always wanted to visit Jerusalem. Thank you for the tips.
I have always wanted to visit Jerusalem for its food and history and I loved reading about your time there. I love the fact that they ring in the Shabbat with dancing at singing at the Western Wall. Watching that video made me smile. I’d love to hear about any must-try foods!
Shabbat at the Western Wall was quite the surprise – definitely not what I expected! The food there was AMAZING. Like combining the freshness and richness of Mediterranean meals with the spices and flavors of Middle Eastern. Our very favorite thing was the halva – a sweet treat made from tahini.
These photos are amazing! Jerusalem is on my to-travel list. You’ve only made me want to visit more one day. Thank you for sharing!
I hope you get the opportunity!
Jerusalem hasn’t been on my radar prior to reading your article. I might have to re-think that now, looks like a facinating place to visit.
What a beautiful experience and great to hear the other side to this region beyond war and fear. We’ve always wanted to visit and it does just look so beautiful, historic and packed full of culture.
Jerusalem is high up on our bucket list as a pilgrimage. Do I enjoyed reading about it.
Jerusalem is one of those places that holds such great meaning for me; it’s such a part of my own childhood and upbringing that it’s almost mythical to me–although I know it’s real. How fortunate your children were able to experience it at such a young age! I never realized just how beautiful it is before seeing your photos. I hope to get there myself one day.
It is such a powerful and meaningful place to so many people, and that is something that you can truly feel while you’re there, regardless of your own beliefs and background. It’s pretty incredible!
Jerusalem looks beautiful, and lively too. It’s not what I would have expected and I learned a lot from your article. Would love to visit there one day.
Thanks for sharing ! Lovely photos ! I have Israel on my bucket list too but may not be as convenient for me to visit given my passport restriction !
We sometimes forget the privilege our passports grant us. I hope you are able to knock it off your bucket list at some point!
How fun that you made a family vacation out of work! Shabbat looks super fun and festive and I bet it was an amazing experience. I’ll definitely have to look into booking that Airbnb because I’ve always wanted to see that umbrella street. Now that’s a location you can’t beat hahaa.
Thanks for this post. We are heading to Jerusalem for a day with a 10 month old and a 1 year old. We have been to it is not strolled friendly- is it true?
It depends on your plans in Jerusalem, but assuming you are heading into the old town, that is very true. We brought ours, but spent almost as much time carrying it as using it. If you can wear at least one of your little ones, that would be much easier!