Israel Attractions

If you are like a lot of people, you may not realize that Israel is quite small but, for a country often compared to New Jersey, it has a lot going on (besides the politics) including a lot of Israel attractions. Mount Hermon at 2,236 m (7,336 ft) is Israel’s tallest mountain with snow capped peaks most of the year and not far away is Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee) the lowest freshwater lake on the earth at 211.315 meters (693.29 ft) below sea level! Unlike a lot of countries, traveling a short distance will bring a new climate zones. You can pack winter clothes and a swimsuit, using both within a couple of hours of each other.

 

Mobile App

The first question is: “How to get around?” Better than GPS for finding attractions, WAZE is a free social mobile app that was developed by an Israeli company. Download it to your mobile phone for help navigating through the use of live maps, live traffic updates and more. Type in your destination address and then leave the app open. Other people going the same way will give updates as to the condition of the roads, construction alerts and more. The live maps can help you navigate to attractions. WAZE can also help you find the closest cheapest gas station. They have an app for Android, iphone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Symbian and other devices. Highly recommended!

Wide Variety of Israel Attractions

How many attractions you will be able to visit and see depends on how long you will be in Israel! Some of the most famous attractions in Israel are FREE including:

• the Western Wall, Mount Zion, Mount of Olives,
• fabulous beaches along the Mediterranean coast,
• the Red Sea with the world famous Coral Reef,
• Lake Kinneret (The Sea of Galilee) and
• the Negev and Judean Deserts

Even some zoos are free like Park Lachish in Ashdod.

Proof of Age

Bringing proof of age for those retired or even approaching retirement may result in discounts at all kinds of  attractions including parks and museums. Ask for family rates if travelling with children.

Tour Guides

Tour Guides in Israel are highly trained professionals whose contribution to your trip is well worth the investment.  Ranging from ready made to custom VIP tours, you can decide on whatever suits your tastes and budget. We highly recommend using their services to get the most out of your time, see interesting and new places, and have a fun and entertaining time.  There are at least 24 different types of tours you can take on their own or by combining your favorites.  Each area of the country offers its own special highlights. Check out Baruch Haba’s tour guide site to see what advantages there are in using a guide and how to find one suitable for your interests and needs.

Plan ahead

Launching soon will be the Baruch Haba Israel Attractions website where you will be able to find detailed information about attractions.  If you are researching ahead of time, keep in mind that information and prices on online sites may be outdated, as may be the opening hours.  Our experience has been that many sites just repeat the same information which can be out of date. Once in Israel, phone before setting out on a long trek. You want to avoid arriving somewhere only to discover that the attraction is temporarily closed for repairs!

Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves

The Israel Youth Hostel Association lists the following as Israel’s Top 10 national parks and nature reserves.

1. City of David (Jerusalem Walls) National Park
2. Hermon Stream National Park (Banias)
3. Yehudiya Forest Nature Reserve – Central Golan Heights
4. Zippori National Park – Lower Galilee west of Nazareth
5. Caesarea National Park
6. Ein Gedi Nature Reserve
7. Masada National Park
8. Avdat National Park – Negev
9. Ramon Park complex
10. Coral Beach Nature Reserve – Eilat

Water Parks

Israel is a very child-friendly country and has many attractions for the young and the young at heart including water parks. There are 10 main fun water parks and plans for building more:

1. Meymadion – western section Ganei Yehoshua Park, Tel Aviv
2. Ashkeluna –Delila Beach Ashkelon
3. Hafetz Haim in Kibbutz Hafetz Haim has separate bathing times for men and women (closed 6.2013 until further notice)
4. Shefayim – Kibbutz Shefayim near Netanya
5. Luna Gal – eastern shore Lake Kinneret
6. Hof Tzemach – southern shore Lake Kinneret
7. Gai Beach – Tiberias
8. Huga – Bet Shean and also has a fishing pond
9. Sahek Ota – Emek Hefer
10. King’s City – Eilat is an amusement park that has a giant waterslide attraction

Try interesting slides such as a 70 degree sloped Kamikaze slide at Gai Beach, take part in ampitheatre contests at Ashkeluna Water Park, swim in natural springs at Huga Water Park or enjoy the sports facilities at Meymadion. These are full day activities for everyone.

Did You Know?

Baruch Haba travel magazine has numerous articles on activities and attractions in Israel including camel and horseback riding.