The 7 Best Family-Friendly Activities in Israel (2026)

Updated August 2026 · 7 picks

The best family activities in Israel are the beaches, floating in the Dead Sea, kayaking the Jordan River in the Galilee, the hands-on science museums in Haifa and Jerusalem, the national parks with water in them, and the Negev's camel and jeep trips. The country is small, so most are day trips. Seven, below.

1. The Mediterranean beaches — The whole coast

Free, everywhere, and the thing children will actually remember.

₪ BudgetBest for Families · Groups

Israel has around 190km of Mediterranean coast and the beaches are free, well maintained and lifeguarded through the season, with playgrounds, showers and cafes at the main ones.

Tel Aviv's are the busiest and best equipped, with a 14km promenade good for cycling and scooters. Netanya, Herzliya, Haifa and the northern beaches around Akko and Nahariya are quieter.

Lifeguards operate posted hours and the flag system is taken seriously — swim between the flags and while the lifeguard station is staffed, because the Mediterranean here has real currents.

Good to know: Swim only when the lifeguard station is staffed and between the flags. The currents are not decorative.

Google Maps Website

2. Floating in the Dead Sea — Ein Bokek and Ein Gedi

The lowest point on earth, and water that will not let you sink.

₪ BudgetBest for Families · Couples

The Dead Sea is around ten times saltier than the ocean, which makes swimming impossible and floating effortless, and for a child old enough to manage it the experience is genuinely unforgettable.

Ein Bokek has free public beaches with showers and shade alongside the hotel strip, and Ein Gedi combines the float with a nature reserve of waterfalls and ibex a few minutes away.

It is 430 metres below sea level and extremely hot in summer — visit October to April with children, and never in the middle of a July day.

Good to know: No goggles off, no diving, no splashing. Salt in the eyes ends the day immediately.

Google Maps Website

3. Kayaking the Jordan River — Upper Galilee

Gentle rapids, cold water and shade — the classic Israeli summer family day.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Families · Groups

Kayaking and rafting the Jordan River in the Upper Galilee is what Israeli families do in summer: a few kilometres of gentle water with some small rapids, in inflatable boats, through green shaded riverbank.

Operators run both a calmer family route and a faster one, with minimum ages and life jackets provided, and the water is genuinely cold, which is the entire appeal in August.

It gets very busy in the school holidays. Book ahead and go for the earliest departure of the day.

Good to know: Book the first slot of the morning — by midday the river is a queue of boats.

Google Maps Website

4. The Israel National Trail parks with water — Galilee, Golan and the centre

National parks with springs, streams and pools you can swim in.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Families · Groups · Couples

Israel's best family walks are the national parks with water in them: Banias with its waterfall and the Hermon stream, Ein Gedi's desert waterfalls, Gan HaShlosha (Sachne) with its warm natural pools, and the Yehudiya reserve in the Golan.

These are short, well-marked, shaded walks that end in something children can get into, which is a much easier sell than a viewpoint.

A multi-park pass from the Nature and Parks Authority pays for itself after three or four visits and covers most of them.

Good to know: Buy the multi-park pass on the first visit. It pays back by the fourth park.

Google Maps Website

5. MadaTech and the Bloomfield Science Museum — Haifa and Jerusalem

Hands-on science museums that genuinely hold children for hours.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Families

MadaTech in Haifa, the national museum of science and technology, sits in the original Technion building and is built entirely around hands-on exhibits, with a large outdoor science park attached.

The Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem does the same job in the capital, on the Hebrew University campus, with a strong programme of temporary exhibitions.

Both are the right answer for a rainy or brutally hot day, and both are genuinely interesting for adults as well, which is not always true of the category.

Good to know: The best hot-day and rainy-day option in both cities. Allow three hours, not one.

Google Maps Website

6. The Negev desert trips — Mitzpe Ramon and the Negev

Camels, jeeps, craters and some of the darkest night skies you will see.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Families · Groups · Couples

The Negev is half the country and offers the adventures children remember: camel rides, jeep tours into the Ramon Crater, desert camps with Bedouin-style hospitality, and stargazing under some of the darkest accessible skies in the region.

Mitzpe Ramon on the crater rim is the base, with an alpaca farm, an ibex population that wanders through the town, and hiking down into the crater itself.

Go October to April. The desert in July and August is not a family destination.

Good to know: Nights on the crater rim are cold year-round. Pack warm layers even in spring.

Google Maps Website

7. The Eilat reef and underwater observatory — Eilat, Red Sea

Coral, tropical fish and snorkelling straight off the beach.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Families · Groups

Eilat sits on the Red Sea at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, and its coral reef is accessible directly from the shore — Coral Beach Nature Reserve has snorkelling that begins a few metres from where you leave your towel.

The Underwater Observatory Marine Park adds an underwater viewing chamber, aquariums and shark and turtle pools, which covers the younger children who are not going to snorkel.

Eilat is warm and swimmable year-round, which makes it the winter family destination in Israel.

Good to know: Eilat works in winter, when the rest of the country is too cold to swim. That is when to go.

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

Is Israel a good destination with children?

Very. It is a genuinely child-centred culture — children are welcome in restaurants at any hour, facilities are good, distances are short, and the country is set up for domestic family tourism, which means playgrounds, water and shade are everywhere.

What is the best time to travel with kids?

Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November). July and August are extremely hot and are also the Israeli school holidays, so attractions are crowded and prices peak. Winter is mild on the coast and in the south, and Eilat and the Dead Sea are pleasant then.

How do we get around?

A hire car is the practical answer for a family — the country is small, everything is within a few hours, and the national parks and Galilee sites are hard to reach otherwise. Trains and buses are good along the coast but stop entirely from Friday afternoon until Saturday night.

What does a family day out cost?

National park entry is roughly ₪28–₪45 per adult and less for children, with a multi-park pass that pays for itself after three or four visits. Water parks and larger attractions run ₪120–₪200 per person. Beaches are free, which keeps the average down considerably.

Is the Dead Sea safe for children?

With supervision. The salt stings badly in eyes and any small cut, and swallowing the water is genuinely dangerous, so it does not suit very young children. From about eight upwards, with goggles off, no diving and no splashing, it is memorable rather than risky.

Do attractions close on Shabbat?

National parks and nature reserves generally open on Saturday, which makes them the reliable family option. Museums vary — many open Saturday, some close Friday afternoon. Public transport stops from mid-afternoon Friday to Saturday night, so plan a car for the weekend.

1. The Mediterranean beaches — The whole coast

2. Floating in the Dead Sea — Ein Bokek and Ein Gedi

3. Kayaking the Jordan River — Upper Galilee

4. The Israel National Trail parks with water — Galilee, Golan and the centre

5. MadaTech and the Bloomfield Science Museum — Haifa and Jerusalem

6. The Negev desert trips — Mitzpe Ramon and the Negev

7. The Eilat reef and underwater observatory — Eilat, Red Sea

Frequently asked questions

Related lists

The 7 Best Yoga Retreats in Israel (2026)

The 7 Best Scenic Spots in Israel (2026)

The 5 Best Sushi Restaurants in Israel (2026)

The 7 Best Street Foods in Israel (2026)

The 6 Best Steakhouses in Israel (2026)