While Tel Aviv at night is a partygoers’ paradise, during the day, it’s a magnet for families. Children are seen and welcomed everywhere – in cafes, markets, museums, beaches, and parks – and the mishpacha (family) vibe is part of the city’s fabric.
Yet 15 years ago, Tel Aviv was mostly home to retirees or students. So, what changed? Thanks to significant investment in renewing the city’s green spaces, seafront, transport, and buildings, families flocked back to the urban areas from the suburbs. Today, walk down any boulevard, and you’ll find a mini-playground where kids can play safely while the parents enjoy a cappuccino in one of the world’s hippest beach cities.
Because of its compact size, central Tel Aviv is easy to navigate with kids. Here are our top picks in TLV that both big and little kids will love.
Best Sights and Activities for Kids
Children of all ages will enjoy a visit to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the city’s major museum complex. While older kids may appreciate the surreal modern art collection featuring the likes of Picasso and Monet, younger children will love the vast open spaces, colourful sculptures, and special exhibitions designed especially for them. Recently, the museum’s theatre held productions of Peter and the Wolf and Jack and the Beanstalk with a live orchestra. The newly opened Steinhardt Natural History Museum features more than half a million items, enough to keep the most curious kids entertained. Set on the campus of Tel Aviv University, this museum is designed with kids in mind and tells the story of the natural world, including exhibits on dinosaurs, creepy crawlies, and migrating birds, along with an interactive exhibition on life in the dark.
Not an obvious choice for kids, the Heroes exhibition at Beit Hatfutsot – the Museum of the Jewish People – offers a fun way for children to learn about geniuses such as Einstein. It includes a sports section where kids can dive into virtual Olympic games and an area where children can create 3D pictures. Old Jaffa’s labyrinth of ancient alleyways and art galleries will inspire older children, while younger kids may find it less interesting. A sure-fire hit for the whole family, Safari Ramat Gan will delight youngsters with drive-through encounters featuring rhinos, flamingos, and zebras.
Teenagers are likely to love Tel Aviv’s Luna Park, a smaller theme park with its fair share of thrilling rides. Just outside town, its younger sibling Superland in Rishon LeZion offers more space and attractions, including a pirate ship, roller coasters, and a river rapids ride. Holon, a short taxi ride from Tel Aviv, serves as the home to the Israel Children’s Museum, an experimental museum with a mixed collection of random exhibitions ranging from aliens and magic forests to the Beatles and the lifecycle of a butterfly. Nearby, Yamit 2000, Israel’s largest waterpark, boasts roughly 20 water slides, although it has sporadic opening hours outside of the summer months.
Best Beaches for Kids
All of the city’s 14km stretch of fine sandy beaches offer a fun outing. Here you can soak up the sun while children collect seashells, build sandcastles, and play in the Mediterranean. Every beach in Tel Aviv features lifeguards, outdoor showers, and, importantly, ice cream shops. The current near the shoreline is generally mild, with waves broken by a rocky bay, making swimming safe for all ages, although there are occasional ‘black flag’ days, usually following a storm, when lifeguards prohibit swimming.
Metzitzim Beach, located at the northern end of the coast, provides an enclosed bay with a small seafront playground and a well-equipped beach bar. Hilton Beach activities include kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and other watersports for older kids, while Frishman Beach and Gordon Beach are at the heart of the action, providing ample space to spread out. Gordon Beach also features Gordon Swimming Pool, on the waterfront overlooking the Tel Aviv Marina, which includes outdoor children’s and baby pools, sun-loungers, and a larger saltwater pool for adults. Alma Beach, in front of the hip Florentin neighborhood in the south, exudes a laid-back vibe and attracts families, as it’s just a short walk from the ancient sights of Old Jaffa. The summer heat can be intense, so it’s advisable to arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon, ensuring that young children wear hats for sun protection.
Best Parks for Kids
Tel Aviv boasts plenty of green space, featuring numerous parks and playgrounds for children to expend some energy. The largest park, Park HaYarkon, is a lush expanse along the banks of the Yarkon River. Within this park, there are numerous attractions for kids, including a small farm with ibex and goats, pedal boats, a botanical garden, a bird park, and even a hot air balloon. Independence Park features a large playground with swings, slides, and climbing frames, making it an ideal location for a family picnic while overlooking the sea. Toddlers will adore the Old Port, which has a wide wooden promenade featuring sand pits and water fountains, perfect for tiny scooters. Gan Meir Park and Sarona each provide large outdoor playgrounds alongside cafes and shops for adults. Even Tel Aviv’s inner city has peaceful places to play, including a park on Dubnov Street (near Sarona) and another on Amsterdam Street (behind Arlozorov Street). If shopping with kids is on the agenda, Gan Ha’ir and the Dizengoff Centre feature soft-play areas (mischakiyot) for babies and toddlers.
Best Places to Eat with Kids
Most cafes in Tel Aviv cater to families and have children’s menus. The city offers a plethora of excellent restaurant and street food options, making the dining experience one of the highlights of family trips. Easy options include Landwer Café, where waiters typically bring crayons and puzzles along with their pasta, pizza, or schnitzel. The friendly Italian restaurant Allora boasts excellent kid-friendly dishes and, of course, ice cream for dessert.
Should ice cream be absent from the menu, be sure to visit Arte, a must-visit gelato shop famous for its scrumptious homemade flavors like cherry cake. Tamara serves as a frozen yogurt wonderland, offering kids the opportunity to enhance their icy creations with sweets and chocolate sauce. Families eager for fresh fish won’t be disappointed; check out Goocha, a trendy seafood restaurant in the north, or The Old Man & the Sea, an Arab institution renowned for its superb fish offerings in Jaffa.
If you’re feeling adventurous, embark on one of the tastiest street food experiences at Carmel Market, a bustling stretch filled with vendors offering fresh fruit, vegetables, olives, herbs, spices, baked goods, and sweets. The shuk (market) may be noisy and crowded, yet it’s also a feast for the senses, rich in vibrant colors, aromas, and sounds, resembling a journey back to a time before soulless supermarkets and shopping malls.
Tel Aviv is an excellent locale for introducing children to culinary delights such as hummus and falafel. HaKosem stands out as one of the elite falafel spots in town, famed for its delectable green falafel balls (derived from coriander). It also serves a fantastic shawarma (kebab meat wrapped in pita with salad and tahini). For budget-friendly eats on the go, visit Abu Lafia & Sons on Yefet Street in Old Jaffa for scrumptious bourekas (stuffed breads) and Arab-style oven-baked pizzas.
When to Go
Spring (late February to May) and autumn (late September to November) are the ideal times to visit Tel Aviv, as temperatures remain pleasant without being oppressive. If your visit coincides with July and August, brace for extreme heat and humidity, along with busy tourist attractions. Accommodation prices spike during Jewish festivals such as Pesach (around April) and Sukkot (early October), though these times also feature additional shows and exhibitions catering to kids.
How to Get Around
Tel Aviv is in the process of building a light rail system expected to open in 2021; however, locals remain doubtful about the completion timeline. Until that time, the best way to navigate this vibrant city is on foot or by bicycle. The broad boulevards (like Ben Gurion, Rothschild, or Nordau), parks, and main waterfront promenade are perfect for children’s pushchairs with designated bike paths. Additionally, most inner-city buses accommodate pushchairs. The city’s notorious lack of parking can make driving challenging, but taxis cost around 30–50 NIS for short rides, a small investment for a comfortable, air-conditioned journey with a calm child.
