Tel Aviv also knows as the Miami of the Middle East was our second holiday as a family of four land it delivered in terms of beaches, food and quality family time; everything that is important to me for a perfect break.
Why did we choose Tel Aviv?
Every May we always go on holiday for my birthday, last May we had left things quite last minute and after looking for deals to Europe we would be spending a lot of money to have a beach/resort holiday very similar to our previous one to the Dominican Republic.
So one evening whilst on the verge of booking a trip to Abu Dhabi we did a little 180 and decided to go for somewhere a little different instead and chose Tel Aviv. The main reasons behind this choice being:
- A short flight time of around 5-6 hours
- Combines a city break with the beach
- Great food scene
- Amazing weather
- Culture, history and new experiences
- Family friendly
- Lots of open spaces and parks
We wanted something unique from our short holiday away and Tel Avi sure did deliver on this front.
Our Journey
For the first time in my life, with thanks to a couple of hundred air miles we were able to fly business class on this trip. It is no secret that since having kids I am a big fan of BA and this trip they did not disappoint again, in fact the journey was as much of a treat as the holiday( well for some of us it was)
Terminal 5
We flew out on the day of the Royal Wedding last spring and were treated at check in to a slice of the royal cake, a great way for BA to mark the occasion and I can confirm the Princess chose a delicious flavour combination.
Terminal 5, London Heathrow is by far my favourite terminal to fly out off, its fabulous for families including the dedicated family lanes and the large clean softplay area for the kids to let off some steam before the flight.
The time we had lounge access included in our flight but even when it is not I always opt for it, the free snacks, extra space and calming atmosphere just makes those pre-flight hours much more calmer and enjoyable.
Business Class
As expected business class was top notch, the kids all fell asleep soon after take off on their flat beds and I got to enjoy the food, wine and movies before we landed feeling very refreshed in Tel Aviv.
I know there has been a lot of debate over children being allowed in Business and First Class and in this instance we were the only family flying, personally I think it should not matter where you choose to sit for any flight. In fact kids are probably better behaved in business or first thanks to all the extra room they have to play in.
I would love to fly every flight on business, guess I better start earning some more of those miles back.
We arrived early morning into Tel Aviv where the temperature was already beginning to hit 27C and headed straight to our Air Bnb in the city, a taxi transfer took around 30 minutes.
Our Apartment
We chose an apartment over a hotel room this time mainly for the extra space it gives especially as we now had two little ones on the move.
Our Air BnB was located just off Gordon Beach. It had two bedrooms, bathrooms, a separate full kitchen and lounge area. The host was great in letting us have an early check in and sorting out at any issues during our stay. It was the ideal base and the kids loved spending time in the apartment as much as they did outside it. Would highly recommend this place to families or groups travelling.
Neighbourhoods
When deciding where to stay and whilst visiting my favourite neighbourhoods to choose to be based in where:
Jaffa:
The historical part also called the old city. Perfect for exploring the windy streets, climbing up for scenic views and dining in the port area. This area was one of the most touristy we visited both in terms of eating and sightseeing but a lot more boutique hotels are now opening up here.
White City Area:
The central heart of the city where Rothschild Boulevard is located, I loved the green space in the centre with lots of random play areas for us to stop off and relax with the kids. Lots of offices located around here so you felt like a local grabbing a coffee at one of the many corner coffee bars. Also home to Sarona Market which is fab for grabbing lunch.
Neve Tz:
Lots of pretty small streets with some great boutique shopping, carmel market and a very young hip vibe to it all set against an artistic backdrop.
Tel Aviv Beach:
This is where we stayed, lots of the big name hotels are also located on the beach, however once you explore a few roads in from the beach you discover a much more local vibe with some great restaurants located on Ben Yuhuda Street.
Travelling Around Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is not huge so you can walk to a lot of places, it is also buggy friendly. For the first time we also used a Buggy Board which I have mixed opinions on. A bit like travelling with a Trunki, its great when the kids actually use it but when not in use feel its more of a nuisance. We also used the Gett app to order taxi, with WiFi available in most places this worked in the same way as Uber. Although public transport is available mainly via buses, we did not feel the need to catch any for the number of days we were there for.
Things to do with kids in Tel Aviv
Whilst in Tel Aviv, we spent most of our time at the Park, Beach, Playground or eating Brunch. Stay tuned for my posts below going into all of these in more detail along with a Travel Diary.
Favourite Restaurants in Tel Aviv
Brunch in Tel Aviv
The Beaches of Tel Aviv
The Parks of Tel Aviv
Why did we choose Tel Aviv?
Every May we always go on holiday for my birthday, last May we had left things quite last minute and after looking for deals to Europe we would be spending a lot of money to have a beach/resort holiday very similar to our previous one to the Dominican Republic.
So one evening whilst on the verge of booking a trip to Abu Dhabi we did a little 180 and decided to go for somewhere a little different instead and chose Tel Aviv. The main reasons behind this choice being:
- A short flight time of around 5-6 hours
- Combines a city break with the beach
- Great food scene
- Amazing weather
- Culture, history and new experiences
- Family friendly
- Lots of open spaces and parks
We wanted something unique from our short holiday away and Tel Avi sure did deliver on this front.
Our Journey
For the first time in my life, with thanks to a couple of hundred air miles we were able to fly business class on this trip. It is no secret that since having kids I am a big fan of BA and this trip they did not disappoint again, in fact the journey was as much of a treat as the holiday( well for some of us it was)
We flew out on the day of the Royal Wedding last spring and were treated at check in to a slice of the royal cake, a great way for BA to mark the occasion and I can confirm the Princess chose a delicious flavour combination.
I know there has been a lot of debate over children being allowed in Business and First Class and in this instance we were the only family flying, personally I think it should not matter where you choose to sit for any flight. In fact kids are probably better behaved in business or first thanks to all the extra room they have to play in.
Our Apartment
Our Air BnB was located just off Gordon Beach. It had two bedrooms, bathrooms, a separate full kitchen and lounge area. The host was great in letting us have an early check in and sorting out at any issues during our stay. It was the ideal base and the kids loved spending time in the apartment as much as they did outside it. Would highly recommend this place to families or groups travelling.
Neighbourhoods
When deciding where to stay and whilst visiting my favourite neighbourhoods to choose to be based in where:
The historical part also called the old city. Perfect for exploring the windy streets, climbing up for scenic views and dining in the port area. This area was one of the most touristy we visited both in terms of eating and sightseeing but a lot more boutique hotels are now opening up here.
White City Area:
Neve Tz:
Tel Aviv Beach:
Travelling Around Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is not huge so you can walk to a lot of places, it is also buggy friendly. For the first time we also used a Buggy Board which I have mixed opinions on. A bit like travelling with a Trunki, its great when the kids actually use it but when not in use feel its more of a nuisance. We also used the Gett app to order taxi, with WiFi available in most places this worked in the same way as Uber. Although public transport is available mainly via buses, we did not feel the need to catch any for the number of days we were there for.
Things to do with kids in Tel Aviv
Whilst in Tel Aviv, we spent most of our time at the Park, Beach, Playground or eating Brunch. Stay tuned for my posts below going into all of these in more detail along with a Travel Diary.
Favourite Restaurants in Tel Aviv
Brunch in Tel Aviv
The Beaches of Tel Aviv
The Parks of Tel Aviv
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