Skip to main content

Enjoying Israel in Tel Aviv

Some say that Tel Aviv is the Miami Beach of Israel, with its idyllic beach-side location along the Mediterranean Sea, and the first-class hotels that line it. Others say it’s an unsafe place to visit, rife with danger and terrorism.  To that we say: danger schmanger! Despite what you may have heard, Israel is one of the safest countries in the Middle East. With citizen-solders on every corner and a population attuned to even the slightest hint of danger, you’ll have no trouble feeling secure in this centuries-old city. In fact, you’ll forget all about the region’s problems once you settle in and strike up a conversation with a local.   

Here’s our guide to Tel Aviv Travel. 

STAY

The Shenkin Hotel
If you want to get away from the tourists on the beach, head to the Shenkin Hotel in the heart of the White City, where you’ll be surrounded by Bauhaus architecture in this authentic neighborhood. Add the hotel’s minimal, modern decor, and you’ll feel right at home.
21st Brener St.
Tel Aviv
+972 3-600-9400

EAT

Herbert Samuel
Located just across the street from the Mediterranean with stunning sea views, Herbert Samuel is one of Tel Aviv’s trendiest and tastiest restaurants.  With small plate, tapas-style dishes, Herbert Samuel serves eclectic fare ranging from Santa Fe Tartare to fresh calamari and crab dumblings, to sea bass and sashimi. Committed to local and seasonal ingredients (often sourced in Tel Aviv’s open-air markets), Herbert Samuel offers up an inspired menu and wine that will have you saying shalom!
6 Koifman St.
Tel Aviv
herbertsamuelvip@gmail.com

PARTY

Kuli Alma
If culture is what you’re after, this is the place to go. Kuli Alma comes complete with walls covered in street art, its own gallery and a dance floor where you’ll find some of the coolest DJs in Israel. We couldn’t stop dancing once we found ourselves in this cooler-than-thou night spot.
Mikveh Israel St 10
Tel Aviv-Yafo
+972 3-656-5155

GO

Carmel Market
To get all the sights and sounds of Tel Aviv in one excursion, go to Carmel Market, where you’ll discover the city’s rich cuisine. Sample some halva, have a falafel sandwich and just soak in all the scenery.
HaCarmel St 11
Tel Aviv-Yafo

This piece was originally published on August 29, 2015 and updated August 1,2016 by Chase McPeak.

Editors' Recommendations

Ann Binlot
Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…
This Cabo San Lucas hotel is perfect for anyone looking for jam-packed adventure
Corazón Cabo Resort & Spa shows you a whole ‘nother wild side to this scenic corner of Baja
A spectacular sunrise at Corazón Cabo Resort & Spa in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

When I say Cabo, what comes to mind? Let me guess: You’re thinking of spring break revelers, rowdy bar crawls, late-night club dates, and day-long booze cruises, right? Well, what if I told you that Cabo San Lucas offers much more beyond the bars? And what if I told you that there’s a chic boutique hotel right by Cabo’s most swimmable beach that helps you dive right into everything that Cabo has to offer inside and out?

Yes, such a place exists in Los Cabos. It’s called Corazón Cabo Resort & Spa, and we’re about to explore why it offers a different kind of base camp for a different kind of Cabo trip.
The lay of the land (and sea!)

Read more
The pros and cons of TSA PreCheck and other programs that let you skip the line at the airport
There are ways to get through security and to your gate faster, but they will cost you
Airport security barriers with long line in background

Raise your hand if you like waiting in security lines at the airport. What, no one? Well, that’s probably not surprising considering a poll of 2,000 travelers by travel comparison site Cheapflights found waiting in line was Americans’ least favorite part of airport security. That came in ahead of other unpleasantries such as taking off your shoes and coat and being patted down by TSA personnel.

Even though 31% of those surveyed said long lines were at the top of the list of most dreaded airport security experiences, 54% of those who had flown in the last 90 days reported having been caught in a long security line recently, and 7% had even missed a flight because of it.

Read more
One-bag travel: 7 must-know tips to pack everything you need in a carry on
Travel tips for packing light so you can avoid airport stress
About to board a flight.

These days, searching for travel tips to help mitigate travel chaos is the norm (even more so than usual) thanks to a combination of factors that arose largely as a result of COVID. I experienced it firsthand in August when I arrived at the notoriously overwhelmed Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, where I found thousands of lost bags stacked all over the place. Then, while flying from there to Istanbul, my own backpack joined the league of lost luggage, though I was able to track it down.

I had a premonition (from the stacks of lost bags, perhaps?) that I should have trimmed my backpack down a bit better, thereby allowing myself to travel carry-on only, but I decided that I couldn’t live without a bunch of stuff that I definitely didn’t need. I’ve traveled for a decade solid, so I definitely should have known better. With that in mind, here are a few travel tips that will help with packing light and packing right so that you can achieve one-bag travel and limit the odds of your stuff going missing on your flight.

Read more