13 days in Haifa and surroundings in the northern Israel with two little kids.
Israel – small country on the Mediterranean Sea coast, which has so much interesting places to visit, especially for traveling with children. We made for you a trip with a stay in the city of Haifa and driving by car no more than half an hour’s drive from the city. In fact, we did these trips at different times, here we joined them all into one two-week trip. Haifa, Mount Carmel and Ramat Menashe are indeed some of the most beautiful places in Israel.
We recommend several places where you can stay in Haifa.
Option 1 – hotel Leonardo Plaza on the Carmel beach, from which a stunning view of the sea.
Option 2 – one of the colonial hotels on Ben Gurion Street in German Colony, such as the Colony Hotel.
Option 3 – climb to Central Carmel and settle in one of the hotels on the Louis Promenade, overlooking the bay and the Bahai Gardens, such as Haifa Bay View or Dan Carmel.
Option 4 – Rent a flat at Central Carmel and feel the atmosphere of life in the city or in the apartment complex on Carmel Beach.In the city there is no problem with parking and to move around by car is very quickly and conveniently. You still need to rent a car to travel to the places around Haifa.
Brief route:
Here you can see all the waypoints on the Google Maps and also use Google navigation to the place:
You can also download KML file and open it in other offline application for navigation and editing:
Day 1: Haifa
1.5 hour drive by direct train or by car form Ben Gurion Airport TLV to Haifa.
Promenade Louis and Central Carmel
The Dado Promenade
The Hof Carmel Beach
Day 2:
Rothschild Park (Ganey Ha Nadiv)
Tishbi Winery
Zihron Yakov town
Day 3: Haifa
Maritime Museum and Navy Museum
Cable car from Bat Galim to Stella Maris Monastery and the route to Elijah’s cave
Madatech is a science and technology museum
Festival of urban culture in the Downtown
Day 4:
The Village of Artists Ein Hod
Prehistoric man cave and a route along the Nahal Ha Mearot
Forest Ofer and amusement park YamCarmel
Day 5:
The route along the Nahal Ha Shofet stream
Hill of cyclamens Givat Ha Rakafot and picnic on a field of flowers near kibbutz Ramot Menashe
Day 6: Haifa
Biking in the Hecht park ,in the Kiryat Eliezer park or around the Sammy Ofer stadium
Lotem Stream path
Christmas at German Colony
Turkish market in the Downtown
Day 7:
Carmel forest – Little Switzerland and Hai-Bar
Beit Oren “Cat Ballou” horse riding
Hanging bridges at Nesher Park
Day 8:
Berry picking at Meshek Zak, Ktofoti or Ben Ami
Animal farm – Lagat be Hayot
Day 9:
Hai-Park Zoo in Krayot
Ein Afek Nature Reserve
Day 10:
A field of different colored flowers at the end of March near Meggido
A trip through Ramat Menashe and almond blossom
Day 11:
Dalyat El Carmel
Biking along the Kishon stream
Alroi bicycle park and old train station
Biking along the Nahal Naaman creek
Day 12:
Route to the cave Oranit from Tirat Ha Carmel
Fishing and camping Maayan Tzvi
Biking along the Alexander stream
The Hof Ha Bonim Reserve and the Hof Dor Beach
Ceasarea Port Natural park
Day 13: Acre
Old city
Photos and description:
Day 1: Haifa
The Bahai Gardens are Haifa’s main attraction. You cannot enter there alone without a group. Almost every hour there are free walking tours on different languages. Excursions start either from the entrance on Yaffe Nof Street and descend to the temple or from the Temple and descend to Ben Gurion Avenue. Look for the information on the site.
From the Louis Promenade at Central Carmel, you have a breathtaking view of the city, the bay and the north of Israel. On a clear day you can even see the snow-covered peak of Mount Hermon. From here you can walk by foot to HaNassi Street and sit in one of many cafes.
Hof Carmel beach with breakwater forms a lagoon where there are no waves and shallow water, very suitable for small kids. In addition, on the Zamir beach there is a round pool with sea water, just for kids who cannot swim yet.
Hof Dado is the main promenade along the many kilometers of beaches of Haifa.
Day 2:
Rothschild Park (Ganey Ha Nadiv) – a 20-minute drive south of Haifa brings you to the beautiful botanical gardens, you can spend there all day. The entrance is free. Around the park there are also many marked hiking routes.
Winery Tishbi near the park. Here you can sample fresh local wines from neighboring vineyards.
The town of Zihron Yakov on the mountain is better to visit in the evening, walk along the main pedestrian street “Wine Road” and sit in one of the restaurants, we like Nily, but there are many others. At the end of the street to the left of the main synagogue there is a beautiful park with a playground and an ice cream café.
Day 3: Haifa
The Maritime Museum and Navy Museum are nearby and will be interesting to children who love the marine theme.
Near the museums on Bat Galim promenade there is a Cable car station to the Stella Maris Monastery from which you can go to the Elijah’s cave.
Madatech is a scientific and technological museum, where you can spend a whole day. There are many interactive expositions, so that children here will not be bored.
The festival of urban culture in the downtown is taking place almost every year, usually on the Sukkot holiday. In general, in Haifa for the holidays of Sukkot, Passover and Hanukkah there are different children’s festivals, such as the festival of cinema, children’s street theater and others. Follow the advertisement.
Day 4:
The Village of Artists Ein Hod is an interesting village 10 minutes’ drive south of Haifa. Artists of different directions settled here and on the weekends there are exhibitions and other events, as well as for children.
The cave of prehistoric men and the route along Nahal Ha Mearot is next to the village of artists. There are three different walking routes and the climb to the cave.
Ofer Forest and amusement park YamCarmel is next to the village of artists. The forest itself is beautiful and there are many hiking routes, and on the mountain near the observation tower there is an amusement park for children with a monorail road and other entertainments.
Day 5:
A route along the Nahal Ha Shofet stream. A 20 minutes’ drive east of Haifa is a beautiful circular route along wooden bridges in the shade along the stream which is almost year-round full of water especially in winter.
The Hill of cyclamens Givat Ha Rakafot and picnic on a field of flowers near kibbutz Ramot Menashe. It is best to visit these two places at the end of March, when everything blooms.
Day 6: Haifa
Biking in the Hecht Park, in the Kiryat Eliezer Park or around Sami Ofer Stadium. If your children are just starting to ride a bicycle, then these three parks are very suitable for a short family bike ride.
Haifa Zoo in Central Carmel in Gan HaEm Park is small and very cute. From the entrance to the Zoo there is also starting Lotem stream route that leads you down from the Carmel mountain to the see.
Haifa Metro, the only one in Israel and the shortest in the world, one line connects Carmel, Hadar and the Downtown.
German Colony around Ben Gurion Street with many cafes and restaurants and a beautiful view of the Bahai Temple and gardens on the mountain. Be sure to come here in the evening especially in December, when everything is decorated for Christmas. We really like the Fatush restaurant in oriental style in an ancient building. Be sure to order from them local sweets Knafe.
Not far from German Colony there is Jaffa street in the downtown which leads you to the Turkish Market. On Thursday evenings there are live performances and art market.
Day 7:
Carmel Forest – Little Switzerland. Near the University of Haifa on Mount Carmel there is the Nature Reserve. There are many hiking routes and a Hai-Bar where you can see eagles and mouflons. “Cat Ballou” horse riding farm near the entrance to Beit Oren provides different levels of riding also for little kids.
Hanging bridges of Nesher. In the Nesher suburbs of Haifa there is a forest route that runs partly along long hanging bridges over the gorge.
Day 8:
In the Haifa area, there are several farms where you can pick berries in late summer. One of them is Meshek Zak in the village of Sde Yaakov, where there are raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. Another “Ktofoti” near kibbutz Alonim, except for raspberries and blueberries, you can also collect different vegetables. A little to the north half an hour’s drive from Haifa, in the village of Ben Ami, there is a farm where you can pick various exotic fruits besides berries.
About 30 minutes’ drive south of Haifa is a Lagat be Hayot farm, where animals walk freely and they can be fed.
Day 9:
Hai Park Zoo-Safari in the northern suburbs of Haifa – Krayot, the largest and most beautiful in the north of the country.
The Ein Afek Reserve is a 20-minute drive north of Haifa. A route along wooden bridges on the lakes. Here you can see a lot of migratory birds during the migration season.
Day 10:
A field of colorful flowers at the end of March near Minhat Megido is 20 minutes’ drive east of Haifa.
A trip along the Ramat Menashe and the flowering of the almond tree. At the end of March, beginning of April, all the highlands of Ramat Menashe are covered with greenery and flower fields. If you drive from Haifa to Megido, then after Yokneam there will be entrance to the right to the KKL Park Ramat Menashe. Just behind the turn you will see almond trees covered with white flowers. In the park there are many routes for mountain bikes, 4X4 and hiking.
Day 11:
Muhraka or Keren Carmel is the highest place on Mount Carmel. This is a holy place for Christians and Druze who live in the neighboring village of Dalyat El Carmel. From Muhraka you can see the stunning view of the Israeli valley. Also you can drive to and from Muhraka on a panoramic road “Derech Nof Carmel”.
Biking along the Kishon stream. Another route for beginners on a smooth path along the creek, starting from Kibutz Yagur.
There is another nice biking route for beginners near the Naaman creek, which starts at the end of Shderot Hen in the suburb of Haifa – Kiryat Byalik.
Alroi bicycle park and old train station
Day 12:
Route to the cave Oranit in the suburbs of Haifa – Tirat Ha Karmel. The route begins in the park of Mongheim and its length is about two kilometers.
Biking along the Alexander stream. Another cycling route is a half hour drive south of Haifa. It begins with the bridge of Gesher Ha Tzabim where you can see many huge river turtles. If you are here you have to visit Ceasarea Port Natural Park.
Fishing and camping Maayan Tzvi. 15 minutes’ drive south of Haifa, there is an artificial pond where you can go fishing and even stay overnight with tents.
Nature Reserve Hof Ha Bonim and Hof Dor beach. The first is a wild beach reserve, around there is a lot of flowers blossom in spring. The second, in my opinion, is the most beautiful beach in Israel with lagoons of turquoise water and small islands.
Day 13: Acre
The old city, with a long history that still remembers Napoleon, is about half an hour’s drive north of Haifa. Here you can walk along the streets, on the fortress wall near the lighthouse, visit the oriental bazaar and always have dinner at one of the fish restaurants, such as Uri Buri.
The Bahai Gardens. If you liked the Bahai Gardens in Haifa, then you should definitely visit the gardens in Acre.
