Are you getting ready to plan a trip to Israel with a baby? Then this post is for you because I have some great news: Israel is very baby friendly.
It can be helpful to know what to expect in Israel. Despite its location in the Middle East, you may be surprised that Israel looks more like Mediterranean Europe than the deserts and camels you may imagine.
In today’s post I’ll run through things you should consider before your trip to Israel with a baby. What baby gear you should take to Israel, and more tips for a smooth transition to traveling in Israel!
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Israel is Baby Friendly
Ok, where to start? Israel is very very very baby/toddler/child friendly. The people there love kids and are definitely willing to accommodate pretty much any situation.
People will also take their kids pretty much everywhere, and at all hours of the day (i.e. a restaurant we went to on Friday night was packed with kids even though I wouldn’t classify it a “family restaurant” by any means).
playgrounds are everywhere!
Transportation in Israel with a Baby
So getting around between different cities, a requirement to see the various tourist attractions, requires a car rental.
Yes, there are buses and trains but I think convenience is definitely a factor with the kiddos. It will be hard to visit major attractions outside of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem without a car rental!
Then again, parking in big cities such as Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv is a nightmare, so I would suggest leaving the car in one place and using the light rail/local buses/taxis to get around. Both downtown areas are very walkable though.
By all means, you can rent a car for just a part of your trip when you are not in the major cities. All of the car rental agencies have locations right in downtown Tel Aviv, near Gordon Beach, in addition to the airport.
on the light rail in Jerusalem
Strollers
If we’re on walking, then strollers are a must. People do a lot of walking so a good stroller is a necessary part of life in Israel. It just so happens that our stroller, the Baby Jogger City Mini, was the most popular model we saw.
Definitely plan to bring your own stroller from home, since if you need to buy one it will cost a pretty penny (much more than in the US).
Note that on a local bus, if you leave the stroller open you (may) have to pay a passenger fare for it. So a stroller you can easily fold is a must!
Baby Carriers
There are very few places where we had issues with the stroller that we needed a baby carrier. I do think it is nice to have, especially if you make it to one of the many, many national parks (check out this post for easy hiking ideas).
If you are planning on spending more time in Jerusalem’s Old City or in Safed, then do consider bringing a baby carrier. The cobblestone streets are not stroller friendly.
Food in Israel
The Mediterranean diet is very varied and full of fruits and vegetables. We had absolutely no problems finding foods that our kiddo would eat.
Of note, Baby Boy loved the falafel, hummus, and Bamba! And pretty much every single restaurant we encountered had a booster seat for us.
stuffing his face at Max Brenner
Accommodations in Israel
Lodging, not particularly related to children, but I thought I should mention it, is very expensive.
Especially in the summer, it’s all about supply and demand and there’s a lot more of the latter then the former. :/
In short, if you can get organized ahead of time, and survive the long flight over, you will have a fantastic time! Happy Travels!
If you want to catch up on our adventures in Israel, here you go: Arriving in Israel with a toddler, Overview of Israel with a One Year Old (Zichron Yaakov, Jerusalem, Kfar Vradim), Tel Aviv Old Port Marina Walking Tour, Tel-Aviv Neve Zedek, Tel Avivi University Zoo.
Start Planning Your Trip to Israel!
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