Tel Aviv-Yafo is Israel's coastal commercial and cultural capital, home to about 475,000 people in the city and about 4 million in the wider Gush Dan metro. It combines the Bauhaus-style White City (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), 14 km of Mediterranean beaches, the ancient port of Jaffa, the Carmel Market and a restaurant, cafe and nightlife scene that runs through the night, including on Friday evenings.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Jerusalem
Highlights: Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter · Western Wall plaza and the Jewish Quarter · Tower of David Museum ramparts and city views · Machane Yehuda Market for lunch and street food
Caesarea National Park
Highlights: Restored Roman theatre overlooking the sea · Herodian palace ruins on the shoreline · Hippodrome and Crusader walls and moat · Roman aqueduct and aqueduct beach
Haifa and the Bahai Gardens
Highlights: Bahai Gardens terraces and the Shrine of the Bab · Panorama from the upper terrace over Haifa Bay · German Colony and Ben Gurion Boulevard · Wadi Nisnas market area for local food
Acre (Akko) Old City
Highlights: Hospitaller Fortress Crusader halls · Templar Tunnel beneath the old city · Sea walls and the working fishing harbour · Al-Jazzar Mosque and Khan al-Umdan caravanserai · Old city market and seafood lunch
Rosh HaNikra Grottoes
Highlights: Cable car descent to the sea grottoes · Walkway through the chalk-cliff caves · British-built railway tunnels from the 1940s · Clifftop viewpoint along the Lebanese border coast
Masada National Park
Highlights: Snake Path climb at sunrise · Herod's northern palace on the cliff edge · Roman siege ramp and desert panorama · Cable car alternative to the summit · Bathhouse mosaics and Byzantine church remains
Dead Sea (Ein Bokek and Kalia Beach)
Highlights: Floating on the hypersaline Dead Sea · Mineral mud application at the public beach · Ein Bokek hotel spa day passes · Quieter Kalia Beach on the northern shore
Ein Gedi Nature Reserve
Highlights: Nahal David trail to the waterfall pools · Wildlife including Nubian ibex and hyraxes · Shulamit Spring and upper trail views · Dead Sea float at the Ein Gedi Spa or Kalia Beach
Neot Kedumim Biblical Landscape Reserve
Highlights: Bible-plant trails among olive groves and vineyards · Olive-press demonstration · Ancient wine presses and cisterns · Passover Seder-style stations and seasonal programmes
Zichron Yaakov
Highlights: HaMeyasdim pedestrian street with cafes and galleries · Carmel Winery visitor centre tastings · Ramat HaNadiv gardens and trails · First Aliyah Museum and Aaronsohn House
Ramla and Lod
Highlights: Pool of the Arches underground cistern · White Mosque minaret and its panoramic view · Lod Mosaic Museum Roman floor · Old market for hummus and local food
Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park
Highlights: Bell caves carved into the chalk · Sidonian burial cave with painted walls · Columbarium with thousands of dove niches · Dig for a Day archaeological programme
Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee
Highlights: Tiberias Promenade on the Sea of Galilee · St Peter's fish at a lakeside restaurant · Tomb of Maimonides and the old city sights · Swimming at a Kinneret beach
Tzfat (Safed)
Highlights: Artists' Quarter galleries and workshops · Ashkenazi Ari synagogue · Abuhav synagogue and its blue interior · Citadel Park viewpoint over the Galilee
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Under 30 Min
30 To 60 Min
Over 60 Min
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Bus
- Egged (egged.co.il) and other operators leave from Tel Aviv Central Bus Station, 108 Levinsky Street, and the Arlozorov terminal near Savidor Center. Services stop from Friday afternoon until Saturday night; pay with a Rav-Kav card or the Moovit app.
- Train
- Israel Railways (rail.co.il) runs from Tel Aviv Savidor Center, HaShalom and HaHagana stations to Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon, Haifa, Acre, Nahariya, Caesarea-Pardes Hanna and Beersheba. No trains run on Shabbat.
- Rental Car
- Cars cost about 200-350 ILS (approx $66-115) per day plus fuel from Ben Gurion Airport or city offices (Hertz, Avis, Eldan); standard Israeli rental insurance generally excludes the West Bank, so keep to Israeli-side routes.
- Tours
- Licensed operators such as Bein Harim Tours (beinharimtours.com) and Abraham Tours (abrahamtours.com) run set-departure day tours from Tel Aviv hotels to Jerusalem, Masada and the Dead Sea, and the north (Haifa, Acre, Rosh HaNikra).
Multi-day tours from Tel Aviv
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from Tel AvivWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Check the current security situation and Home Front Command (Pikud HaOref) alerts and your government's travel advisory before any trip north or south; northern border areas and Gaza-adjacent areas can close at short notice.
Buses and trains stop from Friday afternoon to Saturday night, so plan outbound trips on Sunday to Thursday or use a rental car or private tour on Shabbat.
Start Dead Sea, Masada and Ein Gedi trips early to avoid heat above 38 degrees C in summer.
Carry a passport for checkpoints and national park ticket checks.
Standard rental-car insurance usually excludes the West Bank; stay on the Israeli side of the Green Line.
Bring water, a hat, sunscreen and water shoes for the Dead Sea.