Tel Aviv - Travel & Hotels - Destinations
Tel Aviv is not what you think it is.
Full stop.
Tel Aviv is an amazing, culturally diverse, colorful and happening city, nicknamed "The city that never sleeps" by it’s locals. It’s hard to take this city as a whole and provide generalizations which would define it - within itself, Tel Aviv is incredibly multi-faceted city and a feast for the eyes and senses.
The city of Tel Aviv is broken down into a lot of smaller neighborhoods. I spent a lot of time during my post-teenage years working and partying in the center of the city, which includes most of the landmarks Tel Aviv is famous for, including it’s beaches. There’s lots to see and lots to do regardless of your fields of interest. Tel aviv should be a great destination for families with children as well as the older crowd or young party-goers.
The harbor area is famous for it’s nightlife and Tel Aviv’s "Shibuya" intersection of King George, Allenby and Shenkin streets provide the young-n-hip shopping district it’s flair. Some say Shenkin St. is the center of the world, sometimes I agree - one walk up and down this street and you experience the colors and cultures of Tel Aviv. Travel a little bit north and you’ll discover Tel Aviv’s Museum of Art (see separate review) and the Eretz Israel History Museum, as well as Yarkon Park (the largest in central israel), Sporthek and fairgrounds.
The Tel-Avivians are a generally liberal and talkative bunch, don’t be alarmed if some locals strike up a conversation with you while waiting for the light to turn at the crosswalk (if they wait in order to cross, that is).
Public transportation to and from Tel Aviv is good and is excellent inside the city - however parking spots are rare. If you’re visiting, worry not as all street signs are also in English, all the locals speak English and you’ll find English menus for almost every restaurant.
Avoid Winter in Tel Aviv. It’ll rain up to your knees and street-level drainage isn’t superb. Avoid the height of Summer, too. You’ll be boiling in 40c+ and will have to elbow your way through the rest of the tourists trying to get out of the sun.
Recommended months: April - Early July, September - October.
Insider’s tip: Public transportation in Israel is charged on a per-ride basis and not by destination. Ask the bus driver for a day pass ("chofshi yomi")for your needed zone and you’ll save a good amount of money.
is copyright Liron Tocker 1997-2007.