Attractions for children in Ashkelon: an unusual experience

Attractions for children in Ashkelon - a wonderful way to spend your vacation

The city of Ashkelon and its surroundings are undergoing significant developments and far-reaching changes when it comes to the tourist possibilities and attractions for children. For every age, for every type of family, you will surely find something to do here. Ashkelon offers everything, from bathing beaches with clear blue water, green and spacious parks, fascinating archaeological sites and more, all of which you can find within a short drive.

If you want to get out of the city a bit, the moshavs and kibbutzim of the area enrich even more the variety of activities from which you can choose. Animals, museums, parks, field trips and what not. All you have to do is choose what suits your children, and what you would like them to do. It is recommended to choose several different attractions, ones that will give you and the children a diverse and educational experience, and not focus on just one type of activity.

In terms of getting there, you can reach the attractions inside the city by car or public transportation, but for those outside the city you will almost always need a car, certainly if you want not to waste a lot of time waiting, and to be flexible in terms of schedules. You can use your car, or rent a car at a car rental agency in Israel.

Credit: Davidi Vardi, from the pikiwiki website

Funky Monkey Ashkelon

The Funky Monkey chain specializes in the construction of amusement parks, and has several branches throughout the country. The complex in Ashkelon offers its visitors a variety of especially experiential options, including trampoline complexes, a ninja area, climbing walls and climbing towers, ball and sponge pools, and more. The complex is designed to provide a fun, enriching and safe experience for children, and is mainly intended for children up to the age of 13. In addition, for the parents, there is a cafeteria with a rich menu.

The honey and bee house in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai

A quarter of an hour's drive from Ashkelon, in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, famous among other things for having the largest market share in Israel in the field of honey, is the honey and bee house. This is a particularly experiential visitor center, one that allows children and adults to be exposed to the process of raising bees and making honey from start to finish. This sweet experience (literally) will add flavor to your trip, and at the end you can indulge in a taste of quality honey directly from the source. In addition to that, the kibbutz offers visitors a host of other attractions such as a ride in a tractor-drawn wagon, the Holocaust and Resurrection Museum, and more.

Credit: Israel Parker, from the pikiwiki website

The National Garden in Ashkelon

The Ashkelon National Park, operated and maintained by the Nature and Parks Authority, is an attraction for the whole family where you can easily spend a whole day. Here you can find activities for all ages, from archaeological sites from different periods, to ancient water wells, to a gorgeous beach. In addition, an escape room-style game is being developed in the National Park, in order to make the place interactive and attractive for younger visitors as well.

Marine attractions

The city of Ashkelon has 12 kilometers of beach in its territory alone, and many more kilometers to the north and south of it. And all this goodness means that there are many places to enter the water (in Ashkelon alone there are 6 declared beaches), but it also means that there are many other things that can be done in the water besides bathing itself. An example attraction is diving in the Mediterranean Sea, whether you are experienced divers or interested in going for an introductory dive. The "Southern Divers" club is a famous and professional hub for anyone who wants to dive in Ashkelon's canopy, and offers diving equipment and escort services for all levels. Another option is sailing from Ashkelon's marina, either as part of a group or privately. Sailing will be a particularly exciting activity for the whole family and especially for children, and will also allow you to experience the trip in a different way. The cruise can be combined with other activities, depending on the age of the participants and what you like. Another idea is to book surfing lessons, a fun and intense activity especially for all ages. The Galim surfing school operates in Ashkelon, allowing you to fulfill your dream and start getting on the surfboard. Maybe you won't leave here fully professional, but you will definitely get a taste of this exciting sport.

The urban market of Ashkelon

For lovers of the markets, this is an experience not to be missed. 350 stalls of fruit, vegetables, fish, clothing, footwear and souvenirs, all in one place. The market is active on Mondays and Thursdays every week, and is a center of attraction for crowds of locals and tourists. You can spend time at the market, buy yourself groceries for a picnic, and go to one of the many parks in the city (or even to the beach) to have a pampering picnic.

In conclusion, the city of Ashkelon offers its visitors a variety of entertainment options and attractions, some "normal" and some unique to the place and its surroundings. From amusement facilities, to water sports, to archaeological sites and interaction with animals, Ashkelon offers the best activities for every type of group and every age. The warm recommendation is to combine different types of activities, in order to make sure that you taste the city and the region in all their shades. The attractions inside the city can be reached by car or public transportation, and those outside the city can usually be reached by car in a short drive. If you prefer not to have a car for the entire trip, you can use the services of a car rental agency in Ashkelon to rent a car for the specific day you want to leave the city.