5 Day Trips from Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is located in the center of Israel and has highway and public transportation links to cities across the country. Luckily Israel is not that big so you can easily base yourself in Tel Aviv and make day trips to other destinations. Take a look at these day trips from Tel Aviv and Israel day tours which give you a good variety of top tourist destinations and less obvious day trip choices.

Jerusalem Trip from Tel Aviv

Jerusalem is one of the must-see destinations in Israel and is only an hour away (depending on traffic) from Tel Aviv. If you are taking a day trip from Tel Aviv then don’t waste any time and start your trip with a walking tour of the Old City. Most of Jerusalem’s top attractions are in the Old City; here you can see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall, and Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock stands. In the Old City, there are many exquisite stores, eateries, museums, and other places of interest.
You can go into the “new” city and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the capital or alternatively visit the churches on the Mount of Olives. The Mount of Olives is home to the beautiful Church of All Nations, the Russian Orthodox Church, Pater Noster Church, the Chapel of the Ascension, and Dominus Flevit Church. Families might like to visit the Biblical Zoo and others might be interested in visiting Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum or the Israel Museum.

The Dead Sea and Masada Day Trip from Tel Aviv

No trip to Israel is complete without a trip to the Dead Sea which lies 87 km south of Tel Aviv. This unique body of water is the lowest point on Earth. The Dead Sea water is three times as salty as the ocean.
The mud that lines the banks and floor of the Dead Sea is rich in minerals that can benefit your general health and specifically your skin. Being the lowest point on Earth it is also the furthest point from the sun and so you can avoid the dangerous sun rays and just get the benefits of the sun. The Dead Sea air is also good for your health as it has high levels of oxygen and is pollen-free.
While you are in the Dead Sea region you can tour Masada which is only a short drive away. Masada is a “mesa” or flat-topped rock outcrop which rises majestically out of the desert. Masada’s summit was the site of an ancient Roman palace complex and many of the structures have survived. Masada was also the site of a significant event in Jewish history and is a symbol of Jewish devotion to national freedom and faith. Visitors to Masada can take a cable car (or walk up the Snake Path) to the summit and tour the remains of the palace complex. 

Galilee or Golan Heights Day Trip from Tel Aviv 

If you fancy a day trip to a place with amazing sites to see and unbelievably beautiful views then tours to Galilee or the Golan Heights are a good choice. The North of Israel overflows with natural wonders and biblical sites.
It is also the most recommended destination if you want to reconnect with nature and are looking for gorgeous countryside landscapes. Galilee (meaning 'district' in Hebrew) was the source of the English name for the "Sea of Galilee". In Hebrew, the lake is called Kinneret (from kinor - 'harp', describing its shape). The attractions on the way, like Megiddo, Sea of Galilee, Katzrin, or Mount Bental combine remarkable scenery with the fascinating historical human story. You can cover many Christian landmarks of Galilee (Nazareth with its Church of Annunciation, Tabgha, Capernaum, etc) in a one day trip to the Sea of Galilee. 

Petra Day Trip from Tel Aviv

Believe it or not, you can even take a day trip from Tel Aviv to Petra in Jordan and be back in Tel Aviv the same evening! There are organized tours that start in Tel Aviv with a short flight down to Eilat Israeli’s southernmost city. From there tours continue across the Israel/Jordan border and on to Petra. Petra is a UNESCO site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The city was created about 2300 years ago when the Nabataean people carved Petra’s buildings out of the red-hued desert cliffs. The ancient structures have survived and include temples, tombs, and homes each with intricately carved facades and cavernous interiors.
On a tour to Petra, you can learn about the ingenious water gathering system the Nabataeans used to keep Petra’s 20,000 residents supplied with water. Also, learn of the trade routes which passed through Petra and the civilizations which inhabited Petra after the Nabataeans left. At the end of the day, visitors are taken back across the border to Eilat for the return flight to Tel Aviv.

The West Bank Day Trip from Tel Aviv 

Bethlehem and Jericho are not only the ultimate destination for Christians exploring the Holy Land but also a must-see for the fans of biblical archeology. Regardless of your faith, there are some iconic Christian sites in the West Bank and they are all well worth visiting, especially with a guided Bethlehem tour. Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, has several significant attractions including the top of the to-do list Nativity Church and Shepherds' Field, where angels first announced the birth of Christ.
Jericho, the most ancient city on earth, mentioned in the Bible, has lasted through the ages to this day. See the famed sycamore tree that Zacchaeus, the tax collector, climbed to see Jesus entering Jericho, the excavations at Tell es-Sultan, and Mount Temptation where Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness.