Indulging in the versatile beach life of Tel Aviv

Indubitably, the Mediterranean seashore lures the locals and tourists away from the hustle and bustle of busy life in Tel Aviv. There are many beaches in the city each with a different character and a unique crowd. Gordon Beach is the most popular, which is mostly crowded with teens, families and tourists. The Hilton Beach is gay-friendly while Dolphinarium frequently hosts drum circles on Friday afternoons. The crowd reflects the glow of the golden beaches that run along the cerulean Mediterranean Sea. Culture of the city and Lifestyle at the beach are intertwined.

Taking a swim or a sun bath, there are lots of activities that happen on the shore. Explore everything from activities, entertainment to the refreshments at the beach à la Tel Aviv.

Beach Hopping
With a continuous shoreline, Tel Aviv has many beaches with a distinct vibe. The beach locations correspond to the streets names fronting them.

The Gordon-Frishman Beach is named after the Gordon and Frishman Streets since they exit on the main strip of the beach. It is one of the coolest places to see to the south of Tel Aviv marina with DJs, Beach bars and volleyball courts. Dotted with red umbrellas, the beach is packed with cosmopolitan crowd indulging in kite surfing, matkot and beach parties. The saltwater outdoor pool is great for an early morning workout. There are several cafés along the promenade or Tayelet (Hebrew) for you to enjoy some refreshments during a sunbath or after a swim. The pool is open from 6 am to 7 pm, Sundays through Thursdays, 8 am to 6 pm on Saturdays and 6 am to 6 pm on Fridays. The admission fee varies on weekdays and weekends.

Metzitzim Beach formerly Sheraton Beach, gets its name from 1970s cult Israeli movie in which the lifeguard fights the peepers on the beach. It is the most northern of the beaches and is located near the port. The beach starts at the most western intersection of Nordau Boulevard in the corner of Ha’Yarkon Street. The water is not always clean but is great for dipping. The water is never cold and always calm owing to the man-made lagoon. There’s a café-restaurant on the beach, two volleyball courts, a children’s playground, facilities for the handicapped and a beach bar.

The Hilton Beach deriving its name from the Hilton Hotel is one of the most liberal beaches in Tel Aviv with a prominent gay scene. The most northern part of the beach is open for dogs. The beach offers a special chair for the disabled making it the most wheelchair-accessible beach in Israel. The surfing club is quite popular which conducts classes in kayaking, wave surfing and windsurfing. There is a reef just off the shore that creates the perfect waves for surfing. Tourists also enjoy playing volleyball in the courts nearby. The beach has a restaurant that serves cocktails and sandwiches.

Banana Beach derives its name from the cool café that has small tables and chairs set out on the beach with ambient lighting. This beach located on the southernmost edge along the Herbert Samuel Street, is perfect for a sunset drink. It is a peaceful beach drawing crowds in their thirties or forties. People read books or play matkot or just relax with spectacular views of the sea. Banana Beach café showcases sport shows and films on a big screen, free of cost. People love to watch Hollywood classics like Titanic repeatedly. The food is delicious and reasonably priced.
People enjoy various activities along the shore including:

Play Matkot
Matkot, also known as paddleball is the essential part of Tel Aviv beach life. The little ones as well as the elderly spend hours playing this unofficial national sport of Israel.

Borrow a Book
People love to read by the beach while sunbathing. If you forget your beach read, Tel Aviv Municipal Government offers a two wheeler library at Metzitzim. The library has a collection of over 500 titles in Arabic, English, French, Hebrew and Russian. The people can borrow it for reading on the beach. If you like to download your e-book, free Wi-Fi is available throughout Tel Aviv.

Take In Tunes
The Drummers Beach located at the end of the beach strip near the former Dolphinarium is quite popular for the ad hoc beachfront concerts. Beachgoers bring their guitars and drums to perform great live music while dancers tap to their beats. Clara Beach Club sees many visitors come nightfall that come to the dance club for its open air bar while they enjoy the cool summer breeze sitting on the hammocks by the beach. It is one of the coolest night clubs in Tel Aviv which is only open during the summer season.