The Holy Land: Our Favorite Family Things to Do

 

Israel is a tiny, complicated, precious country, and the only one we call home. She boasts God-kissed mountains, arid deserts, breath-taking waterfalls, and world-famous beaches; more patents, scientists, published books, and inventions per capita than any other nation in the world; world-renown and internationally critical historical, archeological, and religious sites. . Israelis are strong-willed, stubborn, out-spoken, warm-hearted, and intense people. Israelis are always-ready to tell you how to raise your child, open his home up to a perfect strangers, and laugh at the sometimes harder shades of life.  With mandatory military service (3 years for boys; a year and eight months for girls) shaping its people's character, Israelis and Israel is a constant foil of soft and hard, bitter and sweet, surreal and mundane. 

These are our top family things to do around Israel. 

  

1. The Beaches of Naharia

An estimated 85% of Israel's 7 million citizens live along the beaches between Haifa and Tel Aviv. Our white-sand, clean blue-watered beaches are sorely missed now that we are so far from them. And the beaches of Naharia, oh, the beaches of Naharia. Though less famous than the Tel Aviv beaches packed almost any day of the year; the small-beach town of Naharia has a charm of her own. Famous for endless skate-parks, play grounds, and gardens; tiny family-oriented Naharia lured us, sometimes 3 weekends in a row, to her coasts.

2. Snir River Nature Reserve

Northern Israel is packed with The Israeli Nature Preserves' most breath-taking parks. One of our family's favorites is Snir River. As I go over my folders, I am shocked and delighted to find on how many occasions Snir River Park has been pivotal to our loving the land. The kids' school trip, our family's weekly hang-out, our favorite homeschooling hike trails, and even one of our favorite Nature Park Annual Festivals all proudly sit in this same lovely spot.. Our lazy river park of waterfalls, picnic tables, and trails shifts to an eco-conscious celebration of hand-made arts, unreal chill music, great Israeli food including Druz pitas on the taboon (Arab campfire bread cooker), and endless stations on Mach-tze-lot (woven-straw like Arab mats).

3. Our backyard overlooking the Galilee Valley

Ok, so you caught me in a I-miss-home moment. I can't travel the world forever, look through albums to write this article, and not sigh. There is just too much there to love, to remember, to both fantasize and reminisce about. So, here is my backyard, my hammock-filled, wooden swinged, wind-chimed, kids' playhouse mountain-side backyard. When we want to feel how small and insignificant we are, we turn our chairs toward the mountains to the West; when we want to feel how powerful and relevant we are, we turn our chairs to the East, overlooking our sleepy hometown of Kiryat Shemona. Here are some pictures of good times, hanging out with friends, good music, great food, and yes, our backyard.

4. Nimrod's fortress

I wish I could tell you the amazing history in accurate historical detail. I can't. But I can tell you that high up in the Jordan Valley Mountains, as you head toward the famous Chermon Mountains, you'll see something that catches your eye way up in the distance. It is a castle, with all the magic and romance that comes with stone-built ancient structures. Nimrod's Fortress is an extensive, mystical huge structure of endless passageways, dark stairwells, and just-so arched windows frames. I spent my 35^th birthday wandering the halls of magical Nimrod's Fortress and yelling with the kids into the valley from the Eastern lookout to hear the mountains echo back . She is worth a good visit, or two.

 LOOK WHAT OUR WORLD-TRAVELING FRIENDS MOST LOVE IN THEIR HOMETOWNS:


Ambergris Caye, Belize - A King's Life - http://www.akingslife.com/2012/01/activities-for-kids-on-ambergris-caye-belize

Boston, USA - Justin Mussler - Great Family Escape - http://www.greatfamilyescape.com/my-top-5-things-to-do-in-boston-with-kids/

New York City, USA - Diya Luke - A Minor Diversion
http://minordiversion.com/2012/01/our-new-york-city-family-favorites

London, UK -- Theodora Sutcliffe -- Travels with a Nine Year Old
http://travelswithanineyearold.com/2012/01/09/5-things-to-do-with-kids-in-london

Central Australia - Jarrad Page - Wandering Photographer
http://wandering-photographer.com/2012/central-australia-for-families

South Australia - Amy Page - Livin On The Road
http://www.livinontheroad.com.au/blog/south-australia-for-families/ ‎
 

The Netherlands - Emiel van den Boomen - Act of Traveling
http://www.actoftraveling.com/2012/01/my-5-favorite-places-in-the-netherlands-to-explore-with-kids

Antigua, Guatemala -Lainie Liberti - Raising Miro
http://www.raisingmiro.com/2012/01/09/fun_kid_outings_antigua_guate/

Seattle, WA, USA- Keryn Means- Walkingon Travels
http://walkingontravels.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/five-favorite-places-for-kids-in-seattle/

Sunset Coast, Michigan, USA - Jessie Voigts - WanderingEducators.com
http://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/traveling/five-favorite-places-kids-sunset-coast-michigan.html


Vancouver, B.C. Canada-Jess Farrugia - With 2 Kids In Tow
**** http://with2kidsintow.blogspot.com/2012/01/our-5-favourite-winter-activities-for.html ****

Kingston, Ontario, Canada-Jennifer Miller- EdventureProject.com
http://edventureproject.com/five-favourite-places-kingston-ontario-canada-my-home-town/

Lake Chapala, Mexico - Alisa - Living Outside of the Box
http://livingoutsideofthebox.com/2012/01/06/5-great-activities-for-kids-in-
lake-chapala-mexico/

Washington, D.C. U.S.A. -Susan Verbeeck- Grow In Grace Life
http://growingracelife.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/five-favorite-places-to-visit-with-kids-in-washington-d-c-usa/

Costa Rica- Mary-Bohemian Travelers
http://www.bohemiantravelers.com/2012/01/5-best-places-for-kids-in-costa-rica.html

Fethiye, Turkey - Renee - ramblecrunch
http://ramblecrunch.com/2012/01/5-activities-for-kids-in-fethiye-turkey/

Brisbane, Australia - Tracy - OurTravelLifestyle
http://ourtravellifestyle.com/travel-diary/5-things-to-do-with-kids-in-brisbane

Chiang Mai, northern Thailand - Barbara - The Dropout Diarieshttp://www.thedropoutdiaries.com/2012/01/chiang-mai-for-toddlers/

 

Posted in: Before We Left, Discovering Cool Places