With kids · Jerusalem · Israel

Jerusalem with kids

Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.

Updated 23 October 2026By the AMZBooking editorial team

Quick answer

Jerusalem works for families who pace it: children enjoy the Ramparts Walk, wading through Hezekiah's Tunnel, the Biblical Zoo and the Israel Museum's model of the ancient city. Long holy-site visits, heat and crowds are harder, so mix sights with parks. Top picks: Old City walls and Ramparts Walk, City of David archaeological park and Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. Families usually base themselves in German Colony and Emek Refaim.

Family picks: 6
Best area for families: German Colony and Emek Refaim
Rainy-day options: 0
Busiest months: April

Best things to do with kids

Historic site · Old City

1.Old City walls and Ramparts Walk

The Ottoman walls built under Suleiman the Magnificent in the 1530s run for about 4 km around the Old City with eight gates, including Jaffa, Damascus and Lions' gates. The Ramparts Walk lets you follow two sections along the top of the walls, looking down into courtyards and across to the Mount of Olives.

Start at Jaffa Gate and take the northern section towards Damascus Gate for the best views into the Christian and Muslim quarters.

Time needed: 1–2 hours
Cost: Low cost

Views
History
Outdoors
Photo spot

Historic site · South of Dung Gate

2.City of David archaeological park

On the ridge just south of the Old City walls, near Dung Gate, this archaeological park explores the oldest settled part of Jerusalem, with Bronze and Iron Age remains. The highlight is wading through Hezekiah's Tunnel, a water channel cut through rock about 2,700 years ago, where knee-deep water flows for about 500 metres.

Bring water shoes and a torch or phone light for Hezekiah's Tunnel; a dry alternative tunnel is available.

Time needed: 2–3 hours
Cost: Mid-priced

History
Kids
Active

Zoo · Malha

3.Jerusalem Biblical Zoo

Set in a landscaped valley with a lake, the zoo focuses on animals mentioned in the Bible and on endangered species, with large enclosures, a petting area and a small train. It is one of the city's best outings for families.

Combine it with the Jerusalem Aquarium nearby for a full family day.

Time needed: 3 hours
Cost: Mid-priced

Kids
Nature
Outdoors

Museum · Givat Ram

4.Israel Museum

Israel's largest museum covers archaeology from prehistory to the Ottoman period, Jewish art and life, and fine art from Rembrandt to contemporary works. The white-domed Shrine of the Book displays Dead Sea Scrolls, and outdoors a large scale model shows Jerusalem in the late Second Temple period.

Start with the Shrine of the Book and the city model before the galleries fill, then pick one wing.

Time needed: 3–4 hours
Cost: Mid-priced

Iconic
History
Art
Rainy day

Museum · Jaffa Gate

5.Tower of David Museum

The citadel beside Jaffa Gate has layers from the Hasmonean, Herodian, Crusader, Mamluk and Ottoman periods and now houses the Jerusalem history museum, which reopened in 2023 with new galleries. Its towers give one of the best views over the Old City rooftops, and an evening sound-and-light show is projected onto the walls of the courtyard.

Climb Phasael Tower at the start of your stay to get your bearings over the four quarters.

Time needed: 2 hours
Cost: Mid-priced
Book ahead: Book the evening night show ahead in summer and holiday periods.

History
Views
Rainy day
After dark

Market · Nachlaot and Mahane Yehuda

6.Mahane Yehuda Market

Jerusalem's main market, known as the shuk, has around 250 stalls of produce, spices, halva, cheeses and baked goods between Jaffa Road and Agrippas Street. Painted portraits on the stall shutters appear when they close, and after dark small bars and restaurants take over the lanes, busiest on Thursday nights.

Visit twice: on Friday morning for the pre-Shabbat rush, and on a weekday evening for the bars.

Time needed: 1–2 hours
Cost: Free

Iconic
Food
Free
After dark
Shopping

Where families should stay

$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays, couples and food lovers

German Colony and Emek Refaim

Founded by German Templers in the 1870s, the German Colony keeps its stone houses with German inscriptions along Emek Refaim Street, now lined with cafés and restaurants. The First Station, the restored Ottoman-era railway terminus, has shops and food stalls and opens onto the Railway Park walking and cycling trail.

Good: Calm and green; Good restaurants; Some places stay open on Shabbat around the First Station
Watch out: About 25 minutes on foot to the Old City; Few large hotels
Nearby: First Station, Railway Park, Emek Refaim Street, Liberty Bell Park

Family travel tips

Hezekiah's Tunnel is a highlight for older children; bring water shoes and a light.
Strollers are very hard in the Old City; use a baby carrier.
The Israel Museum has a dedicated youth wing with hands-on activities.
The Railway Park trail from the First Station is a flat, car-free route for bikes and scooters.
Plan Shabbat meals in advance, as many restaurants in West Jerusalem close from Friday afternoon.

Day trips for families

Masada (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — Herod's palace-fortress on a mesa above the Dead Sea is reached by cable car or by the steep Snake Path on foot, best climbed at dawn.
Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — Ein Gedi Nature Reserve has short trails to freshwater pools and waterfalls where Nubian ibex roam, and the Dead Sea, more than 400 metres below sea level, lets you float effortlessly.
Sorek Cave (About 30 minutes by car) — The Avshalom (Sorek) Stalactite Cave Nature Reserve has a short guided route through a chamber full of stalactites and stalagmites, discovered by chance in a quarry in 1968.

When to go with children

The best months overall are April–June and September–November. April is the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.

Questions travellers ask

+Is Jerusalem good for kids?

+What can kids do in Jerusalem?

Old City walls and Ramparts Walk, City of David archaeological park, Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, Israel Museum and Tower of David Museum.

+Where should families stay in Jerusalem?

German Colony and Emek Refaim: Templer stone houses, a leafy restaurant street and the First Station.