Israel with children and grandparents: plan a trip everyone can enjoy

Choose what you want to share

Begin with a short conversation among the people travelling. Ask each person to name a place they want to see and something that would make the day comfortable. A grandparent may want a particular Jerusalem visit, a teenager may prefer time around Jaffa, and parents may value an afternoon with relatives. Put these wishes beside the dates you already have, so the trip has a purpose for everyone.

Choose one main shared experience for each outing. A museum visit followed by lunch gives the family time to discuss what they saw. A coastal walk with a long family meal creates a different kind of day. Keep the additional stop flexible, and give it a clear purpose. This makes it easier to spend longer somewhere that captures everyone’s attention or finish when the group has had a satisfying visit.

Describe the walking that suits your family

Ask about stairs, slopes, uneven ground, standing and the need to sit. Describe ordinary routines: someone is comfortable walking between shops but needs a seat during a long explanation; another person uses a folding aid; a child still sleeps in a stroller. These details help your guide choose the walk and help the transport team position the beginning and end around the group.

For a concentrated Jerusalem visit, the Tower of David publishes accessible exhibition galleries and a contact for arranging access. Discuss the chosen entrance and gallery sequence with the museum, then check the approach from the vehicle and any onward walk separately. Build a shorter version around the confirmed visit and a comfortable break.[2]

Agree who will stay with a child or relative who finishes early and where the others will meet them. A café, hotel or agreed collection point can work when its location and opening fit the day. Tell the driver which people are returning first and who will continue. The group can enjoy different levels of activity while staying connected through the same plan.

Choose seats and luggage space together

RT Tours has two Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles, two V-Class vehicles and two Sprinters, with up to 3, 7 and 16 passengers respectively, excluding the driver. The team checks seating and loading together. If six family members travel with a guide, the guide uses the seventh passenger place. Add the bags and child seats before choosing the vehicle, especially on a day when the group changes hotels.

The Ministry of Health advises matching child restraints to the child’s age, weight and height. Send the details requested during planning and confirm the arrangement before travel. If you are bringing your own seat, tell the team so its installation and space can be considered with the rest of the vehicle setup.[1]

Build the day around energy and attention

Give the first substantial visit the time when the family is most ready to enjoy it. For some groups that means an early start; for others it means breakfast together and a later departure. Discuss the previous evening as well. A late flight or celebration changes what is comfortable the next morning. Keep the first day after arrival simple enough to allow for unpacking, food and rest.

Alternate an active outing with a day closer to the accommodation. A family staying together can use a local day for individual errands, a short walk or time with hosts who are working during the visit. Put those choices in the calendar before filling every morning with a departure. A quieter day also gives you room to return to somewhere the children or grandparents particularly enjoyed.

Make meals and breaks part of the booking

Choose when the group will eat and how that fits the main visit. Send dietary preferences and the practical needs of children together with your restaurant or hotel request. If relatives are hosting lunch, include their address and the time they expect you. The team can coordinate the journey around that appointment and discuss other concierge details in the same conversation.

Keep a small day bag accessible with the items you will need away from the vehicle. Decide which bag holds children’s supplies and which contains a change for a beach stop. Arrange a bathroom or seated break before a long walking section, and tell the guide when the group needs regular pauses. Clear preparation lets everyone focus on the visit instead of repeatedly returning for something left in a suitcase.

Include the people joining locally

A family holiday often changes shape from day to day. An aunt may join the Jerusalem outing, a cousin may meet you for dinner, and grandparents may return to their own apartment. List the passengers and addresses for each journey. A host who joins after the first stop still needs a passenger place, and a relative leaving early needs an agreed way to reach the next address.

Pick one person to coordinate updates with RT Tours, then share the final plan with another adult travelling in the vehicle. Include the guide’s language, the walking outline, meal arrangements and pickup instructions. If the organiser remains elsewhere, name the passenger who can answer practical questions during the day. This keeps the trip easy to follow for the hosts and the visitors.

Give hotel changes their own space

A change of accommodation involves packing, checkout, loading, the journey and access to the next room. Put the actual hotel addresses and check-in arrangements in the plan. If you want a visit between hotels, choose the stop with the day’s full luggage load in mind and keep the items needed for the visit separate. Ask the team to connect luggage and arrival requests with the transport.

Before adding another hotel, decide what the move gives the family: a more convenient base for a northern visit, time with relatives or a different part of the country. For a short stay, two substantial outings from one base may fit better than repeated packing. For a longer visit, a planned regional stay can make room for a slower day and an evening together after sightseeing.

Bring the family’s plans to one team

RT Tours has arranged trips and transfers in Israel since 1996. Our team can coordinate the vehicle, a licensed guide and wider concierge requests around your family. Drivers handle the journeys and meeting points; licensed guides lead the visits and historical explanations. Tell us which days need each service and where you prefer independent time. You can also include a guide or a booking you have already arranged.

• Travel dates, flights and the addresses where the family will stay.
• The people joining each day, including local hosts and any guide.
• A main shared experience and a comfortable shorter option.
• Luggage, strollers, child-seat requirements and practical access needs.
• Meals, fixed family meetings and other details you would like coordinated.

Once the outline is ready, read it as a passenger would: how the day starts, what happens away from the vehicle, where to eat and where everyone finishes. Share changes through the agreed contact. A family trip becomes easier to enjoy when each person can see their own needs and interests reflected in the day.