Tel Aviv, Israel’s capital has been gaining a reputation as a party capital, but also somewhere that is incredibly expensive. While that holds true, does Tel Aviv have enough to make a good bachelor stag/buck’s destination? I went there to find out, here is what I discovered.
What is the best time years to go to Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv has an eastern Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. A lot of the good times in bars, rooftops and alfresco dining are all outside so in order to take advantage of this the best time of year to go is in autumn and spring. While it wont be cold in winter (around 15C) you wont be able to take advantage of the beaches. This article was written in November 2022, so it was warm enough for the beaches, around 20C, but not baking.
How do I get to Tel Aviv?
Easyjet operates regular flights from London Gatwick airport, I got a return for around £150. The journey time is only 4hrs 45 minutes, not much longer than flying to Greece.
How do I get into Tel Aviv from the airport
After landing at Ben-Gurion airport you’ll only have to get a train from the below airport itself. A train ticket into central Tel Aviv will only cost $3! However this will probably be the cheapest thing you buy here.
Can I pay on card in Tel Aviv?
Yes, 99% of places will take card, including Apple Pay, Visa and Mastercard. In fact you may find it hard to pay with cash and you often see signs telling you this.
Where to stay in Tel Aviv on a stag/buck’s bachelor party
Hotels and accommodation in Tel Aviv isn’t overly expensive compared to western cities like London, Paris and New York. A central hotel room will set you back around £110 a night. One highly recommended is Cucu Hotel whcih is around £150 a night.
Looking for something a bit cheaper? The why not try ISLA hostel, which has a a rating of over 9 on Booking.com. Located near the beach a bed is only £30 a night. It has tonnes of nightlife on it’s doorstep in Nahalat Binyamin Street and is 1000m from the beaches.
Best place for lunch
Looking for something quick and easy then grab a slice of pizza at Mt Sinai Pizza. Here you can get a slice for around $8. They have an outdoor seating area that you can relax with beers. A beer will be around $8 as well. It certainly isn’t cheap but you would struggle to find anywhere cheaper in this city.
Want a sensory overload for food, then head to Carmel Market, here you can try an enormous range of delicious street food. Kebab, Falafel, Halva and Burgers. It’s all there. Tel Aviv is a cashless city but this is one of the few places where you can only pay in cash so make sure you take some with you. This unique attraction makes us consider strongly whether Tel Aviv is a good stag/buck’s destination.
Head to somewhere upmarket, the choices are endless, we won’t attempt to choose one, here was the Timeout top restaurants
Where can I get a sim card?
Need a sim card on landing or about to fly off? Rather than the hassle of finding/getting a physical sim card, an easier method these days is to get an e-sim. Simply select the country or region you are in and get data and calls on your phone. More info can be found here.
Prices are reasonable, usually only $25 for 20GB of data. We now always use this method when travelling as it just saves so much time and bother!
Best bars in Tel Aviv for stag/buck’s party
Tel Aviv has such a mind boggling places to try it would be disingenious to say these bars are definitively the best. However we liked Potion Bar for it’s quirkyness and Bellboy Bar for it’s charm.
What activities can I do in Tel Aviv?
Tel Aviv is a large metropolitan city and the options are numerous. Here are out best ideas for seeing the cities best sites.
Our top ideas for activities in Tel Aviv:
- Anu Museum of the Jewish People | This museum while may sound a bit dry is actually pretty amazing. Situated over three floors, the top floor celebrates the Jewish, technology, dance, food, television and literature. The second looks at the movement of the Jewish people over the last 200 years and first floor has minature models of Synagouges throughout the world. The musuem is located on the Tel Aviv University campus in the north of the city. You will need an ID to enter through the security gates. Entry price was $16, more information can be found on there site here. There is also an awesome place called Aroma Cafe to grab a drink on the ground floor with a terrace. Seems to be cheaper than most as students use it.
- Beaches | Tel Aviv is blessed with beaches that remain open thoughout the year. You’ll have easy access to one of them no matter where you stay.
- Carmel Market | This six day market has been operating since 1920. It is essentially one long street selling anything you can think of. I was a skeptical before I went. A lot of markets these days have tonnes of plastic products imported from China. This was the real deal. Fresh produce, fruit, vegetables and street food can all be found.
- Jaffa Old Town | This walled city with a lighthouse in south Tel Aviv is best viewed in the morning when the crowds are small. Loads of coffee shops and a flea market to the back area is good for a few hours.
Is Tel Aviv expensive for stag/buck’s parties?
I’m afriad the rumours are true. Normally budget conscious travellers would be able to skirt the expensive for cheaper options but in Tel Aviv it’s not the case. What was most shocking was how expensive food was, for example a takeway bakery pastry was $8. Beers in bars will set you back $10 minimum. The only saving grace was the cost of public transport which seemed cheap. The local buses and trams only cost $2 a ride, while a one way trip to Jerusalem will set you back only $8. This is something we strongly considered when thinking about whether Tel Aviv was a good stag/buck’s destination.
However news just in, as I write today Tel Aviv has been dethroned from top spot and is now only the third most expensive city.
Where are the good clubs in Tel Aviv for stag/buck’s?
Head to Kuli Alma or TEDER for late night raving. The former has a huge outdoor area to chill and dance floor inside.
I’ve heard Jordan is pretty amazing as well could we combine the two?
Jordan’s capital Amman is right down the road from Tel Aviv, less than 100 km. If you were interested in extending you stag/buck’s trip then it would be possible. We have written many guides about Jordan, read them all here. If you are thinking about a stag/buck’s destination in just Jordan we also have you covered here.
How do I get to Jerusalem?
I was suprised how easy and cheap it is to get to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Head to Tel Aviv central bus station. This building is a giant concrete monstrocity of 7 floors with the buses leaving from the top 6th and 7th floor. Make your way up the escalators and head to the 7th floor, platform 1 and take bus number 405. The journey itself is only 45 minutes long. I’ve written more on the journey here.
Ratings
- Food and Drink | 7.5/10
- Value for Money | 3/10
- Activities | 8/10
- Nightlife | 8/10
- TOTAL | 6.6
So is Tel Aviv a good stag/bucks’s destination? In conclusion Tel Aviv has so much to offer but the prices of basics will make it just to expensive for most stag/buck’s parties. However the beaches and shear amount of nightlife in the city are a huge plus.
Things to give a miss in Tel Aviv while on stag/buck’s bachelor party
Before I came to Tel Aviv I had Hayarkon park penciled in as a good places to hang out. On further inspection there wasn’t a whole lot up there. A balloon taking people up for a view of Tel Aviv looked fun. There were also jackals roaming around. Wouldn’t want to bump into them on a dark night.
I’m not sure if Tel Aviv is for me, anywhere else?
Not made up your mind whether Tel Aviv is a good stag destination, we have written other cities that might suit you better, read here.
Would you like to book a tour to explore more of the country?
We love independent travel, but sometimes booking a tour is the best way to travel for you. Luckily, G Adventures has some amazing tours in Jordan and Israel.
First, is an eight day Amman to Amman Tour taking in all the main sites of Jordan. From Petra to Wadi Rum, this tour has it all.
If you are keen to explore Israel and Jordan, why not combine the two? With a 15 day Israel and Jordan adventure tour.
Costume for the groom? Find them here on Amazon.
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