Tel Aviv-Yafo has about 14 km of coast and 13 official beaches. Here is what I would know before going in the water, especially outside the summer.
The official beaches
From north to south: North Cliff (HaTzuk HaTzafoni), South Cliff (HaTzuk HaDromi), Tel Baruch, Metzitzim, Nordau (the separate beach), Hilton, Gordon, Frishman, Bograshov, Jerusalem, Geula, Charles Clore and Givat Aliyah. All 13 hold the Blue Flag eco-label (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, Hebrew (opens in a new tab)). The city describes Frishman as next to the main hotel strip, Gordon as having a seawater pool and a playground, Tel Baruch as quieter and good for families, and Givat Aliyah in Jaffa as near the Peres Center (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (opens in a new tab)).
Lifeguards
Swimming is forbidden when there is no lifeguard on duty (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (opens in a new tab)). In the winter season the lifeguard stations that are open work 7:00 to 15:00 (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, Hebrew (opens in a new tab)):
- Mid-October through November: 9 stations (Givat Aliyah, Charles Clore, Geula, Jerusalem, Bograshov, Gordon, Nordau, Tel Baruch, North Cliff).
- December and March: 7 stations (Givat Aliyah, Charles Clore, Jerusalem, Frishman, Nordau, Tel Baruch, North Cliff).
- January and February: 3 stations (Jerusalem, Nordau, North Cliff).
- April 1-13, 2027: 9 stations, and from April 14, 2027 every station opens for the bathing season.
The city's English page gives summer hours of roughly 7:15 to 16:45 or 17:45, depending on the month (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (opens in a new tab)). Changing rooms and other facilities are open 7:00 to 19:00 (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, Hebrew (opens in a new tab)).
Flags
On beaches with lifeguards in Israel: a white flag means calm, red means take care, black means stay out of the water, and purple means jellyfish (Jewish Press (opens in a new tab)). The city says swimming is banned under a black flag (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (opens in a new tab)).
The separate beach (Nordau)
The religious beach, south of the port, has women and girls on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, men and boys on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and is open to everyone on Saturday (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (opens in a new tab)).
Accessible beaches
Four beaches are accessible to people with disabilities: Tzuk, North Tzuk, Metzitzim and Hilton. Every beach has accessible paths to the shade and at least one accessible beach chair, which needs a helper (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (opens in a new tab)).
Dogs
The city describes Hilton as dog-friendly (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (opens in a new tab)). Secret Tel Aviv lists a narrow strip at Hilton, the area south of Tel Baruch, a strip at Alma (Charles Clore) and the beach south of Givat Aliyah as places dogs go (Secret Tel Aviv (opens in a new tab)).
Chairs and rules
Beach chair and umbrella rental is 4 NIS for DigiTel holders and 10 NIS for visitors; a sunbed is 8 NIS or 20 NIS (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (opens in a new tab)). Fires, jet skis and motor vehicles are not allowed on the beaches or the promenade (Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (opens in a new tab)).
All beaches are in the beach directory. For more ideas, see Things to do in Tel Aviv.