What to Do with Kids in the North? Recommended Attractions Near the Hotel (For Every Age and Weather)

Updated April 2026

The North has more to offer than just water trails. To avoid tiring yourself out, choose a smart family base that keeps travel short. Driving two hours each day with restless kids is not fun. Start by finding a good place to stay.
Brown Hotels has four locations in the North, where you can quickly reach fun spots without hours of driving. Try chocolate workshops and wineries when you need AC, ropes courses in nature, and easy water sports by the Sea of Galilee. Galei Kinneret and Lake House are made for families who love water and want the lake close. Nofei Gonen is for nature lovers who want trails by their cabin. Vered Hagalil is good for families who enjoy food, horses, and a country feel.

What kind of mood are you looking for today?

We’ve prepared a quick breakdown of the types of activities you can find near our hotels, based on the weather outside, energy levels, and the kids' ages. This way, you can choose exactly what suits you at any given moment:

What's the kids' mood today?	Where should you take them?	Which Brown hotel in the North is nearby?
Too hot or raining (Must have AC)	Boutique chocolate workshops, interactive museums, indoor visitor centers	Vered Hagalil Holiday Farm/ Galei Kinneret (Ages 12+)
Teens who need to burn adrenaline	Advanced water sports (SUP, wakeboard), muddy RZR tours, and extreme ropes courses	Lake House Kinneretby Brown Hotels
Little ones who love getting dirty in nature	Self-picking (raspberries, cherries), open agricultural farms, picnics in KKL forests	Nofei Gonen Holiday Village
Parents who want to rest & kids who want anything but rest	Family wineries with massive lawns, picnic baskets, and grape juice for kids	Relevant to all Brown hotels in the North
A calm family evening before bed	Light lantern tours, sunset promenade walks, sitting around a bonfire (where permitted)	Nofei Gonen Holiday Village/ Lake House Kinneret
Families looking for the perfect package: "Flying on the Galilee" weekend	Galilion Weekend Package: Open nature (Park of the Senses, Ayun Stream, Nimrod Fortress). At the hotel: creative workshops, Pilates & yoga, movies, bonfires, and live shows	Galilion
Extreme and family bonding in winter: "Flying on the Galilee" weekend	Kfar Giladi Weekend Package: Rafting and nature tours. At the hotel: drumming workshops, yoga, lantern tours, wine tasting for parents. + A regional attraction as a gift	Kfar Giladi

Where are the Sea of Galilee water attractions that will actually interest your teens?

The Sea of Galilee is no longer just about noisy banana boats and crowded beaches. An advanced water-sports scene and alternative water experiences have developed around the lake, perfectly suited for families wanting a bit more quality action—especially when you have teenagers who are hard to pry away from their screens.

• Quiet, high-quality water sports: Skip the big crowds and lines. Nearby sailing clubs and private beaches have family SUP rentals. Early mornings are best, when the Sea of Galilee is calm and windless—it's almost meditative and works well for older kids too. Another option is self-drive pontoon boats that take you out to the middle of the lake, where you can anchor, play music, and swim away from the crowds onshore. Priceless.
• Hidden springs in the Kinneret Valley: For families with toddlers, visit small, clean springs just ten minutes from the Sea of Galilee basin, usually missed by tourists. Ein Nun near Migdal and Ein Poria are accessible, with clear, shallow water and fresh air. Parents can relax while kids splash safely in knee-deep water. Always check the spring's conditions online before visiting.
• The perfect water in Israel: The water temperature in the Sea of Galilee during the summer stands at 28 to 30 degrees Celsius (82-86°F). This means you can comfortably swim in the morning before the afternoon winds kick in, and stay in the water for hours without shivering from the cold.

Where to take little ones who must burn off energy in nature?

Want to disconnect the kids from their screens, take off their shoes, and let them feel the earth in their hands? The Galilee Finger and the Golan Heights are the best and biggest playgrounds around. The wildest nature spots are located within a 25-minute drive from the Nofei Gonen Holiday Village, which means you can pop out for two hours of nature and make it back in time for an afternoon nap in the cabin.

• Pick your own fruit (without crowds): Avoid big orchards full of tourist buses. Instead, find small family farms with berry, raspberry, strawberry, or cherry picking, depending on the season. It's a relaxed and real experience where kids learn how food grows, pick the reddest fruit, and eat it straight from the plant.
• Forest amusement parks: In the North, you'll find large ropes courses among trees, not plastic roller coasters or lines. These parks are safe, with equipment for ages 4 and up, including teens who like a challenge. Kids build confidence by getting through the courses. You can also try family map-reading in the forest or join guided lantern tours at night.
• Natural petting zoos and horseback riding: Therapeutic farms and horse ranches in the North offer open spaces where kids can safely have direct contact with animals. Children take short horseback rides on trails, feed farm animals, and bond with nature through interactive experiences.

Too hot outside (or raining): What to do with the kids in the AC?

Caught by rain or a heatwave? The Galilee and Golan provide excellent solutions for days when air conditioning, fans, or heating are necessary. These options reliably save your vacation.

• Boutique chocolate factories: The North is home to small family factories (in the Golan and Upper Galilee) offering praline and truffle-making workshops for families. The kids put on aprons, get their hands dirty with warm chocolate, and create their own treats. In two hours of sweet activity, you’ve checked the box and left with a box of chocolate to snack on during the drive back to the hotel or as a gift for the grandparents.
• Family-friendly wineries: Wineries in the North know parents want to enjoy without guilt. They have guided wine tastings for adults with picnic baskets that include grape juice for kids, cheese, crackers, and vegetables. Most wineries have big lawns for kids to play while you relax with a glass of wine.
• Museums and visitor centers that are actually fun:The Northern region offers technological visitor centers where you can see food and agriculture factory operations firsthand, hands-on nature museums that let you touch and examine exhibits, and heritage centers presenting notable audiovisual displays. These places are tailor-made for families, providing a comfortable, enjoyable day out, and giving kids plenty of educational value without making them feel like they're in school.

Bottom line, which Brown hotel in the North will best suit your family?

 
A family vacation rises and falls on the location, space, and services of the hotel. Brown Hotels offers four anchors in the North, each designed for different family compositions. When you choose right, you'll spend less time in the car and have extra time enjoying each other:

• Galei Kinneret by Brown Hotels (Tiberias): The most luxurious resort on the water's edge, welcoming teens ages 12 and up only. It features a private, closed beach with sunbeds, a luxurious spa, and a chef's restaurant (LOTTE). It's ideal for families with older teenagers who want their independence (because you can be in the spa while they are at the beach). The place provides absolute quiet, privacy, and a prestigious hospitality experience.
• Lake House Kinneret by Brown Hotels (Tiberias): The perfect option for families of all ages who want to feel free. The hotel offers a huge pool, but the highlight is the massive lawns kissing the shores of the Sea of Galilee. There is no closed lobby here where you have to ask the kids to be quiet. They are free to run around, play soccer, or run to the water while you sit on the grass. The bonus? The Hamei Tiberias hot springs complex is a short walk away, offering a refreshing soak in warm water—a wonderful family outing for the afternoon or in winter.
• Nofei Gonen Holiday Village: Rustic cabins and suites with parking at the door, close to the big streams (Dan, Hasbani, Banias). It has a roomy, green, kibbutz-like feel. Kids can step out of the cabin and onto a trail—no elevator, no dressing up, no lobby. Just open the door, and they are outside.
• Vered Hagalil Holiday Farm by Brown Hotels (Overlooking the Sea of Galilee): An authentic holiday village incorporating an active horse farm and an insane panoramic view. The farm itself is a complete attraction that keeps the kids busy in the morning, teaches them about horses, and gives them a safe space to play, without you ever having to start the car. The place is great for families looking for good evening food (the famous Tibi's meat restaurant is right on the premises) and plenty of Galilean tranquility
• Galilion (Hula Valley): For families - “Flying on the Galilee” weekend packages.
  A full weekend of family moments awaits you: streams, open nature, and crisp air (the hotel is close to the Park of the Senses, Ayun Stream, and Nimrod Fortress). Inside the hotel, enjoy a packed schedule: creative workshops, Pilates and yoga classes facing the view, open-air movies, a bonfire with marshmallows, and live performances
• Kfar Giladi (Naftali Mountains): Here too, the “Flying on the Galilee” weekend packages await you, with a package suitable for the whole family. You can enjoy drumming and creative workshops for kids, wine tasting for adults, yoga and Pilates, lantern tours, musical shows, family movies, and nature & extreme activities like rafting. Plus - you receive a regional attraction of your choice as a gift to complete the experience

Learn from Parents' Experience: 5 things you must remember when traveling in the North with kids.

1. Escape the traffic: During peak season (July-August and holidays), the roads leading to major attractions around the Sea of Galilee and the Galilee Finger are heavily congested. Try to leave the hotel early in the morning (before 09:30 AM), or, even better, plan water activities for the late afternoon (after 16:00), when the rush subsides.
2. Book everything in advance: Don't rely on impulse with kids. Most of the truly good boutique wineries, chocolate workshops, and parks limit the number of participants and require tickets to be booked in advance online. Don't arrive at the gate only to discover there's no room.
3. The permanent trunk kit: Always leave a mat, dry towels, garbage bags, water, and a change of clothes in the trunk. You never know when you'll pass by a crystal-clear spring you simply can't say no to, or when your kid will decide to jump exactly into the only mud puddle on the trail.
4. The layering method: The North, unlike the coastal plain, can be deceptive. Even on hot summer days, evenings in the Golan Heights, Vered Hagalil, or the Galilee Finger tend to be cool and pleasant. Always pack a light cardigan or a thin sweatshirt for the evening hours.
5. Snack kit: Distances in the North are vast, and there isn't always an open kiosk exactly when your kid announces they are starving. Keep a small cooler in the car with cut fruits, dry snacks, and cold water to prevent meltdowns in the back seat.