Park HaYarkon and its gardens | In And Around Israel

Park HaYarkon and its Tropical, Cactus and Rock Gardens

Park HaYarkon, also called Ganei Yehosha after a former mayor of Tel Aviv, has paths by both sides of the Yarkon River, and you can walk anywhere along the river beginning at its estuary by the sea. A walk is described beginning at the Bar Yehuda Bridge. Three particularly impressive gardens within the park are the Tropical, Cactus and Rock Gardens, and these are only a short walk from the Tel Aviv University railway station. You can also walk from Park HaYarkon to Rosh Tsipor Bird Watching Center on the southern side of the Yarkon River, and not that far from the confluence of the Yarkon and Ayalon rivers.

You may wish to limit yourselves to a more family-type walk and cover only the Adventure Park and Tropical, Cactus and Rock Gardens. For a longer walk to these gardens, I advise starting on the southern river path, i.e., the path closest to the center of the city, as it somewhat prettier than the northern side. The walk described here starts at the southern end of the Bar Yehuda Bridge. However, there is considerable flexibility on which paths you take.

Note that many of the paths have bicycle lanes. Cyclists take their designated paths very seriously, so be careful not to walk on them. Cyclists have every right to be annoyed if you obstruct them.

Tel Aviv tops the list for the number of dog owners in Israel, with about one dog for every 17 people, and you will see many dog walkers, and even dog parks. Ducks and boats are on the river, and boats can be rented in season at Park HaYarkon Paddle/Motor Boat Rentals. There are many benches along the southern river path facing the river. There are also picnic benches close to the start of the walk described.

Do you find my website interesting and helpful?

Then you are sure to love my two new books "In and Around Jerusalem for Everyone - The Best Walks, Hikes and Outdoor Pools" and "The Struggle for Utopia - A History of Jewish, Christian and Islamic Messianism". Both books are available on Amazon and in Jerusalem bookstores. Click on each of the titles for information, reviews and purchase information.

The vehicle rental is a useful landmark. It is close to a wooden climbing structure.

Time: About 3¾ hours for the walk described

Distance: About 8¾ km

Difficulty: This is an easy walk that is stroller and mainly wheelchair-friendly.

Type of walk: One-way

Starting point, directions and parking: The walk described starts on the southern river path from Bar Yehuda Bridge. Enter “Bar Yehuda Bridge” into Google Maps. There is parking fairly close to this bridge in “East Reading Parking Lot.” It is just off Sderot Israel Rokach and is open 24 hours a day. This is not the only parking lot close to the bridge. However, parking spots are usually available and it is inexpensive. It is about a 10-minute or so walk from this parking lot to the starting point on the other side of the bridge. For public transport from outside Tel Aviv, take the rail to University Station. Exit from the station using the Tel Aviv Expo exit. On Rokach Boulevard and on the same side of the road as the station take buses 48 or 189 to Bar Yehuda Bridge. The stop is Ibn Gabriol St and the bus will turn left onto the bridge just before the stop stop. Cross over by the crossing and walk to the other end of the bridge.

Path along the Yarkon River

Short walk to the Tropical, Cactus and Rock Gardens from University Station:

If coming by rail, go to University Station. Take the exit to the right within the station, i.e., the exit labelled Expo Tel Aviv. Continue up the steps to a walkway that will take you to Sderot Israel Rokach. Cross Sderot Rokach on the pedestrian crossing. Turn to the left and walk the short distance to a green oval with a Chanukah menorah in its center on a large white base. There is a sign welcoming you to the park — “ברוך בואך פארק גני יהושע” There is a restroom at the beginning of the park. Pass Skytown TLV. Turn left towards the vehicle rental station, which is just after a large wooden climbing apparatus (see map and picture above of vehicle rental station). The entrance to the Tropical Garden is a left turn by the vehicle rental station.

Longer walk along the Yarkon River from Bar Yehuda Bridge:

If coming by rail, the closest rail station is University Station. Take the exit from the station sign-posted Expo Tel Aviv. Continue up the steps to a walkway that will take you to Sderot Israel Rokach. Take bus 48 in the direction of Holon or bus 189 in the direction of Tel Aviv-Yaffo to the Bar Yehuda Bridge. The stop for these buses is on this side of the boulevard and just to your left. The stop Ibn Gabirol St. is the first stop after the bus turns to the left onto the bridge

Walk to the far end of the bridge to the steps on the left by the El Vecino Café. Take the path by the café to its end, cross the main road and make your way to the footpath closest to the river. On this side of the river is the southern path. Be sure to avoid walking in the bike lanes.

There are restrooms in a white building on your right just before the next bridge, Rokakh Bridge. There are also restrooms after the bridge in an off-white building on your left.

The next bridge after Rokakh Bridge is Bird Head Bridge, you will need to decide here whether you wish to visit the Rosh Tsipor Bird Watching Center or to go directly to the gardens on the north side of the river.

From Bird Head Bridge to Rosh Tsipor Bird Watching Center:

Bird Head Bridge is at the confluence of the Yarkon and Ayalon rivers. To visit the bird center, you will be walking initially by the Ayalon River. With its less manicured setting, the scenery from this path is quite different from that along the Yarkon River.

The Rosh Tsipor Bird Watching Center is open seven days a week from 7.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. in the summer and 7.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. in the winter. Admission is free. If coming by car or public transport enter “Rosh Tsipor Bird Watching” into Waze or Moovit. There is a large, free parking area adjacent to the center. Near the parking area are restrooms and picnic tables.

To visit the bird center, take the metal bridge onto the Bird Head Bridge, cross the Ayalon River, and take the first footpath on the left from the bridge. This will take you to a paved path on the south bank of the Yarkon River.

Shortly after the bridge is a fork in the road. Take the right branch along the Ayalon River. There are picnic benches here. You will pass an interesting kids’ play area on your left with wooden climbing structures.

Take the second turning on the left, which has two pathways.

At the T-junction, make an immediate right turn to the entrance to the JNF-run Rosh Tsipor Bird Watching Center over a bridge.

The bird-watching center has three bird viewing stations around an artificial, although natural-looking, lake. The best time to visit this center is during the bird migration seasons from October to November and from March to April. At other times, you may or may not see that many birds or ducks on or around the lake. I advise to pass the Ringing Station and go from the entrance to the bird watching building on the left, the Common Moorhen building, as it has a large poster showing the different birds, ducks and animals that can be viewed. Binoculars can be helpful. Birds are ringed for research in the Ringing Station. All data collected is entered into Israel’s central ornithological database and is available worldwide. The other two viewing stations are the Kingfisher and Heron structures. This is the center’s website.

On leaving the bird center, continue straight ahead to the T-junction. Turn left and then right. The turning to the bridge is a short distance to the left by a concrete memorial. Take this path across the Yarkon River by an historic mill complex. [If the water level of the river is high, the bridge may be closed. If this is the case, you will need to go back to the T-junction and continue straight ahead to Bird Head Bridge. From here you can cross over to the northern back of the Yarkon River].

After crossing the bridge, continue straight ahead by the left side of the lake. At the fork by the café, take the right fork to the bicycle rental station. The rental station is close to a large wooden climbing structure for kids.

A view from the Rosh Tsipor Bird Watching Center.

Some ducks seen at the Rosh Tsipor Bird Viewing Center.

To the Tropical, Cactus and Rock Gardens:

If you are crossing the Bird Head Bridge, turn right along the path on the north side of the Yarkon River. At the café with a white dome and outdoor seating, take the right fork and head towards the vehicle rental store. This store is a good landmark for exploring this part of the park. It is by wooden climbing structures that are easily recognizable (see photo).

You will pass the Adventures Garden. This is a great place for kids to explore.

To visit the Tropical Garden, turn left by the vehicle rental store. The entrance is a short distance further north from this store.

The Tropical Garden is well worth a visit. It is open Sunday to Thursday from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., Friday 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and Saturday 10.00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. It may close even earlier in the winter. It differs from typical greenhouse tropical displays in that everything is outside, all the trees are well established, and many are quite tall. You may see wild jackals in this garden, and also on other paths. They are quite harmless. The notice over the garden entrance says that this is a musical as well as a tropical garden, but do not expect piped music. There are two xylophones in the center of the garden by a small lake. The garden is in a fenced-off area and you leave by returning to the entrance. There is no map of the garden.

Remember exactly what the entrance looks like, including the red tiles on the path, as you will be exiting by the same path. If you go straight to the middle of the park, you may get a bit lost. It is suggested, therefore, that you walk around the periphery. Turn to the right from the entrance. You will soon come to a small pool with a stone arch on your left. The turning after this leads to two lakes and two xylophones. Go back to the path around the periphery and continue around the garden.

Entrance to the Tropical Park in Ganei Yehoshua Park in the HaYarkon Park.

Look carefully and you will see a jackal amongst the shrubbery. They run wild in the park and are harmless.

To visit the Cactus and Rock Gardens, exit the Tropical Garden, return to the main path by the vehicle rental store and turn left by the southern metal fence of the Tropical Garden. You will soon see a very large red statue. Turn right here to the entrance to the Cactus and Rocks Gardens. These are in a 10-acre enclosure, a part of which contains cacti.

To view the cacti, continue straight ahead from the entrance until you come to a T-junction. Turn left and you will soon come to a small island containing cacti. Turn left here.

After viewing the cacti return to the small island. You can wander in the park however you wish, but a suggestion is to continue from the island straight ahead by the eastern periphery of the garden. You will soon come to a reproduction of the mosaic floor of the ancient synagogue at Beit Alfa in the Beit She’an Valley. This is discussed in detail in the following webpage.

Continue around the periphery of the rock garden. The entrance and exit are the same.

Leaving the park

To go to the University Rail Station or public transport along Sderot Israel Rokach, after exiting from the Cactus Garden turn left by the statue and return the way you came to the vehicle rental station. Take a half-right there (see the map). When you reach Sderot Israel Rokach turn left and continue the short distance to the pedestrian crossing. On the other side of the road is the entrance to the railway station.

To go to the parking lot, from the Cactus Garden turn left by the statue by the way you came and take the first right by the edge of the Tropical Garden. This path will take you directly to the parking lot.

Other activities in the park include Sportek in Park HaYarkon. This has plenty of facilities for the kids to let off some steam including multiple basketball courts, tennis courts and football fields and an outdoor rock wall. There is no admission charge. It is located close to Bar Yehuda Bridge in the northern part of the park.

Meymadion is the largest water park in Israel stretching over 25 acres with green lawns and shaded areas. It has water slides and swimming pools suitable for all ages. Every slide and pool is a unique attraction, including meteor slides, slalom slides, fast tube lane, slow tube lane, hot shot slide, wave pool, swimming pool, kids and toddlers pool, adventure pool and more. The phone number is 03 642 2777. It may be closed for private events. It is presently closed. This is its website.

You are also within walking distance of five museums from the University Station — the Palmach Museum, the Eretz Yisrael Museum, the Yitzhak Rabin Center, the Anu Museum of the Jewish People, and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History. All these museums are described on this website.

Map of walk in Park HaYarkon