Charles Clore
Best for. Families who want a long, easy day with room to run, pairing a wide sand beach with the lawns, picnic tables and play area of Charles Clore park, away from the crowded centre and a short walk from Jaffa.
Best spot. The grass behind the sand for shade, lunch and downtime, with a swim near a lifeguard tower, which gives children somewhere to run between paddles and parents a base out of the sun.
Know this. The sea is open with no shallow lagoon, and dogs use parts of the beach. For the calmest water with toddlers, the sheltered Metzitzim and Tel Baruch beaches in the north are gentler.
Charles Clore is the Tel Aviv beach we recommend when a family wants a long, unhurried day rather than a quick central swim. It sits at the southern end of the seafront between the city and Jaffa, and what sets it apart is the large grassy park that runs behind the sand. Most city beaches are sand and nothing else, which leaves nowhere comfortable to retreat from the sun. Here the lawns give real shade, picnic tables, a children's play area, outdoor fitness equipment and even a skate park, so the time out of the water is as easy as the time in it. Add a wide, clean beach and a clear view of old Jaffa, and you have one of the most practical family settings in the city.
The honest read is that the park is the reason to come, not the sea. The water is the open Mediterranean with no sheltered cove or shallow lagoon, so it can pick up gentle waves on a breezy day and it is not the calmest place to paddle with a toddler. Dogs use parts of the beach and there is a dedicated dog beach nearby, which adds to the relaxed local feel but means families should set up away from the dog sections for a swim. It is quieter and less crowded than the central beaches, with fewer kiosks, so a family that arrives prepared with food, water and shade gets the best of it. Keep little ones within reach, set up near a lifeguard tower, and read the flags before anyone goes in, since conditions here are typical and never guaranteed and we make no promise about swimming safety.
So treat Charles Clore as the park beach, the one built for the whole day. Base yourself on the grass for lunch and downtime, let the children run on the lawns and the play area between swims, and time a longer lunch at the Manta Ray restaurant at the southern end if you want a proper sit down meal by the sea. Come in the morning for the gentlest water and the easiest parking, and pack your own shade and snacks since the concessions are fewer than in the centre. If your priority is the calmest, shallowest water for the youngest, head north to the sheltered Metzitzim and Tel Baruch beaches, and for the bohemian sunset and the Friday drummers, the neighbouring Alma beach is the place. Any restaurant or parking price is set locally and is to be confirmed.
A park beach with a seafront restaurant
Charles Clore leans on its park and the Manta Ray restaurant at the southern end rather than a dense row of beach concessions. Names, opening and prices are set by the operators and change by season, so we describe what is typically there and mark the rest to be confirmed. See the Tel Aviv beach clubs guide for the full run.
Photo: Ayelet Naftali via GoogleCharles Clore park and the Manta Ray restaurant
Charles Clore is built around its park, with lawns, picnic tables, a play area and a skate park behind the sand, which is where families settle for the day. The Manta Ray restaurant sits at the southern end towards Jaffa for a proper meal by the sea, with a fish and seafood kitchen and a mezze table. It is a relaxed, spacious beach rather than an exclusive scene, with open sand and grass for your own kit. Treat any restaurant or parking rate as to be confirmed, since each operator sets the price by season.
Between the city and old Jaffa
Charles Clore runs along the south of the Tel Aviv front between the city and Jaffa, with the old city rising just to the south, reachable on foot along the promenade, by bus, taxi or a short ride. The promenade and the park paths behind the beach are level, which suits a pushchair and a cool bag, and there is parking near the park, though it fills through the middle of a summer day and on the weekend, so arrive early.
The beach offers standard facilities such as showers and toilets, with the park behind adding lawns, picnic tables, a play area, fitness equipment and a skate park, and the Manta Ray restaurant at the southern end. Bring your own shade, water and snacks since the concessions are fewer than on the central beaches, set up away from the dog sections for a family swim, and if you want the stillest shallow water in the city pair the trip with the sheltered Metzitzim or Tel Baruch beaches in the north.
Photo: Ayelet Naftali via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we can arrange a sunbed at an organised Tel Aviv beach to match your day, from a long family day by the park to a relaxed swim near Jaffa. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Charles Clore
Is Charles Clore beach good for families?
Charles Clore is one of the easier family choices for a long day, because it pairs a wide sand beach with a large grassy park behind it. The lawns give shade, picnic tables, a children's play area and outdoor fitness equipment, so children have somewhere to run when they are out of the water. The sea is open with no shallow lagoon, so keep little ones close and read the flags, since conditions are typical and never guaranteed. It is calmer and less crowded than the central beaches.
What facilities does Charles Clore beach have?
The beach has standard facilities such as showers, toilets and a restaurant, with the Charles Clore park behind it adding lawns, picnic tables, a play area, outdoor fitness equipment and a skate park. The Manta Ray restaurant sits at the southern end towards Jaffa. Dogs are allowed in parts of the beach and there is a separate dog beach nearby. Opening and any prices are set locally and are to be confirmed for your dates.
Where is Charles Clore beach in Tel Aviv?
Charles Clore beach sits at the southern end of the Tel Aviv seafront between the city and Jaffa, with the old city of Jaffa rising just to the south. It is reachable on foot along the promenade, by bus, taxi or a short ride, and there is parking near the park. The position gives it a clear view of Jaffa and a quieter feel than the central beaches.
Can you bring dogs to Charles Clore beach?
Yes, in parts. Dogs are allowed in sections of Charles Clore beach and there is a dedicated dog beach nearby where dogs can run off the lead, which is one reason it draws a relaxed local crowd. If you are coming for a family swim, set up away from the dog sections and use the park lawns for the time out of the water. The exact zones can change, so check the on site signs.
Is Charles Clore better than the central beaches for a picnic?
For a picnic, yes. Charles Clore is built around its park, so it has far more grass, shade and picnic tables than the sand only central beaches, which makes it the easier choice for a long family day with food and downtime away from the water. The central beaches are more convenient for the hotels and better served with kiosks, but for room to spread out on the green, Charles Clore wins.
