Gordon
Best for. Families staying in central Tel Aviv who want a soft sand beach a short walk from the hotels, with lifeguards, showers, sunbeds, kiosks and the marina and seawater pool close by.
Best spot. The sheltered sections behind the breakwaters, where the water is calmer, give the easiest swimming with children and sit near the showers and the kiosks for an effortless day.
Know this. Gordon is lively and busy, full of matkot players and water sports near the marina, and the open sea has no shallow lagoon. For the calmest, shallowest water in the city, the sheltered Metzitzim and Tel Baruch beaches are gentler for the youngest.
Gordon is the honest first choice for a family staying in central Tel Aviv who wants a proper beach day without a journey to get to it. It sits right in the middle of the seafront beside the marina, a short flat walk from most of the city hotels along the promenade, and it is soft golden sand rather than the pebble you find on many Mediterranean shores. That alone makes it kinder for small children, who can dig and build and paddle on a forgiving surface, and the run of showers, toilets, sunbeds and kiosks behind the sand means you can arrive light and sort the rest on the spot.
The honest read is that Gordon is central, which is both its strength and its catch. It is lively and busy, with matkot paddleball thudding away across the sand, water sports working off the marina and a steady churn of swimmers and sunbathers, so it is sociable rather than serene. The offshore breakwaters do real work, calming the water in the sheltered pockets so the swimming is gentler there than on a fully open beach, but this is still the open sea and there is no shallow lagoon for toddlers to wade across. 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 Gordon as the easy, convenient family beach rather than the calmest one. Come in the morning for the gentlest water and the easiest parking, settle in a breakwater sheltered section near the showers and the kiosks, and pack hats and your own shade since the natural cover is thin. The seawater pool beside the marina is a separate paid facility that many families enjoy as a calm alternative to the open sea on a rougher day. If your priority is the shallowest, stillest water in the city, the breakwater sheltered lagoons at Metzitzim and Tel Baruch in the north are gentler for the very youngest. Sunbed and pool prices are set locally and are to be confirmed.
An organised city beach with kiosks and decks
Gordon carries a run of beach kiosks, sunbed concessions and cafe decks along its promenade, with the marina and the seawater pool close by. 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: Atanu Lodh via GoogleThe Gordon promenade kiosks and decks
The central Gordon stretch is where the seafront gathers its sunbeds, umbrellas, beach kiosks and cafe decks, with showers and toilets close by, which is most of what a family wants for a city beach day. It is relaxed and easy rather than an exclusive scene, and the open sand between the concessions stays free for your own towel. The seawater pool beside the marina is a separate paid facility worth knowing about. Treat any sunbed or pool rate as to be confirmed, since each operator sets the price by season, and come in the morning when the shaded front rows go first.
In the centre of the Tel Aviv seafront
Gordon runs along the heart of the Tel Aviv front beside the marina, an easy flat walk from most of the central hotels along the promenade, and reachable by bus, taxi or a short ride. The promenade behind the beach is wide and level, which suits a pushchair and a cool bag, and the paid car parks near the marina and the front have the most spaces, though they fill through the middle of a summer day and on the weekend, so arrive early.
The beach offers showers, toilets, changing areas, sunbed and umbrella rentals and kiosks, which makes the end of a sandy, salty day far simpler with children, and the seawater pool beside the marina is a calm paid alternative on a rougher day. Bring hats and sun cover since natural shade is thin, check the lifeguard flags and any jellyfish notices in the warmest weeks, 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: Atanu Lodh via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we can arrange a sunbed at Gordon or another organised Tel Aviv beach to match your day, from an easy central swim to a relaxed afternoon in the shade. 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 Gordon
Is Gordon beach good for families?
Gordon works well for families who want a central, fully organised beach a short walk from the hotels, with soft sand, seasonal lifeguards, showers, toilets, sunbeds and kiosks all to hand. The breakwaters offshore take some of the energy out of the water in the sheltered sections, which helps with children, though it stays a lively and busy beach. There is no shallow lagoon, so keep little ones close and read the lifeguard flags before a swim.
Is Gordon beach sand or pebble?
Gordon is soft golden sand, comfortable underfoot and easy for building and digging, which is one reason it suits a family day better than a pebble shore. The sand is wide enough to find a spot away from the busiest matkot players and the water sports near the marina. For the calmest, shallowest water in the city, the sheltered lagoons at Metzitzim and Tel Baruch are gentler still.
Does Gordon beach have lifeguards and facilities?
Yes. Gordon is one of the main municipal beaches, with seasonal lifeguard towers, showers, toilets, changing areas, sunbed and umbrella rentals and kiosks along the promenade. The seawater pool beside the marina is a separate paid facility that many families pair with a beach day. Lifeguard hours and any rental prices are set locally and are to be confirmed for your dates.
How do you get to Gordon beach and is there parking?
Gordon sits in the centre of the Tel Aviv seafront, an easy walk from the hotels along the promenade and reachable by bus, taxi or a short ride. There are paid car parks near the marina and along the front, but they fill fast on a summer day and on the Friday and Saturday weekend. Arrive in the morning for the easiest parking and the calmest sea.
Is Gordon or Metzitzim better for young children?
Both are good city beaches, but they suit different ages. Gordon is central, soft sand and well served, with breakwaters that calm parts of the water, yet it is lively and the sea is open. Metzitzim in the north sits behind a breakwater so the shallow water stays calmer, which toddlers find easier. Many families choose Metzitzim or Tel Baruch for the youngest and Gordon for the central convenience.
