Enjoying Summer in Gan Sacher Park

Jerusalem has many parks and green spaces. Among the best and largest of these is Gan Sacher Park, which runs along Ben Zvi Boulevard near the Knesset, museum quarter and the neighborhoods of Nachlaot and Rehavia. While the park is nice all year around, the summer is an especially nice time for families to enjoy it. Without leaving the city, families can experience green spaces, fun play areas and a casual and special cafe.

Playing in Gan Sacher Park

Gan Sacher Park has long been one of the best places for children to play in Jerusalem. Its recently-revamped playground now makes it even better. With giant slides, rope bridges, swings and many climbing structures, the sprawling play area has something for everyone. The park is covered by sun shades, and surrounded by benches and picnic tables as well, making it a place where families can spend a whole morning or afternoon relaxing.

A new Ninja Park at the north end of Gan Sacher Park is also a great place for older kids. This park has challenging obstacles courses and climbing equipment. Other attractions include a skate-boarding park and an area for dogs to play.

A Special Place to Eat in Gan Sacher Park

For a nice break from walking or playing, it’s very worthwhile to visit Cafe Gan Sipur in the middle of Gan Sacher Park. This unique kosher dairy restaurant has a fresh and creative menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is an especially nice place to eat with children, offering a special children’s menu and coloring art activities. There are books for readers of all ages on shelves all around the cafe.

The cafe, built from wood and glass and filled with plants, offers both indoor and outdoor seating. It also has a small booth outside, where visitors can order drinks and small snacks to enjoy in the park.

Exploring Gan Sacher Park

Gan Sacher Park is a great starting place to explore other attractions and green areas of the city, which are connected by a series of walking paths and trails. A nice short walk is to follow the main path south out of Gan Sacher and walk through the Valley of the Cross, which contains an ancient monastery, olive groves and an ancient olive press. Or, another nice activity is take the path up the hill toward the Knesset to the Jerusalem Bird Observatory, where visitors can see and learn about various species of migrating and native birds, along with other wildlife.

Some of the best indoor places to explore include the Israel Museum, Bible Lands Museum and the Knesset, where visitors can arrange tours by appointment. These are all within walking distance of Gan Sacher Park, and following the paths to these destinations is itself a great way to enjoy Jerusalem.

Gan Sacher Park is not to be missed for families visiting Jerusalem.