Things to do
Sights, museums, parks, beaches, activities for kids and day trips, each checked against its own page.
42 places
Attractions & sights
Salesian monastery and convent on the hill just south of Beit Shemesh, with Byzantine church remains, the Church of St Stephen and a concert hall. The nuns' convent hosts Saturday concerts.
Photo: Zeller Zalmanson (זלר זלמנסון), via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab)
Day trips nearby
UNESCO-listed park of hundreds of man-made caves (Bell Caves, Sidonian burial caves, columbaria), Tel Maresha and a Roman amphitheatre, on the Beit Shemesh-Kiryat Gat road (Route 38/35).
Photo: Bukvoed, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Museums & heritage
Part zoo, part natural-history museum facing the entrance to Beit Shemesh, showing the animals of the Bible and Talmud with live and preserved exhibits. Visits are guided, hands-on tours.
Photo: The Biblical Museum of Natural History, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Day trips nearby
War of Independence site on the hill above the road to Jerusalem, with communication trenches, a lookout at the Mukhtar's House and an 11-minute film about the battle screened inside an ancient well.
Photo: Zeev Stein (זאב שטיין), via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights
Catholic pilgrimage church about 5 km west of Beit Shemesh, built in 1927, with walls inscribed with the Ave Maria in 280 languages and an 8-metre bronze statue over the entrance.
Photo: Israel Zeller (ישראל זלר), via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab)
Parks & playgrounds
KKL-JNF forest of about 12,000 dunams north of Beit Shemesh with scenic roads, picnic sites, the Burma Road sites and the Israel Trail. Some sites, such as the Red Army Orchestra monument, have accessible facilities.
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · Public domain
Attractions & sights · Old Beit Shemesh (city centre)
Sculpture garden on Jabotinsky Street in old Beit Shemesh, set up in 1993 by two local artists in memory of their son, an officer killed on duty. The stone, wood and metal works deal with Jewish history and tradition, and the garden is a declared heritage site.
Photo: Israel Zeller (ישראל זלר), via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights
Large ruin in the Adulam nature reserve west of Tzafririm with cisterns, storage caves and Bar Kokhba-era hiding tunnels, including a 100-metre crawl that needs a torch.
Photo: Yair Aronshtam from Israel, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 2.0 (opens in a new tab)
Museums & heritage
Museum of the Israel Police's history next to the National Police Academy in Beit Shemesh's western industrial area, opened in 2015. Admission is free.
Photo: Yoram Shoval, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights
Walled hilltop site above the Elah Valley south of Beit Shemesh, between Tel Azeka and Tel Socho, excavated from 2007, with two gates and finds dated to the time of King David.
Photo: Davidbena, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC0 1.0 (opens in a new tab)
Parks & playgrounds
KKL-JNF Holocaust memorial forest of about 4,500 acres east of Eshtaol, planted from 1946, with lookouts, trails and the Scroll of Fire monument; the Martyrs' Trail descends to the B'nai B'rith cave.
Photo: Nadav Barkai (נדב ברקאי), via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC0 1.0 (opens in a new tab)
Day trips nearby
Park of hundreds of 1:25 scale models of Israeli buildings and landscapes at Latrun junction, about 13 km north of Beit Shemesh.
Photo: יודוקוליס (Commons user), via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Parks & playgrounds
KKL-JNF site on the slopes above Nahal Sorek west of Jerusalem, with two springs, restored ancient terraces and channel-irrigated plots, and colour-marked walking trails.
Photo: deror_avi, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab)
Parks & playgrounds
KKL-JNF lookout on the summit of Tel Azeka, a 2-minute climb from a picnic area, over the Elah Valley where the Bible places David and Goliath. It is on the northern edge of Britannia Park, south of Beit Shemesh via Route 383.
Photo: AVRAMGR, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights
Hill on the south side of the Elah Valley overlooking the David and Goliath battlefield, known for blue lupins and anemones in March and April.
Photo: דג קטן (Commons user), via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights · RBS Daled (D)
Canaanite city mound of about 180 dunams inside Beit Shemesh, identified with biblical Yarmut, with remains of walls, a palace and an acropolis and a view over the city. The path starts from Abaye Street in RBS Daled.
Photo: Davidbena, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Museums & heritage
Armoured Corps memorial and museum in the old Latrun police fort, with a large outdoor tank collection; much of the site is exposed and very hot in summer.
Photo: Elgaard, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Parks & playgrounds
KKL-JNF park of 50,000 dunams south of Beit Shemesh between the Elah and Guvrin streams, with walking and cycling tracks, ancient sites and spring wildflowers. The main road starts at Givat Yeshayahu junction on Route 38.
Parks & playgrounds · Old Beit Shemesh (city centre)
Newer events park in old Beit Shemesh with an amphitheatre area, large lawns, walking, running and cycling paths, and play facilities for children.
Parks & playgrounds · Old Beit Shemesh (city centre)
Large park in the middle of old Beit Shemesh with lawns, walking and running paths, cycling and a castle-style play structure among several play areas.
Attractions & sights
Winery at the foot of Kibbutz Netiv HaLamed-Heh in the Elah Valley.
Parks & playgrounds
Park among eucalyptus trees where the Yishai and Yarmut streams meet, between Route 38, HaYasmin Street and the Beit Jamal lands, with swings, a playground and a football pitch.
Attractions & sights
Family winery founded in 1998 at Eshtaol junction, inside the Martyrs' Forest, offering guided tastings on its terrace on weekdays and Fridays.
For kids
Chocolate farm at Kibbutz Tzuba with a free film about chocolate, chocolate workshops for adults and children, and a cafe.
Parks & playgrounds · RBS Gimmel (C)
A 42-dunam ecological park in RBS Gimmel 1, designed for the Haredi and religious community, that keeps remains from the Second Temple period such as old field walls.
For kids · RBS A (Aleph)
Playroom at Matnas Gvanim in RBS A with a large gymboree, pretend-play balcony, VR games and a craft corner, for mothers and children aged 1-5 on Wednesday afternoons. The library there runs a toddler story hour on Tuesdays at 16:30.
Attractions & sights · RBS Hey / Neve Shamir
Hilltop ruin just south of Neve Shamir (RBS Hey), above Route 375, that was a district town in the Second Temple period and is part of the Elah Valley national park area.
Parks & playgrounds
Park between RBS A and Ramat Avraham with a hot-air-balloon play structure, a small climbing area and a challenge track for skateboards, scooters and bikes.
Attractions & sights
A 36-metre fresco painted in 1970 by Avraham Ofek on three walls of Kfar Uriah's community hall, described by the council as the largest fresco in Israel, plus the moshav's old khan.
For kids
Family amusement park at Kibbutz Tzuba for ages 1-14, with covered and outdoor rides such as a family roller coaster, bumper cars, inflatables and a ball pit.
For kids · Old Beit Shemesh (city centre)
Community centre in old Beit Shemesh whose weekly 'Small Wednesday' (16:00-18:00) offers a gymboree, craft corner, story time and workshops for young children. It also has a cinema hall used for children's films.
For kids · Givat Sharett
Community centre in Givat Sharett run by the Beit Shemesh community-centre network. Its weekly 'Family Monday' (16:00-18:30) has a giant gymboree, changing workshops and a play space; it also hosts seniors' clubs.
Attractions & sights
Stone fire-lookout tower built by KKL-JNF in 1957 in the middle of Britannia Park; visitors can climb to its balcony for a view over the Judean lowlands and coastal plain. The car park has tables, water and toilets.
Attractions & sights
Disused station building on the Jaffa-Jerusalem line, opened in 1892 and closed in 1998, near the Sorek bridge.
Parks & playgrounds · RBS Hey / Neve Shamir
Large park in the centre of Neve Shamir (RBS Hey) with lawns, paths, a castle-style play structure, a toddler area and a small climbing and rope challenge. Its lower end connects to Yarmut Park.
Sport & pools · RBS A (Aleph)
Outdoor ninja, bodyweight and street-workout training area in a garden off Nachal Katlav Street in RBS A, with lawn, seating, free parking and a small playground nearby.
Parks & playgrounds · RBS A (Aleph)
Large park in the RBS A commercial centre next to HaShdera Mall, with lawns, walking paths, a castle-style climbing structure and play areas for different ages. Its upper end joins Yarmut Park.
Parks & playgrounds · RBS Gimmel (C)
Large park in the centre of RBS Gimmel built around a ship-shaped play structure, with open space, a walking and running path and play areas.
Attractions & sights
Family winery founded in Jerusalem in 1870, now based near Tzora, with a visitor centre.
Parks & playgrounds
KKL-JNF forest north-west of Beit Shemesh with a 10 km sculpture trail, the Tzora Ridge scenic trail, Tel Tzora (Samson's birthplace by tradition) and many picnic areas. KKL advises entering from Route 44 between Shimshon and Nahshon junctions.
Attractions & sights
Winery at Kibbutz Tzora making wine only from its own vineyards; guided tastings by appointment.
Parks & playgrounds
Wide park between RBS Gimmel and the M1/RBS A side of the city, with walking and cycling paths, lawns, seating and playgrounds. It has marked spots for fires and barbecues.
From our network
A few organisations from the Consult With Ari network whose work reaches people in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
These are not paid listings, and they are separate from the checked directory.