Raanana Park – Ideal place for Families – Visitors Guide

Raanana Park has a variety of attractions, both for adults and children. There is a small zoo, a lake, facilities for children and more.

Map

Raanana Park has several entrances, most located on Derech HaPark Street. The most common entrances are at Derech HaPark 290 and Derech HaPark 20.

Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit

Interactive map of the area:

And here is the map of the park:

Note: you can click on the map to enlarge it.

And here is my photo of the park from a Cessna Plane. For more information, see Aerial Photography.

Parking

As you can see from the following sign, Raanana residents with parking stickers can park for free. All others have to pay.

Note: We parked on the other side of the lake entry several times. There is a big sand field, and parking there is free.

Opening Hours

The official site does not list opening hours. But according to a sign by the entrance, the opening hours are:

Sunday – Saturday: 06:00 – 23:00

Note: my latest visit to the park was in August 2022. The park is working as usual during the Coronavirus.

Note: As the photo above shows, it is forbidden to start a fire and have a BBQ at Raanana Park. Also, dogs should be on a leash during your visit to the park.

Note: opening hours and entrance fees for each attraction are listed below in the relevant section.

Entrance Fee

The entrance to Raanana Park is free.

Does the Entrance to Raanana Park Costs Money?

No, entry to park Raanana is free. Initially, when this park was opened, the entrance only for Raanana residents was free. But after a lawsuit, access became free for all, but parking is free only for Raanana residents.

Additional activities are at an extra cost. The opening hours and entrance fees for each attraction are listed below in the relevant section.

Restrooms

There are four restrooms in the park. Their locations are:

1. By the animal corner
2. Park of friend children’s playground
3. By the lake
4. In the amphitheater complex

Contact Information

Phone: 09-7713275

And now, let’s go over the different attractions at the park. And we will start with the small zoo.

Animal Corner

The animal corner has two parts. Some cages can be accessed from the outside. In other words, you can see those animals for free regardless of the animal corner opening hours.

The following three photos show what you can see from the outside.

And if you want to enter inside, here are the opening hours of the zoo:

• 10:00 – 13:00
• 16:00 – 17:00 (winter) or 17:00 – 18:00 (summer).

Zoo entrance is free for Raanana residents, costing ten NIS per family per other.

Once you pay and enter inside, you will see the following corridor. There are about half a dozen cages with different small animals.

And at the end of the corridor, you turn left, and there is an open area with different farm animals. Here are several photos from there.

Sport Facilities

There are several basketball and soccer fields. A roller hockey field and fitness equipment are also near the skating surface.

Pump Track and Ninja Compound

In the summer of 2022, a new Pump Track and Ninja Compound was opened near the basketball fields.

There are two pump tracks: a smaller one (shown in the photo above) and a bigger one (next image).

The Pump Track and Ninja Compound are similar to what you can find in Kfar Saba Park.

Raanana Park Train and Sailing at the Lake

The park train costs 20 NIS (15 NIS for Raanana residents) per person. And everybody above the age of one year old requires a ticket.

Also, you can purchase a combo ticket for the train and the sailing for 35 NIS.

I did not see anywhere opening hours for the train and the boat. From my experience, on weekdays, they usually operate in the evenings (after 17:00) and full days on vacations. Also, these are seasonal attractions.

The park train goes around the park. It starts not far from the animal corner and goes to the lake, amphitheater, and back. It is a ride without explanations and takes about fifteen minutes.

The Lake

You can see ducks, swans, fish, and other animals at the lake. Several bridges go over the lake, and you can also take boat rides (you can see the boat in the following photo).

You can find a coffee shop and an art gallery (which occasionally holds shows) by the lake. There are several lovely small parks on the other side of the lake, like the music park and the seven species park.

Amphitheater

The amphitheater area is open only during concerts. I have been there at two shows, and the acoustics was good.

Note: though it is called an amphitheater, it is a theater. See “Is Caesarea Amphitheater really an amphitheater?” for additional info.

Playgrounds

There are two playgrounds at the park. The first one is around the skating surface.

And the second one is called the park of friends.

You can find a small Sky Jump complex near the park of friends playground. Here are their opening hours, contact information, and price list for different activities.

Also there you can find a bicycle rental.

Walking Trail

In 2022, new walking trail markings were added.

It is an accessible trail that starts by the animal corner. Its length is 1900 meters. And here you can see it on the map:

Restaurants

You can find Say – Kiosko pizza cafe near the animal area. And near the lake, you can find a dairy restaurant named Mandarin. Also, there are cafes and restaurants around the park.

We covered almost all the attractions at Raanana Park. And to complete the picture, I will mention that there are a dog park and a maze.

Municipal Parks in the Sharon Area

Here are several other nearby parks:

• Raanana Park
• Kfar Saba Park
• Herzliya Park
• Hod HaSharon Park
• Eco Park Hadera

Also, you can find Big Petah Tikva Park, a little to the south.

Summary

Raanana Park was the first of its kind in the Sharon area. And it is still one of the best municipal parks. My kids love it, and that is why I keep returning.

Have you ever been to Raanana Park? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!

Stay Tuned!

   

Additional Resources

Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:

• Israel Trip Planner is the page that will help you to create your perfect travel route.
• National Parks And Nature Reserves page lists and put all national parks on the map. There is also a top list, information about ticket types and campsites.
• If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, and Makhtesh Ramon.
• Wondering what events are there in Israel? Here is the Events And Festivals By Season guide.

And if you have any questions then check out Useful Information For Tourists To Israel.