Now that the kids have been on vacation for almost two weeks, many parents are starting to run out of ideas for fun Passover activities. The first few days of the holiday have been full of great hikes, festivals and fairs, but don't despair – there are plenty more fun activities for the whole family. Sdom The Tamar Regional Council invites veteran and amateur hikers to take part in a guided tour of the Sdom region, which will include stories about its ancient and recent history, the geography and complex climate of the Dead Sea area. Participants will learn about the cultivation methods and unique technologies residents used to make crops grow in the dry ground. There are also local galleries and breweries with wonderful visitors centers you can visit on your own. Dates: April 16, 4 p.m., appropriate for the whole family. Length: 2 hours. Price: NIS 10. Registration: *3977. Free museums Bank Hapoalim sponsors free entrance at 36 museums and heritage sites across the country during the holiday. This is the 13th year the program “Poalim for culture, nature and beauty” is taking place. The following sites are participating in the program: Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Design Museum Holon, Nahum Gutman Museum, Yitzhak Rabin Center, the Outlook visitors center, Museum of Umm el-Fahm, Wilfrid Israel Museum for Asian Art, National Maritime Museum in Haifa, Ghetto Fighters' Museum, Hermann Struck Museum in Haifa, Katzrin Park, Haifa City Museum, International Museum of Stone Sculpture in Ma'alot-Tarshiha, Armored Corps of Latrun, Jerusalem Botanical Garden, Museum of Islamic Art, Ashdod Museum of Art, Joe Alon Center for Regional Studies in the Negev, Museum of Water and Security in the Negev in Kibbutz Nir Am, Doll Museum in Arad, and more. Entrance to all of these sites is free on Hol Hamoed. The full list and opening hours can be viewed at: www.bankhapoalim.co.il. New outlooks During hol hamoed, as we drive hundreds of kilometers in the car, we are often completely focused on arriving at the next destination and forget to enjoy ourselves and the scenery during these trips. That's why Israel Roads is inviting everyone to stop at four new lookouts on the roadside with incredible views of the Galilee. Built as part of the Highway 65 expansion, the four stops are named Netofa, Hukok, Arbel and Tzalmon, and each has ample space for private cars and buses to pull over and park. Kosher-for-Passover tabun If you've been fantasizing about kosher-for-Passover Galilean pitas that are baked on a tabun, you'll be happy to hear that during the holiday the Jeshan family of Moshav Kalanit will be baking these delicacies for visitors. In addition, guests can taste their traditional olive oil, and dip the pita in fresh labaneh and za'atar. Location: Jeshan family, Moshav Kalanit, northwest of Tiberias, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Details: 050-788-1481, 050-788-1488. Lake Hula Park The KKL-JNF will be holding its annual holiday celebrations at Lake Hula Park. The traditional treasure hunt will include riddles, stations with activities and information about the flora and fauna of the Hula region. Price: NIS 10 (NIS 40 per family), not including bus rides inside the park. Date: April 16, 10 a.m. Activity will last three hours. Registration: 1-800-350-550 , www.kkl.org.il. Extreme Sport Park in Acre The Extreme Sport Park in Acre invites the public to spend the holiday enjoying the challenging activities spread over its 2,000-sq.m. park. There are indoor and outdoor climbing walls with more than 8,000 unique and colorful grips that were designed especially for the park. The grips in the children's section have colorful pictures of animals. Guests are also welcome to try out the 32-meter bungee jump, the seven-meter high suspension bridge for parents and children, the 15-meter bridge for teens and adults and the 90-meter zip line. Price: Entrance is NIS 20, which is subtracted from the total cost of activity tickets. A package of 5 tickets for activities costs NIS 130 (not including bungee). Dates: Hol Hamoed, including April 16. Location: Shalom Hagalil, Acre. Details: 1-700-55-60-70. Treasures of the Galilee Families looking for more fun outings will be happy to know that the Treasures of the Galilee in cooperation with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority have been making Ein Ziv much more accessible. Shuttle buses will bring guests right up the starting point of the trail making the mostly flat walk from the shuttle to the Ein Tamir Pool less than an hour. And if you don't want to get wet or walk in the stream, you can walk on the easy path next to the water. If you're feeling more adventurous, you can also continue on to the tunnel from which the spring water flows. Date: April 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Price: Free. Details: www.ozrothagalil.org.il. Emek Hama'ayanot Just below the Gilad Mountains, in the Emek Hama'ayanot, you'll find the Huga Springs that flow into three beautiful lakes. This park is great place for families to visit and one of the lakes is the perfect depth for kids to play in. There are plenty of shady picnic areas, and zip lines from which you can jump into the water. There's a fishing pool and guests are welcome to camp out overnight and even go fishing in the dark. Two of the most special activities are the guided sunset tour and the nightly campfire. Dates: Every day during Passover from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details: (04) 658-1111. Beit Horon At the Kaveret Visitors Center in Beit Horon, guests will catch a glimpse of the unique world of bees. The public is welcome to join a fascinating guided tour in which they'll learn about the importance of bees in the modern world. After watching a short film, guests will marvel at a transparent hive, watch honey being removed from a real hive, and of course be invited to taste a variety of different honeys. Dates: Hol Hamoed, at 10 a.m., 12 noon and 2 p.m. Preregistration required. Price: Children NIS 25, adults NIS 30. Details: 052-423-9010. ■ Translated by Hannah Hochner.
A view of the Netofa Valley from the Netofa lookout on Highway 65(photo credit: ISRAEL ROADS)