Park Darom, officially named “Menachem Begin Park” and literally means “South Park”, offers a variety of attractions, facilities, and shaded picnic areas for a nice getaway, suitable for all ages.
This spacious public park is named after former Prime Minister Menachem Begin. The park, inaugurated in 1988, is also known as the “South Park”, due to its location in the south of Tel Aviv. In the park, there are two artificial lakes, one relatively small (8 dunams) and the other is much larger with 48 dunams. The lake is narrow and long (370 m long) and the paved walking route around it is 1.2 km long.
Attractions in Park Darom
Since the establishment of the park in 1988, it is home to a cable water ski club, which allows extreme sports enthusiasts (aged 12 and above) to experience water skiing using skis or a surfboard. The water in the lake is shallow and calm, so the danger of drowning is relatively low. Although the water is not very clean, this fact does not deter the amateur and professional skiers who come to the place, which is the only one in the country that offers water skiing with cables. The club offers changing rooms and showers and operates a small cafe.
Few other sports facilities are scattered throughout Park Darom, including basketball courts (near the lake) and football and tennis courts (in the western part). The many playgrounds in the park allow for a variety of fun activities for children, including huge slides, located in the northwest of the park.
Eucalyptus trees, on the shores of the large lake, provide shaded corners with picnic tables and benches, right next to the steps that descend into the lake. It is allowed to light a fire and barbecue in the park, a popular activity there on Saturdays and holidays. For children and animal lovers, there is a lovely petting area with spotted deer, birds, peacocks, and more.
In the eastern part of Park Darom, there is a vantage point on a prominent hill, from which you can view all areas of the park as well as Tel Hiriya and the areas of Ariel Sharon Park. There is also a dog park in the park (in the eastern part of it).
At the entrance to the park, there is a “Tel Ofan” station of the Tel Aviv Municipality, so you can rent a bike on the spot and go out for a light ride in the park.
The park does not have many statues and monuments. At the entrance to the park (end of Biranit Street) stands a large menorah and a commemorative sign for Menachem Begin, after which the park is named. From this point, botany lovers should head west and after about 50 meters see an ancient jujube tree stump, which probably grew here even before the park was developed.
