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Between Netanya and Herzliya, a stunning nature reserve waits for you, including a deck offering a romantic view of the Mediterranean Sea. It is easy to reach, and offers the options of a short 15–20-minute hike, or a longer 1–2-hour hike for those interested in going around the entire reserve. The HaSharon Beach Nature Reserve is a natural habitat for many unique plants and animals, including the Palestine Mountain Gazelles. If you arrive early enough in the morning, you will probably see some of these gazelles. The parking lot is located west of Kibbutz Shefayim, and next to it you will find a small picnic area with shade trees and a map of the entire reserve, to help you get your bearings. A hiking trail marked in red begins in the picnic area, and after a 5–7-minute walk it will lead you directly to the deck overlooking the sea. If you would like to complete the entire 1–2-hour ring trail, you can continue walking on the trail marked in red and then turn right onto a trail marked in black (the Iris trail) and follow it all the way back to the parking lot.

Emek HaElah lies in the "north" of Israel’s central region, closest to home, and here is an amazing site, which I consider one of the most beautiful . The site is easy to reach by car, and if you don't have one, you can hire one for a day or two to enjoy this amazing site. So here we go: Not far from Beit Shemesh, between Britania and Adulam Parks, there are dozens of caves, each with its own interesting story to tell about its formation and significance. Our trip to Horvat Midras starts in the well-organized parking lot, where a trail marked in blue leads, after about a five-minute walk, to an ordinary-looking cave, but which is anything but ordinary. Why is that? Well, I'm glad you asked, because it contains small tunnels used by the Jews to hide form the Romans. Exploring the cave is great fun, and is especially suitable for children and for their young-at-heart parents who want to join them and crawl around. The cave’s entrance and exit points are clearly marked, and it takes around 15 minutes to crawl through it.

Whether you opt to crawl through the cave or not, continue walking on the blue trail, and after about 15-20 minutes turn right onto a green trail which leads back to the parking lot. Before reaching the parking lot, you'll see a large Columbarium cave on your right. Inside you'll see dozens of triangular holes in the cave walls, probably used for religious rituals performed with the pigeons that flew around the cave.

Between Rishon LeZion and Yavne, just before the Sorek River reaches the Mediterranean Sea, there is a beautiful trail featuring a hike through a sand dune all the way to Palmachim Beach. Parking at the site is easily accessible, and will suit your private or rented car. There are two options to hike this trail. Both start at the Paratrooper Woods, named after the paratroopers who practice jumping from planes onto the nearby dunes not far from the woods.

These are the options for the hike:

1. A short and easy hike to the dune, followed by a walk back to the woods for a picnic. After parking, follow the black trail next to the Sorek River, and you will see a sand dune just to the left of the trail, after a walk of about 10 minutes. This is a good time to take a break so that both children and adults can have fun in the sand. When you have finished playing in the dune, you can make your way back to your car or to the shaded woods.
2. A hike starting at the Paratrooper Woods and ending at Palmachim Beach. Level of difficulty: medium. If you want to complete this hike, I recommend leaving one vehicle at the trail end point, which is just next to the entrance to Kibbutz Palmachim. Our hike starts at Paratrooper Woods, and follows the black trail next to the Sorek River, all the way to the large dune, where I recommend you take a break during your hike. After the dune, continue walking in the sun for about 1 hour, until you reach the amazing Palmachim Beach (where you left a vehicle before starting your walk).

The Jerusalem Mountains have plentiful springs due to the high volume of rain in the area. But one specific trail leads to a spring offering the best view. The trail is mostly on flat terrain. It starts a little before Horvat Se'adim, where you will find a well-organized parking lot and woods offering a shaded area, where you can picnic before or after your hike. The green trail next to the handicapped parking area is where our hike begins. After walking for about 20-30 minutes, you will pass hidden caves and springs which are dry most of the year, and then you will reach Uzi springs: two springs offer a view of the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital located in the Jerusalem Mountains. During the hot days of summer, a short dip in the springs is a most refreshing experience, so I recommend taking advantage of this opportunity. Convenient stairs make it easier for you to enter the springs. The pools are about 1.5 meters deep, and the view they offer is unique to them. Use the same trail to get back to your car.