If you want to get a feel for Israel’s northern coast and you’re based in or near Haifa, we have the trip for you.

We’ll begin with a quick trip up to the Bahai Gardens overlook in one of Haifa’s Carmel neighborhoods. From here the view never gets old.Looking out to sea, filled with container vessels you quickly realize the importance of this northern port, second largest in Israel. In the distance on a clear day you can see all the way up to Rosh HaNikraha and the Lebanese border. Just across the bay a shimmering port city appears, Acre. In the winter marvel at the towering Mt. Hermon, covered in snow over 100 kilometers distant.  Directly below us the perfectly manicured Bahai Gardens, centerpiece of Haifa and object of pilgrimage for the Bahai faithful. It’s focal point is the Golden-domed mausoleum, the Shrine of the Bab, founder of the Bahai faith and forerunner of the Baha’u’llah.

A Crusader-era Baptismal Font makes for a good climbing challenge for an Israeli child.

We’ll then take a quick drive up to Acre, at the other end of the Bay of Haifa. Traditionally Acre was the important town in Israel’s north. It was a critical life-line to Europe for the Crusaders in the Middle Ages. Recently discovered Crusader remains are a highlight of the trip to Acre where we’ll explore secret passages, the Knight’s Halls, the Arab market and the port area.

After a quick twenty minute ride we find ourselves at the end of the road, literally. We have reached Rosh HaNikrah, the border with Lebanon and passageway to UN personnel who observe the border here. We’ll descend by cable car to see the old train tracks and tunnels built by the British during there tenure here in the Second World War, then continue to explore the caves, wildlife and wave-action around the white, chalky cliffs. Note the buoys disappearing over the horizon, marking the international border between Israel and Lebanon.

We’ll return towards the Carmel mountains and enter the Druze village of Daliat El Carmel. About now we’re sure to be hungry and we’ll take advantage of the excellent Druze restaurants here and learn a bit about Druze culture. After lunch we’ll descent into the famed Jezreel Valley and visit Megiddo, sight of Armageddon. This is an archeologist’s paradise, with 25 layers of civilization discovered here. We’ll walk through the remarkable water tunnel excavated thousands of years ago to give sustenance to the town in times of war. Now we’re ready to return to Haifa, a mere half hour’s drive away. As we return notice the new railroad bridge being built over our heads, designed to open up the booming Haifa economy to the residents of Bet Shean, all the way across Israel close to the Jordanian border.