From Tel Aviv’s hip haunts, to Jerusalem’s religious wonders and the Sea of Galilee, it’s best to hit the open road to explore the many corners of this High Holy Land.

There are several destinations I hit this year that may not have been possible in recent years. Even if a visit were arranged, it would have been vastly different. Israel was one of those spots. Due to their recent troubles and history, a visit may have been missed. Thankfully, that is no longer the case as 2009 was Israel’s second best year in tourism ever. Clearly, The Holy Land is high on every global traveler’s wish list.

A word to the wise, your best bet is to hit the open road with a driver and a guide, as there is a lot of holy ground to cover with several destinations to be done in a day. Fill the tank, empty your mind and get ready for the most inspired adventure of a lifetime.

Tel Aviv

Driving in to Tel Aviv felt more like Miami to me. This beachfront city, less traditional in nature than the rest of the country, is often compared to Brazil’s Rio or Spain’s sexy city, Barcelona. Put by a local, “It’s unlike any other city in Israel.” Unlike Jerusalem, the expressive party city of Tel Aviv is known for having an extreme level of tolerance, a thriving gay community and one of the best Prides in the world.

We felt like royalty ourselves checking in to the beachfront hotel, The Dan. Former first lady Hillary paid a recent visit as did her hubby Bill in prior years. We missed Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts by a mere matter of days.

As we savored one of the best hotel breakfast buffets of the trip and perhaps of my travels, we sat beside a large crew and several sexy band members who would not give up their currently on-tour leader’s name. It’s that hip.

I could barely focus on the unpacking process as the Israeli sun was setting. The vibrant pinks, purples and burnt orange colors were changing by the minute as they performed in my hotel window. The beach had a full house of fit and sexy surfers; board and wind and several bathers; sun and sea, not to mention a kick back crowd enjoying a cocktail or two in the sand at one of the many beachfront bars. I could get used to this.

Enjoying a Local Port

At dusk, we hit the port, a local hotspot and had dinner at Boya on the deck outside. Sitting close to the water’s edge, the sea was explosive and expressive christening me throughout my meal. With locals breaking in to traditional song at nearby tables, I got the definite feeling that I was somewhere else.

There are many hip haunts and world-renowned clubs in Tel Aviv where global DJ’s pop in for a spin. They, like its comparative cities, Barcelona and Rio tend to kick in to action at midnight and may come to a close at 6 or even 10 a.m. I’ll have to try that with my next trip in.

For this trip, I was more interested in the low-key, local haunts. Bar 223 is just that. It is the one bar in Tel Aviv with an authentic cocktail culture. It has an east village vibe where the subtly sexy get their drink on, enjoying classic and signature cocktails and the local and spicy liqueur, Y&Y.

Shop Til You Drop

With very little time in Tel Aviv, we kicked in to high gear touring Old Jaffa, which gave us a picture perfect city view of Tel Aviv. We window-shopped in the newly renovated neighborhood, Neve Tzedek, a slice of SOHO with chic boutiques, art galleries and cafes.

We hit Carmel’s open-air market, a great window in to local characters and culture. I picked up local spices and cheap sundresses, perfect to don in the desert heat. But a block away was Nahalat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall and Arts and Crafts Bazaar. Aside from crafts, I loved the artistic community and the edgy, interesting apartments above, in the now cost prohibitive hood. We were all coveting one of those corners to call as a home of our own.

The Old Man and the Sea

We dipped in to the historical Caesarea, one of King Herrod’s old haunts. There’s nothing quite like an archeological snorkel and snoop of an old city in the sea. The topper was walking through the Roman amphitheater and passing the young Israeli army in uniform with larger than life rifles on their backs. That’s Israel. It’s a surprise at every turn and often a colorful, cultural collision of past and present.