Israeli families could save hundreds, and even thousands, of shekels this summer by comparing attraction prices before buying tickets, according to a new price check published by the Shelcha consumer club.
Some 2.6 million students in Israel’s education system are heading into summer vacation, a period that often brings a sharp rise in household spending on camps, water parks, shows, restaurants, malls, family trips, and vacations in Israel and abroad.
For many parents, July and August have become two of the most expensive months of the year. Summer outings that appear modest on their own can quickly add up, especially for families with several children.
“An average family in Israel spends thousands of additional shekels during the summer months beyond its regular expenses,” said Sigalit Cohen-Baruch, CEO of the Shelcha consumer club. “Camps, attractions, trips, restaurants, and vacations accumulate quickly into significant amounts.”
Cohen-Baruch said a family of five could reach tens of thousands of shekels in summer expenses over July and August. She said price comparisons and consumer club benefits can often reduce ticket prices by dozens of percentage points.
“In many cases, this means savings of hundreds and even thousands of shekels per family over the summer,” she said.
Consumer clubs offer substantial discounts
The price check examined several leading attractions ahead of summer 2026 and found significant gaps between box-office prices and prices offered through consumer clubs, including Shelcha, Pais Plus, Beyachad Bishvilcha, Tov Club, and Hever.
At Yamit Water Park, also known as Yamit 2000, the listed market price was NIS 154, while the lowest consumer club price in the check was NIS 69 through Hever. At Hamei Ga’ash, the market price was listed at NIS 135, compared with NIS 50 through Shelcha. At Midbarium in Beersheba, the listed market price was NIS 99, while Shelcha offered tickets for NIS 35.
Other gaps were also significant. Gai Beach Water Park was listed at NIS 149 at market price, compared with NIS 59 through Tov Club or Hever. The Ramat Gan Safari was listed at NIS 119, compared with NIS 59 through Hever. Huba Cuba Circus was listed at NIS 129, compared with NIS 59 through Shelcha.
At Luna Park Tel Aviv and Superland, both listed at NIS 149, the lowest consumer club price in the comparison was NIS 79 through Hever. At Meymadion, the market price was listed at NIS 139, compared with NIS 75 through Hever.
The largest percentage gap in the list appeared at Luna Fun Oshiland, where the market price was listed at NIS 59, compared with NIS 15 through Tov Club.
Summer break is not all smiles for parents
Adv. Gil Bar-Tal, chairman of Histadrut HaMa’of, said the summer break is a period children wait for all year, while many parents face growing financial pressure.
“At a time when the cost of living continues to weigh on households, our duty is to help workers and their families enjoy vacations and leisure activities at more accessible prices,” Bar-Tal said.
He added that consumer clubs have become a meaningful tool for families trying to manage rising costs, especially during the summer months.
“Saving dozens of percentage points on attractions, shows, water parks, and family vacations is not a luxury,” he said. “It is a real need for many families in Israel.”
Shelcha recommended that families check benefits before purchasing tickets, buy in advance rather than at attraction box offices, plan outings for July and August in advance, compare prices among consumer clubs, and set a family entertainment budget before summer spending begins.
The club also said that even savings of several dozen shekels per ticket can add up when multiplied across several children and outings.
For Israeli families trying to keep children busy through the long summer break, the main financial lesson is simple: the ticket price at the entrance is often not the price families need to pay.