Family Outings in Beirut

October 29, 2026

Travel advisory, as of October 2026. The US government tells its citizens not to travel to Lebanon, citing armed conflict, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, landmines and crime, and says its ability to help citizens there is very limited. The UK FCDO advises against all travel to the south, Nabatiyeh, much of the Beqaa and Baalbek-Hermel, parts of the southern suburbs of Beirut, northern Akkar and the Palestinian camps. Strikes can come without warning and airspace can close at short notice. Read the FCDO advice and travel.state.gov before you book anything. UK travel insurance may be invalid if you travel against FCDO advice.

Beirut has few attractions made for children, and the advisory above weighs more heavily on a trip with kids. If you do travel as a family, the options are a cable car ride, a cave boat, a waterfront and a mineral museum. Everything else people expect, such as a zoo or an aquarium, does not exist here. Plan short outings, keep a firm eye on the news and have a plan for a change of flight.

Harissa cable car

The cable car from Jounieh to the Harissa sanctuary is the easiest family outing. Children under 8 ride free, and a child return costs 600,000 LBP against 1,100,000 LBP for an adult tourist return. The ticket includes the funicular to the shrine. The operator lists Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 19:00, with Monday closed, but a recent report put the hours at Friday to Sunday, 11:00 to 17:30. Check on the day of your visit, and treat a weekend as the safer choice. The shrine is a working place of worship, so ask children to keep their voices down and cover shoulders and knees. The operator’s page lists current fares.

Jeita Grotto boat ride

Visitors tour part of the lower cave by boat, about 500 m of a gallery that runs for some 6,200 m, and the longest stalactite is 8.2 m. The boat trip closes when the water is high. The grotto reopened on 15 November 2025 after closures, and there is no 2026 confirmation of its status, so check before you set out. Child ticket prices are unconfirmed. The cave is cool and damp underfoot, so bring a light layer and shoes with grip.

Zaitunay Bay waterfront

The Zaitunay Bay promenade near the marina is flat, mostly car free and good for a stroller. Bike hire there has been reported at roughly $5 an hour, but that is an unconfirmed listing figure. Eat at a seafront café in daylight and keep to the waterfront rather than wandering.

Mim Mineral Museum

The Mim Mineral Museum on the USJ campus on Damascus Road shows minerals and fossils, which suits school-age children. Reported hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00. The admission fee is reported inconsistently, so ask at the door.

Where not to take children

Ramlet el-Baida is the only public sandy beach, and it has reported sewage outfalls, so do not swim there. Private beach clubs along the coast are the usual alternative, and water quality varies. Pigeon Rocks is a viewpoint with sheer cliffs and no shoreline to play on. There is no metro or train, so every trip is by car or taxi, and child seats are rarely supplied. Bring your own if you can.

For a ready-made outing, GetYourGuide lists family-oriented city and cave tours that you can compare. Carry crisp US dollars printed from 2013 on, and some Lebanese pounds for the cable car.