Judy planned two trips for my family both times she provided us with outstanding, off the beaten track ideas. Just what we were looking for. We’d definitely use her again.
Judy planned a unique trip for my daughter and me through Israel. She tailored the itinerary to our needs, helped us stay within our budget (although we never felt for a moment that we were even on a budget, the accommodations and tours were so fabulous!) and introduced us to tour guides, programs and activities that we might have overlooked had we planned the trip alone. Through her meticulous preparation, we always felt completely comfortable navigating alone or with her very capable guides throughout the country.
We absolutely loved the vacation! I keep thinking about it and the more time passes the more amazed I am. What an incredible place! Our guide was amazing! He said that everyone says that their guide was the best and all the Israeli guides are great but I beg to differ. He was the BEST! That man has so much information about anything you want to know about from politics, geography, history, religion. He was a perfect fit for us because of his energy, sense of humor and personality. We sort of became a family for the time he was with us. He worked so hard each day! Judy, he is a gem! Truly wonderful man!
Grotto of the Annunciation, Nazareth, Israel
Judy, it was an amazing, incredible and fascinating trip. We cannot thank you enough for the great planning, choice of guides, hotels and sights. My husband and I feel changed by the whole experience! The kids got out so much just by being in the region that is in the center of news each day. Israel is a fascinating country and we feel blessed that we were fortunate enough to spend 12 days there.
Personally, I went there “looking” for Jesus and what I have found was so much more. It is impossible to separate Jesus from His people and land.
The trip would not be the same without Moti, Sara and the Arab guides. We had personalized attention, we had a local insight into the life and issues facing Israel. It was truly unforgettable! As time goes on and we look at the pictures we realize how much we actually did.
And yes, we all eat humus now and are looking for some falafel places in the area.
I wanted to take a moment and tell you that we had a wonderful experience both in historical knowledge and in seeing the beauty of Israel. Everything was handled extremely professional and all your guides and drivers were prompt and experienced. I believe we all particularly enjoyed Mordi. He is quite a character but in a good way. And you certainly get the impression that he not only knows his history but loves what he does. … that VIP airport service is worth every penny. Regards, JoEllen
We are back home safe!!!!!! Wanted to thank you for the wonderful vacation. We are all very happy with your wonderful planning and explanations of the wonderful history in Israel. We hope to return soon and visit all the sites that time did not allow. Thanks again and please use our names for future recommendations. – Jorge
The trip was great — from start to finish. We were able to see every single thing on the itinerary and had a blast going everywhere. I’ve been trying to think of our favorite spot but it’s hard to nail down. The site at Bar’am was completely empty — Linda and I had the park to ourselves. The driving was great and we never hit any traffic jams (except for Nazareth). We got a chance to see our family that we haven’t visited since 1989 so that was special. And on that note — I want to say thank you so much for putting together the itinerary. We are already planning our trip for next year — this time to the south. We wanted to go into Petra next year from Eilat. Thanks again and talk to you soon! – Bill
The trip was fabulous. Thank you so much for all of the planning and hard work and especially for meeting us at Hertz with a full printout of our trip. It was our bible. Seffi and Sarah were both wonderful. We loved the desert and Seffi’s ‘inn.’ Atara loved the Qumran and the Palmach Museum, Ein Gedi and Masada. She was burned out on ruins by the time we got home, but it was the trip of a lifetime for both of us. Thank you again, Barbara.Our tour was terrific! Moti, our guide is unique in a wonderful way. He was always on time, always very helpful, always caring. Needless to say, his knowledge of Israel was astounding. There were times we thought our heads would burst because he wanted us to learn so badly! As a former teacher, I know how frustrating a class can be when you want them to get all there 
is out of an experience but Moti took our juvenile antics in stride. The places we visited were fascinating. I know it’s just a beginning perspective and I hope it isn’t long before we can return for more exploration. The hotels were fine especially the Dan. I enjoyed our stay at the Kibbutz. It’s beautifully run. Ayal was also a great guide. His enthusiasm and charm were very engaging. We really enjoyed seeing Jerusalem with him. Both guides care so much about Israel we couldn’t help sharing those feelings with them. Again thank you for creating such a wonderful trip for us and for your infinite patience. I hope we see you in the near future. Maxine H.
We asked Judy to recommend a luxury 2-day get-away for our special anniversary. Judy not only suggested the perfect place for us- Hamakom Suites, but sent us links to places of interest and restaurants in the area. We had a great time, it met all our expectations, and we highly recommend Judy for her expertise and caring attention. – Ellen & Charles H.
We still rave about our trip and all the wonderful people we met along the way. – Lynn
Everything went well the maps and info all worked, especially the GPS. My parents liked taking their time doing what they wanted and picking out what to see. Our favorite was Tzfat...
spectacular and the old synagogue was interesting, but the black path that was marked off was not well hiked by many people and was a little tough navigating, and clearing our way through it. Your directions to Netanya were good. We naturally found a lot of things to do. The Prima Roale hotel in Yerushalayim was exactly what we needed for this trip. We were unable to book the museums Palmach and Blind museum, but that will give us reason to return. Thank you for your help. We would like to try the Carmel Spa another time and other hikes and a whole list of other things. I’ve given your name to other people. M.A.
The hotel is lovely. The people here are so nice and helpful. My room is really nice and the service is top quality. Great breakfast and good dinner food. (just had some dinner in their casual restaurant)
Judy, without your help and advice, we would not have had such an extraordinary trip to Israel. Thank you for everything and don’t hesitate to use me as a reference. C.L.
The unexpected events (like a flat tire or needing to seek medical attention) gave us a true feel for the country and the people. Everyone we met was willing to help us in whatever way they could. This is not something you would get on a big bus tour. Getting lost (just about every day) also had its rewards. The one on one interaction with our tour guides, gas station attendants (is Israel the only place that still has full service gas stations?), park employees, restaurant and store owners was the most valuable experience I think we brought back with us.
Kurt, Sara and Gil were all well worth their fees. They were all professionals, knew their subject matter well and were able to answer any questions we had. Each one threw in experiences that we would not have been able to have had we been part of a large organized tour. In fact, as we passed many of the big tour groups I was feeling a little smug that we could tour at our own pace and not have to stick to some tight agenda. I would not hesitate to recommend any of these guides to other travelers.
I especially want to point out that our stay in Rosh Pina was the most enjoyable.
From tripadvisor.com forum: Judy has been extremely helpful, and I found her to be honest — her car rental was as good as I could get on my own, jeep tour price was the same as I paid when she was not involved, and she charged me a concierge fee for the hard-to-get tickets that was reasonable, I thought, for the lack of hassle. The guide she suggested at one point was very expensive, but I discovered later that was true of him anyhow, and also a number of other northern-located guides charged more than I was used to (and when she wasn’t involved.)
Your knowledge and insight in understanding the type of trip that my wife and I desired was right on target.
The trip to Israel was great and thanks to you for the helpful driving itinerary and hotels.
The cave and winery tour itself was more than we could have imagined and we really did enjoy every minute of it…even (and especially) us crawling into the caves and getting ourselves dirty….educated and satisfied…
Thank you again for offering us such a memorable experience during our family visit to Israel.
I personally want to thank you for making our trip such a great success. Your knowledge and insight in understanding the type of trip that my wife and I desired was right on target. You were able to provide independent travelers like us the feeling of unencumbered flexibility of a free style trip with the security of knowing where we would end up. Please accept our thanks to you and my recommendation to your clients in that allowing you to interview them and gain insight into what they wantwill allow them to have as great a trip as we did.
We just returned from our two weeks in Israel, and we wanted to thank you for your incredible driving itineraries, accommodations and recommendations. We absolutely loved Aniam, and despite driving rain (and snow!), the drive to Mt. Hermon with stops at all of the wineries , chocolate boutiques and great restaurants was an experience that we will never forget. Israel is an incredible country, and when we return (soon), we will be back in touch with you.
Love that itinerary – loaded with great ideas.
You’re the BEST.
Yeah!! We finally got the wonderful map of Israel you sent!
Bonnie Brown , the author of Giigle, How I Got Lucky Massaging Google, and her best friend, Bev, were our guests in Neve Tzedek. Here is what they said about their Drive-Israel.com trip in Israel: The trip to Israel was great and thanks to you for the helpful driving itinerary and hotels.
My favorite was the B&B outside of Nazareth . Yossi made our stay there warm with his company and “great breakfast”. We covered Israel from Eilat to the Lebanon border and always felt comfortable. The people were all so accommodating and eager to help us. Acco was particularly friendly and it was interesting to see the Jews, Arabs and Christians all living and working together in peace.
We (Bonnie and Bev) had a fantastic trip in Israel! I’m ready to move there… Thanks so much for your insights for our trip. They were definitely appreciated.
You have a “cool” site; I drive all the time when I/we are there and your site looks like a real resource.
We had a great time. Thanks for everything. My one comment would be that Kareis Deshe was a little too noisy for us, but the price was great.
Arnon and his cabins in Mattat were a wonderful addition to the trip and made touring the Galil very enjoyable. The only complaint was that he served way too much food for breakfast. We felt guilty that we couldn’t even come close to finishing everything he provided. Also, I think I told you the tour of the bedouin town that Arnon gave us was truly great.
…the trip was great and our friends are ready to go back.
Thanks so much for your hard work. The options were really helpful. Unfortunately, the visibilty was not good enough for snorkeling, so it was cancelled. We did get to Sachne, Rosh Hanikra, Ein Hod, and the mosaic at Kibbutz Alpha.
The Ein Hod portion was especially great.
Just wanted to let you know that everything you arranged for us was fantastic. The lodging in Caesarea and the Golan Heights was great and the activities were lots of fun for everyone.
Thanks so much. You made planning this trip a stress free endeavor.
