I have been to Tel Aviv at least 10 times through a past job.
Whilst the airport is a bit of a pain it is not as bad as you would think. The hype is over rated. Interrogations don't exist. Not really any worse than going to the states. You do have multiple security searches where laptops are checked, shoes scanned but so what, its an airport, you may as well be doing that rather than sitting in the lounge.
Other than that the airport is fine (apart from if you fly to London the smoking section is at the gate, good if you smoke though).
Anyway, Ben Gurion airport is fine, plenty of ways to get to the city from there. Huge taxi rank there with a controller so you don't have to jostle for a cab. Should cost you around 35 nis to get to town depending on where your going.
When you get to town I would recommend staying in one of the better beach front hotels. There are a number of good ones along the front. If you can avoid the ones right at the tope end of the beach, near the harbour. At night it becomes one of the seedy areas. On a past trip I went out to buy some cigarettes only to be propositioned by two prostitutes (yes 2) whilst on the phone to my wife. It gets a bit quiet up there also, possibly not where you'd want to be in the dark. On another note crime in general is not bad in the city. Again at the top end whilst staying in a hotel with a work mate we were subject to a rather clever thief.
The rest of the city however is great. The main area of town is full of the usual shops and bars.
The beach at the weekend comes alive. Temperatures get hot and the drink starts a flowing. You'll find loads of places to stop off. If you get time then get yourself a tour guide to take you down to Jaffa. That's the old town at the other end of the beach. Worth a visit. Loads of history and ancient buildings. You'll be surprised that anything that old can be in such a new looking city. Also down that way you'll find the bizarre and the market, worth a treck.
Eating out is never a problem here. One place that is different is in Jaffa itself. A Lebanese restaurant, always packed out with traditional food.
A word of advise for Tel Aviv, don't drive or hire a car. They don't give a monkey when driving, they drive at you not around you.
If like me your there for work and your far out of town then please oh please make sure you've ordered a cab well in advance. On my first trip there in a full suit I didn't know. Left work at 7pm, still hot, no passing Taxi. A short walk later and I found a number of cabs but as I hadn't booked they laughed instead and sent me away. If you do get stuck, go in to the nearest bar, have a drink, order a cab and wait.
Overall a cracking city. Don't believe everything you see on the news about Israel and Tel Aviv. You may run out of things to do after a week but as a stop of to Israel its well worth the stop.
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