I vaguely recall hearing nice things about the beach at Ashdod. IIRC, the current runs northwards along the coast, so the water immediately south of T-A is cleaner than at T-A itself. Azor (I looked it up on the map as I don't know it) certainly looks convenient for T-A.
When I asked my father what I could do to support Israel, now that I was busy with my own new family and no longer active in the community, he said 'go there on holiday'. My family has long and current connections with Israel, have served in the army and have no intention of ever submitting to terrorism. Even so, previously when things were particularly rough there, my family, and friends and relatives in Israel, were saying not to come, not when I was pregnant or with a young baby - they felt the gesture wasn't worth the risk. This year everyone in Israel feels far safer, and all were delighted for us to come.
TBH, I too was a little uncomfortable about using buses, but when you see the security precautions everywhere I think you'll feel reassured. At every entrance to every building with public access that we wnet to - including malls and restaurants with outside entrance - there are security guards who check your bags and swipe you, the baby, the buggy, everything with a detector. To get into the train station we had to show ID - fortunately we had our passports with us. The regular buses don't have that sort of precaution, so no doubt that's why they are targeted. We went on a couple of buses because ds was very excited about the 'bendybuses' ('Are there bendybuses in England, Mummy?' so we rode a few stops to Museon HaAretz outside rushhour.
I vaguely recall hearing nice things about the beach at Ashdod. IIRC, the current runs northwards along the coast, so the water immediately south of T-A is cleaner than at T-A itself. Azor (I looked it up on the map as I don't know it) certainly looks convenient for T-A.