travel - Why did Eliyahu go to the outskirts of Bes El but right into Y'richo?

In Ⅱ M'lachim, chapter 2, Eliyahu is about to be carried off to heaven, and his student, Elisha, knows it. Verses 2–5, with emphasis supplied:

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ אֶל אֱלִישָׁע שֵׁב נָא פֹה כִּי ה׳ שְׁלָחַנִי עַד בֵּית אֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע חַי ה׳ וְחֵי נַפְשְׁךָ אִם אֶעֶזְבֶךָּ וַיֵּרְדוּ בֵּית אֵל.‏

Eliyahu told Elisha: "Stay here, please, for God has sent me as far as Bes El." Elisha replied: "By the life of God and by your life, lest I leave you." They went down to Bes El.

וַיֵּצְאוּ בְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים אֲשֶׁר בֵּית אֵל אֶל אֱלִישָׁע וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו הֲיָדַעְתָּ כִּי הַיּוֹם ה׳ לֹקֵחַ אֶת אֲדֹנֶיךָ מֵעַל רֹאשֶׁךָ וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם אֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי הֶחֱשׁוּ.‏

The prophecy interns in Bes El came out to Elisha. "Did you know God's taking your master from over your head today?" they asked him. He said: "I knew that, too. Be quiet."

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אֵלִיָּהוּ אֱלִישָׁע שֵׁב נָא פֹה כִּי ה׳ שְׁלָחַנִי יְרִיחוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר חַי ה׳ וְחֵי נַפְשְׁךָ אִם אֶעֶזְבֶךָּ וַיָּבֹאוּ יְרִיחוֹ.‏

Eliyahu told him: "Elisha, stay here, please, for God has sent me to Y'richo." Elisha replied: "By the life of God and by your life, lest I leave you." They went in to Y'richo.

וַיִּגְּשׁוּ בְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים אֲשֶׁר בִּירִיחוֹ אֶל אֱלִישָׁע וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו הֲיָדַעְתָּ כִּי הַיּוֹם ה׳ לֹקֵחַ אֶת אֲדֹנֶיךָ מֵעַל רֹאשֶׁךָ וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם אֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי הֶחֱשׁוּ.‏

The prophecy interns in Y'richo approached Elisha. "Did you know God's taking your master from over your head today?" they asked him. He said: "I knew that, too. Be quiet."

It seems that Eliyahu went to the outskirts of Bes El (so the interns had to come out), but into the city of Y'richo. Why the difference in destination?

Answer

Malbim on this wording (verse 2) explains that Elijah did not want to enter Beth-el, because one of Jeroboam's calf statues was there (Kings I 12:28-29).