We are at a time when lazy Saturdays are not a thing anymore (but boy, do we miss them some days). Our children are ages three (at the end of March) and eighteen months and require our attention every hour most days; maybe you find yourselves in similar situations. Our son will play independently for the most part, but our wild one, our daughter, prefers to be out doing something and will let us know when she is not happy being at home. Because of this (and our love to explore), we have gotten out to do quite a bit with them during our time in Korea. This list isn’t an exhaustive list, but a list of some indoor and outdoor activities you can do with your kids while living in Korea (excluding kids' cafes).

Indoor Activities

I’ll start with indoor activities since it’s still winter out and you may be looking for something to do during these colder months. I’ll also note that we are based near Camp Humphreys so the distance and some of the activities are closer to that location.

1) Strawberry Picking at Valuable Farm

Since strawberries are grown in greenhouses in Korea, the strawberry season runs January until late April typically, though you can find them later. This is a great indoor family activity that is sweet and fun for everyone.

Located ten minutes from Camp Humphreys.

Entrance Fee: 3,000 won per person

Strawberries: Cost by weight

Schedule: Call or text Shim Seyong at 010-2025-2817

Address: 433-2 Chupal-ri Paengseong-eup Pyeongtaek-si Gyeonggi-do

Parking: Parking lot with plenty of spaces

2) National Children’s Science Center (Seoul)

This was an excellent place for the kids to get hands-on playtime indoors. The only downside with the exhibits is there are no English translations (some museums have both, just not here), so just be prepared if you go. They also enjoyed playing with the drum, life-size keyboard, mirror box, indoor playground, and more. Leif gave the giant dinosaur exhibit a hard pass when it started growling. If the weather permits, you can pair this visit with the Changgyeonggung Palace.

Address: 215 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Admission: 2,000 won per adult, children under 7 free

Hours: 9:30-17:30, closed Mondays

Parking: Lot down the street closer to the Changgyeonggung Palace

3) COEX Aquarium (Seoul) + Starfield Library

We have taken our kids to the COEX Aquarium twice now when they weather hasn’t fully cooperated while we were in Seoul. Pair this trip with a visit to the famous Starfield Library located at the other end of the mall.

Above: Starfield COEX Library

Address: 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Located in the Starfield COEX Mall.

Hours: 10-20:00 7 days a week. Check for holiday closings.

Admission: Prebook early online 26,000 won for adult, 23,000 children 3-12, kids 3 and under free. They will ask for your passport if you are a foreigner and pay on site.

4) Sejong National Arboretum

We recently went to Sejong National Arboretum and really enjoyed our visit there. You can read more about that here, but there is so much to do and it’s only an hour away from Camp Humphreys.

Hours: 9-18:00 March-October, 9-17:00 November-February. Closed Mondays.

Address: 136, Sumogwon-ro, Sejong-si

세종특별자치시 연기면 수목원로 136

Metro: From Seoul Station, take a KTX train to Osong Station [오송역], which is a 45-minute journey. This is the nearest KTX station in proximity to Sejong.

Admission: 5,000 won for adults, 3,000 for kids, children 6 and under free.

Outdoor Activities

When we are able to get outdoors, we take advantage as much as possible. Because of that, my outdoor list is much longer than my indoor.

5) Pinnacle Land

The very first place we ventured out to when we arrived in Korea was Pinnacle Land. We were staying in lodging on post and desperately need to get out and do something. I found Pinnacle Land online and off we went. It’s a beautiful botanical garden with alpacas and goats on site, a small waterfall at the top of the hill (with great views over the city below) and in the summer a small swimming area for kids to play and cool off.

Pinnacle Land is located about thirty minutes southwest of Camp Humphreys.

Address: Chungcheongnam-do, Asan-si, Yeongin-myeon, Wolseon-gil, 20-42 KR

Hours: 9-18:00 7 days a week. Check online for holiday closings.

Admission: Adults 12,000 won| Teenagers 10,000 won | Children 9,000 won

Muhly grass during fall at Anseong Farmland

6) Anseong Farmland

We have taken our kids to Anseong Farmland twice during our time here in Korea, both times during the fall when the fields of cosmos and muhly grass were blooming. Anseong is a great place for families with younger children, they have numerous farm animals you can feed, playground areas, a small indoor trampoline park and acres of wildflowers blooming in the fall. In the late summer those fields are filled with sunflowers though we never made it out to see those.

Anseong is located twenty-five minutes from Camp Humphreys.

Address: 28 Daesindu-gil, Gongdo-eup, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do

Hours: 10-18:00 7 days a week

Admission: 12,000 won adults | 10,00 won kids (over 36 months). Discounts for living in Pyeongtaek and discounts for being US Soldier (show ID).

7) Naeri Park

If you are stationed at Camp Humphreys with little ones, prepare to spend a lot of time at Naeri Park. Located outside of the Yoon Gate, the park is perched along the river offering wide open spaces to run, a large playground, and a riverfront trail for walking or biking. A water playground is set to open in summer 2024 which will be another big draw for families looking for a respite from the hot summer temperatures. They also have a large area of muhly grass that is popular for portraits in the fall.

Address: 산4-1 Nae-ri, Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do

8) Bee & Honey Cafe + Hike

This was the first hike we did as a family of four. It’s a super easy 1.5 mile hike that is perfect for getting outdoors with the little ones. The entrance to the trail (Maansan Trail) is across the street from the cafe, and after your hike, enjoy beverages and desserts from the cafe. There are hundreds of bee hives behind the cafe so just be aware there are bees flying everywhere in case anyone in your group has allergies.

Bee & Honey is located twenty minutes from Camp Humphreys.

Address: Gyeonggi-do, Pyeongtaek-si, Hyeondeok-myeon, Hyeondeok-ro, 748 KR

Hours: 10-19:00 Saturday-Wednesday, 9-19:00 Thursday & Friday

Parking: Small lot, mostly street parking

9) Elephant Rock Hike

We really loved this hike with our family. The hike is 1.8 miles there and back, with two different routes. We chose to go straight to the rock beach, which meant hiking down and back up rock stairs that get pretty slippery when wet, so just be aware when you go with littles. We took it nice and slow, wearing both kids on our backs, and let them explore the rock beach once we got there. Our son loves rocks, so this was a big hit despite the late August heat.

Elephant Rock is located an hour away from Camp Humphreys.

Address: Hwanggeumsan Mountain 충남 서산시 대산읍 독곶리

Naver: https://map.naver.com/p/entry/place/17582896?c=15.00,0,0,0,dh

Admission: Free

10) Gyeongbokgung Palace

Listed on almost every travel guide to Seoul is Gyeongbokgung Palace, and with good reason. This historical landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site was the primary and most significant of the five palaces of the Joseon Dynasty. Initially built in 1395, the palace has been destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions, now showcasing an accurate reconstruction of the palace’s past. The grounds are extensive and include:

Museums (the National Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum)
Gardens
Changing of the guard ceremony that is fun for everyone to watch

You can easily spend hours here, and it is also a popular place to rent Korean hanboks and have portraits done on the palace grounds. The expansive open grounds make it an excellent place for kids to run free and explore.

Address: 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Hours: 9-18:00

Admission: Free if you are wearing a hanbok. 3,000 won for adult if in normal clothing attire.

Parking: Deck underground on palace grounds

Changing of Guard Times: 10 & 14:00

11) Yongin Daejanggeum Park

Yongin Daejanggeum Park is one the largest open air sets in Korea and is a fantastic place to visit with children. I go a little more in depth here, but if you are looking for an outdoor location within an hour of Camp Humphreys to spend a few hours, this is a great spot. I recommend pairing it with a visit to Kojeon Antique (for the adults) if you are in the area!

Address: 25, Yongcheon drama-gil, Baegam-myeon, Cheoin-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do 17182 South Korea

Hours:

9:00-18:00 (March-October)

9:00-17:00 (November-February)

Admission: 9,500 won for adults, children 4 and under free

12) Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park

We took a road trip to Mungyeong in early June when the weather was perfect for hiking. Located just under two hours from Camp Humphreys, this scenic park is part of Mt. Joryeongsan. It consists of three legendary boundary gates constructed after the Japanese invaded Korea in 1592. This is a beautiful hike past flowing streams, towering rocks, a small waterfall, and a temple (if you walk long enough). There is also a location where you can visit a KBS drama studio that specializes in historical dramas. We skipped this since we were just there to hike, but it is an option if you love K dramas!

If you decide you want to hike all the way to the third boundary gate, it will take roughly 4-5 hours to reach. We hiked for a few hours and turned back at the waterfall when our kids had reached their limit. If you want to reach Hyeguksa Temple (this was our initial goal), it’s located thirty minutes past the waterfall. The hike itself was flat and shaded until we reached the small waterfall.

If you want to make this trip an overnight trip, there is a Ramada Inn nearby and plenty of food options outside of the park.

Address: 932, Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
경상북도 문경시 문경읍 새재로 932 (문경읍)

Admission: Free for hiking

Parking: 2,000 won

Geumgang Nature Biennale: Yeonmisan Nature Art Park

13) Yeonmisan Nature Art Park

This is a great location to get outdoors and enjoy art that the kids can climb and play on. There are roughly sixty installations throughout the park, with ten of them being bears. There are steps and some hiking involved to get around the park so I would not recommend bringing a stroller.

Yeonmisan Nature Art Park is located an hour from Camp Humphreys.

Address: 98 Yeonmisangogae-gil, Useong-myeon, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do (충청남도 공주시 우성면 연미산고개길 98

Admission: 5,000 won adults | 3,000 won children | Toddlers/babies free

Hours: 10-18:00, closed Mondays

14) Gwangmyeong Cave

Once the largest metal mines in the area, Siheung Mine, as it was known in 1912, produced bronze, gold, silver, and zinc for 60 years. During the Korean War, it became a shelter for local residents. After an extended closure, it reopened in 2011 as a cave theme park.

Address: 경기도 광명시 가학로85번길 142 (가학동) | 142, Gahak-ro 85beon-gil, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do
Admission: Adult 6,000 won | Youth 3,500 won | Child 2,000 won

Hours: 9-18:00, closed on Mondays.

Things to Do in Korea with Kids