7 Days in Seoul, South Korea with Kids
We finally managed to do our 2020 trip to Seoul, in 2023! It was cancelled at the last minute in 2020 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and it was only in April 2023 that we managed to rebook it. And it was 100% worth the wait. So read on for our guide to 7 days in Seoul, South Korea with Kids.
We visit South Korea, from the UK, in April 2023. Our daughters were 8 and 5 at the time of travel.
The flights are long from England, and because planes avoid Russian airspace now it added quite a few hours to our flight. We flew with Finnair via Helsinki and I actually wouldn’t recommend them…check out our instagram to see why!
We arrived early in the morning Seoul time so pushed through the jetlag and after a shower and a refresh we headed out for our first explore.
Day 1
Insadong
Our hotel (Orakai Insadong Suites) was located in Insadong and I can really recommend this area as a place to stay. It’s the older part of Seoul, with quirky alleys and loads of restaurants and shops. It’s also located amongst all the Palaces, a real focal point in Seoul. Our accommodation was a 3-bedroom apartment and it was a great base for a week.
Gyeongbokgung Palace
This Palace is the main one in Seoul and it’s huge. The entrance fee is very affordable and it’s definitely worth visiting. It is closed on Tuesdays. From here you can walk down Sejong-Daero enjoying the water fountains (our children loved running in them), marvel at the huge statues (including King Sejong).
Cheonggyecheon Stream
At the end of Sejong-Daero you can turn left and start the beautiful walk down Cheonggyecheon Stream. We enjoyed sitting by the water for a bit resting our legs. The stream actually continues for 10.9km and was the result of a huge restoration project. It was actually frowned upon to begin with but over time it has become a really popular part of the City. We came across it a number of times when we were walking around as its so long, and I would definitely recommend taking a little time to sit and relax there.
Day 2
Namsan Seoul Tower
The Namsan Seoul Tower is located on Nam Mountain in Central Seoul and is really worth a visit to see Seoul from above. You can walk up to it or take the cable car. We walked up to the cable car on the way up but on the way down we got the cable car and then the lift down to Myeongdong.
The views are actually pretty amazing just from the peak on Nam Mountain let alone up at the top of the Tower. There are a number of different viewing areas, places to eat and shop. We got french fries and drinks and enjoyed the view for a bit.
Day 3
Bukchon Hanok Village
Buckchon Hankon Village is a Korean traditional village in the centre of Seoul. We didn’t spend that long there, probably about 1 hour and then we found lunch just on the outskirts of it. I would recommend either going first thing in the morning or at dusk as it was really busy when we were there about 11am. People often dress up in traditional Hamboks and there are numerous rental shops in the area.
Changdeokgung Palace
Close to Bukchon Hanok Village is Changdeokgung Palace which is considered the best preserved Palace in Seoul. Entrance is cheap and we found it less busy than the main Palace at Gyeongbokgung. Because it is huge it is easy to find areas entirely to yourself to sit, relax and enjoy the stunning architecture.
Day 4
DMZ tour
Dave has always wanted to do the DMZ tour (Demiliterised Zone) so it was a must for us during our visit to South Korea. Unfortunately the weather was appalling all day so any views into North Korea were pretty poor. If you can, do check the weather in advance of booking. We were also booked onto a tour for 10am and the evening before got messaged to say we would actually be leaving at 4.30am. This is because the tickets sell out early for the DMZ so tour groups need to get there early (and its a bit of a race between tour groups so they don’t publicise how early they leave). It was a bit of a shock to find out and also a bit challenging with our jetlag already making us so tired! However, I’m pleased we did the tour. We were back in Seoul by 3pm.
Day 5
Gangnam Style Statue
Another must do for us was to see the now famous Gangnam Style Statue in Gangnam. The song Gangnam style broke YouTube download records and is one of the most famous songs of recent years. To celebrate this a huge statue of hands (to symbolise the dance that goes along with the song) is located just outside Coex Mall. When we were there the song wasn’t playing when you stood on the stage but hopefully that was just a glitch.
Starfield Coex Mall
Starfield Coex Mall is the largest underground Mall in the World and it is HUGE. You could happily spend a day (or more) shopping here. However, with kids in tow, we just stopped at the California Pizza Kitchen for pizza delivered by robots! We then enjoyed a little window shopping before heading to Starfield Library.
Starfield Library
Starfield Library is fast becoming THE thing to see in Coex Mall. Almost more of a social media attraction than a library it is stunning. The centre of the library changes frequently but when we were there it was a beautiful display of flowers. Make sure you go up each escalator for different views.
Bongeunsa Temple
Opposite Coex Mall is Bongeunsa Temple, which is a perfect example of old next to new. It dates back to 794 and was refurbished in 1498.
The highlight of the temple though is a 28 meter (91 foot) stone statue of Maitreya, the Future Buddha. When we were there the temple was decorated with beautiful colourful lanterns and there was blossom trees dotted around.
Color Pool Museum
On our way back to our apartment in Insadong we happened to spot the Color Pool Museum advert and decided to see what it was about. It was located on the top floor of a department store in the middle of Insadong.
Whilst expensive for what it is (about £35 for the 4 of us) the girls had so much fun and we were really pleased we went. It’s a clever concept and a bit different so I’d recommend it for families in Seoul.
Day 6
Lotte World
I have to say this was what I was most excited about for our trip to South Korea. Lotte World is the Worlds largest indoor Amusement park and it’s absolutely enormous. It has both an indoor and outdoor area but we spent the majority of the time indoors.
It’s an outstanding place and can be a bit overwhelming, especially as the signage is mostly in Korean. However, make sure you pick up a map (from the main entrance) or download it in advance on your phone and you will be fine. Also, be prepared to walk a lot, we did 30,000 steps that day!
Day 7
Cafe Street, Seoul Forest
We found this street almost by chance but I’m really pleased we did. The clue is in the name but this really is a street full of cafes. They range from bakery-style places to pizza and brunch stops. It is right next to Seoul Forest so is ideal to combine with a walk in the beautiful forest (which is more like a park).
We went to Teddy’s Oven which has some delicious cakes and drinks to enjoy on the terrace. After that we hired the girls a double go kart and spent a while exploring Seoul Forest.
Lotte Department Store
Somewhere we wished we had found sooner was Lotte Department Store. With an incredible food hall (after a week of struggling to find vegetarian foods we found lots here), you can shop to your heart’s content with everything you’d expect a department store to offer.
Myeongdong
Right next to the Lotte Department Store is the shopping district of Meyongdong. With food stalls, quirky shops (think lots of face masks and socks!), cat cafes and all the normal shops like H&M and Nike. We found some Crocs for our eldest and browsed for a phone case (as mine had broken). You could spend a long time window shopping in the district if you had the time.
Summary
Thank you for reading 7 Days in Seoul, South Korea with Kids. We had the most amazing holiday in South Korea. It is obviously a really long way from London but so worth it for the wonderful experiences that we had.
For more holiday ideas check out our 3 days in Disneyland Paris Itinerary.
