We had eaten breakfast in Seoul and taken my sister-in-law home, but going straight home ourselves felt a little too soon. So we took the girls to Children’s Grand Park.
Table Of Content
- Our Seoul trip in photographs and film
- The same neighbourhood, a different reason to come
- Making up for the visit we could not finish
- A family photograph among the plants
- Elephants, then a photograph by the fountain
- This time, the rides were part of the day
- Getting to the right park
- What is open, and what costs extra?
- How I would fit it into a family Seoul itinerary
- Questions from visitors to Seoul
- Is this Seoul Grand Park?
- Does free entry include the rides?
- Can we visit the botanical garden shown in your pictures?
- Was this a separate full-day trip?
- Back to a place I knew as a child
- More from our two days in Seoul
I lived in Neung-dong, in Seoul’s Gwangjin district, from the age of seven until fifth grade. I used to come to this park all the time with older boys from the neighbourhood. On June 7, 2023, I came back as the dad bringing his own two daughters.
Our trip at a glance
Visit: June 7, 2023
Place: Seoul Children’s Grand Park, Neung-dong, Gwangjin-gu
Our group: My wife and me with our two daughters
What we saw then: Botanical garden, zoo and amusement park
Important today: The botanical garden is closed for renovation. Its photographs below are from 2023.
Our Seoul trip in photographs and film
About three minutes, combining our photographs and short clips. On-screen captions are in Korean; this article provides the English story and visitor notes.
The same neighbourhood, a different reason to come
A lot had changed since my childhood. Instead of following the neighbourhood boys around, I was walking through with my wife and children. We took a picture near the entrance before looking around.
If you are new to Seoul, save the full name: Seoul Children’s Grand Park / 서울어린이대공원. This is in Neung-dong, eastern Seoul. It is not Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, a different destination that can easily come up in an English search.
Making up for the visit we could not finish
We had brought the girls once before, when they were still in kindergarten and COVID was beginning to spread. The amusement park was closed and we left without being able to look around properly.
This time we wanted to see more: the animals, the botanical garden and the rides. It became quite a full outing for something we had added after checking out of the hotel.
A family photograph among the plants
We went into the botanical garden and took a family photograph on a bench, with plants filling the space behind us. It was one of several stops before the rides.
Please do not plan a visit to the botanical garden based on these photographs. The operator says it closed on May 27, 2026 for renovation, with construction planned through the second half of 2027. Check the reopening announcement before including it in a future trip. Official renovation notice (Korean).
Elephants, then a photograph by the fountain
At the zoo we watched the elephants and recorded short videos as well as photographs. Those clips are included in the family film near the top of this page.
We also stopped to photograph the girls beside a fountain. Between the entrance, the garden and the animals, we were already collecting quite a few pictures of the day.
This time, the rides were part of the day
We finally got to include the amusement park that we had missed on our earlier visit. The girls sat side by side on a ride; our photographs and clips also show a carousel and a little train.
I was outside with the camera for some of those rides. We had already done quite a bit of sightseeing the day before, but this was a different way to finish our Seoul trip.
Getting to the right park
The park is at 216 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul / 서울 광진구 능동로 216. The operator lists Children’s Grand Park Station (어린이대공원역), Line 7, Exit 1 for the main entrance, and Achasan Station (아차산역), Line 5, Exit 4 for the rear entrance. Official transport FAQ (Korean).
The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s English parks guide also lists the park and both stations. We came after taking my sister-in-law home, so I have not presented the subway directions as our own route from the hotel.
Choose the entrance around what you want to see first, and check step-free access separately if travelling with a stroller or wheelchair. A named station exit is not a guarantee of an accessible route.
What is open, and what costs extra?
| Part of the visit | September 2026 planning note |
|---|---|
| Park grounds | 05:00–22:00; entry is free |
| Zoo | 10:00–17:00; weather or animal-care restrictions can affect viewing |
| Botanical garden | Closed from May 27, 2026; renovation planned through the second half of 2027 |
| Amusement rides | Separate paid facilities; check operation, current tickets and height restrictions |
| Enquiries | +82-2-450-9311 |
Sources: operator’s visitor information and the botanical garden notice linked above. Checked September 10, 2026. Park opening hours do not mean every facility runs for the same hours.
How I would fit it into a family Seoul itinerary
For us, the reason to come was personal: this was my old neighbourhood, and I wanted to revisit the park with the girls. For a visitor, it can be a day with animals and rides between busier sightseeing days. You do not need to recreate every stop in our 2023 outing, especially while the botanical garden is closed.
I would choose the activities first, then leave room for breaks. Take water and sun protection for outdoor time, check the weather and bring a layer if needed. If rides are the main reason for coming, confirm their operating day and the children’s height requirements before setting off. I have not quoted a ride-package price because we did not keep a reliable record of what we paid.
Questions from visitors to Seoul
Is this Seoul Grand Park?
No. This is Seoul Children’s Grand Park in Neung-dong, Gwangjin-gu. Save 서울어린이대공원 and its street address to avoid confusing it with the park in Gwacheon.
Does free entry include the rides?
No. Entry to the park grounds is free, but amusement rides are separately charged. Check the relevant ticket before buying.
Can we visit the botanical garden shown in your pictures?
Not at present. Those pictures are from 2023. Follow the operator’s renovation and reopening notices for a future visit.
Was this a separate full-day trip?
We came after breakfast and taking my sister-in-law home on the second day of our Seoul stay. It was our final outing before going home.
Back to a place I knew as a child
We had spent a night at the hotel with my mother-in-law, seen my sister-in-law and walked around central Seoul. Then we finished in the neighbourhood where I had grown up.
The park had changed, but this time we managed the visit we had missed during the early COVID period. We saw the plants and animals, the girls went on rides, and we headed home with another set of family photographs.
More from our two days in Seoul
- Part 1 · Our night at The Westin Josun Seoul
- Part 2 · Cheonggyecheon, Namdaemun and Myeongdong
- Part 3 · Back to Dad's childhood park
Travel dates: June 6–7, 2023. Visitor information checked September 10, 2026. Based on our family experience and photographs, with current planning notes kept separate. Confirm arrangements with the relevant operator before visiting.
