Our recent summer holiday to South Korea was a trip packed with culture, stunning cityscapes, vibrant street markets, and plenty of kid friendly experiences. With a travel group of three adults (including a senior) and two kids aged 2 and 5, we had to strike a balance between exploration and rest, especially in the sweltering summer heat. Here’s a day by day breakdown, complete with tips, must-visits, and our top food picks.
✈️ Quick Overview
- Travel party: 3 adults, 2 small kids
- Season: Summer (hot and humid). We kept each day’s itinerary light to enjoy the day more comfortably.
- Restaurants we liked that had kid friendly & pescatarian dishes have been marked with 🍴
📍 Seoul – Culture, Cafés & City Views (Days 1–5)
Day 1: Markets & Sunset Magic
- Namdaemun Market – A sensory feast and perfect for local snacks and souvenirs.
- Sungnyemun Gate – Historic, photogenic, and right next door.
- Yeouido Hangang Park – Sunset spot with magical views of the city skyline and riverside strolls.
- Itaewon nightlife – A nightlife hotspot. Waikiki was our pick of the bars (bring your passport for entry!).
🍴 153 (Namdaemun Market): Cozy and kid-friendly. https://maps.app.goo.gl/qaKWDgs6a52DvVSU8.
Day 2: Museum Calm
- National Museum of Korea – lots of history, beautiful, and air-conditioned.
🍴Udon Kinoya (Yongsan): Comforting, non-spicy noodles https://udonkinoya.com/
Day 3: Royal Seoul
- Gyeongbokgung Palace – Come for the guards, stay for the history. Free English tours on offer. Also free entry if you are wearing a Hanbok/traditional attire. Plenty of places to rent Hanboks around the palace but this activity would be more comfortable for people without very young kids and seasons other than summer.
- The Blue House – Free and currently opened to the public, bring your passport for entry.
- Bosingak Bell & Cheonggyecheon Stream – Easy walk, nice vibe.
- Myeongdong Night Markets – Hello skincare and street food.
🍴 Sorry Espresso Bar (Gyeongbokgung): Their mango bingsu is a dream! https://share.google/s92uaPpQSEsmgycEs
🍴 Myeongdong Kyoja main (Myengdong Markets): Dumplings were a winner. https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g294197-d6692392-Reviews-Myeongdong_Kyoja_Main-Seoul.html
Day 4: Temples & Traditions
- Jogyesa Temple & Ujeongchongguk – Peaceful spots to slow down.
- Bukchon Hanok Village – Explore beautiful traditional homes. Restricted access 5PM–10AM.
🍴 HanMoeChon (near Bukchon): Charming tea house with vegetarian options.https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g294197-d3616559-Reviews-HanMoeChon-Seoul.html).
Day 5: Temples & Towers
- Bongeunsa Temple – A serene escape in the heart of the city.
- CoEx Mall & Starfield Library – That Insta-famous book wall? It’s here.
- Gangnam Statue – Obligatory photo stop.
- Seoul Sky – End your day with panoramic city views (last entry: 10pm).
🍴 Hangang Sot (Yongsan): Delicious rice bowls https://share.google/IOCcl4030Y2DgbIh7
🌊 Busan – Beaches, Seafood & Chill (Days 6–11)
Day 6: To the Coast
- KTX to Busan – 3.5 hours of smooth sailing (well, rails).
- Haeundae Beach – 40 mins from station, toes in sand by sunset.
🍴 Haenam Jjamppong: fried rice and jajamyeong was the winner https://maps.app.goo.gl/mNSo98bcdAGcJe5eA
Day 7: Rest Mode
- Beach and Haeundae Market – Low-key, kid-friendly, snack-filled day.
🍴 Somaek Bakery (Centum City) – Delicious croissants https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/whereToGo/locIntrdn/rgnContentsView.do?vcontsId=94755
Day 8: Gyeongju Day Trip
- Bulguksa Temple – Gorgeous but not stroller-friendly (stairs galore).
- Woljeonggyo Bridge, Gyochon Village, Royal Tombs – Picture-perfect heritage spots.
- Getting there: Uber took 1–1.5 hours.
🍴 Kyochon Sam Baek Nyeon Jip (Gyeongju) – Hearty traditional meals https://naver.me/54Lbr9v7
🍴 Kyochon Garam (Gyeongju) – Try the Injeolmi bingsu/ice cream combo and join the rice cake pounding! https://naver.me/5ssTVKxz
Day 9: Rest Mode
- Haeundae beach
- Blue Line Park Sky Capsule – Book a 7PM ride for the views.
- Tip: Start at Changsapo, ride to Mipo (less crowded that way).
🍴Nohong Dumplings (Haeundae Market): A must-try https://maps.app.goo.gl/mhwEZtWDyWybk1g69
Day 10: Cliffside Temple
- Haedong Yonggungsa – Temple by the sea = must see.
- The initial plan was to cover Gamcheon Culture Village, Jagalchi Market and BIFF square this day but we decided against it due to the heat and spent the day at Haeundae beach instead.
🍴NewCZ Rooftop Café (Haeundae): Amazing views and mild blue swimmer crab ramen for kids
Day 11: Back to Seoul
- KTX to Seoul
- Taxi to Incheon (40 mins)
🍴TOUS les JOURS or Paris Croissant: Bakery staples. Found at most subway stations
🏙️ Incheon – Street Art & Theme Parks (Days 12–13)
Day 12: Fairy Tales & Chinatown
- Incheon Chinatown – Fun for foodies.
- Emperors steps and Uiseondang Shrine – For a little bit of history
- Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village – Quirky photo ops for the kids.
- Sinpo Market – Local bites, legendary fried chicken and custard tarts
🍴Yanjing Chinatown Headstore: So many great food choices https://share.google/KOjkxdhGCPCzwUqMf
🍴Sinpo Market (Incheon): The fried chicken at Original Sinpo Dakgangjeong and custard tarts were exceptional https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/contents/infoBscView.do?vcontsId=174438
Day 13: Final Fun
- Paradise City & Wonderbox – A fun finale ideal for families (though limited rides for toddlers under 90cm).
- Inspire Entertainment Resort – This was recommended by a few guests at our hotel. We didn’t get to visit, but you might want to check it out.
🏨 Where We Stayed
Seoul: Novotel Ambassador Dragon City, Yongsan
- Quiet location, city views, central to major attractions and interconnecting rooms.
- If it’s your first time in Seoul, you might prefer staying in Myeongdong for easier access to shopping and street food.
Busan: NewCZ Haeundae Residence
- Spacious apartments, ideal for families. Walking distance to the Haeundae beach with spectacular views.
Incheon Airport: Ibis Styles Ambassador
- Options for ocean view rooms or airport view rooms (kids loved watching planes!).
- Located next to Terminal 2, but shuttle buses run frequently to Terminals 1 and 2.
🚉 Getting Around
- Public Transport: Efficient and reliable. Get a T-money card at the airport or convenience stores.
- Uber: Reliable in Seoul and Busan, patchy in Incheon.
- KTX: Fast and efficient for intercity travel (Seoul–Busan in ~3.5 hours). Book tickets in advance, because they get sold out. We booked our tickets at the Seoul station.
📱 Must Have Apps
- Naver Maps – Best for directions (Google Maps is limited in Korea).
- Papago – Brilliant for translating menus, signs, and conversations.
👟 Insider Tips
- Comfortable shoes: You’ll walk. A lot.
- Pram friendly routes: Mostly accessible.
- Infant nappies: Nappies are hard to find, pack your own. Lottemart Zettaplex near Seoul Station carries essentials and a lot more.
- Swimming caps: Required at most hotel pools
- Fruit is rare and pricey: Convenience stores have bananas and watermelon, but not much else.
- Rain gear: Summer is also the rainy season.
- Carry a physical card/cash: Apple Pay isn’t accepted everywhere. We used a WISE card and exchanged cash at the exchange shops near the hotel and at the station.
- Tax refunds: Foreign tourists can receive a refund of domestic tax (such as VAT). Some stores like UNIQLO, Olive Young, Daiso, Lotte process tax refunds at the purchase counter (you need to have the passport). Ask your hotel for a special invoice to claim tax on your hotel stay. Claim at Incheon Airport (Gate 28) after customs. More info – https://english.visitseoul.net/taxrefund
- Arriving late? SIM cards might not be available after 11PM at the airport, and immigration counter queues can be very long and time consuming.
- Kid friendly culture: Locals are warm and generous with children.
- Language matters: Learning a few Korean phrases (hello = “ahn-nyeong-ha-se-yo”, thank you = “gahm-sah-hahm-nee-dah”) goes a long way!
- Kid friendly dishes: Gimbap, kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), gukbap (soup rice), bibimbap, mandu (dumplings), japchae, jeon (Korean pancakes), and samgyetang (chicken soup).
- Matina lounge at the Incheon airport Terminal 1 had a great selection of food and beverages. I’m rating it better than AMEX lounge in Sydney.
- Seongsu and Hongdae: popular for shopping and cute cafes, two areas we had planned to go but didn’t get to. Consider a visit if you have more time in Seoul.
- Mosquitoes: there were mozzies around sunset/night, we used patches and topical cream on our kids which we took from Australia.
- Official tourism web page: https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/main/index.do
🎁 Bonus Find for Stray Kids Fans
If you’re a fellow Stay, Lottemart Zettaplex in Seoul has Staykids/Pepero collabs that make great souvenirs. I also found official photocards and albums near the Haeundae Traditional Market.
Would we go again? In a heartbeat.
South Korea was family friendly, efficient, and full of charm. With the right pace and a little prep, it’s the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation, even with tiny humans in tow.
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