Everyone, both young and old, deserves the chance to return to their childlike state at a theme park! Besides Seoul landmarks like Lotte World, there are plenty of brilliant theme parks in Seoul and across the metropolitan area that are easily accessible and perfect for an unforgettable day out. Here are Secret Seoul’s favourites!
1. Lotte World
We couldn’t write this list without Lotte World, one of the largest theme parks in Korea. It’s located in Jamsil, making it accessible from the centre of Seoul. It’s also conveniently located in the same area as Lotte Tower Mall and Lotte Department Store, so you can turn it into a full day out. The theme park has indoor (Adventure) and outdoor (Magic Island) sections, and in addition to the various attractions, there are also festivals held for a limited period of time – such as the Miracle Winter event through December 2023 – and various performances held every hour, so there’s always plenty to see and do.
If there are a few rides that you really want to try, our suggestion is to purchase the Magic Pass Premium with your entry. It’s a good idea because this pass allows you to skip the lines and get on the ride right away, as during busy times, some of the most popular rides can get so crowded that you can wait up to two hours for a single ride. Prices start at $49 for five rides and $89 for 10 rides for adults, $54 for teens, and $47 for children. Be sure to check for discounts at on the official website.
🕒 Open daily from 10am – 9pm (until 10pm on Fri & Sat)
📍 240 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
2. Seoul Land
Located in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do, Seoul Land is a combination of an amusement park, a large park, an art museum, and a campground. It’s also always crowded with people, so you’ll want to plan your trip thoughtfully. The East Gate parking lot is free to use when visiting Seoul Land, but you’ll need to get there early in the morning as there aren’t many spots, and the relatively large main entrance parking lot charges to park. If you park at the main entrance or take public transportation, the Elephant Train is an elephant-shaped bus that runs from the general information centre to the main entrance of Seoul National University Park and Seoul Land, a distance that would take about 15 minutes if you walked, making it a cute way to get there and walk back.
Although the park is huge – over 2 million square metres – it’s all flat, so it’s not too difficult to get around. There are five different themed zones to explore (World Plaza, Character Town, Adventure Land, Tomorrow Land, and Samchulli Land), as well as plenty of theme park rides. The Shot Drop has the highest height requirement of 140cm, but many other rides require a height of 110cm or more, so both children and adults can enjoy it together.
In particular, Seoul Land is famous for its night view restaurants, and when the sun goes down, the beautiful lights and decorations create a romantic atmosphere. In the summer, they hold various events to cool off, such as a water gun festival, whilst winter sees opportunities to meet Santa. Prices range from 49,000 won for adults, 46,000 won for teens, and 43,000 won for children, with card discounts, carrier discounts, birthday discounts, pregnancy discounts, and student discounts all available. For more ticket information, visit their website to book your visit.
🕒 Open daily from 10am – 7pm (open until 9pm on Saturdays and 8pm on Sundays).
📍 181 Gwangmyeong-ro, Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do
3. Everland
At about three times the size of Lotte World, Everland is the largest amusement park in Korea. It’s attached to the water park, Caribbean Bay, which also boasts a huge number of visitors. Located just outside of Yongin, not far from Seoul, it remains easy to get to, thanks to direct buses from all over Seoul and a free shuttle bus from Everland Station if you take the subway. Because of this, it’s not uncommon for middle and high school students to come here without a parent or guardian for a day out.
There are so many things to see that even if you don’t go on the rides, you still probably won’t be able to see every corner in one visit! A popular time to visit is in May during the Rose Festival, which features more than three million colourful roses. In our opinion, there are a few signature attractions at Everland that you can’t miss, and one of them is definitely the Amazon Express. A boat ride through rapids that’s both fun and cool in the summer – and admittedly chilly in winter – the contrast between the calm stretches and the quick drops has made it a big hit with many visitors. Meanwhile, T Express is Everland’s signature roller coaster, offering thrills at speeds of up to 104 mph and vertical drops of up to 77 degrees.
Other signature attractions include Safari World and Lost Valley, which offer visitors a car ride to get up close to the animals, making it especially popular with families with small children. At night, there are fireworks and various parades, which are a nice change of pace from the daytime. Events vary depending on the time of year, we suggest to check the official website for more information about your visit.
🕒 Open daily from 10am – 10pm.
📍 199 Everland-ro, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do
4. Seoul Children’s Grand Park
Located in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, the best thing about Seoul Children’s Grand Park is that it’s the only place in the city where you’ll find a park, zoo, and botanical garden all in one place, so you can move around freely in all three locations. Entrance to the park is free, and if you want to use the attractions, you can purchase a free pass or a 5, 3, or 1-time pass. If you’re over 130cm tall, you can enjoy all the attractions without any restrictions, and infants up to 90cm tall can ride as long as they’re accompanied by a guardian, so the whole family can enjoy the park together. In between rides, you can sit on a mat under the shade and eat your packed lunch or take a break. The free pass and the 5-time pass cost 28,000 won and 19,000 won, respectively, and you can get a 15% discount if you purchase online in advance (this is only available in advance, not on the day). Check the website for details.
🕒 The park is open daily from 5am-10pm, whilst the zoo and botanical gardens are open from 10am-5pm (however, the botanical gardens open at 1pm on Mondays).
📍 216 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
5. Doori Land
Doori Land is a famous amusement park run by the talented actor Im Chae-moo, located in Yangju City, north of Seoul (fun fact: both the park and Im appeared in an episode of the K-drama Vincenzo). It’s pitched at younger children, so it may not have as much for children in the upper grades of elementary school, but it’s well worth a visit. There are five floors in total, but the entrance fee doesn’t include tickets for the outdoor rides, so if you’re willing to pay extra, skip the first floor for the outdoor rides and start on the second floor.
The second floor has a sledding hill, trampolines, air bouncers, a giant jungle gym, a ball pit, and a playground. A kids café on the third floor is joined by slightly more daredevil activities like a zipline and rock climbing, while the fourth floor has a restaurant and the fifth floor has an outdoor maze. The price is 30,000 won for junior high school students or elementary school students from 24 months to elementary school, and 20,000 won for adults from junior high school and above on weekdays. For more information, visit the website.
🕒 Closed every Monday, open from 10:30am – 6pm other days (it opens slightly earlier, at 10am, on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays).
📍 120, Gwonryul-ro, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
6. Honeyland
Located in Paju City, Gyeonggi-do, Honeyland is a small amusement park that’s not too crowded and has plenty of things for kids to do, making it a favourite among families. In addition to the amusement park, there is also a water park in the summer and a snow park in the winter, so you can easily fill your day without getting bored. The entrance fee for the amusement park is very affordable at 1,200 won for adults and 600 won for children, but to enjoy the attractions such as the Skytrain or Carousel, you need to purchase a ticket for 4,000 won per model or 5 tickets separately. It’s especially recommended for families with toddlers and pre-schoolers, as most of the play equipment is toddler-friendly.
🕒 Open daily, 10am-6pm.
📍 218 Janggok-ro, Jory-eup, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do
7. Korean Folk Village
Korean Folk Village – which, coincidentally, is close to Everland – is where you can discover Korean’s old culture and traditions. It’s a great place to go for a different experience, especially since it operates various events and experience centres based on the theme of traditional Korean ghosts. There are about 14 types of attractions, some of which are unique to the park, such as the Haunted Hall and the Home of Legends, and others that are more familiar to theme parks, such as the Bumper Car, Viking, Magic Teacup, and Carousel. There are also various nightly performances to enjoy. All of the performances and events here are based on traditional Korean culture, so it’s a great educational experience if you’re bringing the kids, or are just looking to learn more about Korea. Prices start at 32,000 won for adults and 26,000 won for children, and after 4pm, admission is 25,000 won for adults and 22,000 won for children. There are a lot of discounts with affiliate cards available on the website.
🕒 Open from 10am to 6pm (although opening hours occasionally vary by season).
📍 90 Minsokchon-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do