Taipei with Kids in 2024: Ideas from a Local Family

Dear reader: This article contains links to products and services that I may be compensated for, at no extra cost to you.

My son and daughter were born in Taipei in 2014 and 2015. Together with my wife Emily, who is Taiwanese, we have been exploring Taipei since well before they were born.

This list of things to do in Taipei with kids is based on the things we love doing in Taipei City regularly with our kids. If you’re planning to get out of the city as well, you’ll also want to see my country-wide guide to traveling around Taiwan with kids!

Taipei City is definitely kid-friendly. It’s safe, locals love kids, and it’s super easy to get around. Exploring Taipei with kids is fun for adults, too, because many of Taipei’s attractions for kids are also the places you’d want to visit even if you didn’t have little ones with you!

Since there are so many cool places in Taipei for kids, and they are pretty spread out, I have separated them into four sections below (South Taipei, East Taipei, Central Taipei, and North Taipei). I’ve also included a section on Lunar New Year and Christmas in Taipei with kids at the end.

Traveling in Taipei with kids
Our two little nuggets, shot at Lion’s Head Mountain. See what camera we always travel with here.

You can also find even more ideas in my list of the top Taipei attractions and my recommended day trips from Taipei. For more general travel info, see my guide to planning a Taipei visit.

Also check out my guide to Yilan County, which is loaded with family-friendly attractions and is a favorite weekend getaway for local families in Taipei. The attractions there are a little spread out, though, so consider renting a car or hiring a driver for your visit. Unlike taxis, child car seats are legally required if you do this. The Klook car rental link includes an option to add one.

Last but not least, here are the best beaches around Taipei and the best amusement parks and waterparks around the city.

For first timers in the country, start with my general tips for traveling in Taiwan and guide to living in Taipei (including a section on living in Taipei with kids).

Essential Tips for Traveling in Taipei with Kids

– The Taipei MRT is the best way to get around. Kids under 6 can ride the MRT free. If your child is above 115 cm, they may ask for ID. Dark blue seats are reserved for the needy, including parents with young children.

– All MRT stations have an elevator at at least one exit. If you need to find out which exit has it, besides following the signs in the station, you can check the Wikipedia page for each station, where the are listed.

– You can rent strollers, carriers, baby cots, and more on this site, with the option to have them delivered.

Check out Klook for great online deals and discounts on various attractions, activities, and transportation in Taiwan. Get NTD100 off your first booking by signing up with my referral link. But please note, some Klook prices are for adults only – your kids may be free or more heavily discounted at the door.

– The Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass includes entry for 16 Taipei attractions, unlimited MRT and bus rides, and 5 tourist shuttle buses to attractions outside of the city. Here’s my review of the pass and a pass calculator to decide if it’s worth the money. Kids are usually free or discounted at attractions, though, so a pass usually isn’t worth the money for kids.

– If you decide not to bother with these passes, just pick up an EasyCard like everyone in Taiwan does. You can swipe this to take any public transportation in Taipei and other major cities in Taiwan, except for the high speed rail, intercity buses, and trains that require seat reservations. Kids 6-12 can get a Concessionaire card, but it only gives a small discount when transfering. Above 12 have to get an adult card. Only kids attending school in Taipei city are allowed to get a student EasyCard. Learn more in my guide to using EasyCard.

– Find the best places to eat in Taipei in my restaurant guide. If you’re like us, your kids eat early. Go to restaurants and night markets around 5 PM to beat the masses of dinner crowds.

– If you’re looking for winter, spring, or summer camps in Taipei, here’s a full list of camps in Taiwan.

A Toddler in Taipei is another great resource for children’s activities in Taipei, including detailed descriptions of the best playgrounds and indoor playcenters in Taipei (note: the site is no longer being updated, so some info is out of date, but is still a good resource). The Taipei Parents Facebook group is also an excellent resource for asking questions, as well as my Taiwan Travel Planning group.

– I recommend picking up a copy of my favorite guidebooks Lonely Planet Taipei or Lonely Planet Taiwan.

Order a SIM card (best for one person) or WiFi device (whole family can share) for pickup upon arrival.

Book transportation in a private car from the Taoyuan airport to your hotel. This deal is cheaper than what you’ll pay in a taxi, and children’s car seats are available (unlike most taxis); just make sure to request one when you book. Car seats are not mandatory for riding taxis in Taiwan, but they are in a private vehicle (for ages 4 and under or under 18 kg – the law is here, article 31). Uber is a gray area. You can also stay in one of these hotels at the airport if you have a super early/late flight.

– One option with kids is a tour by private car because you can go at your own pace and choose where you want to visit. However, most families find that getting around on their own in Taipei by MRT or taxi is good enough.

– If you are coming from far away, your kids may have some issues with jet lag, as ours have in the past. Check out this article on how to help a toddler with jet lag.

Where to Stay in Taipei with Kids

Grand Hyatt, one of the best luxury hotels in Taipei
My daughter looking at Taipei 101 from the Grand Club Lounge at Grand Hyatt Taipei

With the top attractions in Taipei for kids spread all over the city, how can you decide where to stay? In this article, I recommend family friendly hotels in Taipei by area, but in the orange block below, I’ll mention a few that are specifically awesome for kids.

What’s most important is that your hotel is close to an MRT station. The MRT is the is the lifeline of Taipei, and will get you everywhere you need to go.

If you are traveling with a toddler in Taipei, only high-end hotels will have special beds for kids. Here is a guide to buying the best toddler travel bed if you want to bring your own.

Roaders Plus (see on Agoda / Booking / TripAdvisor) This mid-range hotel is conveniently located near Taipei Main Station. It has children’s playing room, carousel, and snacks for kids upon check in. The rooms are high up in a tall building, so they have amazing city views.

Grand Hyatt Taipei (see on Agoda / Booking / TripAdvisor) The Hyatt features Taipei 101 views, an outdoor pool, kids play room, and a buffet that our kids loved. Read about our experience glamping at the Grand Hyatt Taipei (this activity is no longer offered, though)

Yangminshan Tien Lai Resort (see on Agoda / Booking / TripAdvisor / Klook) For an escape from the city, Tienlai in Jinashan, New Taipei City has hot springs, outdoor pools with waterslides, and themed rooms. It’s about 1 hour from the city.

Find more ideas for different budgets in my Taipei hotel guide.

Grand Hyatt Taipei kids glamping experience
Kids Glamping Experience At Grand Hyatt Taipei

Southern Taipei

A classic awesome way to spend a day in Taipei with your kids is to spend a morning riding the Maokong Gondola then visiting the Taipei Zoo beside it.

A smart thing to do is ride the Gondola first, before the line gets long. Then, on the way back down, alight at Taipei Zoo South Station (the second stop), where there is a smaller entrance to the zoo. This entrance is at the top of the zoo (the zoo is built on a hill), so then yuou can walk downhill through the zoo back to the main entrance by the MRT.

Both are in the southeastern corner of Taipei, at the end of the brown MRT line. When riding the brown line to get there, ride in the front car of this driverless MRT so that the kids watch watch the view from the window at the front (it feels like you’re flying!)

There are also a few other kid-friendly attractions in worth noting in other parts of southern Taipei.

Taipei Zoo

The dinosaur museum at the Taipei Zoo, Muzha
Dinosaur museum at the Taipei zoo

The Taipei Zoo is the largest in Asia. It is so big that we go several times per year, and see a different section each time. Go early to beat the crowds on weekends (lines start forming when most Taiwanese show up around 11am). After you enter, grab an English map from the info center to the right.

A smart thing to do is to go directly to the mini-train and take it to the top, then work you way back downhill through the zoo. You can find it just past the famous panda house when you first enter. Another option is to ride the Maokong Gondola to the first stop (Taipei Zoo South Station), and enter the zoo from there. The station is also near the top of the zoo. You can consider visiting Maokong first, then getting off at the zoo stop on the way down.

There are several restaurants in the zoo, an indoor museum with dinosaurs, an insectarium, and a Taiwanese animals section. We avoid the zoo in summer when it’s simply too hot and the animals are mostly asleep. For all of October in Taipei, the Taipei Zoo holds a Halloween event called Zooloween. See here for other interesting festivals in Taiwan.

Admission to the Taipei Zoo is covered by the Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass, or you can swipe your EasyCard to enter. If you’re doing the zoo and gondola, you can also get this Zoo and Gondola combined ticket.

Access: Taipei Zoo MRT, open 9-5 (weekdays), 8:30 to 5 (weekends), NT60 (adults) 30 (students) free (under 5), can pay with EasyCard (MRT card).

For Dinosaur lovers

Also see the Land Bank Museum (covered below), which is mainly focused on dinosaurs. But for the best dinosaur experience in Taiwan, don’t miss the life-sized moving and growling dinosaurs at the National Museum of Natural Science in Taichung. See more details in my guide to Taichung for the details.

Panda exhibit, Taipei Zoo, Muzha
Sage outside the panda exhibit at Taipei Zoo

Maokong Gondola

Riding the Maokong Gondola in Taipei with kids
Be warned: Lavender was terrified to look down at the glass floor of the Crystal Cabin. Note Taipei 101 in the background

Five minute’s walk from the Taipei Zoo main entrance, you can catch a cable car up to the tea growing area of Maokong (or “Cat Caves”; not many cats to be seen though). Lines can get a little long mid-day but move quickly.

You can swipe with your EasyCard. A return ride on the Moakong Gondola is also included with the Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass.

Once you get up to the top floor of the cable car station, watch for the separate line for the “Crystal Cabins” (glass bottom cable car). But please note that my daughter was terrified of it (age 1.5 at the time), while my son (age 3) loved it. Other lines are for regular, non-glass floor cars.  The price/ticket for either car is the same.

There are two stops before reaching the top: Taipei Zoo South (where you can enter the top area of the zoo), or Zhinan Temple, which has a lovely view.

Most people go up to Maokong Station to have tea in a traditional teahouse with a view. Sitting for long time over tea may not be a lot of fun for kids, though. Really, the gondola ride itself is the main fun part for kids here.

There is a convenience store at Maokong Station, several food stalls and tea-flavored ice cream shops, and it’s a nice place to go for a stroll along the road in ether direction. Silver Stream Waterfall is a fairly short and easy hike that older kids could manage – see my guide to the best hikes in Taipei for more info.

NT120 (one-way trip to the top), 20NT cheaper with EasyCard, NT60 (kids 6-12), free (under 6), runs 8:30 am to 9 pm (sometimes closed due to typhoons, heavy rain, or repairs. Announcements are made on the MRT.)

Do your kids love cable cars? Don’t miss the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway at Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan.

Tea-flavored ice cream at Maokong, Taipei
Sage with tea-flavored ice cream at Maokong. He mainly liked the cat-shaped cookie on top…

Bitan Riverside Park, Xindian

Bitan, Xindian, Taipei
Pleasant riverside area at Bitan

Bitan is a pleasant riverside area in Xindian district of New Taipei City, directly south of Taipei. It is at the terminal end of a different MRT line (green) than the zoo one (brown). It’s not a Taipei must-see, but if you have more time in the city, it’s a nice place to spend a few hours or go for a walk with kids.

After you exit Xindian MRT, go left and you’ll see stairs that take you up over the river flood wall. There is a strip of covered restaurant patios with river views, swan boats that you can ride, and a pretty foot bridge across the river. If you cross the bridge and go left, you can explore some easy hiking trails on the other side.

There are usually dragon boat races here if you happen to be in Taipei during the Dragon Boat Festival (June).

Access: Xindian MRT

Taipei Water Park and other Spray Parks

Taipei Waterpark in Gongguan
One of the few outdoor water play areas in Taipei. Image from Taipei Waterpark Website

If you’re spending summer in Taipei, which can be scorching hot (especially July and August), there are surprisingly few kid-friendly places to swim or play in water in Taipei.

The Taipei Water Park (自來水園區, pictured above) is the city’s best splash park. This is a spray park suitable for young kids. There’s a calm stream on one side that our kids liked to play in when they were babies, and then the chaotic, water-spraying-everywhere main section. This place is usually packed every day in summer. Note that even though you think the weather is ABSOLUTELY HOT ENOUGH for swimming in late spring or early fall, the opening time is limited to July and August only.

Dajia Riverside Park has a spray park called 大佳河濱公園戲水區, with water usually running on weekends in summer.

In Wanhua district, Youth Park Swimming Pool (青年公園游泳池) has a water slide and small children’s play pool. In Neihu, Dahu Park Swimming Pool (大湖公園游泳池) has three large outdoor pools, a children’s section, and a lazy river.

If you’re willing to make the journey, there’s a decent spray park in Shuifanjiao Park (水返腳公園) of Xizhi district of New Taipei City and another one called Dongshan River Water Park in Yilan.

For bigger waterparks outside of Taipei, see my guide to the best theme parks and waterparks in Taiwan.

Official website for Water Country Park. Entry: TWD80 for adults, 40 for kids.

Eastern Taipei

Eastern Taipei, or Dong Qu (東區) is the newer part of Taipei City, as opposed to the Old City in the west around Wanhua district.

Eastern Taipei is dominated by Taipei 101, Taipei’s most famous landmark (see my Taipei 101 visiting guide). The skyscraper is surrounded by large shopping centers, plazas, and Taipei City Hall. These malls can provide an escape from the sun, and there are even some good toy stores in some of them, especially Far Eastern Department Store Xinyi A13 Store.

Just past Taipei 101 lies Elephant Mountain. A lookout point on the mountain provides the best views of Taipei, if your kids can manage a 25-minute steep, uphill hike. Find pictures of the trail and more info in my Elephant Mountain guide.

Taipei 101 Observatory

Taipei 101 obsevatory in Taipei with kids
Our had a blast at the Taipei 101 Observatory

Most kids will be thrilled at the sight of Taiwan’s most famous landmark. My kids actually really enjoyed going to the Taipei 101 Observatory on the 89th floor of the 101-floor building. The fun starts when you get to ride the world’s fastest elevator to the observatory. The views are amazing of course, and my son especially loved spotting the big H for helicopter landing pads on the tops of buildings.

Besides the 360-degree glass deck, you go to up an outdoor terrace on the 91st floor, but it was harder for the kids to see much from there. But don’t miss going into the middle to see the giant 730-ton hanging stabilizer ball that helps keep 101 from falling over in an earthquake!

The line-up on the 5th floor where you pay is always long. We waited for an hour or so last time we visited, but if you don’t want to do the same, you can choose the “fast track entry” option when you book your Taipei 101 observatory tickets online.

Stabilizer ball in Taipei 101
Don’t miss the giant stabilizer ball in the middle!

If your kids are older, you could consider climbing Elephant Mountain beside Taipei 101 for awesome (and free) city views that include the building. It’s a little steep but doesn’t take long to get to points with the classic postcard view of Taipei. For adults, it usually takes about 20 minutes to reach the lookout.

Taipei 101 Obervatory open 9am to 10pm, NT600 (adult), NT540 (students), free (under 115cm). Access from Taipei 101 MRT station (or the terminal stop, Xiangshan Station, for Elephant Mountain).  

For a fun DIY experience with kids in Taipei, try to paper-making workshops at Suho Paper Museum. Keep reading below for more DIY activities in Taipei!

Best Playgrounds in Taipei for Kids

My daughter Lavender playing in a park near Yuanshan, Taipei
Expo Hall Playground, a five-minute walk from Yuanshan

In recent year, the Taipei City (and New Taipei City) governments have established numerous new playgrounds around the city, not to mention some old ones that were already good. Here are some of our personal favorites:

  • Expo Hall Playground in Fine Arts Park (舞蝶共融遊戲場) near Yuanshan MRT station (see #18 below), Zhongshan District
  • Playground in Da’An Forest Park (see #16 below), Da’An Park MRT Station. The playground is located near the MRT entrance and is  labelled “Children’s Amusement Center” (大安森林公園 兒童遊戲場) on GoogleMaps.
  • New Taipei Metropolitan Park (新北大都會公園幸運草地景溜滑梯), Sanchong MRT Station, New Taipei City: A little ways out of the city center, but this expansive creekside playground includes over a dozen big slides and numerous other facilities. Is a favorite for our kids and probably the best one we’ve seen.

Also see the Taipei Children’s Amusement Park in the North Taipei section below. Here are some more great playgrounds in Taipei City and playgrounds in New Taipei City (Mandarin sites).

Indoor Play Centers in Taipei

Children's bowling at Taroko Park in Kaohsiung
Children’s bowling (this one is at SKM Park in Kaohsiung, our favorite amusement park in Taiwan for young kids)

Unfortunately, several of the best indoor playcenters in Taipei closed during COVID, including Baby Boss and Kids Awesome. I’ve recently updated the below list with ones that are still actually open.

Generally speaking, we find the private indoor playcenters in Taiwan to be pricey (compared to where we also live in Canada) and crowded. Still, when the weather is too hot or rainy (which is often the case in Taipei), then can still be a fun option..

Besides the ones I list below, there are a lot of relatively cheap government-run ones. You can make a booking (Mandarin only), and they sometimes fill up, but you can also just turn up and try your luck getting into one. You’ll need to show local ID, ARC card, or a passport for foreigners.

  • ATT e Life: This is a whole shopping mall focused on children. There are at least three indoor playcenters in it: Snoopy Play Center大直館, PaPark, and 夢想小鎮. There are also kid-focused restaurants and toy stores in the mall. The mall is close to Miramar, which has a huge Ferris wheel (see below). (permanently closed in spring 2023)
  • Austin Land: The Taipei location is closed, but there’s still one here in Banqiao, New Taipei City (the Taipei MRT goes there). If you’re visiting in late November to early January, you combine it with a visit to Christmasland (see end of article). Bear’s World is another one also in Banqiao.
  • Taiwan Toy Museum is yet another option in Banqiao. It is a playcenter where kids can play with all kinds of antique toys and even rent toys and chalk for playing outside. It’s especially suitable for toddlers. It is found inside Banqiao 435 Zone, which is similar to Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei City.
  • Tom’s World: This is a chain with multiple locations in Taipei and across Taiwan. These are not so much a playcenter, but more of an arcade with video games, hitting/tossing games, and things like that.
  • E7 Play is an indoor entertainment facility with bowling, arcade games, table hockey, pool, and more. You pay a set price per person than enjoy unlimited games. You can also also bring in your own food. It’s perfect for birthday parties for older kids. There are a few locations, but the one I linked to is in Sanchong, New Taipei City, near Taipei Bridge MRT station.

Awesome with kids: go strawberry picking in Taipei or Miaoli, check out quirky Xitou Monster Village in Nantou, or go snorkeling with giant sea turtles on Xiaoliuqiu!

Miramar Ferris Wheel & Entertainment Park

Ferris wheel, Miramar, Taipei
Giant Ferris wheel at Miramar, Taipei

The 95-meter high Ferris wheel at Miramar Department store is a Taipei landmark. You can enjoy amazing views of Taipei 101 and Yangming Mountain from the top (if it’s not too scary for your kids!) The wheel moves very slowly, taking around 20 minutes to do one full circuit. You can save money by pre-booking your Ferris wheel ticket online.

The wheel is in Miramar Entertainment Park, which also has a fewer smaller rides like a carousel. The mall also has an IMAX theater with the largest screen in Asia, so it’s another good option for rainy days.

Open 12:30 to 11 pm (Mon-Thurs), to midnight (Fri), 11am to midnight (Saturday), 11am to 11pm (Sun), NT150/200 (adults, weekday/weekend), kids under 110cm free, access Jiannan Rd. MRT station.

More Ferris Wheels in Taiwan: The tallest Ferris wheel in Taiwan is at Lihapo Discovery Center in Taichung, which is one of the better ones for kids. Several other amusement parks in Taiwan have them, including the Taipei Children’s Amusement Park (see below).

Hua Shan Creative Park

Huashan Creative Arts Park, Taipei
Lavender and beautiful artwork at Huashan Creative Arts Park

Hua Shan is an old Japanese-era sake distillery restored into a creative arts park. There’s a large field at the back that is great for picnics, cute little shops to explore, a few restaurants, public artworks, and there are rotating exhibits often aimed at children. Don’t miss Wooderlife, a dedicated children’s museum (see indoor playcenters section above).

Along with Da An Park (see below), this is our go-to place in Taipei for a picnic with our kids and friends.

Access: Zhongxiao Xinsheng MRT

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Between the two Memorial Halls in Taipei, I think Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (see below) is more impressive, but if you happen to be in eastern Taipei, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is still worth a stop.

The grounds are nice for a stroll, there are rotating exhibits and a little souvenir shop inside, and your kids may find the standing officers (with guns) interesting. SYS Memorial Hall also commonly hosts events like the Lantern Festival (early 2023) and is one of the most popular viewing spots for the Taipei 101 fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

Open 9am to 6pm, free, access Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall MRT.

Standing guard, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei
Standing guard at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Central/Western Taipei

Central and Western Taipei are the oldest parts of the city, with some of the most important historic attractions being located in Wanhua District, the original Old City of Taipei.

Ximending in Wanhua is also Taipei’s hippest neighborhood. It would surely appeal to pre-teens and teens. It is a pedestrian-only shopping district and all kinds of fun stuff to see, such as k-pop shops, teenager fashions, quirky cafes, and more. It is sometimes called the “Shinjuku of Taipei”.

Cat Cafes and Other Animal Cafes

A girl bending over to pet a cat in a cat cafe in Taipei
Lavender petting a cat in one of several cat cafes she has been to

Before becoming an international phenomenon, cat cafes were actually invented in Taipei! The original one, which first opened in 1998, is still running. But unfortunately, like several others, it doesn’t allow kids.

Luckily several cat cafes in Taipei DO allow kids, though. Most of them have a small fee to enter or a minimum charge of one drink or food item per person, including kids.

I recently visited all the main cat cafes in Taipei (with my kids, at the ones where they were allowed), so that I could put together this guide to the best cat cafes in Taipei. I mention for each one whether kids are allowed or not.

Would your kid rather visit a reptile cafe? There’s even a reptile cafe in Taipei, and they do allow kids (the kids should be watched carefully though and there may be limits about which ones you can touch). It is located here.

For this capybara cafe, you’ll need to head to this one New Taipei City. Here are several other places to meet capybaras in Taiwan. And yes, there’s even a meerkat cafe here.

For alpaca cafe, there’s this one in Shilin or you can see alpacas at Green World Ecological Farm in Hsinchu. This store in Taipei also has alpaca stuffies and clothing.

Taipei also has an insect museum – official site, located here. It’s quite small, but does include some other animals (the cages are quite small though…) There’s also an insect and butterfly area in Taipei Zoo.

Longshan Temple

Longshan Temple, Taipei
Courtyard of Longshan Temple

Of the many, many temples in Taipei (see my favorite 30 temples in Taipei), Longshan Temple is one of the oldest, and is probably the most well-known temple in Taiwan.

For kids, I like Longshan Temple because of the large (artificial) waterfall and carp pool out front. It is always bustling with activity, and you can even have your fortune told by one of the fortune tellers in front of the temple or in the underground mall below it.

You can also take a wander through Herb Alley next to the temple, or through the shops nearby selling many Buddhist statues and supplies. Find all the details in my Longshan Temple visitor’s guide.

Access: Longshan Temple MRT, open 6am to 9:30 pm, free.

Ximending

Train sushi, Ximending
Choo Choo Train conveyor belt sushi at Da Che Lun

Older kids and teenagers will really love this quirky, Japanese-style neighborhood. Ximending is Taipei’s coolest shopping area for young people, with tons of shops selling souvenirs and unusual items, impressive street art, and quirky cafes. See my complete list of weird things to do in Ximen.

One of these is Da Che Lun (大車輪), a choo-choo train sushi conveyor belt restaurant (address: #53, Emei street, Wanhua District). Here are other interesting places to eat in Ximending.  

We also like the large area of LGBT-friendly bars behind Red House (a Japanese era landmark that is also interesting), especially the small Thai restaurant near the entrance, because there aren’t many places in Taipei with patios. They don’t mind kids, but there might be people smoking and drinking around you.

The Red House Weekend Craft and Design Market in Ximending is great for finding cute souvenirs! Ximending’s Modern Toilet (poo-themed) restaurant closed during COVID, but the Shilin one is still open (see below).

Access: Ximen MRT (exit 6 for the main Ximen shopping area, exit 1 for Red House)

 Dinosaurs at the Land Bank Exhibition Hall

Dinosaurs in the main room of the Land Bank Museum, Taipei
Main room of the Land Bank Museum

This dinosaur-themed museum housed in an old bank is a must for any dinosaur-loving kids. A complete skeleton of a huge brachiosaurus takes up the atrium, while you can peer into dinosaur faces from the second-floor café.

The main building of the National Taiwan Museum (which the Land Bank is a part of) is across the street in 2/28 Park. The park is also fun to explore with kids; it has carp ponds, a decent playground, and an interesting water fountain memorial.

Access: NTU Hospital MRT or Taipei Main Station. Land Bank hours: 9:30am to 5pm, closed Mondays, NT30 (adult), NT15 (student), free (under 6).

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Taipei
CKS Memorial Hall: Great spot for family photos

Taipei’s most iconic historical landmark is CKS Memorial Hall, a collection of three large, striking buildings (the blue and white memorial hall, plus National Theater and Concert Hall). It’s a good place for family pictures, letting the kids run around, and there are some more ponds with fish.

There’s a changing of the guard ceremony on the 4F of the large white and blue hall from 9 AM to 5 PM, every hour on the hour. If you don’t want to (or can’t) climb all the stairs up to it, go inside the building (entrances are on either side) and take the elevator up t 4F. Few people realize it’s there!

The Taipei Hop-on-Hop-off bus stops here and could be fun for kids to ride. However, due to reduced service ever since COVID, I no longer recommend this bus, unless they increase the frequency again. If you hop off somewhere, you may have to wait hours to hop on again. See here for the current schedule.

Access: MRT CKS Memorial Hall

Mango Shaved Ice and Da’An Park

Yongkang street mango shaved ice
A real treat for kids and parents alike

Yongkang Street is a famous restaurant street with many food choices, including the original branch of Taiwan’s most famous restaurant: Din Tai Fung. It is also the supposed birthplace of mango shaved ice, an absolute must in summer.

Heads up that the mango ice and other shaved ice desserts and the only two remaining shops (several others closed due to lack of tourists during COVID) are huge, as they are meant to be shared by 2-4 adults. A treat for the whole family! You can even pre-order online at Smoothie House here.

Yongkang Street is also very close to Da’An Forest Park, the city’s largest, so you can easily include it in your visit. It has one of the better playgrounds in the city, an abundance of birds in its large pond, and you can even see fireflies there in spring!

Access Da-An Park MRT or Dongmen (for Yongkang Street).

Addiction Aquatic

Spider crabs, Addiction Aquatic Seafood Market, Taipei
Are your kids brave enough?

The old Taipei fish market has been converted to an upscale seafood grocery store and collection of seafood restaurants called Addiction Aquatic Development. My kids enjoyed going here to see the aquariums filled with giant king crabs, lobsters, and more.

After that, head into the gourmet grocery store to buy super fresh take-away sushi and other more kid-friendly treats, then head to nearby Rongxing Park for a picnic. The park also has a small indoor swimming pool, playground, and giant squirrels.

It’s a bit of a walk from the MRT to the Rongxing Park and Addiction Aquatic, but you do pass interesting (and incense free) Xingtian Temple on the way. If the walk (15 min) is too long for your kids, just hop in a taxi.

Access: MRT Xingtian Temple, Addiction Aquatic hours: 6am to midnight, come earlier for fresher/more sushi choices. Crowded on weekends.

Maji Square, Yuanshan

Carousel.” by ironypoisoning is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Yuanshan Stadium is another one of our favorite places to spend an afternoon in Taipei with kids. The surrounding area was once famous as the location of the 2010 Floral Expo, and there are still lots of flowers on display there today.

Come here mainly for Maji Square, a huge mostly covered food court that features a combination of local and international food stalls, including Indian, Mexican, British, Colombian, Thai, and more. There are awesome some restaurants with covered patios including Argentinian, Spanish, and Mediterranean foods. There’s also a free merry-go-round (limited hours), and children’s games and motorized cars that can be rented.

There’s enough to do in the area to spend half a day here. On weekends, there’s a large Farmer’s Market outside, and usually some giant blow-up kids’ bouncing tents. Some cool buildings remain from the Flower Expo, such as the Pavillion of New Fashion, made mostly of recycled bottles.

Across Xinsheng North Rd., you can also visit an Aboriginal Museum in Fine Arts Park. At the south end of Fine Arts park, there’s a great new children’s park called Expo Hall Playground, which I’ve mentioned above in the “best playgrounds in Taipei” section.

North of Fine Arts Park is Taipei Fine Arts Museum, which sometimes has kid-friendly exhibitions and programs, or you can go through a floral tunnel that connects to Xinsheng Park, which also hosted the Floral Expo and still has many flowers. North of Xinsheng park, you can also visit Lin An Tai Ancestral Home.

Access: Yuanshan MRT. Maji Square hours: shops vary, approx. 11am or noon to 9pm.

Taipei Night Markets

There are fun activities at Taipei night markets for kids, too. Just go early!
Kids games at Ningxia Night Market

You simply cannot visit without going to one of Taipei’s night markets, but I would never take my kids at peak times (7-10pm). Most night markets get so crowded that you literally have to squeeze your way through, there’s nowhere to sit, bathrooms are hard to find, and lines can be long for many stalls.

Therefore, the PERFECT time to go with kids is right when the stalls are opening up, around 5-7 pm. All of Taipei’s night markets are interesting, but you can find the best area of children’s games at Shilin Night Market, and that part of the market never gets too crowded. Ningxia Night Market also has some games on the first street, but the main stretch of food stalls gets especially crowded.

Raohe Night Market doesn’t have many children’s games, but it is known for having the best food. It’s just one long street, so you can’t get lost, there’s a gorgeous Matsu Temple at the eastern entrance, and one block away you can go over the river flood wall to admire pretty pedestrian-only Rainbow Bridge.

To figure out what to feed your kids in Taiwanese night markets, see my guide to Taipei street foods.

Raohe Night Market access: Songshan MRT, Ningxia Night Market access: Shuanglian MRT

North Taipei for Kids

Another great day spent in Taipei with children involves riding the red line to the north towards Beitou, famous for its hot springs, and Tamsui, a lovely riverside promenade near where the Danshui River meets the sea.

Some of Taipei’s most family friendly museums and the Taipei Children’s Amusement Park are also located in northern Taipei. To complete the list, you can also try DIY activities like pineapple cake making or visit Taiwan’s weirdest restaurant.

DIY Pineapple Cake Making

(image from Kuo Yuan Ye Museum)

One of the best DIY activities for kids in Taipei is pineapple cake making at Kuo Yuan Ye Museum of Cake and Pastry (郭元益糕餅博物館 台北士林館) in Shilin district, northern Taipei. Pineapple cakes are the most famous Taiwanese packaged snack (read about other Taiwanese snacks here!)

We haven’t tried this activity yet, but it comes highly recommended by parents in my Taiwan Travel Planning group. A 2-hour class costs TWD 400 and includes a tour of the facility. According to parents, it’s fun for kids, and they even have special costumes for photos. Only a little English is spoken, but it’s enough to get by.

Note that Shilin is also famous for Shilin Night Market, the largest and most popular night market in Taipei.

Search here fore the best cooking classes in Taipei. This can be a great way to introduce Taiwanese culture to your kids!

Modern Toilet Restaurant

Modern Toilet restaurant, Ximending
Poop ice cream anyone?

Also in Shilin district, Modern Toilet is the most bizarre restaurant in Taiwan. It is entirely toilet and poo-themed. You shit on toilets, wash your hands in a toilet sink, and all the foods come in toilets or urinals.

The Modern Toilet branch in Ximending unfortunately closed during COVID due to lack of visitors, but the branch in Shilin (click above link) is still open. It’s actually especially popular among Asian tourists from other countries, but it’s good fun for kids, too.

Taipei Children’s Amusement Park

My kids on the Ferris Wheel at the Taipei Children's amusement park

The large, government-run Taipei Children’s Amusement Park is the only (see others around Taiwan here). It features indoor and outdoor areas, with rides and facilities for younger and older kids, including Ferris wheel, roller coaster, tea cups, and more.

The small entrance fee to the amusement park is included on the Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass (but rides will cost you extra). It can be very crowded on weekends when the weather is decent.

Access: Shilin MRT + 5 min taxi or free shuttle bus, open 9am to 5pm, to 8pm on Saturdays and summer/winter vacation, closed Mondays.

Admission NT30 (adult), NT15 (student), free (under 6). Rides cost NT20-100, some rides free for under 2, using EasyCard for rides is easiest.

Jurassic Park ride at Children's Amusement Park Taipei

National Taiwan Science Education Center and Taipei Astronomical Museum

National Taiwan Science Education Center in Taipei

Two other two kid-friendly museums in Shilin are the National Taiwan Science Education Center and the Taipei Astronomical Museum next door. We find that exhibits at both of these are hit-or-miss. Some are great, some are just OK, and they can be extremely crowded on weekends and holidays.

The prices vary according to which exhibit you see Check the websites for what’s on now.

Access: Take bus Taipei 255, 620, Red 3, Red 12 Museum for Shilin MRT exit 1

Guandu Temple & Hongshulin Mangroves

Guandu Temple tunnel, Taipei
The kids love exploring this tunnel through the mountain at Guandu Temple

I hope you made it this far on my list, because some of the best Taipei attractions for kids are in the north. Guandu Temple is one of the coolest (and oldest) temples in the greater Taipei region. It features a tunnel full of gods through the mountain that leads to a view of the river. The hill behind the temple is also fun to explore.

Hongshulin, a large riverside mangrove, is also a few stops away on the MRT. There is a boardwalk trail starting right beside the MRT station. You can see lots of birds, small crabs, and other little creatures from the trail.

Access to Guandu Temple: Ride to Guandu MRT + 5-10 minute walk. Access to Honshulin: Ride to Hongshulin + 1 min walk.

Beitou Thermal Area

Beitou hot spring park, Beitou, Taipei
My kids loved running along the hot creek in the Beitou hot springs park

Going to Beitou hot springs might just be my single favorite thing to do in Taipei with children. You can read my full guide to Beitou Hot Spring Village or learn about other kid-friendly hot springs in Taiwan.

Even before arriving, my kids are thrilled to take the single stop pink MRT line that goes slowly uphill from Beitou station on the pink line to Xinbeitou station for the hot springs. The MRT is painted with cartoons and smells of sulfur from all the passengers who’ve just gone for a soak.

Arriving in Xinbeitou, the air feels fresher and the hot spring park is right in front of the station. My kids love running along the paths beside the steaming hot spring creek. The cheapest by far (only 40NT for adults) soak can be had at the outdoor public hot spring, called Millenium Hot Spring. Kids are allowed (sometimes reluctantly). But it’s not the best choice for kids – it can be crowded and only one pool is comfortably warm, while the others may be too hot for kids.

The best public hot spring for kids in Beitou is Spring City Resort. It’s quite a ways from the MRT, but they’ve got a free shuttle bus roughly every 30 minutes or you ca hop in a cab to reach it.

Adults can take advantage of this highly discounted deal for Spring City deal on Klook. Kids 100 cm or less are free, while older kids get a lowered price at the door.

You can also book an overnight stay at Spring City here on Agoda.

Kids beside hot spring creek in Beitou hot spring park, Taipei
A spring river in Beitou Park
Spring City Resort is the best hot spring for kids in Beitou

You also can’t take kids to Beitou without visiting Hell Valley (Beitou Thermal Valley), a giant steaming hot spring that makes us feel we’ve gone back to the time of dinosaurs. Entry is free, but it’s closed on Mondays.

Hell Valley, Beitou, Taiwan
Steaming Hell Valley, Beitou

Access: Xinbeitou MRT

Millennium Hot Spring: 40NT (adult), note the entrance hours are weird due to regular closure for cleaning. It’s open 5:30am–7:30am, 8am–10:00am, 10:30am-1:00pm, 1:30pm–4:00pm, 4:30pm–7:00pm, 7:30pm–10:00pm.

Hell Valley: free, 9am to 5pm, closed Mondays.

We think Jiaoxi Hot Spring in Yilan has the best family-friendly hot springs in Taiwan. We also enjoy Wulai Hot Spring – both can be done as day trips from Taipei.

Tamsui Riverside Promenade

Riverside promenade, Danshui, Taiwan
Riverside promenade at Tamsui

One alternative to crowded night markets in Taipei is the daytime market along the river in Tamsui, where the Tamsui River approaches the sea. Besides lots of food stalls (watch for the Turkish ice cream – your kids will get a thrill from their tricks), there are tons of children’s games that your kids will beg to play here and some interesting shops.

A lot of people like to hire bikes here and cycle back towards Hongshulin mangroves and Taipei. Children’s bikes (including ones with little seats for toddlers) can be rented at 樂奇單車 and other shops around it, just outside Tamui MRT station.

Read all about the area and other things to do in my guide to Tamsui.

Access: Tamsui MRT

Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman's Wharf, Danshui, Taiwan
Playing on the docks at Fisherman’s Wharf

Also in Tamsui, but further north at the point where the Tamsui river meets the sea, is popular Fisherman’s Wharf. It is mainly known for its pretty sunsets from Lover’s Bridge.

There are a few restaurants on the docks and the sunsets are some of the best in Taipei. It’s a great place to let the kids run around for a while. For a fun (and free!) indoor activity, Republic of Block (積木共和國) is a small Lego museum where kids can play with Lego and see some impressive Lego statues.

Our kids loved the ferry ride there. The ferries start from Tamsui Passenger Ship Wharf on the seaside promenade, about five minute’s walk from Tamsui MRT. You can swipe your EasyCard to board the ferry, and the ride is free for Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass holders.

On New Year’s Eve, Fisherman’s Wharf hosts the earliest fireworks display in Taiwan. It usually starts around 8 PM, making it much better for families with young kids.

Near Fisherman’s Wharf, you can also find one of the closest beaches to Taipei, called Shalun Beach. Nearby is Luye Equestrian Center, one of the few places in Taiwan where you can ride a horse on a beach. If you only want to go to the beach, you can get there on the new Danhai Light Rail (transfer from the Taipei MRT red line at Hongshulin station).

Access: Ferry or bus from Tamsui MRT.

Ferry to Fisherman’s Wharf: 11am to 8pm (weekdays) to 9pm (weekends), NT 60/31 (adult/child one way), EasyCard, 15-minute ride.

My kids on Lover's bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Taipei
On Lover’s Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf

Christmas and New Year Activities in Taipei

My kids seeing the Christmas lights in Banqiao, New Taipei City in December
My kids at “Christmasland” in Banqiao, New Taipei City

In past times, Christmas celebrations were mainly limited to kindergartens in Taiwan, but in recent years it has become more of a thing. You can see decorations in stores and malls all over the city, and kids can even sit on Santa Claus at the Regent Taipei.

But for the ultimate Christmas experience in Taipei with kids, head to Christmasland at the plaza behind Banqiao Train Station in New Taipei City, where hundreds of  thousands of Christmas lights are set up, including light tunnels you can walk through. See more information in my guides to winter in Taiwan and visiting Taiwan in December.

If you’re planning to spend Lunar New Year in Taipei, you may be surprised to find that several kid-friendly attractions remain open, though most shops and restaurants will be closed.

The Taipei Lantern Festival is also a great activity for kids, but I would personally avoid taking my kids to the Mass Lantern Release in Pingxi, which is too crowded. See more information in my guide to the Pingxi Line, visiting Taipei in January, and Taipei in February.

Well, that brings us to the end of this guide to visiting Taipei with children. As my kids grow older and we continue to find more fun spots in Taipei for kids, I’ll add them to the list! I hope you’ve found plenty of new ideas!

33 thoughts on “Taipei with Kids in 2024: Ideas from a Local Family”

  1. Taipei Zoo sounds awesome Nick. Any zoo big enough for multiple visits catches my attention. This is what I do with the Bronx Zoo back home; we zero in on different spots for every trip. Mix it up and see different animals. Loads of fun.

    Reply
  2. This website is so helpful! We’re staying in Taiwan for a year and were trying to find places to go. It was a little difficult to find things to do since it’s harder to travel with a toddler. We’re excited to go to all the destinations that you mentioned during our stay here. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Nick,

      Thanks for the article. We have been in Taipei for 2 weeks and have 2-4 more with our 5,3,1 yo daughters. We’ve experienced our first and hopefully last earthquake also.

      Great list of things to do with kids. We went to Danshui with a friend which was great, to see the fireflies at Xindian, the zoo, 101. Hoping to do the Gondola and potentially the Elephant mountain walk also.

      Melissa! We would love to catch up at some stage if you’re still in Taipei. Not sure how old your children are but Issy our 5 yo is craving kid time that’s not her siblings. You can contact us through our Instagram thesmalllane

      Reply
      • Glad you are enjoying your time and found some useful ideas in the article!
        We felt that quake a few days ago too, things were swaying in out apartment!

        Reply
  3. What an amazing post Nick, so helpful, thank you. In TW now and heading back to Taipei for 3 more nights than expected with a 4 and 5 year old.

    Thank you 🙂

    Reply
  4. Hi Nick, I really enjoy reading your articles. I am planning our 2nd trip to Taiwan and was thinking to stop by Tainan — do you have any recommendations to us? My husband and I speak a bit of Chinese, and my kids are a bit older 8 & 11 Yo. Any leads would be wonderful!

    Reply
    • Hi Tiphaine,
      Thanks a lot for your comment! I would imagine at that age, they would probably enjoy the castles there! Maybe you can also check out 321 Art Alley Settlement. They might have fun exploring small alleys and old buildings there. One more idea is the Tainan salt attractions, like Cigu Salt Mountain and Jingzijiao Wapan Salt Fields. We took our kids there and they enjoyed climbing the salt mountain and raking the salt at the salt fields, but those attractions are outside of town. The salt fields are very beautiful, especially around sunset.

      Reply
  5. This is really helpful Nick. Planning for a summer trip in Aug with our 6 and 9yo kids in tow. Do you have any suggestions for us? I know summer is really hot but from where we came reside at the moment (Dubai), Taiwan’s weather is nothing.

    Reply
    • Hi Jayme,
      While the temperature may be lower, you may find that the heat is different in Taiwan. It might be much more humid than what you are used to, so it can “feel” quite a bit hotter than the number indicates. Like 33 can feel like 43. Also, unlike dry places, it doesn’t cool down much at night. Still, you guys should be more used to it than I am, coming from Canada! Maybe I can give you more specific suggestions if you tell me what kind of activities you are looking for, and where you will be going in Taiwan.

      Reply
  6. Amazing article, so helpful for me. Iam going to Taipei next week with my two kids, 8-12, any recommendation for our family to enjoy the yellow folliage? I planned to visit Fushoushan but cancelled since it maybe too far away. Thank you so much. I am sure to visit lots of places in your article.

    Reply
  7. Hi Nick,

    Thanks for this post.
    Just wanted to say your website is the best, most helpful and most comprehensive I’ve come across so far.
    My family and I have just moved here (plans is for year or two) from Australia with our 5 & 1 year old boys, and looking forward to doing many of the things on this list.
    Not sure how old your kids are now, but would love to meet up and hang out sometime if that’s something you’d be up for. We are hoping to build some good connections while we are here especially for our kids to learn Mandarin.
    Anyways thanks for all your posts! They are awesome!

    Reply
    • Hey Brian and thanks a lot for your message and kind words! Glad you found my site useful! We actually left Taiwan last October and moved to my hometown in Canada in December, where we live now. Our kids are enrolled in a Mandarin bilingual school (although school is cancelled for the rest of the school year). We will still be coming back to Taiwan regularly, as soon as we are able to again. Best of luck there, and please let me know if you have any questions or I can help in any way!
      -Nick

      Reply
  8. Hi, my wife and I and our 9yo daughter just got out of covid quarantine yesterday, so last night we googled what to do with kids in Taipei and found your recommendations- I showed my daughter the pictures of your family and we were deciding which of your top 25 we would do. Lo and behold, we were wandering around Taipei today and right in front of us this family of 4 walked into a sushi train restaurant at lunchtime and we were pretty sure it was Sage and Lavender! They were easier to recognise with masks on! We aren’t allowed in restaurants yet apparently according to our self health management covid advisor, she told us we could only buy takeaways and take them back to our hotel to eat them this week. Otherwise we would have come to say hi! Looks like you were repeating one of your top 25 things to do. . We’ll try at least a couple of them but are heading to Kaohsiung next week to see family who are currently living there. Stan, Vicky and Jia from Western Australia.

    Reply
    • Hey Stan, thanks for your message, and I’m glad your family enjoyed my article! That definitely wasn’t us you saw though; we have been in Canada since the start of COVID, with all of our return trips to Taiwan canceled. We are hoping to finally make it this spring though. Enjoy your trip and time with your family in Kaohsiung, and take care! – Nick

      Reply
      • Oh, good luck for the next time you try to return. The family of 4 did have the right size kids but the masks disguise everyone, so lucky I didn’t interrupt their lunch to tell them I enjoyed your website. Our flights home have been delayed by another 3 weeks so we will be able to use more of your tips about travelling around Taiwan with kids.

        Reply
  9. We’ve traveled to Taipei in the past but this will be our first time with kids this February, so this page is super helpful and fun to review! Can you share any tips about car seats and strollers? Traveling with a baby and a preschooler. Our family mentioned that no one uses car seats in Taiwan but as an American, that feels very different.

    Reply
    • Yes, this is something I struggled to get used to (plus my wife driving my kids on her scooter with no helmet…) If you ride a taxi from the airport to the city instead of taking the Airport MRT, I recommend booking your transfer on Klook because you can request a child seat. Some Taiwanese people do indeed have car sets for their babies (we did). But taxis won’t have them. We’ve always just held out kids on taxi rides. As for your baby, I’d recommend a comfortable carrier instead of a stroller. Strollers can be a pain in Taipei. MRT stations always have an elevator, but it makes your trip take much longer, because there are often lines for it when you get off the MRT, and then you always have to find the 1 exit that has an elevator going up to the street. Also, streets can be bumpy or filled with people’s stuff, parked scooters, etc, so pushing one around can be frustrating. If you do prefer to still bring the stroller (it can be handy for putting your things, or for when you kid sleeps), you’ll still get by fine with a little patience though. Locals are polite and helpful when you’re traveling with little ones, except when driving, so always be careful when crossing the road. Most cars won’t stop for pedestrians, even when you’ve got a stroller!

      Reply
  10. Thank you for the great ideas. We’ve been to Taiwan a few times but this will be our first trip with our two kids. Looking forward to it!!!

    Reply
  11. Thanks for the information. It has been really helpful already while planning. But while trying to arrange pickup of easycard and sim at the airport there seems to be no option available on the net for a children’s easycard. We plan to make extensive use of the railway where losing the 50% discount for the children would leave a bit of a hole in our purse:-) Does anybody know where a children’s easycard can be obtained? The easycard website seems not very helpful.

    Reply
    • There is no children’s EasyCard for visitors. Only students of Taipei city schools can qualify for the student’s card. Kids under 6 ride the MRT for free. 6 to 12 can apply for a Concessionaire card, which you can see on the EasyCard website. But it only gives some tiny discount when transferring between transportation, for example MRT to bus. If you want this kind, just buy it when you get there. And for riding trains (TRA and HSR) around the country, you won’t be using EasyCard anyways. You will be buying tickets. Young kids travel free if you don’t mind for them to sit on your lap. If you want a seat for them, you can buy the children’s ticket.

      Reply
  12. Came across your blog with things to do in Taipei with kids – very helpful as we’re planning a trip next April.

    Just a question, we land at 0540 in the morning and knowing that most attractions won’t open until closer to noon would you have any suggestions on what we could do in the morning after we drop off our luggage / wait for check in to open at our hotel at 3pm?

    Thanks for your help Nick! 🙂

    Reply
    • You can stash your luggage in one of the large lockers at Taipei Main Station and then start to explore the city. Just some ideas: Longshan Temple has a chanting ceremony at 6 AM and 8 AM (each one lasts around 45 minutes). Go to a Taiwanese breakfast shop. CKS Memorial Hall, explore Ximending shopping area once the shops and restaurants open around 11 AM. Exploring Di Hua Street, the oldest street in Taipei, with lots of traditional stores open in the morning. If it’s the weekend, the Jianguo Jade and Flower market. More temples like Xingtian Temple, Confucius Temple, Bao An Temple. Art galleries, museums. Go to Beitou for a hot spring.

      Reply

Leave a Comment