The short answer
Plan four full days in Seoul with kids, not counting the day you arrive. That covers a palace day, a food day, a full day at KidZania or Lotte World, and one day left open. Make it five if you want a half day at the DMZ.
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I lived in Korea twice before I ever brought my own kids here. Gwangju first, then Busan.
When we flew into Seoul with Gavin, Jake and Avilene, we gave it four days. It was the right number.
Seoul is huge and it moves fast. Four days lets you do the big things without anyone falling apart.
The day you arrive
Plan nothing that first night.
We came in on an eleven hour flight, got on the subway, and came out at Hongik University station forty five minutes later. By the time we walked into the apartment all three kids were asleep.
From Incheon, the AREX Express runs straight to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes. The all stop train takes about 66.
And the time change is brutal. For four days we were all in bed by seven and awake at five. Use those early mornings for the palace before the crowds show up.
How I’d use the four days
Day one, the palace. Go to Gyeongbokgung first, for the changing of the guard. Rent hanbok nearby and your entry is free, and the kids get the photos they’ll want later. It’s closed on Tuesdays, so plan around that. Then walk up through Bukchon Hanok Village and down into Insadong for tea and paper shops.
Day two, eat. Myeongdong after five, when the carts are all out. Cheese hotdogs, egg bread, hotteok. Bring cash.
When we lived in Korea the kids could not get enough mandu and bibimbap. Find a gimbap counter near your hotel and go back every day. Ours knew our order by day three.
Day three is the kids’ day. KidZania is a mini city where kids clock in at real jobs, earn their own money and spend it, while parents watch from outside. It’s for ages 3 to 15, near Jamsil Station. Lotte World is right there too, and most of it is indoors, so it works rain or shine.
Get the full day at KidZania. We bought a half day, showed up an hour late, and the boys only managed two jobs each. I still regret that ticket.
Day four, leave it open. The Han River parks, a kid cafe if it rains, or back to whatever somebody fell in love with on day two.
Five days or more
The DMZ is a half day, about an hour north of the city. It has to be a licensed tour and you need passports. It’s quiet and heavy, so read your kids before you book it. Mine were old enough to understand what they were looking at.
If you have a full week, I’d spend the extra days on a second city. Seoul first, then the train down to Busan or a short flight to Jeju. Plenty of my families add Japan too, and here’s how I split the days for Japan and Korea in one trip.
Where you stay changes the days
Pick the subway station first, then the hotel. How many transfers sit between you and the palace decides if a day feels easy or exhausting.
Myeongdong is the easy central pick, on four subway lines and walkable to two palaces. Hongdae is younger, louder and cheaper. That’s where we stayed with the kids and it worked fine.
My Seoul city guide has the neighborhoods, the hotels and the food, and the South Korea family travel guide covers the rest of the country. Same question, different city: here’s how many days to give Tokyo with kids.
If you’d rather plan Seoul together, here’s how I work with families as a travel advisor.
Seoul with kids, your questions
Is three days in Seoul enough with kids?
It is if Seoul is the start of a bigger Korea or Japan trip. For Seoul on its own, plan four full days.
Is Seoul good for kids?
Yes. It’s safe and clean, the subway is easy, and nobody minds children. KidZania and Lotte World are right in the city.
How do you get from Incheon Airport to Seoul with kids?
The AREX Express goes straight to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes. The all stop train takes about 66.
What ages is KidZania Seoul for?
Ages 3 to 15. Parents watch from outside the job areas. Book the full day.
Is Gyeongbokgung Palace free if you wear hanbok?
Yes. Entry is free in hanbok. The palace is closed on Tuesdays.
Where should a family stay in Seoul?
Near a subway station with few transfers. Myeongdong is the easy central pick. Hongdae is livelier and cheaper.
Nicole Damiano, ASTA Verified Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel. Adventures We Seek is my travel blog and planning resource. Trips are booked through Favorite Grampy Travels.
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