With kids · Busan · South Korea
Busan with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Yeoncong323, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Busan suits families: city beaches with lifeguards in summer, an aquarium by Haeundae, a sea-crossing cable car in Songdo, the Blueline Park's coastal train and a theme park in Osiria. Subway stations have lifts, though hillside villages are hard work with strollers. Top picks: Haeundae Beach, Sea Life Busan Aquarium and Haeundae Blueline Park. Families usually base themselves in Haeundae.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 7
- Best area for families
- Haeundae
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Beach · Haeundae
1.Haeundae Beach
Korea's best-known city beach is a 1.5-km crescent of sand backed by hotels and skyscrapers. In summer it fills with parasols and swimmers; in other seasons locals walk the promenade, and the beach hosts a sand festival in spring and a polar bear swim in winter.
Walk west from the beach around Dongbaek Island's coastal path to the Nurimaru APEC House for views back to the skyline.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- After dark
Aquarium · Haeundae
2.Sea Life Busan Aquarium
Under the promenade at Haeundae Beach, the aquarium has an underwater tunnel with sharks and rays, penguins, otters and touch pools. It is a quick escape from rain or heat right by the sand.
Check feeding times at the entrance and plan your route to catch the shark or penguin feeds.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Experience · Haeundae
3.Haeundae Blueline Park
A disused coastal railway between Mipo and Songjeong has been turned into a seaside park with two rides: a slow Beach Train along the old line and small pod-shaped Sky Capsules on an elevated track above it, passing Cheongsapo and its lighthouses.
Ride the Sky Capsule one way and walk or take the Beach Train back along the coastal path.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Sky Capsule slots sell out at weekends and in summer; book online in advance.
- Kids
- Couples
- Views
- Photo spot
Beach · Songdo
4.Songdo Beach and Busan Air Cruise
Korea's first public beach, opened in 1913, is a calmer alternative to Haeundae. The Busan Air Cruise cable car crosses the bay to Amnam Park, some cabins with glass floors, and the Songdo Skywalk curves out over the water.
Ride the cable car in the late afternoon and walk the Songdo Cloud Trail at sunset.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Views
- Couples
- Outdoors
Theme park · Gijang and Osiria
5.Lotte World Adventure Busan
Opened in 2022 in Osiria, this outdoor theme park has fairy-tale themed zones, roller coasters and a large castle, with gentler rides for younger children.
Combine it with Haedong Yonggungsa nearby, visiting the temple early before the park opens.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
Nature · Yeongdo
6.Taejongdae
A wooded headland at the southern tip of Yeongdo island, ringed by sea cliffs, a lighthouse and an observatory looking towards Japan's Tsushima on clear days. The Danubi road train loops the park, and paths lead down to the rocky shore.
Ride the Danubi train out and walk the downhill sections back for the best cliff views.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Nature
- Views
- Outdoors
- Free
- Kids
Viewpoint · Nampo-dong and Jagalchi
7.Yongdusan Park and Busan Tower
A hilltop park reached by outdoor escalators from Gwangbok-ro shopping street, with a statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, a flower clock and the 120-metre Busan Tower, whose observation deck overlooks the harbour and Yeongdo Bridge.
Go up at dusk, then walk down into Gwangbok-ro for dinner and BIFF Square snacks.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- After dark
- Kids
Rainy-day ideas
- Sea Life Busan Aquarium — Check feeding times at the entrance and plan your route to catch the shark or penguin feeds.
Where families should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, beach and luxury
Haeundae
Haeundae's 1.5-km beach is backed by large hotels and the towers of Marine City, with Dongbaek Island's coastal path at the western end and the Blueline Park coastal train at the eastern end. Haeundae Market's food alley, Sea Life Busan Aquarium and subway line 2 make it the most popular base for first-time and family visitors.
- Good
- Beach on the doorstep; Wide choice of hotels; Subway line 2 to the city centre
- Watch out
- Very crowded in July and August; About an hour from the old port sights
- Nearby
- Haeundae Beach, Dongbaek Island, Haeundae Blueline Park, Sea Life Busan Aquarium
Family travel tips
- Stay in Haeundae for the beach, aquarium and Blueline Park within walking distance.
- Gamcheon Culture Village has many stairs; use a baby carrier rather than a stroller.
- Visit the beaches in June or September for warm water without peak-season crowds.
- Convenience stores sell child-friendly snacks, milk and basics everywhere.
- Book Blueline Park Sky Capsules ahead for weekends, when families fill the slots.
Day trips for families
- Gyeongju (About 30 minutes by KTX, plus a bus into town) — The former capital of the Silla kingdom has grassy royal tomb mounds at Daereungwon, the Cheomseongdae observatory, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond lit up at night, and the UNESCO-listed Bulguksa temple and Seokguram grotto in the hills.
- Geoje Island (About 1.5 hours by bus) — Korea's second-largest island is linked to Busan by bridges and an undersea tunnel, with pebble beaches, coastal drives and boat trips to Oedo Botania, a botanical garden island.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–May and September–November. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Busan good for kids?
Busan suits families: city beaches with lifeguards in summer, an aquarium by Haeundae, a sea-crossing cable car in Songdo, the Blueline Park's coastal train and a theme park in Osiria. Subway stations have lifts, though hillside villages are hard work with strollers.
+What can kids do in Busan?
Haeundae Beach, Sea Life Busan Aquarium, Haeundae Blueline Park, Songdo Beach and Busan Air Cruise and Lotte World Adventure Busan.
+Where should families stay in Busan?
Haeundae: Busan's best-known beach, high-rise hotels and a seafood market street.