Background
In July 2023, our family visited Seoul, South Korea! This has been at the top of our family wish list for a few years. In the last few years, k-drama watching for Jenn has made it jump higher on the list. We visited in late July and combined this trip with a Hawaii visit and 5 days in Japan.
This post covers our first full day in Seoul and visits to Myeongdong, Namsangol Hanok, Namsan Seoul Tower, and more.
Read all of our 2023 Korea/Japan posts at the following links:
- Seoul, South Korea: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info
- Seoul Day 1: Myeongdong, Namsangol Hanok, Seoul Tower
- Seoul Day 2: Hanbok rental, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanham square, Hongdae
- Seoul Day 3: Gangnam Area, COEX Aquarium, Myeongdong Night Market
- Kyoto, Japan: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info
- Kyoto Day 1: Higashiyama Temples: Maruyama Park, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyozdemeru
- Osaka: Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Dotonbori
- Kyoto Day 2: Arashiyama River Cruise, Monkey Park, Bamboo Gardens,
- Kyoto Day 3:Aeon Mall, Nishiki Market, Pokemon Center,Gion Matsuri Gallery
- Kyoto Day 4: East Kyoto Temples: Philosophers Path, Nanzeji Temple
Myeongdong
We started our morning by taking a cab to the Myeongdong area. This area had lots of cute shops and sites to see. Near the Myeongdong cathedral, there was a small market selling veggies and cute art. Around this area, there are tons of cosmetics shops as well. We stopped by some convenience stores for snacks and also had some delicious bingsu (shave ice) at one of the cafes.
Namsangol Hanok Village
Namsangol Hanok: Namsangol Hanok Village is a replica of a traditional Korean village that was built in the 1970s. There is a small pond and lots of houses to look at. When we visited, there were some “yard games” to play with. During other times in the year, they also have other cultural programs such as arts and crafts and tea ceremonies.
N. Seoul Tower
Cable Car: This is a fun and scenic way to get to the tower, and the views from the cable car are great, although a little squished. Note you can’t take strollers but you can leave them at the bottom for a round-trip ride. At the top, there’s still a few steps so be prepared.
Seoul Tower: The views were spectacular in all the directions. It was crazy seeing how many people call Seoul home. There were some love locks on various bridges which was fun to look at although we didn’t purchase any. You can pay to go up the tower itself but the views are great from the base. I love look-outs and this was an awesome spot.
Lunch: Near the bottom of the cable car, we found a great restaurant that served cheese-filled pork cutlet. So good!
Hotel and Dinner
Hotel time: With kids, down-time is so important. For a few hours, we played by the pool, enjoyed some Nintendo switch time and the adults went down for drinks at the hotel bar
Dinner: We walked to a nearby fried chicken restaurant a few minutes from the hotel. So good!
More Asia 2023 Posts
Read all of our 2023 Korea/Japan posts at the following links:
- Seoul, South Korea: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info
- Seoul Day 1: Myeongdong, Namsangol Hanok, Seoul Tower
- Seoul Day 2: Hanbok rental, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanham square, Hongdae
- Seoul Day 3: Gangnam Area, COEX Aquarium, Myeongdong Night Market
- Kyoto, Japan: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info
- Kyoto Day 1: Higashiyama Temples: Maruyama Park, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyozdemeru
- Osaka: Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Dotonbori
- Kyoto Day 2: Arashiyama River Cruise, Monkey Park, Bamboo Gardens,
- Kyoto Day 3:Aeon Mall, Nishiki Market, Pokemon Center,Gion Matsuri Gallery
- Kyoto Day 4: East Kyoto Temples: Philosophers Path, Nanzeji Temple
