Explore Seoul (서울탐험)
Top things to see in Seoul. The best things to do in Seoul. Best cafes and restaurants to find in Seoul. Mountains, parks, and more things to do in Seoul, Korea. (서울에서 볼 수 있는 최고의 물건들. 서울에서 할 수 있는 가장 좋은 일들. 서울에서 찾을 수 있는 최고의 카페와 식당. 산, 공원, 그리고 한국의 서울에서 할 수 있는 더 많은 것들이 있다.)
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Nanji Ecological Park: Finding Solitude in Seoul
A couple summers back, Jae-oo and I headed to the Gangseo Marsh Ecological Park and enjoyed the sights in the rather quiet surroundings on the banks of the Han River. At the time, I didn’t even realize we had our own ecological park right down the street near the Nanji Hangang Park (난지한강공원생태습지원). The Han River Parks have been reinvigorated over the past decade and each park is different and offers something different to enjoy. If you want a peaceful place to visit, rent some bikes and head here. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at…
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The Cutest Thing in Hongdae: The Hello Kitty Cafe
Hello Kitty is one of those characters that everyone knows of even if they’ve never seen the actual show. The cute and lovable Japanese character that was created in 1974 has grown to proportions that creator Yuko Yamaguchi likely never imagined. There’s a cafe in Hongdae that has the most fun pop-ups and this is one of them. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.) Basic Info The Hello Kitty Cafe is no longer in Hongdae, but this building is still run by Sanrio and is now…
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The OTB Lounge in Walkerhill Has Hit Its Stride
A new no-limit off track betting lounge run by the Korea Racing Association (KRA), was recently opened in the Sheraton Grand Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul, Korea and boy is it chic. This lounge specifically caters to foreign customers and allows them to bet more than the maximum per race bet limits that are enforced at the race courses and at other existing OTBs. This is one of thirty-two OTBs that are operated around Korea in addition to the actual race courses in Seoul, Busan and Jeju. Not only is the lounge chic, but the hotel itself is beautiful so you could make a weekend of it, and have a grand…
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Unhyeongung Palace: Perfect For Traditional Photos In Seoul
Unhyeongung Palace or Royal Residence (운현궁) sits quietly along the road just south of the touristy and popular Bukchon Hanok Village. This quaint and more rustic collection of historic Hanoks is easily accessible and if you want beautiful photos with Hanok buildings sans crowds, you should definitely visit Unyeongung Royal Residence. With five palaces in Seoul to choose from when visiting the capital of South Korea, it’s easy to head to the biggest and grandest of them all, Gyeongbukgung Palace, and call it a day. I often recommend the palace to tourists saying that if they’ve only a short time, it is a must see. That isn’t to say that…
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Seonyudo Park: One Of The Best Kept Secrets In Seoul
Seonyudo Park sits on an island on the Han River in Seoul, Korea between Hapjeong and Dangsan and is one of the best kept secrets in Seoul. The island, only accessible by foot bridge, walking, or bus, used to house a water treatment plant but in the effort to bring green space back to Seoul, it was released back to nature. Just south of the popular art and live music district known as Hongdae sits Seonyudo Island. There are only a few islands on the Han River that are accessible and this park is one cool one to find. Crossing the bridge from Hapjeong Station to Dangsan Station, I’ve seen…
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Ansan Mountain In Seoul Is A Cherry Blossom Best Kept Secret
If you’re looking for a beautiful cherry blossom spot in Seoul you might not have heard about, here it is: Ansan Mountain. When the cherry blossoms begin to bloom in Seoul, the city awakens from the winter and it is gorgeous. There are some really popular cherry blossom hot spots to find like Yeouido Island, Seokchon Lake or Namsan Mountain where Namsan Tower/N Seoul Tower sits, but there are also just cherry blossoms cherry blossoms cherry blossoms everywhere you look. It’s actually really common for people to walk out their front doors only to realize that their street was lined with cherry blossom trees all year but they didn’t realize…
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Bongeunsa Temple: The Must See Korean Temple In Gangnam
Bongeunsa Temple (봉은사) is definitely one of the most popular Korean temples in Seoul along with Jogyesa temple. The popular temple sits in the ritzy Gangnam-gu area and tourists from near and far stop by as it’s an easy temple to find while out and about. While most of Korea’s Buddhist temples are set up in mountains entailing at least a short walk or hike into a forest, Bongeunsa is one of a few temples in Seoul that sprawls over an expanse that sits just beyond a major thoroughfare, though of course it wasn’t planned to be that way. While I would direct tourists to take the time to hike…
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The Gyeongui Line Forest Park: An Urban Park Near Hongdae
I'm sure by now you've heard of the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail Park that was just completed near Hongdae. This park stretches from Hongik Subway Station exit 3 back to Hongjecheon Stream which could lead you south to the Han River or north to a waterfall if you continued a walk in the area.
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West Seoul Lake Park: A Cool Place To Go In Seoul
Urban renewal projects in Seoul, Korea make for some really interesting places to visit and see. There are parks that have been regenerated and culture spaces that used to be for wartimes. It’s really interesting. There are a lot of different spots to check out and West Seoul Lake Park, or Seoseoul Lake Park (서서울호수공원), is one of them. If you’re in the southwest area of Seoul or just want to take a little trip to see something different, then this is the park to find. It’s also a great stop if you’re headed to or from Gimpo International Airport. Take an adventure and enjoy the views: (This post contains…
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Hiking On The Seoul Fortress Wall
Looking to go for a hike in Seoul? Definitely consider a Seoul Fortress Wall hike. There are some great mountains that you can hit, but if you want to have a bit of history and something to see along the way, not to mention a wall to follow so you don’t get lost, the wall that surrounds central Seoul is great. Whether you’re solo, with friends, or even kids, a hike along the Seoul Fortress Wall makes for a fun trip. I have hiked the Seoul Fortress Wall in the winter, in the summer, while pregnant and while not and it is always a fun adventure. Hike along the Seoul…
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The Vault: A 5D Fun Frenzy
(CLOSED) Food, drinks and a game that includes mystery, intrigue, clues, lasers and puzzles? My kind of night out. The Vault is that something different you’ve been looking to do with your friends this weekend. As a competitive person as anyone in my family, friends or my camp coworkers can attest, this was right up my alley so when the owner Huw-Morgan Evans invited me over to test out his 5D reality escape room, I couldn’t pass it up. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.) Basic Info Address: B2…
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Mangwon Market: Budget Friendly Good Food in Mapo-gu
Mangwon Market is our local traditional market. It's nothing fancy like Gwangjang Market downtown with its rows of food stalls, vintage section and Hanbok section but, Mangwon Market has some good eats and it's within close proximity to Hongdae and the Han River so it's easy to stop by, grab some food and be on your way.
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10 Ways To Enjoy the Han River
The Han River is an iconic natural symbol that runs through the center of the city of Seoul. The construction projects that began in the 1980s to give the Han River a needed makeover have been rather successful and now there are plenty of things you can do to enjoy the scenic waterway. Don't be left out. Here are 10 ways to experience and enjoy the Han River in Seoul from summer to winter either on or along it.
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Changdeokgung Palace & The Secret Garden Everyone Is Talking About In Seoul
Changdeok Palace (창덕궁), translated to mean the “Palace of Illustrious Virtue”, was the principal palace for many of the Joseon kings and sitting just up the street from the more famous Gyeongbukgung Palace, it warrants a visit any season of the year with one of the most beautiful gardens in the city. This palace in Seoul Korea is actually said to be the most beautiful in each season and needs to be seen in each season… so I hope you’re ready to go at least four times. Looking for some specific information? Skip around: (This page contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something, I…
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The Yangnyeongsi Herbal Medicine Market: Experience Herbal Medicine In Seoul
Pharmacies, pharmacies everywhere, but did you know there are also herbal medicine markets and more holistic medicine places you can go in Seoul too? After living in Korea for many years, I become very interested in some of the more holistic ways that they take care of pain. After birthing, Korean traditional medicine recommends staying in very hot rooms and eating seaweed soup to produce more milk. When I have headaches or indigestion, my husband were ask where it hurt and then push on pressure points in my hands the way his other would do to him. Why take medicine when you don’t have to? Anyway, if you’re looking to…
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Saying Goodbye to Summer with Blooming Cosmos
The winds have shifted and the cooler breezes have been blowing in to say autumn is here and winter is on its way. With autumn comes some amazingly colorful mountain views but also to delight, the cosmos bloom. It’s a flower that holds on until the end and seems to wave goodbye to summer and welcomes us in to autumn. It’s one of the last flowers to enjoy before the plants begin to wilt and turn brown winter ice and snow make their own beautiful scenes to view.The pinks and white of the blooms conjure up memories of the recent spring and summer fun we had frolicking outside with bare feet…
