Taipei, the vibrant and cosmopolitan capital of Taiwan sits right in the centre north of the island. A great location for beaches, mountains and of course, industry. The coastline and hills make for excellent quick family-friendly getaways and old industrial centres are being transformed into hip, creative hubs filled with good art and trendy art.

Tapei is a fantastic place to start any visit to Taiwan. One of the main international airports, Taoyuan is situated less than an hour’s drive away, there’s an abundance of accommodation and some of this unique nation’s richest cultural assets.

When to visit Taipei with kids

Visiting Taipei with kids offers a huge variety of things to do from the cultural to the quirky. In the summer, the heat and humidity can make the city unbearably stifling. Definitely not a great time of year to be sightseeing with kids in Taipei. If you’re in Taipei with kids when it’s hot, follow the locals and pop to the beach or the mountains where it’s cooler. Alternatively, plan lots of activities and breaks in air-conditioned places, like malls.

Spring and autumn are great times for a visit to Taipei with kids. The weather is milder and it’s more pleasant to walk around. Temperatures in the winter can get chilly.

Getting around Taipei 

Getting around Taipei with kids is easy. Public transport is cheap and efficient. There are train, metro and bus routes to almost anywhere in the city – and across the country. If the kids are getting restless, taxis are easy to hail and reasonably-priced (insist on using the meter.)

What to do and see in Taipei with kids

There are plenty of fun things for kids to do in modern, dynamic and culturally fascinating Taipei. Like many Asian cities in the region, Taipei may come across as busy and hectic with a reputation for high-density living but you will find so many places of tranquillity and greenery to recharge in Taipei with children.

There are parks, museums, cultural centres and a whole array of world-class and accessible attractions for families to visit in Taipei.

In this post, we’ll take you through our visit to Taipei with kids (ours were 3 and a 5-year-old at the time) sharing the sights and attractions that kept the whole family entertained. Read on for the best Taipei attractions to visits with kids of all ages.

Awesome things to do with kids in Taipei.

Huashan 1914 Creative Park

Perhaps one of our favourite places to visit in Taipei with kids is the Huashan 1914 Creative Park. Once a winery, the old industrial buildings have been modernised and repurposed to create an innovative commercial and entertainment centre. The complex is free to wander around although you may stumble across an exhibition or activity that charges.

There are some great restaurants at Huashan 1914 Creative Park such as our favourite Taiwan Mama and Trio cafe. Our children loved watching the outdoor magic show (by donation) and exploring inside the traditional wooden toy shop and less traditional princess shop!

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Liberty Gardens

Aside from the ultra-modern Taipei 101 Tower, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is the building that most defines Taipei. Monumental, imposing and grand this ornate building was built in honour of the first President of Taiwan, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek.

Set within the beautifully maintained gardens of Liberty Square, this is a great place for a stroll and to take a glimpse into Taiwan’s history. The main memorial building has 8 sides – a very significant number in Chinese culture.

Family-Friendly Tip: The gardens are huge – and have very little shade. Bring hats and wear sunscreen even in spring. There are drinks machines dotted around in case you forget to bring water with you. A stroller or sling is a must for very little ones. 

Taiyuan Asian Puppet Theatre Museum

The children adored the cute Lin Liu-Hsin Puppet Theatre Museum hidden in the back streets of Dadaocheng. The museum houses over 5000 puppets from many different cultures. Exhibits and displays are combined with hands-on activities for children.

Although you’ll need to watch young children on the steep narrow staircases, many of the rooms contain child-friendly zones with puppets that they can use. Don’t miss trying your hand at Vietnamese Water puppetry on the roof on the museum!

Check out the museum website for current entrance fees and how to plan your visit.

Dadaocheng Wharf

Right down by the Tamsui River is this fantastic recreational area built on land that was once busy docks. If you fancy some exercise, it’s a great open-air space to enjoy a stroll in with views over the river. Hire a bike (there are shops near the entrance) and cycle along river-hugging cycle paths. There is still a functioning ferry pier where you can catch ferries to explore outer Taipei and beyond.

Night Markets

Did you know that Taipei is home to food stalls that are in the renowned Michelin food guides? Yes, Taipei is a foodie’s heaven and its culinary delights are something you should not miss even when visiting Taipei with kids. One of the oldest, largest and most famous markets is Shilin Night Market an unmissable kaleidoscope of neon lights, arcade games, food stalls and colour!

If you’re travelling to Taipei with a toddler or younger children, pop down to a night market just as they are opening up in the late afternoon to avoid the biggest crowds. We enjoyed the Raohe Night Market. Set on one long street with the beautiful Matsu Temple one end and within easy walking distance of the popular pedestrian-only Rainbow Bridge

Dihua Street

Step back in time to the colonial era in this bustling commercial street lined with historic buildings. Shopfronts spill over into the bustling street selling pungent herbs, sacks of dried mushrooms and traditional Chinese food and textiles. The mix of scents and incense in the air makes it an incredible oriental experience – for adults at least, our kids hated the smells!

Wander a bit further up and you’ll spot the busy Xiahai City God Temple is filled incense smoke, sacred statues and worshippers. Just round the corner, you’ll find Dadaocheng Wharf and the Puppet Museum (mentioned above).

Longshan Temple

Perhaps the most famous temple in the whole of Taiwan, Longshan Temple is a great place to visit in Taipei with kids. This historic temple was built in 1738. Its ornate buildings bring together a mix of Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist traditions under a haze of incense smoke. Watch local worshippers pray and get their fortunes told. Kids will love spotting fish in the carp pond at the front!

Park Life

Taipei does parks very well. Yep, very well. There are so many great parks to visit in Taipei with kids, such as Da’an Forest Park and incredibly kid-friendly Youth Park. Our favourite was 2/28 Peace Park (near the National Museum of Taiwan).

All the parks were clean with great amenities (drink machines, passable bathrooms and maps). Even built-up urban areas like Dadaocheng have secret little patches of green where the kids can play happily. Go in the early evening (especially at the weekend) and join the local families enjoying games of badminton and bike rides through the parks.

Modern Toilet Cafe

It’s commercial, over-hyped and just plain crude but if you have a good sense of toilet humour you’ll love the Modern Toilet Cafe. You’ll find this amusing tourist-trap right underneath the huge toilet sign!

Sit down on a toilet pedestal and choose a delicious brown entree from the poo-themed menu served in a toilet pan. The chocolate poo-shaped ice-cream was a laugh. Personally, I don’t rate the food or the service but hey, it was a unique experience if a rather cr***y one!

Taipei 101

If you look carefully, you’ll see that this iconic building is designed to resemble a bamboo stick. At you guessed it 101 stories high, this giant skyscraper is a feat of great engineering with a very Asian feel. Living in Kuala Lumpur (home of a pair of very tall towers) and descending on a very hazy Taipei, we decided to skip the viewing platform but I’d highly recommend it to anyone travelling in from Europe or elsewhere who’d like a feel of how big Taipei is and just how tall buildings can be!

Family-Friendly Tip: enjoy the view in the peace whilst your little ones gobble down cake at the world’s highest Starbucks on the 35th floor. Entrance is free but a reservation and minimum spend required.

Taipei Children’s Amusement Park

If you’d really like to do something just for the kids then head over to the Taipei Children’s Amusement Park. Here, you will find everything that you need to keep your children occupied for hours. Let the kids loose on the traditional fairground rides like the Ferris Wheel and spinning teacups. If it rains, there are indoor areas including a soft play and arcade games.

Bonus for grown-ups: Ama Museum

The immensely powerful and beautifully curated Ama Museum. A moving and poignant tribute to the thousands of Taiwanese ‘grandmothers’ who were enslaved by the Japanese Military during the Second World War.

A sister museum to the outstanding The War and Women’s Human Rights Museum in Seoul in South Korea.

Looking for more ideas to plan a great holiday in Taiwan with children, check out our posts on:

Family-friendly things to do in Taroko National Park with Kids

An Awesome 1 Day Road trip in Taiwan with Kids: Taipei to Hualien