Gwangju Family Land and Uchi Park Zoo

Gwangju Family Land is a quaint, little amusement park on the outskirts of the city. Nestled into a mountainside, surrounded by greenery, we were grateful for the shade and breeze on this sweltering August day.

Family Land opened in 1991, but I felt transported back to an even earlier time. For a couple of thousand won, you can take a little train from the car park to the gate. Don’t expect too much! A colourful observation wheel stands by the entrance, with several small food outlets and shops, and then an average selection of rides. The merry-go-round, dodgem cars, pirate ship and small rollercoasters have a somewhat vintage feel. Still, we enjoyed some good, old-fashioned fun.

It really was a very hot and humid day but, it’s school holidays and, with the heat and pandemic restrictions, and we’d only been out of the house for groceries. So, we went for it. If you’re also there on a hot one, keep the Big Eye in mind. Every capsule on this observation wheel is individually air-conditioned! It was a welcome reprieve with a decent view (and a little mild anxiety as we reached the top – I never thought I was afraid of heights but, maybe just a little bit).

The entry fee was 20,000 won for the four of us, but that didn’t include any rides. Once we added the return train to the gate, two rides, the Big Eye and lunch, it was a pretty pricey day out. The kids are still raving about it a week later though, so, I’d say it was worth it.

Uchi Park Zoo

There’s a fairly small, free zoo right next to family land. My expectations were low. The animals are beautiful, but the conditions are mediocre. The kids enjoyed seeing the animals, and we did get to have a good conversation about animal rights and how we could better take care of animals so, that was a small positive.