10 Best Things to Do in Daejeon

The National Science Museum should be at the top of your list of places to visit if you’re travelling to Daejeon with children. Free to enter, this science museum is the largest in South Korea and comprises 4 large exhibition halls, a planetarium and outdoor exhibits and playgrounds. The museum covers everything from human evolution and astronomy to bioscience and technology. 

Exhibit highlights include an in-depth display of the stages of Earth’s development and a collection of trilobites from the Paleozoic period. The museum has many interactive elements, with displays demonstrating scientific principles and inventions. 

Hanbat Arboretum is a vast, man-made arboretum with more than 1,000 species of trees and shrubs plus another 600 plant species. Located in central Daejeon near the city’s major museums, it's a great place to relax and stroll amidst wooded walks, colourful flower gardens and tranquil ponds.

The vast park covers nearly 400,000 square miles and is divided into the West and East Gardens. The West Garden highlights the character of the region’s native flora, while the East Garden displays more exotic plant species and contains 19 distinct themed gardens, including the Magnolia Garden and the Medicinal Herbs Garden.

The Red Clay Trail on Gyejoksan Mountain became a national attraction for its purported health benefits, which include improving blood circulation and curing insomnia. Visitors walk the long, gently sloping trail barefoot to get their feet in contact with hwangto, the mineral-rich red clay that the path is made up of. The clay is thought to be a natural purifier and to emit infrared rays that aid in cell regeneration. 

The 14.5-kilometre loop trail takes around 5 hours from start to finish. Foot baths along the path are provided for trekkers to wash the clay off their feet, and locals can be seen taking breaks at mountainside cafes with snacks and glasses of makegeoli, a milky Korean rice wine.

Jangtaesan Recreational Forest is a hugely popular eco-tourism destination among South Koreans. The lush, forested valley is lined with hiking trails and peppered with holiday cabins where locals come for breaks. Dense clusters of ginkgo and bald cypress trees turn a vivid shade of orange each autumn, making it a popular spot for a photo op. 

The forest’s Adventure Skywalk, an elevated walkway between towering metasequoia trees, draws a lot of visitors. An observatory offers views above the treetops, and wooden benches throughout the park make this a great place for a picnic. 

Daecheong Lake is a man-made reservoir providing water for Daejeon to the south and Cheongju to the north. The lake pools in valleys between small forested mountains and serves as a haven for white herons and many migratory birds. The area is known for its picturesque driving route that follows the perimeter of the lake along tree-lined mountain roads.

The Daechelong Lake Trails are a collection of 6 walking routes and 3 cycling paths that meander by the lake and through its mountains. The easy, relatively flat trails make this a great outing for the family or anyone looking for a tranquil environment to spend an afternoon in.

Dongchundang is the former residence of Song Chun-gil, a scholar during the Joseon Dynasty who served as Grand Secretary, Minister of Interior and Minister of War. Much of the residential compound looks as it did in the 17th century, including its pavilions and 3 ponds. This quiet estate is where Song Chun-gil pursued his studies, instructed apprentices and produced his writings.

Walking around the compound is like stepping back in time, and its well-maintained garden is a lovely spot for a stroll. Treasured for its historical significance, the site also serves as the venue of the annual Dongchundang Culture Festival.

The Hanbang Hot Springs have a long history, known to have been frequented by Joseon-era kings Taejo and Taejong. The Yuseon Public Foot Baths, a favourite destination of locals and visitors alike, draw from these hot springs. The facilities are comfortable and free to use, with umbrellas providing shade on hot afternoons and dryers available so no towels are needed. Some bathers bring a book and take an extended soak.

The low-alkaline spring water contains radium, which is said to be effective against neurological, gastrointestinal and skin conditions. A soak in the 40°C spring water will reenergise you and have you walking on air for the rest of the day. 

Seeing a baseball game at Hanwha Life Eagles Park is a must for any sports fan in Daejeon and a great way to enjoy Korean culture. Home to the Hanwha Eagles, one of South Korea's professional baseball teams, this small but nostalgic stadium park offers an exhilarating experience, and its compact size ensures you get up-close views of the action.

Join in on the cheers as the stands come alive with enthusiastic fans chanting unique cheers for each player as they bat. The stadium also boasts a variety of food stalls serving delicious Korean street food, making it a delightful spot to enjoy both the game and a meal.

Ppuri Park is a great place for a family outing. Located south of the city centre, this park will be of particular interest to Koreans and those of Korean heritage, as it offers insight into Korean genealogy. Some 100 sculptures are placed throughout the park, each symbolising a particular Korean surname and inscribed with information about the name’s origins. A small genealogy museum features exhibits about the roots of Korean clans and traces the history of Korean royalty. 

This grassy park is well-maintained and furnished with picnic areas and a café. A river runs through it, and on fair-weather days family-size swan boats are available to rent.

Expo Science Park was created to revitalise the site and facilities of the 1993 Taejon Expo and has remained as a public space for education and leisure. The futuristic Hanbit Tower, the park’s main point of interest, offers panoramic views of the city and is free to enter. The park is frequently used as a stage for music performances and other community events and is often packed with food trucks on weekend evenings.

Details in the park’s design like elements from the periodic table in its pathways gesture toward its history. For those interested in learning more, the World Expo Memorial Museum has more than 5,000 artefacts on display.