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Day trips from Seoul: plan your perfect escape from the city

Last Updated on November 9, 2024 by Alex

Whether you are into nature, history, photography, or food, there are some amazing day trips from Seoul.

Most places are easily accessible by the comfortable train system, and others can be visited by bus or car. Here are some of our favorite destinations.

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Table of Contents
  1. The best day trips from Seoul
    1. Majang Lake – Paju
    2. Suwon and Hwaseong Fortress
    3. Incheon
    4. The Garden of the Morning Calm
    5. DMZ – Korean Demilitarized Zone
    6. Ganghwa Island
    7. Chuncheon
    8. Nami Island and Petite France
    9. Cheonan and the hobbit cafe
    10. Yu Gi-Bang’s house in Seosan
    11. Bukhansan National Park
    12. Hwadam Forest, Botanical Garden, and its monorail
    13. Jeonju Hanok Village
    14. Everland Theme Park
    15. Busan
    16. Boseong Tea Plantation
    17. Daegu
    18. Gyeongju
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The best day trips from Seoul

Majang Lake – Paju

Day trips from Seoul

The Majang Lake, or Majangho in Korean, was one of the first places we visited outside Seoul. Since that trip, we have returned many times.

An hour-and-a-half journey from Seoul’s City Hall, Majang Lake is surrounded by picturesque forested mountains.

Majang Lake day trip from Seoul

One of the main attractions of Majang Lake is the suspension bridge linking its forested shores.

At 220 meters long and 10 meters high, it is the longest suspension bridge in South Korea. Walk over the lake, enjoy the fantastic view, and take a memorable selfie.

The Red Bridge Café and Italian Restaurant are located near the suspension bridge on the lake’s southern shore. The lake view from the restaurant’s terrace is WOW!

Red Bridge Cafe Paju

You can rent a hydro bike at the pier. Since it is crowded on weekends, you might need to line up for half an hour or so.

If you like hiking, there are a few nice trails in the nearby ASEAN Recreational Forest. Since there are no places to shop along the route, you should stock up on water and some snacks.

Lastly, if you enjoy traditional Korean barbecue, you should stop by one of the restaurants on the lake’s eastern side.

In some places, you can eat in a private hovel instead of an open space. However, dining on the floor in the Korean style can be pretty uncomfortable if you are not used to it.

Suwon and Hwaseong Fortress

The city of Suwon is about 30 km south of Seoul. It is linked to the capital by train, making it easy and convenient to get there.

Boasting a population of 1.3 million, Suwon is a vibrant city with a thriving economy.

If you own a Samsung phone or TV, it was probably designed at the Samsung R&D center in Suwon. It also hosts the Samsung Electronics HQ, among other Samsung subsidiaries.

The main tourist attraction is the Hwaseong Fortress, or Suwon Hwaseong, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The fortress’ wall surrounds Suwon’s center and once encircled the entire city.

Just south of the Hwaseong Fortress, tourists can stroll the streets of the traditional part of town.

Circa 3km from Hwaseong, one can visit Hyowon Park and Wolhwawon, the Chinese Garden. Imagine a beautiful garden with a small lake, wooden pavilions, flowers, and greenery. It is where Chinese fairytale princesses would live.

Day trips from Seoul

Suwon is famous for its special Korean BBQ, the Suwon Galbi—make sure you try it while you’re there.

When we moved to Seoul, we had to read the user manual before using the toilet in our apartment. To honor the South Korean toilet tradition, Suwon hosts a Toilet Museum!

Incheon

Given that it hosts South Korea’s largest international airport, you probably passed by Incheon on your way in.

As the first city to open up to foreigners, Incheon became a cosmopolitan port in the late 19th century. Unsurprisingly, its multicultural heritage is still visible today.

Incheon is the only official Chinatown in South Korea. Since we lived in Hong Kong before moving to Seoul, Incheon was among our first destinations; we were not disappointed.

The main entrance is through a paifang, an 11-meter-high Chinese-style gateway, opening into a colorful array of unmistakenly Chinese-inspired architecture. But, it also contains a Japanese-inspired area, including a specific Arched Gate.

Incheon restaurants South Korea

You can find a wide variety of restaurants covering many of the different Chinese culinary traditions. Moreover, you can enjoy the taste of unique Korean-Chinese fusion cuisine.

If you’d like to relieve some of your childhood fantasies, consider visiting Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village.

You should also consider exploring the nearby Wolmido Island. You could go there on foot, or take the bus, but we recommend the suspended monorail.

Enjoy the island’s Korean Traditional Garden and walk up its hilltop; it offers a nice waterfront view. Then, descend towards the Ocean and stroll on the boardwalk; many nice coffee shops and restaurants are there.

You’ll also notice a monument honoring the American and UN troops who took part in MacArthur’s famous Incheon landing.

Lastly, spend a few hours at the Play Hill Theme Park.

Day trips from Seoul

If you like shopping (and who doesn’t?), you should check out the area at Bupyeong Station. The Incheon and Seoul Subway lines meet here, so stopping at Buypeong before returning to Seoul is convenient.

The Garden of the Morning Calm

Korea is dubbed the ‘Land of the Morning Calm’ because of its natural beauty and picturesque mountain landscapes.

The similarly named garden embodies the country’s self-image. It reminded me of the elvish settlements from fantasy movies: beautiful yet neatly pedicured and maintained.

The vast arboretum lies to the east of Seoul, nestled between several mountain peaks.

It houses over 5000 plant species, some of them rare or endangered.

The garden is divided into twenty sections, each a micro-ecosystem. For instance, one section is dedicated to a thousand flower species from Korea, and another represents a Japanese garden.

The arboretum is traversed by a fresh mountain stream, the gurgling of water adding to the relaxing atmosphere.

One of the mountain trails leads up to a rock garden dedicated to flowers native to Korea’s mountains. Furthermore, there are several belvedere points to rest and admire the view.

You can enjoy a good meal or a hot tea at one of the garden’s restaurants or coffee shops.

Day trips from Seoul

If you are a K-drama fan, you’ll surely recognize the beautiful pond made famous by the ‘Moonlight Drawn by the Clouds.’ Several notable scenes were filmed at the Pond Garden.

In addition, not less than twenty films feature scenes filmed in the Garden of the Morning Calm.

DMZ – Korean Demilitarized Zone

Day trip to DMZ: how to choose the best tour

Unsurprisingly, the area dubbed ‘the world’s most dangerous border’ is also South Korea’s number one tourist attraction; over 1.2 million visitors flock to the infamous Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) every year.

The Korean Demilitarized Zone has existed since the end of the Korean War. It is a 4km wide and over 250km long no-mans-land separating the Northern and Southern armies.

DMZ

For security checks, one needs to book the tour at least 72 hours in advance, and no children under the age of 12 are allowed—keep this in mind if you plan to take the full tour.

Attention! There is a dress code for visitors. North Korean authorities used pics of casually dressed tourists to convince its citizens of how poor and decadent the Western and South Korean citizens are.

So, please don’t wear ripped jeans, sleeveless shirts, or mini-skirts! Also, avoid clothing with military-like prints, national flags, or other national symbols.

Apart from the JSA, both the full-day and half-day tours cover important historical landmarks such as Imjingak Park or The Bridge of Freedom.

DMZ Korea

The so-called 3rd Infiltration Tunnel is usually part of the guided tours. Although North Korea denies this, the corridor seems designed to allow a surprise attack on Seoul.

Many are curious to get a glimpse of the isolated hermit state of North Korea, but travel to the country is severely restricted. However, you could safely do this by visiting the Dorasan Observatory.

But the DMZ is not only about military history and political propaganda. Sightings of the endangered Siberian Tiger, Amur Leopards, and numerous bird species were reported.

You can visit the DMZ by booking a guided tour. For more details, please read our comprehensive guide.

Ganghwa Island

Day trips from Seoul

Just north of Incheon, a trip to Ganghwa Island can offer a Korean experience different from what you might expect from other trips within the country.

The most striking feature of the island is the extent of the oceanic tides. Imagine sitting on a beach, an ocean of mud as far as you can see, people playing in it or looking for shells kilometers away from the coast.

One can enjoy other natural beauties while on Ganghwa; these can be explored by hiking on one of the island’s trails.

Ganghwa takes pride in its ginseng crop. I strongly encourage you to enjoy the local Korean chicken ginseng soup; my mouth waters just thinking about it. Most tours include a basic ginseng farming lesson, including digging in the ground.

If you didn’t have the chance to do it in Seoul, Ganghwa is a good place to rent a hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, and take lots of unforgettable pictures. In addition, you can engage in other cultural activities, such as designing your own traditional Korean handkerchief.

For the more adventurous visitors, we recommend trying the Mega Luge at Ganghwa Sea Resort. Don’t feel bad if you don’t know what a “luge” is. I also had to look it up:).

Chuncheon

Chuncheon Lake

The capital city of Gangwon Province, Chuncheon is one of the closest mountain destinations to Seoul.

While other popular destinations in the region include the Garden of the Morning Calm, Petite France, Nami Island, and Edelweiss Swiss Theme Park, I suggest giving Chuncheon a chance as well.

Rent a bike from one of the places outside of the train stop and bike around Chuncheon Lake, stop and walk on the Soyanggang Skywalk, and go all the way to the deserted amusement park. You can also go along the stream and explore some of the unique cafes in town.

Greenboard Cafe (그린보드) is unique, located in the countryside, with beautiful flowers and green plants interior.

Chuncheon Lake bike

A bit outside of town you’ll find Alpaca World, a destination perfect not only for children but also for adults. It is a popular Instagram destination set in a beautiful natural location.

The Organic Cafe (유기농카페) is another pretty place set in between the fields where you will find different kinds of flowers depending on the season you choose to visit.

The easiest way to get from Seoul to Chuncheon is by train.

Nami Island and Petite France

Namiseom or Nami Island is loved by both tourists and Koreans when it comes to natural destinations outside of Seoul. Usually linked together with Petite France, you will find plenty of tour options to choose from.

We tried to visit the island on a Saturday during the fall, but it was impossible to find a parking space anywhere in the city around the island. On top of that, we waited for one hour in line before we could actually see the parking lot.

Needless to say, we would strongly suggest you choose to go during the week and choose a tour so you won’t have to worry about parking spaces or the bus schedule.

Cheonan and the hobbit cafe

Day trips from Seoul

The so-called Hobbit cafe in Cheonan is actually a bit outside of the city and when traveling by subway you will have to take a bus as well.

While the coffee wasn’t the best, they had plenty of delicious pastries. Their specialty is the cake filled with red bean paste.

Around the city, there aren’t many other important tourist attractions, but you will be able to walk around rice paddies and explore other cafes, such as the one with a pool.

Train line number 1 will get you directly to the city.

Yu Gi-Bang’s house in Seosan

I must admit that getting to this place without a car proved to be a bit challenging. If you don’t speak Korean or are not used to the bus system in South Korea, I strongly encourage you to go by car.

The place is a museum where you can step back in time. The house was built in the early 1900s, during the Japanese colonial era. During spring, the location attracts thousands of people because of its fields of daffodils.

Day trips from Seoul

For K-Drama lovers, this is a must-see destination since many famous movies have been filmed here, such as Mr. Sunshine.

A few kilometers away, you can explore the coastline and the city of Dangjin. With its cafes along the sea and plenty of seafood restaurants, this is a dream destination for any foodie out there.

Bukhansan National Park

Bukhansan National Park

The mountains behind Seoul are easily reachable from different places in town and hide plenty of trails, temples, and cafes.

No matter your level there will be something for you to explore, and you can even get closer to nature by car or bus.

If you are really passionate about hiking, a great way to start your day would be to go on a sunrise hike on Bukhansan Mountain. You will spend a night at a mountain camp, meet like-minded people, and make some memories that will last forever.

Hwadam Forest, Botanical Garden, and its monorail

A beautiful forest park with 17 sections that have been populated with many types of local trees and plants in an effort to revive the country’s forest ecosystem.

Many people flock to the forest during the fall season because of the picturesque setting and the beautiful foliage. However, since the place is a botanical garden, every season has its beauty and will charm you with different types of flowers.

The monorail inside Hwadam Forest (화담숲) will help you see the park from above and is one of the main attractions. Bear in mind that because of that you might find it hard to get a ticket. Plan your trip for the first part of the day and try to get there as early as possible after the park’s opening time.

As with most destinations in South Korea, Hwadam Forest has been throughout the years set for various K-Dramas – Little Forest, Be With You, only to name a few.

Driving there would take around 40 minutes but getting there by subway is also easy. Better still, book an organized tour.

Jeonju Hanok Village

Day trips from Seoul

If the Hanok Villages in the city are not enough and you want to go for a day trip from Seoul, Jeonju can be reached in roughly one hour and a half by KTX.

I suggest you buy your train ticket ahead of time online so you don’t have to worry about availability and prices. Book it here!

In Jeonju Hanok Village (전북 전주 한옥마을) you will get to see over 700 traditional houses and you will feel like stepping back in time, back to the Joseon era.

The city was once the capital of Hubaekje – one of the 3 important Korean kingdoms, and at some point was surrounded by city walls.

For those who want to learn more about the city and its past, a visit to the Hanok Life Experience Hall should not be skipped. Go for a stroll on the streets and admire the houses, look for the Omokdae (오목대) because it offers the best view of the rooftops, rent a hanbok and take some beautiful pictures, and visit some of the local museums.

Another way to experience South Korea to the fullest is to stay overnight in a hanok. In Jeonju, there are plenty of options, but Sarangroo or Starlight Rest Area not only offers affordable prices but also beautiful traditional houses.

Everland Theme Park

South Korea’s largest amusement park, a place that attracts millions of visitors every year, Everland Theme Park should be a great day trip from Seoul for anyone who enjoys this kind of activity.

In our family opinions are different when it comes to amusement parks, but I’m sure there are plenty of adrenaline lovers out there.

The park has 5 different themed zones. Magic Land is where you will want to go to when traveling with kids, American Adventure offers thrilling rides, European Adventure will have you walking through gardens, and Zootopia is a place where kids can meet with animals.

You can easily spend one whole day at Everland without getting bored.

Busan

I must admit that we discussed a little before adding Busan as a day trip from the Seoul destination. Because of its location all the way to the southern shores of South Korea, but also because of its size and myriad of things to do, one could spend weeks in Busan without getting bored or seeing it all.

However, because KTX can get you there in roughly 2hours and a half, we cannot leave the city off this list.

Book your train ticket here!

While with 5 hours on the road, you won’t have too much time to explore, you can still spend some time at the fish market, lay on the beach at Haeundae (해운대해수욕장) or Gwangalli (광안리해수욕장), or go shopping at the largest departments store in South Korea.

Gwangalli Beach Busan South Korea

Colorful and vibrant, with delicious food, Busan is one of our favorite cities in South Korea, and we strongly encourage you not to skip it, and hopefully spend at least a weekend there.

Boseong Tea Plantation

Day trips from Seoul

Boseong tea plantations are one of the most iconic sights in South Korea.

Located near the southern coast, these vast green fields stretch out over rolling hills and valleys, creating a stunning landscape that’s unlike anything else in the world.

The region is home to some of the best tea-producing regions in all of Asia, producing teas that are highly prized for their flavor and aroma. Here, we tasted various traditional food with a green tea twist – for example, cold noodle soup with green tea, at the restaurant by the tea plantation’s entrance.

Visitors can take tours through these lush plantations or enjoy a cup of freshly brewed tea while taking in views from nearby peaks. If you are visiting during summer, come prepared with a hat and something to cover your shoulders because the sun is hot and there is some hiking involved.

Whether you’re looking for an immersive cultural experience or simply want to relax and enjoy beautiful scenery, Boseong Tea Plantations offer something for everyone.

You can book a day tour from Busan or Seoul, and enjoy round-trip transportation with a local guide.

Daegu

Daegu is one of the largest cities in South Korea and serves as an important transportation hub for both domestic and international travelers.

The city has a population of over 2.5 million people, making it one of the most populous cities in all of Asia.

Daegu is known for its vibrant culture, delicious food, historical sites, and beautiful landscape that make it an ideal destination for tourists from around the world.

From traditional markets such as the Seomun Market to modern malls and from ancient temples like Dongwhasa to bustling nightlife spots, Daegu has something for everyone to enjoy!

Don’t miss a visit to the Daegu Art Museum, a walk on Kim-Kwang-seok Street, take a picture with the 83 Tower, especially during spring, take the cable car in Apsan Park, or enjoy a boat ride on Suseong Lake.

How to get to Daegu: take KTX directly from Seoul, and ride for around 1.5 hours.

Gyeongju

Day trips from Seoul

Gyeongju is known for its rich history and cultural heritage.

It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms that ruled much of the Korean Peninsula from 57 BC to 935 AD.

As such, Gyeongju has many archaeological sites and relics that are now designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These include Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Cheomseongdae Observatory and numerous tombs from the Silla Kingdom period.

Today visitors can explore these ruins as well as other attractions such as Anapji Pond, Bomun Lake Resort Complex and several museums dedicated to preserving Gyeongju’s past. There are also plenty of shopping opportunities in this vibrant city along with traditional restaurants offering local cuisine.

How to get to Gyeongju: Take KTX to train to Singyeongju Station

Read our comprehensive guide for a day trip to Gyeongju

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