Things to do in Taipei – with Kids or without

Things to do in Taipei. Planning visit to Taiwan, Taipei is a must, what to do there, how to commute what to see in Taipei
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About Taipei 

Taipei is the official capital city of the Republic of China, or as you commonly know it as Taiwan. The city is friendly which draws much of its attractions from mixed cultures of American, Japanese, and Southeast Asia. With its skyline dominated by the Taipei, the city of Taipei is an enclave of New Taipei City. It is sprawled mainly on the Taipei Basin, an old lakebed. Summers are long in Taipei, making it an ideal travel destination for family, solo travellers, or couples. Taipei has an urban population of around 7,000,000, but the number has been steadily decreasing as people move to the adjacent New Taipei. The city is among the most visited in the world, meaning it has so much to offer in terms of tourist attractions. Our visit to Taipei was fun. We enjoyed the hospitality of the people, unique and colourful festivals, the beef noodle soup, and also Taipei offers visa-free access to visitors from over 45 countries. Taipei is a digital city, and you won’t have any internet problems once you land. 

About this article 

Having explored the ins and outs of Taipei, we have created this guide to help you plan effectively for your visit to the city. We have included some of the best attractions in and around Taipei that we visited and liked, and we hope you will also like them. We also share how to get to these sites as well as how to navigate the city. After describing the attractions, we also provide the ticket prices, which are the lowest in the market. As well as the official address of the attraction. It is not just about what we liked. The sites and attractions we have described in this article are loved by many travellers. You can be sure of what to expect before you get there.

Things to do in Taipei 

Taipei 101

When we first landed in Taipei, we were immediately attracted to its allure and energy, and so we decided to watch it from above at the Taipei 101 tower. This super-tall skyscraper was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 snatching the throne from Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur until Burj Khalifa did the same to it in 20110. Standing at 509 meters high, it is the tallest building in Taiwan. Standing next this imposing monument is just breathtaking. We went to the fifth floor where we were whisked up to the observatory deck on the 91st floor in just 37 seconds. Up is here is an open observatory deck that provides striking vistas of the city and the mountains in the backdrop. The views are unbelievable, and we enjoyed trying to spot other monuments around the city and beyond, such as the Elephant Mountain. The best location in the tower is the 88th floor, where you will find a 660-ton wind damper. It is what keeps the Taipei 101 tower stay upright despite its height, and prevent it from crumbling down during an earthquake. 

The tickets go like hotcakes, so if you are planning to visit the tower, you may want to reserve your ticket timeslot earlier on one of the many ticket-selling websites. We purchased our tickets using the Klook app, which we also recommend to you.

Enjoy Starbucks at 35th floor of 101 Tower 

From the observatory deck, climb down to the 35th floor of the building where the world’s highest Starbucks is located, and enjoy some delicious coffee. The restaurant is not open to the general public, but we asked our hotel to make a reservation for us. We also enjoyed some incredible views of the city from up there. If you can manage to get a slot at the restaurant an hour before sunset, it will be even better, as you will get to watch the sunset over Taipei with mountains in the background. 

The place doesn’t charge for a ticket, but the policy is that you must spend a minimum of NT $200 per person. 

Visit the Old Town and the Ximending Shopping district

We quickly fall in love with Ximending Shopping district in Taipei because it is one of the few pedestrianized areas in Taipei. We enjoyed walking around with kids without worrying about traffic. The area is also packed to the brims with shopping and eatery hubs. We enjoyed the best Taiwanese dishes in this district. Among the monuments, we visited include the Red House- a historic theatre in Taipei, Zhongshan Hall, and Taipei Tianhou Temple, among many others.

Tianhou Temple

The Tianhou Temple is situated along the Chengdu Road, right in the heart of Ximending. The temple is quite small compared to other temples we visited in Kuala Lumpur. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful temple that gave us some much-needed solitude from the bustling of this shopping district. The temple is dedicated Mazu, the sea goddess, and is one of the most colourful structures in Taipei. 

Red House/Ximen Red House 

You can find the Red House at the centre of Ximending. This historic theatre was constructed circa the 1800s, and to our surprises, it features a market with numerous boutique stores selling handmade crafts you can buy as souvenirs.

Look for graffiti 

Ximending district is famous for being the coolest youth centre for culture, and so it is a place where you can find the best street art in Taipei. The best way to enjoy the graffiti in this district is just to wander about since they are all concentrated in a small location. One of the most outstanding graffiti is by Alex Face from Thailand, who repeats the same drawing over and over again. 

It is not just paintings in this vibrant district; there are also human-sized sculptures made from different day to day materials, including recycled cans, as well as beautiful murals. 

This is proved to be a great experience for us, especially because my husband and father of our twins is an art lover and likes drawing. 

Longshan Temple 

Located in Wanhua District of Taipei, Longshan Temple is the most popular temple in Taiwan and has a storied history and many tales to share. The temple is almost three centuries old, and for that, it has endured many tragedies, including devastating earthquakes and other natural disasters. During World War II, Taipei was under the control of the Japanese, and so the area was targeted by the Allied forces on numerous occasions. Despite over 3,800 bombs dropped in the city by the Allied forces, the temple’s Guanyin statue stood still up to this day. 

Today, the temple is maintained by the locals who have rebuilt after every tragedy, including floods and fire. 

Longshan Temple is also dedicated to more than one deity and hosts Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist faiths, perhaps representing hospitality and inclusivity of Taiwan. 

If you are travelling to this temple as a single person, it will be your lucky day as there is a matchmaking god inside the temple. 

National Taiwan Science Education Center and Taipei Astronomical Museum 

science museum in Taipei

This is a great place for you and your kids to learn about science. The centre is filled with state of the high-tech art facilities including a robot education centre and computer classroom on the lower level of the centre. If you want to select science topics to learn; life sciences and natural sciences are displayed on the third and fourth floor of the building while material science is located on the fifth floor. If you are into math, and earth sciences, then you should head over to the sixth floor, where you can also ride a bike at 20 meters in the air at SkyCycle. The seventh and eighth floors of the building are dedicated to special exhibits from around the world. 

The North Gate 

We visited this historic gate that was once an entrance to the ancient Taipei. The gat is the only still-standing gate from the Qing dynasty era. There are other four gates you can visit in the city, but this is the ultimate one.

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

Another gem in Old Town, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is one of the most incredible sights we visited in the city. It is set on 250,000 square meters space in Liberty Square. We enjoyed the gigantic white arches in the entrance to Liberty Square as well as learning about the history of the square. The memorial hall was erected to honour Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, the first president of Taiwan. The hall is also designed in an octagonal shape to represent wealth according to Chinese Culture. The massive 89 steps also have a deep meaning behind it, rather than just architectural nuance – Chiang Kai-Shek died at 89.  

While we visited the Liberty Square around noon, the best time to visit is early in the morning before crowds, and also to witness the changing of the guard which takes place every morning.

National Concert Hall

National Concert Hall is a cultural hub of Taiwan, having been built in 1987. The hall hosts numerous performances as well as being one of the top landmarks in Taipei. The hall consists of two building – the Concert Hall and the National Theater, which are designed in ancient Chinese palace style with unique yellow tiled roofs and brown-red pillars. 

View the city from Elephant Mountain 

If you can’t get enough of Taipei as we did, you should try viewing it from a different angle other than the top of 101 Tower. Just east of Taipei, the Four Beast or Elephant, Leopard, Tiger, and Lion, mountains offer one of the most picturesque views of the city, with the gigantic Taipei 101 just stone throw away. Of the four hills, Elephant Mountain is the easiest to reach. We were feeling a bit whimsical, so we decided to hike up the hill. The climb took us about 30 minutes, but the rewards were immense. The Elephant Mountain is the most popular, so we found a considerable crowd also trying to catch a glimpse of the city. Seeing how moderately hard it is to hike up the mountain, you should schedule your plans properly so that you reach the trail entrance in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun is not hot.

Take in more views from the Miramar Ferris Wheel

When you visit a historic city like Taipei, you make sure you get the most out of your trip and soak in the city as much as you could. After enjoying the views from 101 Towers and Elephant Mountains, we decide to have some more views from the Miramar Ferris Wheel in Dazhi, Zhongshan District. This gigantic 95 meters Ferris wheel can be seen at night from nearly all corners of the city courtesy of its colourful lights. The Ferris wheel rotates slowly so that everyone can enjoy the views.

Ride the Maokong Gondola 

Riding gondola is one of the top things to do in Taipei, especially with family. The activity was launched in 2007 and operates between Maokong and Taipei Zoo, covering about 4.3 kilometres. The ride has six stations, four for passengers while two are angle stations. The cabins are retrofitted with thick glass bottoms each weighing about 213 kilograms operating a distance of three interval minutes. The capacity for each cabin is limited to only five persons, so if you are a group of more than that, you may consider taking two cabins. 

The ride takes about 30 minutes for one-way, with stops at Taipei Zoo Station, Taipei Zoo South Station, Zhinan Temple Station, and the Maokong Station. 

The best times to ride the gondola are when the sun is going down, during the rain, and at night when the city is illuminated with lights. The ride, however, is not for those with fear of height, as through the clear glass floor, you will be able to see the animals in the park, Metro trains, the tea plantation. 

Rent a bike 

Taipei is dotted by bikes, especially orange and yellow. We rented a bike for NT $10 for 30 minutes. Our ride trail followed the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Lin An Tai Home, Dajia Riverside Park, Raohe Night Market, and finished at the Songshan Ciyou Temple. 

Hiking in Taipei 

Taipei has amazing hike trails including the popular Elephant Mountain. Though many people don’t complete the Xiangshan, they usually stop at the observation deck to view the city. If you want a little exercise, try hiking up to Yongchungang Park on the other side of the hill. Continue towards the Baoshan Trail and rejoin the Xiangshan Trail.

Visit many of Taipei night markets 

We were surprised by how many night markets Taipei has. Each market offers something different from the next, making visiting all of them a must thing to do. During our visit, we sampled three best markets that we liked and hope you also visit them when you go to Taipei. 

Raohe Night Market 

Raohe night market was hands down our favourite market in Taipei. If you want to experience authentic Taiwanese dishes, then this is the place you need to be. We browsed a variety of food stalls and numerous cute little shops in the market, where we bought some souvenirs to commemorate our trip. Raohe is located right at the end of the Songshan line, east of Taipei. The market spreads along a single street but is filled with lots of goodies, more so Taiwanese street food. 

When we arrived at the market, we wanted to sample some street foods but were not sure which ones to start with. But seeing even locals lining up to get some, we also queued for peppered pork bun. Our favourite stall was the Fuzhou Shizu Black Pepper Bun, located just at the entrance of the market. We didn’t have to go far to find the best food stall in the market!

Shilin Night Market 

This market was crowded when we visited; probably because it is the largest night market in Taipei. The market is popular among the locals as well as the visitors. Another factor that might contribute to its overcrowding could be because it is located close to the subway. Nevertheless, we still found a way to have a great time at the market, as it turned out to be a special place to explore the busy maze streets and also sampled some street delicacies. The best dish we enjoyed in Shilin Night Market was the Taiwanese Sausage wrapped in sticky rice bun. So make sure you grab one yourself at Bin Small Sausage in Large Sausage food shop. Also, you should try crispy fried chicken at the Hot Star chicken stall; we enjoyed it too. 

If you filled your stomach somewhere else, you can just stroll the market, or play arcade games and then thank God at the temple located at the heart of the market.

Guangzhou Street Night Market 

Our third favorite market is located near Ximending, a shopping hub in Taipei. Though smaller than the first two, Guangzhou Street Night Market offers varieties of dishes. Being close to Ximending also makes it easy to visit. 

Learn the history of the city at the museums 

Taipei has countless museums from which you can learn a lot about the city and the country as a whole. We visited a number of these museums and, we found out a few that you should set time aside and visit. 

National Palace Museum 

The most popular museum in the city is the National Palace Museum, which is a must-visit for any traveller. The artworks are awe-inspiring, featuring over 700,000 artefacts from the era of Chinese Imperial regime. National Palace Museum is located in Shilin and is characterized by beautiful gardens and serene setting. Majority of the pieces found in this museum came from the Forbidden City in Beijing and was brought to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War by the government of the Republic of China.

National Taiwan Museum 

This museum is located at the entrance of 228 Peace Park, and it showcases some of the most interesting artefacts from the centuries before. The fascinating pieces are about the aboriginal tribe and their culture. You can learn practically anything about the people of Taiwan in this museum. We were told that the ticket to the museum includes admission to the Land Bank across the street, but we didn’t have enough time to visit the bank. The exhibitions at the Land bank wing comprises of wildlife and dinosaurs, as well as explore the bank’s counting room and old vault. 

Taipei Fine Arts Museum 

You can find the Taipei Fine Arts Museum in the Taipei Expo Park. This is perhaps the museums where we had the best experience of all. We enjoyed walking through the lush park as we view a variety of exhibitions. The best part is that there is a covered food court separate from the museum, where visitors can grab a bite whenever hunger strikes.

Miniatures Museum of Taipei 

If you want something different, check out the Miniatures Museum of Taipei, located along Jianguo North Road, Zhongshan District of Taipei. This private museum exhibits miniature world featuring temples, palaces, castles, as well as other replicas of the popular monuments around the world. 

Parks and Gardens to visit in Taipei

A busy city like Taipei, there will come a time after when you need a break from all the bustle of the city life and have a tranquil, peaceful time. Thankfully, the city of tape has numerous recreational parks and gardens where you can chill and re-energize. Here are some of the green spaces we loved to visit and take a timeout in the city. 

Youth Park 

Youth Park is located on Shuiyuan Road in Wanhua District, Taipei. This is the first park we visited in the city, and we were spoiled for choice of fun activities to do. The park is quite expansive, with lots of green spaces to do all kinds of fun undertakings. We cooled in the swimming pool at the park after playing some baseball, while our kids enjoyed themselves at the playgrounds. The park hosts a number of other activities including bicycle paths, golf driving range, and tennis courts. 

Daan Forest Park

This is by far the largest park in the city and is usually crowded by visitors and locals, especially during lunch break and weekend picnic. The park is well landscaped, with trees that block out the noise from the roaring city. We visited this park after having delicious dinner at one of the nearby restaurants. Being close to several cafés and restaurants, Daan Park is never short of crowd. From time to time, the park hosts a variety of events in the terrace, but we didn’t get a chance to attend any live band.

228 Peace Park

We visited this park during our short trip to the National Taiwan Museum. We were told that the park is among the oldest in Taipei, but still competes with the newest parks in the cities when it comes to attracting tourist. 

Dajia Riverside Park

Arguably the coolest park in Taipei, literally and figuratively, Dajia Riverside Park stretches along the River Keelung and features a wide range of amenities for people of all ages. There are soccer pitches, tennis courts, kids’ playground, baseball fields, racetracks for cars controlled by radio, and ample parking. After spending a few hours in this park, we can safely say that it is the most child-friendly park in Taipei.  

Taipei Children’s Amusement Park 

This park will make even grownups feel like children. It was built by the government of Taipei City on a 5 hectares area. The pack is packed with free playground, rides, as well as children’s theatre that is operated by the IF Kids. 

The park is family-themed and has 13 rides including Ocean Carousel, Ferris Wheel, Dancing Fly, Bumper Cars, Wave Swinger, Spinning Tea Cups, Monorail, Roller Coaster, Drop Tower, Crazy Bus, Telecombat, Pirate Shipe, and Spinning Chairs. 

The payment mode at the park includes integrated EasyCard. Several stores around the park accept EassuCard too. 

Places to eat in Taipei 

Taipei is never short of fine restaurants. During our visit, we were lucky to eat in some of the highly-rated restaurants in the city serving the best Taiwanese menu. Eating in a restaurant in Taipei is a whole different experience from eating in street food stalls. Here are the finest restaurants in Taipei to eat delicious Taiwanese dish. 

The Top

From the name, you can already have ideas about why this is among the best restaurants in Taipei. The name ‘Top’ might figuratively refer to the standard and quality of service, but it also literally means the restaurant is set on an elevated ground. Located atop Yang Ming Shan, you can see Kong Life Tower and Taipei 101 on a clear day. The restaurant accommodates small and large groups of people who may want extra privacy. 

RAW Taipei 

RAW is run by Andre Chiang of Singapore’s Restaurant Andre, alongside Zor Tan and Alain Huang. The three experienced chefs are on a mission to provide customers with the new Taiwanese flavour in Taipei. 

Ay-Chung Flour Rice Noodles 

The best Taiwanese rice noodles are found in this restaurant in Emei Street, Ximen. The restaurant was launched in 1975 and is easily spotted from far thanks to the ever-long queues outside. The restaurant serves just a single menu, and in great perfection. The dish is offered in two sizes and can include chilli sauce, garlic, and or vinegar toppings. There is no seating; you either eat standing or to go. 

Quirky Things to do in Taipei 

Taipei also has wacky and crazy things you can do to feel like the locals. Here are a few weird things we did during our stay in the city.

Visit a fortune-telling bird 

While it sounds outright bonkers, we were actually surprised to find many tourists as well as locals here, getting their fortunes told by a bird. The bird is located in an underground mall near Longshan subway station. The owner is known as Miss Chen and the birds Big Luck Master. The bird chooses a card from a pack and then tells you what your future will bring.

Check out toilet restaurant 

This is perhaps the wackiest thing ever to do in Taipei. Imagine sitting on an actual toilet eating a gravy meal that really looks like diarrhoea. Well, if you find this fun, visit Modern Toilet Restaurant and have fun!

Go tea tasting – in the woods!

Ok, it is not actually a forest but a park. In Da-an Forest Park, there is a joint called Artists Corner, which serves one of the most delicious teas in Taiwan. 

Play with cats 

There is an entire village created just for cats just outside Taipei, called the Houtong Cat Village. If you like these feline friends, then take a bus from the city to Houtong town area. 

VG Café 

VG Café is located close to Daan Forest Park and is one of the restaurants we visited in Taipei. The place offers modern European cuisine in an artsy and vintage setting. 

Where to Stay in Taipei 

Taipei offers a wide range of accommodations that suits all kinds of travellers. Most hotels in the city can be found in Wanhua, Zhongzheng, Xinyi, Da-an, and Zhongshan districts. 

Eslite Hotel 

This hotel offers accommodation is modern appointed guestrooms accompanied by a fitness centre among other amenities. 

Grand Mayfull Hotel 

Grand Mayfull Hotel is just a few minutes’ walk from Jiannan Road, Zhongshan District. The hotel has everything you could wish for in a city hotel including five on-site restaurants, a grand lobby, and amenities like Jacuzzi, spa with treatment rooms, modern gym, an outdoor pool with movie projections every evening, and many more. 

Mid-Range Hotels:

Taipei Morning Hotel 

The best mid-range hotel in Taipei, Taipei Morning Hotel is located short distance from Nin-Shan Night Market and Zhongshan MRT station. The accommodation is provided in modern, comfortable rooms with facilities such as free Wi-Fi. 

Budget Hotels:

I Play Inn

If you want accommodation close to all the buzz Taipei has to offer, then don’t look further than I Play Inn. Located near Ximending shopping hub, this budget hotel offers both private and dorms. 

Place-X Hotel 

Place-X Hotel provides both private and dormitory accommodation in Xinyi District. The rooms are fitted with air conditioning as well as a private bathroom. 

Best Time to Visit Taipei with Kids 

For any kind of family travel, the first thing you need to pay attention to is the weather. While Taipei doesn’t experience four-season temperature changes like Europe and North America, it is still important to put weather into considerations when planning your trip to the city. 

Taipei is located in the sub-tropical zone of Taiwan, which makes it experience variation in climatic temperatures than the Southern parts of Taiwan. One thing is for sure; cold is never really a concern in Taipei, as the city is generally hot. 

High seasons in Taipei are April, June, September, and November, which are also the best period to visit the city. 

Day trip out of Taipei 

Yehliu Geopark 

Yehliu Geopark is one of the best destinations in northern Taiwan. It is home to numerous distinctive geological formations, including the famous “Queen’s Head.” 

There are two methods of getting to Yehliu Geopark from Taipei; first s by Shuttle and second by a taxi.

We recommend using a shuttle bus because it is cheaper than hiring a taxi. 

To catch a bus to Yehliu Geopark, head over to Taipei West Bus Station in Terminal A and to the KuonKuang window to purchase a ticket. The journey is about 90 minutes, and the Shuttle will drop you off just by the entrance to the park.

Jiufen

Jiufen or “the Santorini of Taiwan” is a tourist gem characterized by tea plantations overlooking the seas and mountains.

If you can spend a few days in Taipei, then a trip to Jiufen is a must. The town is famed for its varieties of street foods, especially along Jiufen Old Street. The surrounding is also picturesque and offers a great opportunity for the breath of fresh air. 

There are two ways to get to Jiufen from Taipei; part train-part bus, and direct shuttle bus. or a convenient trip with Klook. The first option will require you to take a train to Riufang, then a bus to Jiufen, while the last option you will just take a bus directly from Taipei to Jiufen.  

Taipei with kids – Pin it for later !!!

Things to do in Taipei. Planning visit to Taiwan, Taipei is a must, what to do there, how to commute what to see in Taipei
Things to do in Taipei – Pin it for Later