Visiting Hong Kong with kids is a pleasure for parents, with plenty of exciting activities to engage in during your family holiday. Plan ahead for your vacation with our recommendations for leisurely family excursions in Hong Kong, including the most entertaining and stimulating things to do with kids. From world-class theme parks to engaging museums, Hong Kong offers something to suit the interests of children of every age.
Hong Kong Disneyland
Mickey Mouse and all his friends have set up home in Lantau Island, making Hong Kong one of the few magical Disney Cities around the world. No trip to Hong Kong with kids is complete without a visit to Disneyland. The park has seven areas, each with different themes: Adventureland, Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, Toy Story Land, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Main Street, U.S.A. One day really isn’t enough to explore them all, so prioritizing is key. We recommend the following rides for families with kids of various ages:
Hyperspace Mountain in Tomorrowland: This wild adventure will take your senses for a ride. Pitch black, this ride takes you through the darkest reaches of outer space, then rockets you right in the middle of a Star Wars battle. An innovative reimagining of the classic Space Mountain attraction, there is also a meet and greet with R2D2 and Chewbacca.
"It's a Small World" in Fantasyland: Perhaps the busiest ride during daytime, It’s a Small World is a classic Disney ride that has captivated visitors for generations. It is no wonder that according to Disney themselves, this ride also has the most ‘repeated customers’. Check out this whimsical boat ride, suited for younger kids, for a song-filled journey around the globe.
If you are still deciding on where to stay in Hong Kong with your kids, Disney offers magical accommodation to complete the fantasy. Hong Kong Disneyland offers three themed hotels, with some of them offering stunning ocean views:
Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel – Grand Victorian Elegance
Disney Explorers Lodge – Adventure and Wilderness themed
Disney's Hollywood Hotel – Hollywood-Style Family Fun
There is a wide diversity in things to do in Hong Kong with kids. Hong Kong offers several children-friendly museums that stand out among the rest, offering experiences that we believe cannot be easily found elsewhere.
Hong Kong Museum of History
Conveniently located in Tsim Sha Tsui, The Hong Kong Museum of History takes you through the comprehensive history of the city and the area around it. Embark on a journey through time, as you learn about dynasties, folk culture, the opium wars, the English colonization, WWII, and the occupation of the Japanese, to where Hong Kong is today. Kids will enjoy exploring the realistic forest with hidden animals, as well as the many lifelike diorama displays. The museum boasts many interactive exhibits, such as a replica of a fishing junk boat and a double-decker tram, that your children will love to delve into. Tip: the museum offers free access on Wednesdays!
Hong Kong Space Museum
Located near the Museum of History, the Space Museum is kid-friendly and a joy to visit for children fascinated with space. Contained within an intriguing egg-shaped dome structure, the planetarium has a plethora of meteorites, a chronology of space travels and a 360-degree panoramic view space theatre with 3D shows, all designed to ignite a child’s interest in astronomy and space science.
Ocean Park Hong Kong
Apart from Disneyland, Hong Kong is fortunate enough to boast an additional family amusement park. Homegrown Ocean Park on the city’s Southern Coast is a local favorite, and over the years, the park has continued to expand their offerings and modernize their rides to become the world class facility it is today. Ocean Park carries a key mission; which is to blend entertainment with education and conservation. As a unique combination of an amusement park, aquarium and zoo, Ocean Park offers enough activities to entertain the whole family.
Ocean Park is divided into two sections: The Headlands and The Lowlands, which are subsequently connected by a 1,400-meter-long cable car system offering spectacular views of coastal Hong Kong. For thrill-seekers, the Park is equipped with several “scream machines” – roller coasters and water rides designed to keep you at the edge of your seat. However, the park offers a wide range of rides suitable for kids of all ages. Here are some of our top recommendations to maximize your family holidays at Ocean Park Hong Kong:
The VR (Virtual Reality) Mine train: The VR Mine Train is Hong Kong’s first-ever VR rollercoaster. Take a VR adventure through the rainforest, dive into the ocean and fly into the sky – all within seconds! Whether it is dashing through quick turns to avoid attacks from robotic machines, or falling through space, the roller coaster’s natural G-force adds to the thrill with wind effects that truly make you feel like you are soaring and plunging into the scenes you see. We guarantee it will leave you alternatively breathless and screaming into the horizon and back!
Ferris Wheel: For those seeking a more quiet and restful ride, we recommend the Ferris Wheel. A classic family attraction, the wheel is 24 meters in diameter. Do prepare your camera to take some panoramic photos while you enjoy the great views of Ocean Park and the South China Sea
Cable Car: Whether you are a thrill seeker or a relaxation seeker, a journey on the Cable Car at night is a must-see. You can enjoy some breathtaking vistas of the South China Sea during this 1.4km journey, from a high vantage point.
Animal World: A central goal of Ocean Park is to educate the public on animals and the importance of environmental conservation. As such, Ocean Park boasts an impressive zoo, currently home to two giant pandas, Ying Ying and Le Le. The Grand Aquarium is designed to reflect a panoramic coral island and serves as an exact copy of the real ocean. It hosts over 5,000 fishes of 400 different species, and one can discover sharks, sting rays, guitarfish and other rare species over the spanning aquarium.
Old Hong Kong: This themed area recreates the style of Hong Kong's streets before the skyscrapers took over. There are recreations of many Hong Kong landmarks, and you can sample some traditional food as well.
With many interesting activities for the young and the old, visiting Hong Kong with kids is a joy. A great destination for family holidays, Hong Kong offers many indoor and outdoor activities for the whole family to enjoy. This article highlights some of our favourite family activities within the city. To find out more local activities to enjoy with your little ones, or for help with directions from your accommodation, feel free to contact your concierge at The V. To find out your personal best time to visit Hong Kong, read our article here.
