Planning family-friendly activities in Hong Kong during the hot stormy summer can be challenging. That’s why we’ve done the work for you. Here are our favourite summer activities keep family members of all ages happy without making a dent in your wallet.
Family-friend beaches
Nothing says summer better than a relaxing day at the beach. The popular Repulse Bay is easily accessible with plenty of dining and entertainment options nearby.
If you’d like a trip to the Outlying Island, Pui O Beach on Lantau is a less busy stretch of sand perfect for a family outing. The sand is soft. The water is shallow. And the area features a restaurant bar and a kiosk nearby to offer instant refreshments.
Watch out for the Lantau buffaloes that often roam the beach.
You can also check out our round-up of 9 Hong Kong Beaches to Hit This Summer.
See flamingos and leopard cats at Kadoorie Farm
Spanning 148 hectares on Tai Mo Shan, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden is a haven for wildlife and plants. Home to rare species, a mature forest, themed gardens, walking trails and a range of leisure and educational conservation facilities, it’s the ideal family city escape.
The wildlife walkthrough will let you see rare animals including the bright-orange flamingos, which were a gift to the park years ago. You can also visit the two adorable leopard cat sisters Chomel and Manis at the Native Mammal Display.
The park offers a few scenic picnic options. Admission is HK$30.00 for visitors aged 12 to 59, HK$15.00 for visitors aged 5 to 10, and free for children under 5 and senior citizens aged 60 and above.
Children: HK$15.00
Play with the art-inspired alphabet cards
Little Heads • Big Discovery is a series of educational parent-child art resources for parents and children between 2 and 6 years old by Hong Kong Museum of Art. The two sets of art-inspired alphabet cards and “Look and Find Hand in Hand with Artists” play sheets inspire parents and children to explore different types of artworks together.
A children’s book is also available for 6- to 10-year-olds to explore the museum while following the storyline. You can download the free storybook on Hong Kong Museum of Art’s website.
Chill inside the most kids-friendly mall
Discovery Park (or just D Park) in Tsuen Wan is a 500,000 sq ft shopping complex with family-oriented facilities and activities galore.
Many of the shops are said to have been designed with the little ones in mind.
You can also register for a free session at its semi-outdoor Whale Garden or its indoor D-Central Park. They give out quota on a first-come-first-serve basis mostly.
The shopping centre also has some paid Multiple Intelligence learning courses and activities for children of different ages.
Play at the new harbourfront parks
Opened in October 2020, the Belcher Bay harbourfront open space is a boardwalk featuring activity platforms and benches made from old wooden cargo pallets, as a nod to the site’s history as a public cargo working area. It’s also one of the few public parks in Hong Kong that has a pet-friendly corner.
Even newer is the Pierside Precinct at the Wan Chai Pier Harbourfront area. Opened in March 2021, the 5.5-kilometre promenade is dotted with interesting art installations.
Easy hikes
Want to stretch your legs into the wild without the fear of sore muscles for the next three days? Here are some of our favourite easy trails that can be done in two hours.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also has a host of recommended family walks on its website.
Check out the best features of the now-closed “Hong Kong Story” exhibition
First open to the public almost two decades ago, “The Hong Kong Story” had been one of the most beloved exhibitions in town. It traced back over 400 million years ago and travelled to present Hong Kong, offering an in-depth and immersive experience of the city’s culture and history.
The exhibition was temporarily closed for a two-year revamp. But at the moment, the museum has pulled some of the best features from the old exhibition to be displayed at the Exhibition Gallery at the Hong Museum of History.
Read our story on more inspirations for unique museums to visit in Hong Kong.
