While Taipei may be a densely populated city, it also offers plenty of parks and outdoor spaces for those wanting to spend more time outside with their kids. Here's a list of our favorite parks.
Top 12 Parks in Taipei:
1. Da’an Forest Park
Da'an Forest Park is conveniently located in central Taipei, but maintains a natural feel with an abundance of trees and wildlife. Many different animals including squirrels, egrets, turtles, and several species of ducks can be found near the park's main pond. The park can be an interesting place for people-watching, especially in the mornings and evenings as groups do tai-chi, dancing, and other forms of exercise in the park. Children will also love the huge playground, which has swings, seesaws, a huge playset with numerous bridges and slides, and a very big sand play area. There's also plenty of parking in an underground lot, and the park is easily-accessible from the Daan Park Station MRT.
2. Youth Park
Youth Park is truly a child-focussed park. There's four playgrounds, two sand play areas, and big grassy fields perfect for running and playing. The park is also home to Space Castle, a popular play set that has been around for over 30 years. The free government run Wanhua parent-child play center is also located in the park, as well as the Youth Park swimming pool, which has child-friendly indoor and outdoor pools. On weekends vendors sell toys, and rent out little drivable cars near the South entrance to the park. While it isn’t that convenient to reach by MRT, it’s easy to catch a taxi/bus to the park, and there’s an underground parking lot available.
3. Dajia Riverside Park
Next to the Keelung River, Dajia Riverside Park provides plenty of open space away from the city-center. There's large grassy fields for running around and kite-flying, baseball fields, and large shade coverings kids can play beneath. It's also a good place to rent bikes and go for a riverside bike ride, as bikes with child seats and children’s bikes are available. On weekends, drivable battery powered cars for toddlers can be rented, as well as family multi-person bikes. The park also contains a playground with a big shade covered sand play area, and in the summer there's a water sprinkler area for kids to splash around. It isn’t close to the MRT, but is reachable by bus/taxi, and there’s plenty of parking available.
4. 2/28 Peace Park
One of the oldest parks in Taipei, the 2/28 Peace Park has quite a bit of history. The park is home to two museums - the 2/28 Memorial Museum and the National Taiwan Museum, and includes a memorial to the February 28 incident. There’s elaborate pagodas throughout the park, along with dancing fountains, and a peaceful pond filled with fish and turtles. At the Southern end of the park is a playground with a friendly neighborhood feel. The playground has a swing set, playset, and a sand play area with big concrete slide. There’s an MRT station on the east side of the park, but no associated parking lot.
5. Expo Park
One of the main sites for the Taipei International Flora Exposition in 2011, Taipei Expo Park is a spacious landscape park with many kid-friendly activities nearby. There is a free government run play center just a few minutes walk from the nearby MRT station, as well as a large shade covered outside area for kids to play. If kids need a snack, there’s the Maji Maji Square shopping and food area, which include several child-friendly restaurants and shops, including the Brick Works lego cafe. Walking East, visitors can take an overpass across the street to the Fine Arts Park area, which is home to the Taipei Arts Museum (temporarily closed until Oct 2018), the International Pavilion of Indigenous Arts and Cultures (which has rotating exhibits), and more gardens. Across another street is the Xinsheng Park area. This park has a very fun garden maze made from hedges, a baseball field, and the park is also across the street from the Lin An Tai Ancestral House, a historic home with courtyard interesting for children to explore. Another aspect that makes Expo Park a great place to visit is that it’s near the airport, so young kids can enjoy watching planes fly overhead. Expo park is easily accessible from Yuanshan MRT station, and there’s a parking lot available at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum.
6. Zhishan Garden and Park
Located in Shilin District, there’s lots for kids with an interest in nature to explore at this park. In the northeast corner of the park is the Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden (NT$50 entrance fee), which is the site of a bird rehabilitation center. It’s pretty basic, just consisting of big metal cages, but you can see falcons, magpies, owls, and other types of birds. The garden also has an ecological pond, a very old and huge banyan tree, a green house with plants and aquariums, and a small cultural museum. Visitors interested in taking a nature walk can go on wooden boardwalks that criss-cross through the park. In the middle of the park is a Taoist temple with lots of interesting stone statues for kids to explore. After visiting the temple, visitors can take stairs (decorated with red lanterns) down to the southwest corner of the park where a big playground is located. Parking is available at the park, and Zhishan MRT station is a 15 minute walk away.
7. Hakka Culture Park
Hakka Culture Park is a fun and unique park in Taipei dedicated to Hakka culture and traditions. There’s statues scattered throughout the park of farmers and their families at work, and the park also contains tiered rice fields and a little stream with fish. The park also has several small wooden houses scattered around the park displaying traditional Hakka homes, which kids can enter and explore. Older children might enjoy visiting the Hakka Museum located at the park, and there’s also a food area serving Hakka cuisine. The park is a short walk from the Taipower Building MRT stop, and there’s an underground parking lot located at the park.
8. Beitou Park
Beitou Park is at the center of the Beitou hot springs district, and makes for a good day trip as there’s lots to do around the park. It’s possible to spot turtles, birds, and other park wildlife near Beitou stream, which winds through the park. In the center of the park is the eco-friendly Beitou public library, which includes a children’s section in the basement. Nearby are a couple of museums and historic sites that might interest older children such as the Beitou Hot Spring Museum and the free Ketagalan Culture Center. There’s a children’s playground across from the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, and at the end of the park is the Millennium Hot Spring public baths (NT$40). Finally, a 5 minute walk down the road is Thermal Valley, which is an interesting place for kids to see steam rising from geothermal hot springs. Beitou Park is located very close to Xinbeitou MRT Station. There’s no parking lot for this park, but street parking is available.
9. Dahu Park
Dahu Park is a beautiful park with large lake easily reachable from the extended Brown MRT line. It’s a nice park to hang out and have a picnic and enjoy being outside. The lake attracts quite a few birds, as well as fisherman. The central attraction is a pretty moon bridge, which is good for photos. There’s also a very nice outdoor children’s swimming pool with water playset at the park (but closes during Oct - April), and across the street from the park’s MRT stop is a playground with slide, swings, and sand play area. The park is located at Dahu Park MRT station, and there’s an underground parking lot available for this park.
10. Rongxing Park
Rongxing Garden Park is located in Western Zhongshan District, near to Xingtian Temple. It’s the first European landscape garden in Taipei, and the park includes big grassy fields perfect for running around and playing, as well as shady play areas underneath trees. In a corner of the park, there’s an ecological restoration area with pond and wooden walkways good for a short nature walk. There is also an indoor swimming pool onsite, and an outdoor water sprinkler area kids can splash around during summer. One of the best features of this park is the recently remodeled children’s playground, which includes some unique and fun climbing equipment along with several stone slides and a large sand play area. The park is a 5 minute walk from Zhongshan Junior High School MRT station, and street parking is available.
11. Dagouxi Riverside Park
If you’re looking for an easy child-friendly hiking area, Dagouxi Riverside Park is a good choice. The park includes a very flat .7km walk on a paved path that goes right next to a small stream, which is popular to wade in during hot days. On weekends you’ll find people spreading out picnic blankets and setting up tents in the grassy area near the stream. The park is also a nice place for spotting butterflies, tadpoles, dragonflies, and similar park life. If you’re in the mood to hike, there’s an additional .5km hike to Yuanjue waterfall near the end of the park, as well as the 1.2km Bihu Trail hike. Dagouxi Riverside Park is a 15 minute walk from Dahu Park MRT Station. There’s no associated parking lot, but street parking is available.
12. Fudekeng Park
Formerly the site of a landfill, the land has been transformed into a surprisingly scenic 37 hectare park perfect for a variety of recreational activities. On weekends you’ll likely find people flying remote control planes and driving remote control race cars at the Northern end of the park. The Southern end of the park has a big grassy hill where families come to go sledding down a steep grassy hill on grass sleds provided at the park. While not a traditional children’s park, as there’s no playground or sand play area, this park instead offers something different in terms of open spaces and grassy fields, and even a nice view of the nearby Maokong gondolas. To visit Fudekeng you'll need your own transport (either car, scooter, or bike), and parking is available onsite.
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