If you’ve ever dreamed of exploring Korea with your kids – think cherry blossoms, hanbok dress-up, and Michelin-starred food – you’re in for some inspiration. I recently took my youngest daughter on a trip to Korea, and it was everything she (and I!) dreamed of, thanks to the travel planning platform Elsewhere. Here’s how we created a personalized family itinerary full of cultural wonder and unforgettable moments.
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When my kids turn 7, it becomes a rite of passage in our family: a one-on-one trip with either me or my husband to a place they’ve studied, dreamed about, or been curious to explore. These trips have been some of our most meaningful family traditions. I’ve taken them to Paris and London, Iceland, Peru, Costa Rica, Kenya and Oahu! Over the years, I’ve seen how travel has shaped my kids’ worldviews and helped cultivate their curiosity and growth mindset.
Recently, it was Gemma’s turn. She’s my youngest, now 9, and a little firecracker with big dreams. Her obsession? A Korean cartoon called Teeniping. Not only does she watch it on repeat, she sings the songs in Korean with full elation and bravado. Add to that her love for Korean BBQ, her fascination with kimchi, and a dream of seeing cherry blossoms in Korea, and it was clear: Seoul would be the destination.
How We Planned Our Korea Trip with Elsewhere
Historically, I plan all of our one on one trips, but with limited time on my side and feeling busier than ever, I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull off a killer trip my husband, daughter and I would love. After watching several friend’s amazing vacations on Instagram sharing their incredible experiences with the modern travel platform, Elsewhere, I started digging into how it works.
The process couldn’t have been easier. Once you’re on the Elsewhere site, you choose your dream destination (so many to choose from all over the world), the number of family members, the date you wish to depart, how long you can stay and then you’re matched with local experts to help (and inspire) your trip.
We were matched with Jun and Ahrong, two local travel pros based in Seoul, who helped us build out our curated Korea itinerary based on experiences we knew Gemma had talked about over the years, a few bucket list items I had on my mind (I couldn’t come to Korea without receiving one or two of their well priced famous beauty treatments) plus hyper local cultural adventures. After one zoom session where we met Jun and Ahrong, they were able to create a personalized and tailor-made itinerary that turned out to be even better than we could have imagined.
Family-Friendly Highlights from Our Korean Adventure
Our trip to Korea was filled with so many magical moments, but here are some of the most memorable parts of our family travel itinerary in Korea:
Teeniping World & Cherry Blossoms
When we received our beautifully laid out Korean itinerary we were blown away. We didn’t know that Teeniping World even existed as we only knew about the cartoon, so they planned a half day where Gemma could immerse herself in all it’s fun. We also timed our visit with cherry blossom season! Spring in Korea is next-level beautiful.
Korean Cuisine, Michelin Stars and Street Food
As big time foodies, they made reservations at several Michelin star restaurants as well as street food tours and seafood tastings. We were in heaven! The variety and richness of Korean cuisine was something we’ll never forget, and Gemma was game to try it all.
Dressing Up in Hanbok at the Palace
There were many, but one of the highlights on the trip that we didn’t even know was happening until we arrived was getting to dress up in traditional hanbok wear and visiting the palace during the change of guard. Gemma absolutely lost her mind being allowed to choose her dress, hair pins, purse and crown and hold my hand as we walked around the historic grounds. It was truly a fairytale moment for any young girl.
Visiting the DMZ with a North Korean Defector
Another special day was visiting the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) with a defector with a North Korean defector who quickly became Gemma’s buddy. We learned so much about her harrowing journey as well as the history between North and South Korea. It was deeply moving and educational — an experience I’ll carry with me forever.
Where We Stayed: From 5-Star Hotels to a Traditional Hanok
We stayed in 5 star contemporary and modern hotels as well as a traditional Hanok hotel. I’ll admit, I was hesitant about the Hanok at first, but they were totally right booking us there as it was gorgeous, serene and the hosts made us feel right at home.
Why I Recommend Elsewhere for Family Travel
One of the best things about working with Elsewhere was knowing we had 24/7 support. We had direct contact with our local experts and a concierge team available throughout the trip. Plus, we had our local experts’ cell phones to call or text for any reason, so I could relax and take full advantage of the trip knowing all of our needs were taken care of and anticipated.
Korea is such a beautiful and clean country with some of the kindest people I’ve ever met in my travels. Something important to me is knowing our trip has a positive footprint on our host destination. Elsewhere is a values-driven company which supports sustainability, dedicated to ethical and sustainable travel. They even plant 10 trees for every traveler around the world giving back to local communities.
Dreaming of a Family Trip to Korea?
If Korea is on your bucket list, I can’t recommend this type of experience enough. Whether you have kids who love Teeniping, dream of hanbok and cherry blossoms, or just want to experience the incredible hospitality of Korean culture, there’s so much magic waiting for you! We’re already dreaming of going back with our other two kids and building their dream itineraries next.
Thinking about planning your own family trip to Korea? I’d love to hear what’s on your dream itinerary. Drop a comment or question below! Also, explore all of my travel itineraries with kids here!
