10 Things to do in Hong Kong with Kids on Your Stopover or Family Holiday
Wondering what to do in Hong Kong with kids? Whether you are planning your family holiday or planning a Hong Kong stopover on your way to another destination, we have a great list of family friendly things to do in Hong Kong with kids to keep them entertained and having fun!
Hong Kong Family Holiday
In general when you travel with kids, especially younger children, it is important that when you are deciding what to see and do in a place, that there are some kid friendly activities as well.
When you plan your Hong Kong family holiday, of course you want to see the main attractions and sights. However, these may not be all too interesting for your little ones, so the best thing to do is balance your days out with things you want to see and do, with a few things that will interest the kids as well.
While most people think of it as a big city and somewhere to shop, there is actually many things to do with Hong Kong with kids.
Here I share my best tips so that you can plan your Hong Kong family holiday, and make it the perfect trip to Hong Kong with your kids. In this post you can find:
- When to plan your Hong Kong family holiday or stopover
- Where to go in Hong Kong with kids.
- What to see and do with kids in Hong Kong
*This post may contain some affiliate links at no cost to you.
When to plan your Hong Kong Family Holiday or Stopover
Hong Kong is a location that you can visit all year round. So, it really depends on what your preferences are and what you plan to do there. Summers are generally very hot and humid and Winters are cool and dry. Peak times are during the holidays and on weekends. If you are planning on going to Disneyland especially, try to go during the week as it will be less busy.
March – April, October – November: If you are planning to travel to Hong Kong with kids, these are probably the best times for your Hong Kong family holiday. These months are warm and sunny, and probably the most comfortable times of the year.
May – September: These are the hottest months in Hong Kong, and it is also typhoon season. It is generally not advised to travel to Hong Kong with kids during these months because it is very hot and humid. Temperatures soar past 30C and can be uncomfortable with little ones out all day sight seeing. However in saying that, we visited in July and got lucky. It was warm and quite humid, however a hotel with a pool to cool off in at the end of each day was perfect.
December – February: This is the coldest period in Hong Kong where it is cool and dry. It is also the period of Chinese New Year so while the festivities are on, it is a busy time to visit Hong Kong with kids unless you are visiting especially for the festival.
If you are planning a Hong Kong Stopover, it really depends on your main destination because you are either going to stopover on the way there, on the way back, or both. For a few days, timing isn’t as important than if you are planning a Hong Kong family holiday where you might stay for a week or more.
Make sure you check out our Flying with Kids tips before you go!
10 Things to do in Hong Kong with Kids
Here are our favourite things to do in Hong Kong with kids!
1. Disney Land – Hong Kong with Kids
Disneyland is one of the main Hong Kong attractions that the whole family can enjoy and a must do if you are visiting Hong Kong with kids. While smaller than it’s counterparts in the US and Japan, Disneyland Hong Kong is filled with the Disney magic every child dreams of.
There are plenty of things to see and do at Hong Kong Disneyland to keep the family entertained whether you spend the day, or multiple days at this fun and exciting theme park.
You may think the language barrier would be an issue, however all signage is in both English and Chinese, and all of the staff we encountered spoke both languages as well. We had no issues with the language barrier during our visit.
During the shows, the popular songs the kids know and love are sung in the original English, even if some of the characters speak in Chinese. It is all part of the experience though, and our kids loved it nonetheless.
Make sure you check online HERE for discounted tickets to Disneyland Hong Kong.
Read more here: Hong Kong Disneyland Family Travel Planning Guide
2. Ocean Park – Hong Kong with Kids
While Disneyland is probably the most famous thing to do in Hong Kong with kids, Ocean Park is another fun theme park which is just as popular, a little less expensive, and makes a great family day out.
Ocean Park is a Sea Theme Park where along with all the usual theme park rides, it features animal exhibits where you can get close to lots of different sea animals such as dolphins, penguins and sea lions.
Again the language barrier is not an issue, as staff are bilingual and signage is in both languages.
Read more about Ocean Park here and get discounted tickets online HERE.
3. Visit The Buddah – Hong Kong with Kids
When people ask me what to do in Hong Kong with kids, a visit to The Buddah is always on the top of our list. This was an unexpected favourite and something our kids still remember when we ask them about their trip to Hong Kong. The Buddah is located on Lantau Island which you can get to easily using the Metro system.
Once you get to the island, you need to take the cable car up the mountain, which is a fun experience in itself if you are in Hong Kong with kids.
The cable car leaves you at Ngong Ping Village which is filled with little shops, markets, cafes and restaurants where you can taste some of the local specialties for lunch. You can walk around, and then climb the steps up to The Buddah and visit the museum.
The sheer size of The Buddah is amazing, it is one of the biggest in the world, and even if you aren’t religious it is still an amazing sight to visit.
4. Ride the Tram Up to The Peak – Hong Kong with Kids
The Peak is a fun experience for any traveller, but especially if visiting Hong Kong with kids. Getting the tram up to the top is part of the experience. It is so steep that you actually go up on a lean. The views are stunning on the way up, and there are amazing photo opportunities from the top.
Once you get up to the top, there is a fun 3D museum, where you can get your photo taken in some fun and exciting contexts.
You can visit The Peak any time of day, but you will get the best views either in the early morning or the evening. Also, you don’t need to get the tram, there are also frequent busses and taxis, however visiting Hong Kong with kids, the tram is a more exciting experience for them.
Get your tickets HERE before you go and save time!
5. Visit Madame Tussauds – Hong Kong with Kids
Madame Tussauds is actually located up at The Peak, so while you are up there, it is a fun place to explore if you are in Hong Kong with kids. Similar to the one in London, this wax museum features different life like celebrities including famous international and Chinese stars. Meet the Queen, or Donald Trump; Stand next to Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner or Angelina Jolie. Shake hands with Albert Einstein or try out some martial arts with Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee.
Ever wanted to see your face on a cappuccino? One of the highlights of Madame Tussauds is the Celfie Café, where you can stop for a rest during your visit to get your selfie taken and put on a coffee! The kids especially thought this was quite cool.
Get your tickets online at discounted prices HERE.
Read more here: Madame Tussauds Hong Kong Review
6. Ride the Star Ferry – Hong Kong with Kids
When you travel with kids, remember that for them, sometimes it is the experience rather than the actual attraction that they love the most. The Star Ferry is a fun experience for kids in Hong Kong, as well as a form of transport you can use to get around.
The Star Ferry runs from central Kawloon and the ride is around 10 mins or so depending on the time of day, and it runs quite frequently so no need to book ahead. Head out and enjoy the stunning views of the Hong Kong skyline.
7. Check out the Laser Show – Hong Kong with Kids
Every night on the harbour at 8pm, the lazer show lights up the skies of Hong Kong. This is something exciting to all see together on your Hong Kong family holiday. Lights and lasers shoot from the top of the buildings that surround the harbour while the sounds of the orchestra fill the air.
If you can find a hotel close to the harbour, even better. Then at night after a long day sight seeing, you can go on a family walk by the harbour and let the kids run around while watching the show.
8. Try some Character Dim Sum – Hong Kong with Kids
You can’t go to Hong Kong and not try Dim Sum! Actually Hong Kong has some delicious traditional food, and we recommend dining in places you can try it all.
We know however, that when visiting Hong Kong with kids, dining may be a bit more difficult if they are not used to the diet. That is when the character dim sum comes in. Yum Cha in Tsim Sha Tsui was one of our favourites, (they also have other locations as well).
Check out our food post on must try What to eat in Hong Kong for more restaurant recommendations.
9. Walk the Avenue of Stars
The Avenue of Stars is Hong Kong’s answer to the famous LA version. Stretching 440 meters it is a nice walk along the harbour and features more than a hundred celebrity handprints as well as statues of the famous including Bruce Lee.
It is also a lovely walk along the harbour, and something you can see before you head to the laser show as it is on the way.
10. Observation wheel – Hong Kong with Kids
Another fun thing to do in Hong Kong with kids is ride the Hong Kong Observation Wheel which gives you some of the most amazing views over Victoria Harbour. The ride on the Hong Kong observation wheel goes for around 20 minutes. The kids will love it because it is like a giant ferris wheel!
The gondolas hold around 8-10 people each and you need to remain seated. It is much smaller than the observation wheel in Melbourne which holds around 20 people and you can walk around, but still definitely a Hong Kong attraction worth a visit.
11. Visit the Space Museum – Hong Kong with Kids
If you are looking for indoor things to do in Hong Kong with kids for a cold or rainy day, then make sure to check out the Hong Kong Science Museum which is located in Kowloon.
You will find over hundreds of science related exhibits such as light, sound, motion, transportation, robotics, and more. The highlight though is definitely the twin tower energy machine which is the largest in the world at 22 metres high.
It is an interactive museum and you are encouraged to participate in demonstrations which kids will love.
Tips for Visiting Hong Kong with Kids
- Take an umbrella or a poncho everywhere, especially if you visit Hong Kong during Summer. Because of its tropical location you never know when it is going to rain.
- Taxis are quite reasonably priced. If you have a family of four or five which includes small children, sometimes it can be cheaper to get into a taxi than to pay for all of your metro tickets.
- Stay near the harbour. Hotels and apartments tend to have larger rooms than staying in Tsim Sha Tsui centre where a tiny studio can be quite expensive. See our recommendation below.
- Don’t try to do everything at once. Slow down, choose one or two sites per day and enjoy them slowly for the sake of your kids.
Where to stay on your Hong Kong Family Holiday
When booking your family holiday to Hong Kong, remember that accommodation isn’t as cheap as some Asian destinations such as Thailand or Indonesia. In fact, it is quite expensive, especially in the city centre. The other thing, is that because Hong Kong is so overpopulated, most hotel rooms tend to be tiny.
After recommendations from a friend living in Hong Kong, we decided to stay at the Kowloon Harbourfront Hotel which ended up much cheaper (even though the room was much bigger) than any other city hotels we looked at. It ended up being the highlight of the trip for our boys too, who absolutely loved the resort style pool.
The hotel is a little out of the city centre, however it is right on the harbour with views over the water. They do have a free shuttle running frequently to the centre and back all day, but you can also walk by the water in about 15mins so we did that most evenings when we went out for dinner.
Our room was a 2 bedroom self-contained suite and had everything we needed and more. The hotel has a restaurant with reasonably priced meals.
CLICK HERE to find updated prices for Kowloon Harbourfront Hotel
CLICK HERE to find other hotel options in Hong Kong
Hong Kong with Kids
We hope this information has helped you with planning your family trip to Hong Kong with kids. There really is so much to see and do that we can’t possibly mention everything in this post! We would love to know how your trip goes, and which Hong Kong attractions your family loved the most!
Travelling with kids? Check out our Travel Tips, or our Destinations for holiday inspiration! And, follow Mum’s Little Explorers on Instagram
