When we first considered taking our family to China I had no idea what to do in Hong Kong. Because Hong Kong is the only part of China you can visit without a visa, it was more affordable than the mainland. After talking to a couple of friends that had visited, they had no idea what to do with kids. After some research and visiting over spring break, I have the ideal itinerary to experience all that Hong Kong has to offer.
Our family vacation cost us under $500. If you want to read how we accomplished such a budget-friendly trip, click here.
No matter where your hotel is, everything is accessible within a few minutes on the subway or bus. You can really start anywhere on this itinerary and make it work.
What to do in Hong Kong
Day 1: Victoria Peak & Hong Kong Park & Cheung Kong Park
The best way to start your trip in Hong Kong is by an overview of the whole area. Getting off at Central MTR station, the walk to the Peak tram is well worth it. You will find beautiful buildings with interesting artwork. Fountains, statues and gorgeous architecture abound. Make sure you talk a stroll around Cheung Kong Park when you are nearly to the Peak. It is a serene and peaceful garden easy on the eyes after a load of busy city sights.
Victoria Peak
The tram is located at “The Peak” a short walk from Central MTR stop. Get here early or you will spend hours waiting in line.
Riding the tram up the steep incline is quite a fun experience! Once at the top, you can stay inside “The Peak” building for expensive shopping and food. Go up to the top level to get a 360 view. It is spectacular.
Get out of the building and try out some of the hiking trails. There are maps to show you distance and routes you could take. There is a playground down one trail if you have young kids. There are also plenty of carts and shops that are much more affordable than inside “The Peak”.
Whenever you are ready, get in line to wait to take a tram back down the hill. There are also city buses that do go up to the top of Victoria Peak. They may take more time going up and down, but if you have to wait in line, it may actually be faster!
Hong Kong Park
Once you descend from the Peak, Hong Kong Park is literally across the street.
The playground is a colorful rainbow with 6 levels of playground equipment and fun. The sandbox was our family favorite. But the free wifi throughout the park ensured mom and dad could stay as long as the kids wanted.
This park offers a free walk-through aviary with over 600 birds of various breeds.
There is also a free conservatory with a room full of desert plants right next to a room full of tropical plants. The contrast of walking from a desert into a rainforest was so interesting. The sensations on your skin, the smell, the sounds, the density; it was all so dramatically different. Seriously, you need to walk through here just to show your kids the variation. Outside the conservatory, you’ll see ponds, lily pads, fountains, large trees and a myriad of gardens to delight your senses.
The park also has a large Olympic stage with seating and a marriage registry area. Our kids loved climbing the overlook tower and wandering through a beautiful memorial garden.
The museum of TeaWare and Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre also look interesting, but we didn’t make it there.
*Hong Kong Park is set in a very hilly area. Be prepared for steep climbs, and drops and lots of stairs. Even the playground has 6 sets of stairs to get to each level. Not for the faint of heart!
From the east of the Park, you should head back to Admiralty MTR station.
Day 2: Hong Kong sites
Our day will start at the Tsi Sha Tsui MTR stop.
As you make your way to the harbor, you will find a myriad of high -end shopping areas as well as nice hotels.
Take a stroll through Salisbury Garden. Side note: The public bathrooms here were so nice and included lovely rainforest sounds to entertain you on your break.
Walk down the Avenue of Stars (if the renovation is finished!). The views of the Hong Kong Skyline from here are gorgeous.
The Hong Kong Space Museum and Hong Kong Museum of Art is in this area if you have time to explore those.
Continue to the Star Ferry dock and you will find a gorgeous Kowloon Railway Clock Tower and Fountain. Take in the view of the harbor and the skyline of Hong Kong Island.
Take the star ferry (50 cents!) across the harbor to the Hong Kong Island.
On Hong Kong Island make your way to the Mid-Level Escalators. Once you find the escalators or moving walkways, you can ride them as they rise inside the city for a half mile. Our kids were too exhausted to take the escalators all the way, but I would love to know where they go, so check back in and tell me!
Make sure to end the night at Golden Bauhinia around 8 pm. (Wan Chai MTR stop or take a city bus).
Enjoy the free nightly Symphony of Lights show from the skyscrapers of Hong Kong at 8 pm. If you do this itinerary backward, another great viewing area is right near the Star Ferry port.
If you have more time before the night show, Visit Victoria Park right near the Causeway Bay MTR stop
Day 3: 10,000 Buddhas Monastery and Markets
This day will be spent going north into the markets and Sha Tin.
We have early risers, so we like to go to the free temples and monasteries early to avoid the crowds. Get off at the Sha Tin MTR stop. It was difficult to find the start of the 10,000 Buddha’s trail because it is behind a building and not well marked. Ask around and someone can guide you. The best sights are always hardest to find!
The hike to the 10,000 buddhas is steep! But our kids barely noticed because we asked them to find their favorite statue to take a photo with. We were so entertained, as every single statue is totally unique.
At the top of the climb is a gorgeous pagoda, statue, and temple. So many beautiful and intricate sights here. We wanted to continue up the mountain, but wild monkeys scared us off.
Back down the mountain, the Sha Tin Park is just north of the station. The gardens and play area are beautiful.
From the Sha Tin station, head to Mok Kok East MTR. The Flower Market, Goldfish Market, and Bird Market are all within walking distance. There are signs to guide you to each of the Markets. We really didn’t buy much, but browsing in these unique and very specific markets was so interesting. The Women’s market is also worth perusing.
Day 4: Kids Theme Park
Ocean Park (Ocean Park MTR ) or Disneyland (Disneyland Resort MTR)
If you have kids with you, making a fun day full of rides and kid-friendly activities and thrills is a must. We opted for the cheaper and exclusive-to-Hong-Kong Theme park at Ocean Park. You can read all about having the best experience at Ocean Park here.
If you can stay until late, you might find a fountain and light show (complete with fireworks and fire on the fountain) at 8 pm. It was so entertaining (even if it was in Chinese).
Day 5: Big Buddha and Ngong Ping
Ngong Ping is right next to the airport. If you are flying out later in the day, you have plenty of time to see this sight. Just make sure to arrive early so you aren’t stuck waiting in line.
Head to Tung Chung MTR station early. If you don’t arrive early, you will have to wait in line for hours! Depending on the time and funds you have, you can take the cable car up to the big Buddha(or Tian Tan). Its 25 mins by cable car or the City bus #23 is 1 hour, for half the cost.
Once in the Ngong Ping village, there is a row of stores and eateries of all varieties. You can walk up the many steps to get close to the big Buddha. There is also a monastery with intricate designs and architecture to explore. Everything is free in this area. Spend as long as you want taking photos and enjoying the spectacular views.
You can return to Tung Chung MTR station via cable car or bus.
Is Hong Kong Expensive?
Our Family of 5 went to Hong Kong for 5 days for only $500. It wasn’t easy, but it definitely possible to travel cheaply in Hong Kong.
The Best of Hong Kong
We fit the best of what to do in Hong Kong in just a few days. I loved dipping our toes in Chinese culture, food, art, and busyness, as well as showing our children the other side of the world.
Hong Kong is easy to navigate. It’s a bustling city, for sure, but safe and clean for kids. I think a stroller would have been difficult here, but since we left our baby with grandma, exploring was so much easier.
Now that you know what to do in Hong Kong, let me know what you loved and what other sights you added.
After this itinerary, our son wrote a school paper on his experience. Read memoirs of a 9-year-old here.
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