Highly recommended itinerary to wear out your little one: The Lazy Parent’s Guide to Hualien Ocean Park

With summer vacation upon us, which means the little gremlins are out of hibernation too!! Parents who want a peaceful summer absolutely have to carefully plan some summer energy-burning activities for their little gremlins, as I've now officially entered that phase myself!! This year is a bit special—Daddy Mi has finally decided to end our 10-year life in Taiwan. Come September, we’re all moving back to France!!

On the eve of returning to France, Daddy Mi’s wish was to visit Hualien one more time.For nature-loving French people, Hualien—with its beautiful mountains and waters—is simply their idea of Shangri-La.And so, me—the ever-obedient wife and mom—I immediately arranged a trip to Hualien. The itinerary was packed with everything under the sun, ensuring that His Majesty and Little Miss would regain their respect for me.

Since we were traveling with a 2-year-old toddler, Dia, the top priority was to keep things easy and convenient. We left Taipei at noon and arrived in Hualien in just two hours. After arriving at our urban Airbnb in a leisurely fashion, we hopped into a taxi and headed to our only scheduled activity: “Pacific Park.” The northern section of Pacific Park, nestled between mountains and sea, had a huge sandy area—truly a dream sandbox. Armed with our sand toys, Little Miss dashed right in and found her spot to start digging away!!

After getting completely filthy from head to toe, we found a small fountain nearby that sprays water for 15 minutes at 4, 5, and 6 PM. In a moment of distraction, little Dia had already taken off her pants all by herself. Well then—let’s just be wild kids today!!

Walking along North Bay Park toward South Bay Park, you can reach the Dongmen Night Market along the coast. But Daddy Mi said he has a night market phobia, so we just bought some juice, bomb onion pancakes, picked up some fast food, and headed back to the Airbnb to rest. Little Dia collapsed the moment we got back and slept soundly. Perfect!! Tomorrow’s itinerary will require plenty of energy because we’re going to the ocean park—yay!!

There are many places in Hualien suitable for wearing out little ones, but the most attractive has to be the “Farglory Ocean Park.”The ocean park is about a 30-minute drive from downtown. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the summer vacation, there are also shuttle buses from Hualien Station. That day, not wanting to waste any time getting into the park, we called a taxi (around 350 NTD) and rushed to the ocean park. We were ready to go crazy and play by 9 AM!! (For more details on the shuttle bus from Hualien Station, please check the official website.)

Given how Dia clung to us like a leech the day before, the first thing we did upon entering the park was rent a stroller. Little Miss sat comfortably, and mom and dad didn’t have to sweat buckets carrying her or have sore shoulders.

Once inside the park, it’s recommended to grab the summer performance schedule to help plan your time. Following the park’s schedule allows you to enjoy the whole place with minimal effort.

Between each show, there’s enough time to explore rides around the performance areas, taking visitor flow into account. I think this schedule is really well designed. Dia is still young, and some rides are too intense for her, but these shows and performances are absolutely her cup of tea!!

On the way to the Sea Lion Theater, we encountered Daddy Mi’s favorite Moai statues from Easter Island. A photo op was definitely in order.

We also saw Baby Shark—the hottest thing in the toddler world—but she looked a bit different from how Dia imagined, haha!!

As we wandered around, it was soon time for the Sea Lion Kindergarten class to start. The Sea Lion Theater is located not far from the entrance of the Summit Sky Cabin. We found a great spot to watch the sea lion performance—Up!!

The roughly 15-minute Sea Lion Kindergarten show might have been over Dia’s head in terms of the marine knowledge being shared, but her eyes were glued to the sea lions as they clapped, shot hoops, and dived. For once, Dia was fully focused, laughing and clapping along. Mom and Dad couldn’t even bear to look away when talking to her!!

The teacher said the bigger sea lions are male, and the smaller ones are female. Daxiong is the big, chubby, adorable male sea lion!!

During the sea lion basketball competition, their moves were super agile!!

Using the Sea Lion Kindergarten as the opening to the ocean park was perfect—it hinted at the magical, joyful marine world the kids were about to enter.

Earlier, I mentioned that the park’s performance schedule is thoughtfully arranged. After saying goodbye to the sea lions, the next big show takes place at the Crystal Castle, the highest point in the park. But who wants to climb to the mountaintop in this scorching heat?

No worries—the Summit Sky Cable Car will deliver lazy parents straight to the Crystal Castle. How considerate!! The Summit Sky Cable Car isn’t just a blessing for the lazy—it offers breathtaking views of the vast Pacific Ocean, and the view was so stunning that Dia even forgot about the cookie in her hand.

An early arrival meant fewer crowds and shorter queues.

Next, we headed to the highest point of the ocean park: the Crystal Castle. Mom actually just wanted to go in for some air-conditioning, but little Dia was completely drawn in again—ahahaha!! The marine song and dance performances on stage, aerial acts, stunt shows, and clown comedy—I have to say, it really opened her eyes!! The impact of all these sights on a 2-year-old’s world is huge!! Since photos weren’t allowed during the performances, we’ll just keep that amazing show in our memories.

Alright, the gentle stuff is over—now it’s time for something a bit more thrilling!! There was still a bit of time before the next highlight: the Pirate Water Party at Pirate Bay. So we first took Dia to try the Little Blue Whale Adventure in the nearby Ocean Kingdom.

At this point, Dia had no idea what was coming next. She went along for what some might call the ride of a lifetime (hmm?), but mom—who’s seen a lot of big scenes—got so nervous her belly muscles forgot to tighten. She ended up just holding onto a dolphin for comfort.

The Little Blue Whale Adventure is basically a kid-sized roller coaster. By the end, all the screaming came from the uncool moms. Dia, on the other hand, was calmly stunned (a very accurate description—she was surprised the whole ride without even letting out a sound).

To calm down mom’s nerves (huh?), the adorable Spinner Dolphins were just the ticket!! Dia had tried a small carousel at a parent-child restaurant before and laughed happily. When it was our turn, we quickly picked a dolphin ride. I was a bit worried she’d be scared riding alone, but it turned out to be mom’s overthinking—just look at how happy she was.

After checking out what other rides in the area were suitable for a 90cm-tall child (and preferably cool ones), we found that everyone thinks the same: the coolest option is bumper boats. That meant the longest queue, but Dia didn’t seem impatient at all—she had her own little anticipation going on, haha!!

Just as we got on the bumper boats, the Pirate Bay’s Water Splash Party kicked off. We quickly headed to the shore to catch the pirates’ performance, and then—splash—I was drenched from head to toe by the water cannons, only to turn around and find that both the dad and daughter had long retreated to safer ground for shelter!

By the way, during the summer vacation period (July 10 to August 26), there’s a Pirate Kids’ Fun event. Children aged 3 to 12 can enjoy discounted tickets just by cosplaying as little pirates. That day, we saw loads of mini pirates running around Pirate Bay with water guns, creating an amazing atmosphere. The place was packed, so we decided to take our little one and retreat for some rest. (Children aged 3 to 12 can get ticket discounts by cosplaying as little pirates.)

Before the dolphin show started, we had some free time, so we walked down along Pirate Bay. The Pacific Ocean stretched endlessly, making the ocean park look even more beautiful.

There are plenty of restaurants on Happy Street where visitors can grab a bite. Since we were at an amusement park, we figured we’d treat ourselves to some fast food. Pia, who rarely eats such food, couldn’t stop munching on fries one after another—even while watching the dolphin show. Dad loves fast food himself but didn’t look too thrilled watching his daughter eat it. It’s a vacation, though—so we just let it slide!

Oh, right—here’s a little tip: if you want to snag a good spot to watch the dolphins at the Ocean Theater, consider doing some shopping on Happy Street first and then entering the theater early while you wait. Although the little miss was already a bit tired and spaced out by then, she still watched the dolphins with interest. (Hopefully, she didn’t think they were Baby Shark!)

The background of “Dolphin Legend: The Jumping Wave Saga” is a story about indigenous people and dolphins. I won’t spoil the plot, but the deeper message encourages everyone to join in protecting the ocean. To safeguard the marine environment and its creatures, the first step is reducing the use of plastic products—and our family has been doing that for quite a while now!

Before Deya fell into a post-lunch nap coma, we hurried to the Adventure Island Aquarium, which was also a must-see on Mom’s list. At her age, Deya absolutely loves animals, and sure enough, the moment we entered the aquarium, her eyes sparkled as she kept saying, “Fish—Mommy, there are fish!”

She got all excited seeing the huge sharks and rays swimming around.

The aquarium was nice and cool, and before long, the little miss dozed off in her stroller. We had originally wanted to end the trip with the “Mysterious Legend of the Mermaid,” as neither Mom nor Dad had ever seen a manatee before. But when you’re out with kids, you have to go with the flow. The sky turned dark, and it looked like an afternoon thunderstorm was coming, so we decided to leave the ocean park. Better to leave with some regrets—you can always come back next time!

Speaking of regrets, don’t forget to go treasure hunting at the ocean park during the summer vacation. I, the mom, was busy taking care of everyone and only managed to collect one treasure. You need four keys to enter the lucky draw... I’m so upset I stomped my feet—I almost got my hands on 200,000 NT worth of 99.99% pure gold. (Check out the treasure hunt details here.)

Amusement parks have a magical way of lifting your spirits. The daily stress of parenting and work just melts away amidst all the laughter. While the kids have a blast, the parents feel fulfilled too. For Deya, I think “Yan Chao’s Ocean Park” felt like a dreamland. As she slept, I wonder if she thought all the new experiences were just part of a dream.

After leaving the ocean park and before catching the train back to Taipei, I had one last surprise planned for Daddy Mi—a little thank-you gift for joining in the fun all day. We headed to San Zhan Creek, not far from Xincheng Railway Station. Daddy Mi had been eager to revisit Mu Gu Mu Yu, but we just didn’t have time this trip.

Known as the “Little Mu Gu Mu Yu,” San Zhan Creek is located beneath Taroko Gorge, with crystal-clear water teeming with little fish. While Deya napped in the afternoon, we made a quick move to San Zhan Creek—only for her to wake up to yet another playtime adventure.

The water in San Zhan Creek is shallow and gentle, making it great for kids. But you still need to keep a close eye on them to avoid accidents. I asked the locals, and they said this area is less prone to sudden flooding and is relatively safer. But as parents, you still need to stay alert!

And just like that, the long-awaited Hualien trip came to an end. Looking back on the whole journey, it was Deya’s first visit to Hualien, and I’m sure she had a blast. Hualien is truly perfect for family trips!

Parents who are still unsure what to do during the summer vacation—come to Hualien now. Your little ones will definitely sleep soundly afterward, giving you some well-deserved peace. (Though in our case, it was Daddy who needed the sleep even more—ha!)