3D Dinosaur Murals, Giant Chess Sets – 10 Fun Installations at Riverside Parks

▲ Smiling Happy Wall at Dajia Riverside Park. (Photo / Courtesy ofTaipei City Government Department of Public Works, Bureau of Water Resources)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

With the rise of leisure culture, many people want to go for walks, jogs, bike rides, or walk their pets without traveling far, making riverside parks a top choice for such activities. In recent years, riverside parks have evolved beyond just sports fields, with many now featuring adorable and interesting installation art. According toDailyView Online Poll, here are 10 of the most beloved riverside park installations among netizens – why not plan a visit this holiday?

▲ Hope Fountain at Dajia Riverside Park. (Photo / Courtesy ofTaipei City Government Tourism and Travel Department)

1. Dajia Riverside Park
Ranking first, Dajia Riverside Park not only offers views of the fireworks over Taipei 101 and the sparkling lights from Miramar Ferris Wheel but also features the 75-meter-tall “Hope Fountain,” with a fan-shaped water curtain spanning 125 meters. Set against the classic red facade of the Grand Hotel, the scenery is breathtaking. There’s also a approximately 350-meter-long Smiling Happy Wall, composed of 59 mosaic tile smiley faces. Additionally, earlier this year, the “Morning Sunlight Music Concert” was held alongside container installation art – did any readers catch the creative display during the holiday then?

Hope Fountain:Fountain Schedule

▲ Happiness-themed installation art at Greater Taipei Metropolitan Park. (Photo / Courtesy ofNew Taipei City Government)

2. Greater Taipei Metropolitan Park
As one of the most important green spaces for residents of New Taipei and Taipei, the Greater Taipei Metropolitan Park boasts vast lawns, a 24-kilometer-long cycling path, sports facilities, as well as seven natural ecological parks including Swamp Park, Reed Dike Park, and Lotus Park. Among them, the 24-hectare “Happy Ripples Park” features nearly 20 happiness-themed installations, making it a free dreamy photo spot favored by photographers and couples taking wedding photos. Many netizens have praised how the park feels less desolate after the decorations. Additionally, the waterside area is home to dozens of sheep, both big and small – visitors can get up close, and even feed them.

3. Yuanshan Riverside Park
Located between Zhongshan Bridge upstream and Dazhi Bridge, Yuanshan Riverside Park incorporates “Lohas” (lifestyles of health and sustainability) design concepts under the theme of the Flower Expo, resulting in many uniquely beautiful sights that continue to spark discussion among netizens. The cycling paths are lined with lush greenery, giving visitors the feeling of walking through a green forest.

▲ Romantic installations near Rainbow Bridge create a love-filled atmosphere. (Photo / Courtesy ofFacebook fan page “Love Riverside Walks”)

4. Chengmei Left Bank Riverside Park
No need to fly to Paris for romance – known as a dating hotspot, Chengmei Left Bank Riverside Park, also called Rainbow Bridge Riverside Park, features a series of romantic landscapes. These include three-dimensional “LOVE” and “I LOVE U” texts standing on either riverbank, as well as love locks where couples can attach their own. The romantic vibe makes it perfect for sweet strolls hand-in-hand.

▲ Huge fruit models at Dongshi Riverside Park. (Photo / Courtesy ofTaichung City Government Tourism Bureau）

5. Dongshi Riverside Park
Dongshi Riverside Park is located along the riverbank of the Dongfeng Bridge in Dongshi Township, covering an area of approximately 10 hectares. It was built alongside the Dajia River dike. To the south of the park lie over 10 flat and expansive Xinshe river terrace plateaus, with the highest being Jingtzu Terrace at 700 meters, which forms the apex of the Dajia River alluvial fan. Additionally, there are oversized fruit models such as “Big Tangerine Big Fortune” and “Pears Still Coming.”

▲ The dinosaur painting world under the Huazhong Bridge. (Photo / Courtesy of New Taipei City Government)

6. Huazhong Riverside Park
Dinosaurs on the loose—beware!* The New Taipei City Government has created the country’s only large-scale 3D painted dinosaur artworks along a riverside bike path under the Huazhong Bridge. These lifelike dinosaur murals appear to leap right out of another world!* Not only do they delight children, but adults can also step into the scene and interact with the dinosaurs.

▲ Chess area at Fuhe Riverside Park. (Photo / Screenshot fromGao Guan Hao Yang fan page)

7. Fuhe Riverside Park
In addition to its vast green spaces, the bridge management office has set up a chess area under the bridge at Fuhe Riverside Park. Large chess pieces are arranged along game boards, creating a unique landscape feature. Nearby tables and chairs are also embedded with chessboards for public use.

▲ Wedding-themed installations at Guting Riverside Park. (Photo / Courtesy ofTaipei City Government Public Works Department, Water Resources Bureau)

8. Guting Riverside Park
Taking wedding photos is often a headache for couples, who may struggle with cost or location choices. Now you can take exotic-style wedding photos without leaving the country!* The Taipei City Public Works Department’s Water Resources Bureau has created a “Wedding Riverside Park” at Guting Riverside Park. In addition to a giant heart-shaped archway, it features an outdoor wedding plaza, a Mediterranean-style bell tower, Roman column pavilions, a Greek Aegean windmill, a traditional Chinese large red archway, and installations like “Sweet Kiss,” along with riverside flower fields, providing free props for wedding photography.

▲ First-ever flower sea appears at Bai Ling Left Bank Riverside Park. (Photo / Courtesy of Taipei City Government Public Works Department, Water Resources Bureau)

9. Bai Ling Left Bank Riverside Park
The first flower sea in the Shizih area is located in Bai Ling Left Bank Riverside Park, a newly developed flower viewing spot completed in mid-December last year. Woven from over 50,000 seasonal blooms, the flower sea uses cold-resistant winter flowers arranged in wavy line patterns with scattered dots. You can see purple salvia, yellow cosmos, and red, peach, pink, and white crabapple blossoms. Although the prime blooming season has passed, visitors can still enjoy weekend outings here to admire the flowers, explore the wetlands, and observe winter migratory birds!

▲ A new “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” appears at Huajiang Riverside Park in New Taipei City. (Photo / Courtesy of New Taipei City Government)

10. Huajiang Riverside Park
Huajiang Riverside Park, also known as Jiangzicui Riverside Park, features a newly painted artwork titled “New North Along the River” on the dike, completed at the end of September last year. It has attracted many cycling tourists eager to see it. This artwork integrates elements from the Northern Song Dynasty’s “Along the River During the Qingming Festival,” depicting a 52-meter-long and 2.5-meter-high mural on the dike. In addition to featuring local New Taipei riverside landmarks like the Crescent Bridge, Starlight Bridge, and Sunshine Bridge, small figures with QR codes are placed throughout the scene. Scanning these QR codes with your mobile phone will link you to the websites of those spots.