Every attraction on our shortlist, grouped by area, with a view on each for a 5-year-old and a 2½-year-old. Tap a card to see the photo, notes, map and directions.
Tap one to jump to it.
Numbers match the top picks. Grey dots are backups and skips.
Pins use each place's Google Maps location. The coastline is a simplified sketch.
Freeway 5 and the Hsuehshan Tunnel jam on Saturday mornings into Yilan and Sunday afternoons back to Taipei. Jiaoxi and Toucheng are busiest then.
Close to the hotel. Good for short outings, arrival afternoons and rainy spells.
Lanyang Animal & Plant Kingdom
蘭陽動植物王國12 min · 8 km
Must-do
Animals
Avoid weekends
An animal park that opened in 2024 with kangaroos (billed as Taiwan's first kangaroo interaction area), capybaras, alpacas, llamas, goats and sloths. It also has a tyre-boat ride alongside the capybaras and a straw maze.
Our take. Close to the hotel, with animals the deer farms don't have, and plenty for both girls to do. Mostly outdoors.
Brick Ark
積木博物館13 min · 5 km
Backup
Indoor museum
Busy on rainy weekends
Rain-friendly
A museum of large Lego sculptures, with a keychain-making DIY at the end. Allow about 2 hours. Around NT$200.
Our take. The 5-year-old will enjoy it. For the 2.5-year-old it's mostly look-don't-touch. Indoors and close to the hotel, so it's a good rain swap or arrival-afternoon stop.
The hot spring town just north of Yilan City. Busy with Taipei visitors at weekends.
Chuang Tang hot springs
川湯溫泉16 min · 7 km
Must-do
Hot spring
Weekday only
Rain-friendly
A hot spring venue in Jiaoxi. The Walden has no hot spring on site, so this is your hot spring fix.
Our take. A good late-afternoon wind-down, and it works on a wet day. Keep the 2.5-year-old's soaks short and in the cooler pools.
South-east of the hotel. Plan a full day: the Traditional Arts Centre in the morning, then one animal stop in the afternoon.
National Centre for Traditional Arts
國立傳統藝術中心22 min · 14 km
Must-do
Culture
Good on weekends
A riverside cultural park with an old-street atmosphere, shows and small DIY stalls.
Our take. Flat and easy to walk, with plenty to look at. Pair it with Dongshan River Park for a morning.
Dongshan River Park
冬山河親水公園25 min · 17 km
Must-do
Park
Good on weekends
A large riverside park with open lawns and paths along the Dongshan River.
Our take. Open space for the girls to run around before or after the Traditional Arts Centre.
Star Dream Forest Theatre
星夢森林劇場26 min · 13 km
Worth it
Animals & play
Weekends OK
An animal and play park at Angel Star Dream Resort, with capybaras, llamas, deer, mini goats, paddle boats, swings and trampolines. There don't appear to be any theatre shows despite the name.
Our take. Having play equipment as well as animals suits the 2.5-year-old. Choose this or Bambi Land for the afternoon, not both.
Bambi Land
斑比山丘32 min · 19 km
Worth it
Animals
Weekday only
A polished deer-feeding farm with capybaras, donkeys and a café, near Mei Hua Lake.
Our take. A nicer setting than the other deer farms, but it repeats Sinbow's deer. Pick it over Star Dream if you prefer the scenery and café to play equipment.
Mei Hua Lake
梅花湖31 min · 19 km
Worth it
Park
Good on weekends
A small lake ringed by hills, with a flat path around the shore.
Our take. A gentle lakeside stroll to pair with Bambi Land, which is a few minutes away.
Deer Fun
心花鹿Fun31 min · 19 km
Skip
Animals
Skip
Another deer farm by Mei Hua Lake, with alpacas and wallabies.
Our take. Skip it. It repeats the other deer farms, and Lanyang Kingdom already covers kangaroos.
West of the hotel among the scallion fields. Plan a morning here.
Sinbow scallion farm
星寶蔥體驗農場37 min · 24 km
Must-do
DIY & animals
Avoid weekends
Pull, wash and chop scallions, then roll your own scallion pancakes for staff to fry. There are also sika deer and a mini donkey to feed.
Our take. The most distinctive hands-on activity on the list, with the animals included. The full experience takes about 3 hours, so start early and finish before nap time.
Zhang Mei Ama's Farm
張美阿嬤農場31 min · 17 km
Skip
Animals
Weekends OK
Capybaras, baby-deer milk feeding and kimono photos in a Japanese-style garden.
Our take. A good farm, but it repeats Sinbow. Only worth adding if the girls want more animals after Sinbow.
South of the hotel at the end of Freeway 5.
Lucky Art Crayon factory
蜡藝蠟筆城堡24 min · 21 km
Worth it
DIY (indoor)
Weekends OK
Rain-friendly
An indoor DIY centre where kids make crayons (including Taiwan-shaped ones) and can also try chalk, face painting and painting.
Our take. The 5-year-old will love it, and it's a good rain swap. The 2.5-year-old will probably last less than an hour.
North-east of the hotel. Nothing here makes the cut for this trip.
A large hillside farm with farm stays, handicrafts, animal interaction and fruit and vegetable picking.
Our take. The other farms now cover it. Keep it only if you'll be up north anyway.
Turtle Island whale watching
龜山島賞鯨・烏石港27 min · 17 km
Skip
Boat trip
Skip
Whale and dolphin watching boats from Wushi Harbour, circling Turtle Island (Guishan). Pinned to the harbour's passenger service centre; each operator has its own counter.
Our take. Skip it with a 2.5-year-old: about 3 hours on a boat, with seasickness and nap timing working against you. Revisit when they're older.