Happiness Hill

KANO Park, set inside Chiayi Park, covers about 26 hectares and is a free, family-friendly themed playground. The grounds feature a wide stone-polished slide lit by star-pattern lights after dark, a grass-sledding slope, a tree-house treasure hunt zone, a flying-saucer slide, the Sun-Shooting Tower, and the Showa J18 block. A large car park and an on-site family restaurant make logistics easy, and the splash area runs daily from 9 AM to 9 PM, giving families a relaxed few hours or even a half-day outing with kids.

Three Little Pigs Tourist Farm in Minxiong, Chiayi County, spreads across roughly 3,000 ping and blends a fairytale-themed farm with a mini zoo. Some twenty to thirty species roam the grounds - capybaras, sika deer, gibbons, meerkats - with feeding sessions and guided ecology talks. Facilities are family-rich: a vast grass lawn, grass-sledding slope, kids play zone, sand pit, splash pool, spring rockers, and DIY painting classrooms suited to ages 0-6. Admission in 2026 is NT$130 for adults and free for children under 100 cm; food pellets and fish food are sold on-site. Just off the Minxiong interchange, it is one of Chiayis most-loved one-day family destinations.

Carol Brass Instruments Tourism Factory, set inside the Da-Pu-Mei Industrial Park in Dalin, Chiayi, is Taiwans first indoor attraction devoted entirely to brass instruments. Admission and parking are free. Visitors can pose with the giant Alpine horn for photos, try the wake-up-bugle DIY, sit in on a guided blowing lesson, and tour the brass-instrument museum, making it a hit for families, school field trips, and rainy-day outings. The site has a wide free car park and clean restrooms, so visitors of every age can dive into the craft of music-making with no logistical stress.

Chiayi Park at No. 326 Chui-Yang Road in the citys East District is a long-standing green lung designed for family outings. Inside you will find a baseball-themed playground, splash-water facilities, and forested walking paths, all free to enter, giving kids room to climb, run, and get close to nature. The friendly layout and diverse facilities have made it a favourite spot for parents who want to let little ones burn off energy outdoors.

Chiayi Municipal Museum reopened in 2021 as an indoor family destination with playful exhibits that bring local history to life. Highlights include a 1:87 scale dynamic train model, interactive sugarcane-rail games, a dedicated childrens hall, and a ko-chi ceramic (cut-tile pottery) gallery, weaving Chiayi history and culture into experiences kids genuinely enjoy. The building is fully accessible, so strollers roll easily, and the NT$50 ticket makes it a dependable rainy-day pick for a slow day of family exploration.

Chiayi Art Museum occupies the 1936-built former Tobacco and Liquor Monopoly Bureau, refashioned into a graceful fusion of heritage architecture and modern glass curtain walls. Inside are high-ceilinged timber-roofed galleries, a free art-education zone for children aged 3-12 stocked with books and toys, an Eslite bookstore, a cafe, and a creative-merchandise shop. The central courtyard outside invites visitors to rest and photograph, and a five-minute walk lands you at Chiayi Train Station, making the museum a natural cultural first-stop for arriving travellers.

The Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum in Taibao, Chiayi County, is the southern flagship of Taiwans National Palace Museum. The architecture fuses modern lines with ink-painting imagery and pairs media-rich exhibitions with interactive installations suited to all ages. A free Childrens Creative Centre hosts a circular theatre, hands-on DIY workshops, and VR experiences, while the outdoor grounds add sand pits, slides, and fountains, so kids learn Asian culture while they play. Spacious, air-conditioned galleries make it a year-round destination and one of Chiayis best free cultural days out for families.

The NCYU Insect Museum on the Lantan Campus of National Chiayi University is an indoor museum devoted to the world of insects. Specimens fill the displays alongside oversized models of protected species, and the live-experience zone lets visitors get close enough to observe and touch live insects. The signature attractions are Taiwans only rotating butterfly-column installation and a spherical butterfly greenhouse garden, balancing education with wonder and making the museum a favourite for families curious about the natural world.

Zhang-Nao-Liao Station in Zhuqi Township, Chiayi County, is the only switchback station still operating on the Alishan Forest Railway, sitting about 543 metres above sea level. The tracks unique switchback rails and spiral mountain-climbing route see trains loop around Duli Mountain three times before doubling back, a piece of railway engineering that draws enthusiasts from across the region. Ancient camphor trees shade the platform, and vendors sell grilled sausage, cao-za-gao mugwort cakes, and a-yu jelly ice for hikers fuelling up. With trails and a suspension bridge nearby, the station welcomes families, nature lovers, and railway fans in equal measure, and entry is free.

Hinoki Village in Chiayis East District is Taiwans largest cluster of Japanese-style wooden architecture and a forest-themed creative park. The grounds preserve the forestry dormitories built during the Japanese colonial period, and the air still carries the warm scent of cypress, perfect for slow strolls, family photos, and hands-on woodcraft DIY workshops. Wide lawns, coffee shops, and snack stalls round out the experience, and entry is free with daily hours from 10 AM to 6 PM. The flat pathways and pet-friendly policy make it an ideal photo stop for families travelling with pets.

Rhinoceros Beetle Leisure Farm in Zhongpu Township, Chiayi County, spreads across roughly 7 hectares and is a long-time favourite with families. The grounds combine a sweeping grass lawn, oversized grass-sledding slope, sand pit, electric rides, and archery with a small train, pony rides, and a hands-on animal zone where visitors feed alpacas, cows, and llamas, all complemented by an indoor insect hall and DIY painting sessions. Fresh-milk soft serve and steamed buns are served on site, making the farm a full-day destination for play and nature learning.

Pink Cow Park in Zhongpu Township, Chiayi County, was reborn in 2023 from the twenty-year-old Green Ranch into a farm-experience parkland for families. The grounds are expansive, with animal-feeding areas, fruit orchards, DIY workshops, and outdoor play zones that include a two-storey slide, grass-sledding slope, miniature train, and a sweeping lawn. Guided tours lead guests through feeding sessions, seasonal fruit picking, goose racing, and boat rides, and the farm kitchen sells its own fresh milk, yoghurt, and milk steamed buns. Spacious and educational, it is an ideal day out for families, school groups, and anyone hunting photo-worthy corners.

Green Ranch in Zhongpu Township, Chiayi County, is a five-hectare family farm built around hands-on animal experiences. The grounds feature a sweeping lawn, grass-sledding slope, butterfly church, and ring-proposal church, alongside a packed activity roster: cow milking, goat and rabbit feeding, goose-mother races, goose racing, and boat rides. A miniature train, forest walking trail, and view restaurant round out the day for the whole family. Parking is free, adult tickets are about NT$50, and children under five and disability-card holders enter free of charge.

Gaia Manor at No. 18, Zone Seven Road, Da-Pu-Mei Park in Dalin, Chiayi, is a white Baroque castle styled after classical Greece. The grounds combine family-friendly spaces, an outdoor sand pit, a sun-and-moon mirror pool, and a variety of DIY experiences, while a chef-driven kitchen serves à la carte dishes and afternoon tea, making it well-suited for family outings, photo sessions, and relaxed get-togethers. Opening hours are 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily, adult admission is around NT$100, and children enter free of charge.

Alishan in Chiayi County is a mountain destination that pairs dramatic natural landscapes with Indigenous Tsou culture, celebrated worldwide for its Five Wonders: sunrise, sea of clouds, forest railway, ancient cypress forests, and sunset glow. Each season has its own pull - cherry blossoms in spring, cool relief in summer, maple reds in autumn, and the sweeping winter cloud sea. The park offers family-friendly walking routes such as the Shui-Shan healing trail and the Te-Fu-Ye ancient path, plus high-altitude lodging and Indigenous village experiences, so visitors can breathe in the phytoncide-laced mountain air while connecting with Tsou culture.

GAIA MANOR in Dalin, Chiayi County, is a roughly 15,000-ping Greek-themed parkland inspired by the earth goddess Gaia and the titaness of time Rhea. Baroque and Greek-myth motifs weave through a white palace, sun-and-moon mirror pool, hundred-flower time corridor, Roman bath, and Venus wishing fountain, each corner a photo hotspot. The glass-house restaurant Cross Garden serves meals and desserts, and the park offers reed-diffuser DIY sessions plus a family changing room, making it an elegant escape for families, couples, and photography lovers chasing the feel of a European court wrapped in natural botanical scents.

Er-Jian-Shan Trail in Long-Yan Village, Meishan Township, Chiayi County, sits about 1,274 metres above sea level. The 380-metre path threads between tea fields and ridgelines with gentle grades, mostly steps and wooden boardwalks that welcome families, children, and seniors alike. A five-to-ten-minute walk brings you to the summit viewing platform, where the surrounding peaks and tea plantations stretch out in every direction; mornings often bring seas of clouds and drifting mist for photography and summer relief. The trailhead sits next to Long-Xing Temple, which offers a handful of free parking spots, with paid holiday parking around NT$100. Admission is free, making this a relaxed, low-difficulty nature trail anyone can enjoy.

Jordane Castle in Dalin, Chiayi (Da-Pu-Mei Park), is Taiwans first tourism factory and biotech park themed around the concept of beauty. The 50,000-square-metre site is anchored by a 50-metre copper-roofed main keep, flanked by symmetrical European gardens, fountains, and a string of photo-ready corners that fuse Renaissance and Baroque architectural language. Admission is free (originally NT$100-300), and the park offers bicycle rentals and parking, making it an easy one-day trip for families, couples, and photography fans who want to wander a fairy-tale European castle without leaving Taiwan.