Paoma Trail Park

Songshumen Pool at No. 503, Songshu Road, Dongshan Township, Yilan is a family-friendly swimming and water-play spot fed by natural spring water. The site has a standard pool, a mid-depth pool and a children's wading pool, plus a three-story water slide and a variety of inflatable water toys that keep both kids and adults entertained. The whole pool area is shaded by black sun netting for sun protection, and the site is equipped with changing rooms, lockers, hair dryers and a kiosk, making it well-suited for a full day out.

Dongshan River Water Park in Yilan is a river-themed park designed for families and summer relief. Riverside walking paths, cycling lanes and wide lawns invite picnics, with shaded seating and clean public restrooms, making it ideal for a relaxed stroll or bike ride with the whole family. A signature bright-red arch bridge and a water play zone let visitors get close to the water to splash and boat, and in summer the park hosts a water amusement area and the International Children's Folklore & Folkgame Festival. The park is free to enter, easy to reach and sits near Dongshan Station, making it a top pick for Yilan summer cooling-off and family outings.

Beiguan Tidal Park in Toucheng, Yilan is one of the Eight Views of Lanyang, offering natural reefs, marine erosion formations and a sweeping line where sea meets sky. A trail winds along the coast, letting visitors take in the full silhouette of Guishan Island up close while listening to the surf breaking against the shore. Admission to the park is free, with only a parking fee charged; visitors can take the train to Guishan Station and walk about 15 minutes. Great for families, photographers and nature watchers, it offers a peaceful coastal walk and viewing experience.

Homing in Jiaosi, Yilan is a parent-child farm built out in a Wild West desert style. The grounds are spacious and clean, with a wide range of animal encounters including feeding capybaras, goats, sheep, guinea pigs, parrots and giant tortoises. Beyond the animal area, the site offers photo spots like tented wagons and cactus-painted shipping containers, plus ball pits, bouncy horses and other kids' play equipment, along with simple snacks. A great choice for families who want their children to experience farm life and a little nature education.

The National Center for Traditional Arts (also called the Yilan Traditional Arts Center) in Yilan is a cultural and family-friendly destination suitable for all ages. The grounds host traditional folk-art performances alongside hands-on DIY experiences such as handcrafting toys, letting children learn Taiwanese traditional culture through play. Facilities are welcoming and work for toddlers through elementary students, and visitors can join guided tours or workshops. The campus also serves up local snacks and offers boat rides on the lake to take in the surrounding scenery, making for a full trip that blends art, education and nature.

The Yilan Traditional Arts Park (National Center for Traditional Arts) is a cultural destination weaving together traditional crafts, opera performances and interactive experiences, ideal for the whole family to explore together. The park has a dedicated children's experience zone with DIY activities like painting spinning tops, dough figurines and operating hand-puppet show puppets, most of which are already included in the ticket price. Beyond the lively craft demos and static displays of artifacts, the grounds include both indoor and outdoor areas, so rainy days don't get in the way of a cultural experience. Easy to reach, with nearby lodging options for a two-day trip, it is one of the top picks for family travel in Yilan.

Yilan Cake Invention Museum in Suao spans roughly 4,000 ping and blends traditional pastry-making with cultural history, offering a transparent production corridor, a canopy plaza and a DIY experience zone. Visitors can hand-craft thin biscuits and view antique pastry molds, then relax in the café area. Inside, the museum features 3D mural walls, a vintage wedding-culture display, free parking and barrier-free facilities, all set up for family fun and rainy-day fallbacks. Admission is free, souvenirs are available, and there are several photo-ready check-in spots, making it a popular family destination in Yilan.

Yi Nong Farm in Dongshan Township, Yilan is a family destination centered on animal feeding and agricultural experiences. Visitors can get close to baby goats, piglets, rabbits, tortoises and other animals, with extras like goat-milking, goat-milk desserts and DIY crafts. Tickets run about NT$50-150 and can be exchanged for feed, drinks and selected activities, so families can pick up some farming know-how while having fun. The farm also has a bumper-car zone and simple carnival booths, convenient parking, and it closes on Thursdays; rainy days are not recommended. Overall ratings are high, making it a farm trip that balances education and entertainment for kids.

Jimmy Park, beside Yilan Station, is Taiwan's first public square themed around the picture books of Jimmy Liao. The park is dotted with colorful, three-dimensional sculptures of his iconic characters, making visitors feel as if they've stepped into one of his books. The grounds are spacious and ideal for strolling and photos with the whole family, and you can easily hop to nearby spots like Diudiu Dang Forest Park and the Yilan Distillery. Entry is free with no ticket, and the park is open around the clock, so you can drop by any time. Whether you're bringing kids for a photo-op or looking for a quiet place to stroll near Yilan Station, Jimmy Park is a can't-miss stop.

Jimmy Plaza Park, beside Yilan Station, is a family-friendly spot themed around the picture-book illustrator Jimmy Liao. The park features Jimmy-character installations, three-dimensional scenes and playful touches like an elephant slide, making it great for photos and for visits with kids. The space is small but full of imagination, doubling as a rest stop and sightseeing draw, so even travelers with a short wait for a train can step into the world of his picture books. Weekends draw bigger crowds, so arriving early or avoiding peak hours is recommended.

Guangxiao Hall is an ancestral shrine from the Japanese colonial period preserved inside Yilan's National Center for Traditional Arts. First built between 1921 and 1925 with funds raised by the Zheng clan, it originally stood on Shenghou Street in Yilan City before being dismantled and re-erected at the Traditional Arts Park in 1990 as part of an urban renewal relocation. Inside, the hall is arranged in traditional layout, hosting ancestral worship rites, historical and cultural guided tours and interactive experiences. A distinctive stop that combines local clan heritage with family education, suitable for families, schools and culture enthusiasts.

Guangxing Farm in Dongshan Township, Yilan is Taiwan's first leisure farm converted from a pigsty, blending nostalgic rural style with a wide range of DIY experiences. The site offers family activities such as clay-oven cooking, clam-digging in the mud, ceramic painting, animal feeding and retro toys, alongside dining areas and an aquarium for breaks. Tickets are tiered by age, NT$100 for ages 3-12 and NT$200 for ages 12 and up, and can be offset against in-park spending. Easy to reach, with a car park next to the grounds, it is well-suited for a family or group day trip.

Zhangmei Grandma Farm in Sanxing Township, Yilan is a family- and pet-friendly farm built around a Japanese garden theme. The spacious grounds feature a sika deer area, a DIY crafts zone and kimono rental, so visitors can dress up to take photos in the garden, feed the deer and capybaras, and join organic farming and local food DIY sessions. The site is clean with clear walking routes, making it a great fit for whole-family or pet-friendly trips and one of Yilan's popular day-trip destinations.

Wen Chang Temple is located in Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, and is the first Wen Chang temple in the greater Taipei area, with a history of more than two centuries; it is now listed as a third-grade historic site. The main deity is Wen Chang Di Jun (Zitong Di Jun), who oversees scholarly honor and students' academic fortune, so during exam seasons the temple draws many test-takers coming to pray for success. The architecture is simple and elegant, and the interior also enshrines the God of Wealth, Yue Lao (the matchmaker deity), the plague-suppressing heavenly lord and the Lu Ma horse deity, blending cultural and religious value. A destination with both history and local color, suitable for families and cultural visitors.

Star Dream Forest Theater at No. 323, Jingan 2nd Road, Dongshan Township, Yilan is a family farm that blends animal encounters, play facilities and DIY workshops. The grounds split into an animal zone and a play zone: the animal side houses capybaras, sika deer, alpacas, giant tortoises, meerkats, panda-patterned sheep and more, each with its own name, all reachable for close-up feeding; the play zone offers marble-run machines, a mini train, slides, a sand pit, photo booths and water-play equipment, with free access to the play area at the nearby Angel Star Dream Resort. The park is well kept and the staff are warm and welcoming, making it an ideal half-day or full-day hangout for the whole family.

Sen Xue Yuan in Suao, Yilan is a free-admission family-friendly wood-themed tourist factory, converted from a long-standing local timber mill. Built around the concept of forests and timber, the grounds display wood knowledge, a giant wooden xylophone, oversized red chairs and other installations, plus interactive games and DIY courses using wooden toys, tangrams and mortise-and-tenon mechanisms that let visitors of all ages learn about forest resources and sustainable forestry through smell, touch and hands-on play. The site is roomy with playful decor and offers free parking, making it a great indoor family option rain or shine.

Chih Zhi Xiang Preserved Fruit Image Hall in Yilan is Taiwan's first preserved-fruit tourist factory, fusing traditional preserved-fruit craft with modern aesthetics and offering family DIY sessions, a glass-house café and a spacious garden. Admission is free and the site works well as a rainy-day backup, letting visitors of all ages learn about agricultural produce while making preserved fruits, jams or kumquat desserts, and enjoy orange-scented afternoon tea and photo ops. Combining education and leisure, it is a popular indoor family destination in Yilan.

Xi He Seafood Tourist Factory is in the Lize Industrial Park in Wujie Township, Yilan, an indoor factory museum focused on seafood processing and educational experiences. The site has free parking, and the interior tells the brand story through a manga-style story wall, with DIY activities such as cooking raw rice, blanching seafood, pressing fish cakes and shaping rice balls that let families learn about seafood production through play. Admission is fully redeemable against purchases, kids under 120 cm get in free, and pets can enter in strollers or carriers. Great for rainy or hot-weather family day trips, and visitors can also pick up fresh seafood souvenirs on the way out.