Expat Travel Mom

Hong Kong is one of the most lively, friendly, and vibrant cities I've visited. Some said we wouldn't need more than a few days there, but we left after five days wishing we had stayed even longer. There was so much to do and see that we didn't even tick off half the things I had planned, and that rarely happens to me (if you know me, I'm a planner!). We kept getting sidetracked by more awesome sights I hadn't thought to see. You can easily spend a week in Hong Kong, giving yourself a lovely pace with the family. Here are nine of our favorite activities to do in Hong Kong with kids.

Ocean Park

Ocean Park was standing proud before Disneyland ever entered Hong Kong, so for a long time it was the favorite park of locals and tourists. The park is spread out over several mountain hillsides, requiring a 1.5km cable car ride or a speedy train journey to get from one side to the other. Roller coasters on cliffs, carnival games, and wildlife habitats featuring sharks, pandas, and an aquarium give this park a lot to boast about. I'd save it for when the kids are a little older, though, perhaps 10 and up, we found it to be more of an "older" park.

I'll be honest, we left with mixed feelings. Some of the animal enclosures, especially for the pandas, felt small, and it was hard not to notice. The dolphins...sad too. Ocean Park is accredited by major zoo and aquarium associations and runs real conservation and breeding programs for endangered species, that's the official picture. But it's also been criticized for years by wildlife advocates over enclosure sizes and its history with marine mammal shows, and that criticism is ongoing, not settled. Both things are true at once. If animal welfare is something you or your kids feel strongly about, which is something we learn more and more about during our travels, it's worth going in with eyes open and forming your own read on it. We didn't know before we went...now we do.

Markets Walking Tour

One of our best days was exploring the markets of Kowloon. Starting on Shanghai Street, where you can find pretty much any specialty item you're looking for, make your way toward the Jade Market. You can negotiate prices on jade pieces, but be careful, many stall owners work together and will try to sell you a lower quality piece for more than it's worth. Stay strong. Regardless, it's all beautiful and worth the experience. From there, head to the Flower Market, where your senses go into overdrive from some of the most amazing flowers you'll ever see. Check your home country's rules if you're hoping to bring flowers or potted plants back with you. At the end of the Flower Market street, you'll run into the Bird Garden, shops selling birds, crickets, mealworms, and accessories, with locals catching up with each other while their personal birds do the same, hanging from rods in their own cages. A genuinely unique experience.

Star Ferry

The Star Ferry offers both a taxi service across Victoria Harbour and a full harbour tour. We loved the taxi service, especially timed for a nighttime return trip. It's an experience dating back to the 1920s, when people depended on these ferries for commuting between Hong Kong and Kowloon. My kids found the old-style seating especially cool, you'll have to board one to see why.

Avenue of the Stars

Reminiscent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Avenue of the Stars recognizes the greats of the Hong Kong Film Awards. Stroll the Victoria Harbour promenade, take in the skyline, and have fun posing with the statues, Bruce Lee's is the one not to miss, right at the far end of the avenue.

Sky100

Located on the 100th floor of the International Commerce Centre, the tallest building in Hong Kong, Sky100 offers 360-degree views over the whole city and harbour. Reserve your timing and check whether the full deck is open, events sometimes block off half of it. You'll ride a high-speed elevator up, take in the views, and can treat yourself to high tea while you're up there. The girls felt genuinely special being that high up with a special tea treat, easy to spend two hours here between the views and the interactive history displays. A must-do in Hong Kong, solo, as a couple, or with kids.

Science Museum

The Hong Kong Science Museum gave us way more than we expected. We planned on an hour or two and emerged five hours later. Like I've said in nearly every post...if there's a science museum or children's museum, we'll find it, and easily spend a day in it. Entirely hands-on from bottom to top, with the Energy Machine as the major centerpiece, kids will love it.

Symphony of Lights

Every night at 8pm, both sides of Victoria Harbour come alive with lasers and buildings synchronized to music. Watch it from the Star Ferry for something special, or from the Avenue of the Stars or the Convention Center. A short, roughly 14-minute show that delights young and old alike.

Walking and Enjoying the Sights

One of the absolute best parts of Hong Kong, especially Kowloon, was simply walking and taking it all in. Wafting aromas from restaurant after restaurant, bright lights beaming off billboards making it feel like daytime even at night, random little shops tucked into alleyways, we even found an entire store full of rubber ducks. Everyone we passed was genuinely friendly. I loved walking around this city.

Hong Kong Disneyland

We couldn't leave Disneyland off this list, though it's gotten its own full write-up since. Read all my tips for visiting Hong Kong Disneyland here.

Next Time

We spent five days in Hong Kong, and now that I know how much there is to see, we easily could have booked a week. Next time, we'll head to Victoria Peak, the Botanical Gardens, Big Buddha, and more, but for now, I hope these nine activities keep you busy.

Coming back to update: two real changes worth knowing. Sky100 is currently closed for a major renovation, with no announced reopening date as of this writing, worth checking status directly before planning around it. And Symphony of Lights, after 22 years running nightly, is being retired by Hong Kong's tourism board sometime in the second half of 2026, replaced by rotating holiday-themed light shows at spots like Victoria Peak instead. 

...One more honest note: On animal welfare more generally, Ocean Park holds accreditation from major zoo and aquarium associations and runs genuine conservation work, but it continues to draw real criticism from wildlife advocates over enclosure sizes and animal shows, this is a genuinely contested issue, not a resolved one, and worth researching for yourself before you go.