Yeosu Expo Ocean Park 2N3D — Aquarium & Cable Car with Baby

I wanted to create the moment when 24-month-old Laurent would see the ocean properly for the first time. 3.5 hours by car from Seoul. Yeosu was closer than expected and more baby-friendly than expected.

We left Friday at 2pm and arrived at our accommodation near Yeosu Expo around 6pm. The highway was a bit congested on the weekend. Laurent napped in the car, had dinner, and napped again. (Bringing a neck cushion for the car seat was a brilliant move.)

Here’s how we planned the 2 nights 3 days itinerary:

• Day 1 (Fri) Afternoon arrival → Hotel check-in → Expo night view stroll (skipped Big-O Show)
• Day 2 (Sat) Aqua Planet Yeosu → Lunch → Yeosu Maritime Cable Car → Odongdo walk → Dinner
• Day 3 (Sun) Breakfast → Admiral Yi Sun-sin Square & Turtle Ship → Lunch then head home

Accommodation — Resort-style Hotel Near Yeosu Expo

We booked a resort-style hotel a 5-minute walk from Expo Marine Park. $210 for 2 nights in an ocean-view double room. Laurent doesn’t need a crib yet, so instead of a family room we chose a room with 2 double beds.

What was great: the parking garage was underground and indoors, making it easy to move luggage. We loaded the stroller, suitcase, and baby snack box onto a cart and took the elevator straight up. On baby trips, short luggage routes save half your energy.

Downside: weekend prices are 1.5x weekday rates. Even though it was 2 nights with Friday check-in, it cost as much as 3 weekday nights. But watching Laurent shout “Ocean!” from the ocean-view room made it worth it.

“As soon as we opened the window, Laurent pointed at the ocean and babbled for 15 minutes straight.”

— First evening at 7pm, diary entry

Aqua Planet Yeosu — 90 Minutes of 24-Month Focus

We arrived Saturday 5 minutes before the 10am opening. Parking is on basement levels 1-3, with elevators connecting directly to the entrance. We folded the stroller and checked it in storage, and dad carried Laurent inside.

Admission was $25 for adults, free for 24-month-old Laurent. (Free for children under 36 months — as of April 2025) With a 5% online booking discount, we paid about $47 for 2 adults.

The first section had tropical fish tanks. Laurent kept repeating “Fishie!” when he saw the yellow tang. At 90cm tall, he could see the low tanks by himself, and dad lifted him for the high ones.

The main Ocean Life tank was truly spectacular. In this 3-story-high massive tank, rays, sand tiger sharks, and turtles swam gracefully, and Laurent sat on the floor watching for over 10 minutes. This kid whose usual attention span is 3 minutes.

There’s also a Touch Pool section, but Laurent refused to touch the starfish. He hates getting his hands wet. Instead, at the penguin zone, he saw Humboldt penguins and shouted “Birdie!” (Penguins are birds, technically.)

Nursing rooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floors, one each, plus one near the 1st floor entrance. We fed him snacks (rice crackers) in the 2nd floor nursing room and it was clean. Hot/cold water dispenser, changing table, trash can all available, plus a mini fridge for formula preparation.

Aqua Planet Practical Info

• Hours · Daily 10:00-19:00 (last entry 18:00)
• Closed · Year-round operation (except facility maintenance days — check official website)
• Parking · Underground parking 3 hours free (show admission ticket)
• Stroller · Rental available (10 umbrella strollers first-come-first-served — go early to secure)
• Nursing rooms · Total 3 locations on 1st, 2nd, 3rd floors
• Food/drinks · Baby snacks and water allowed, packed meals not permitted

After the visit, we bought Laurent a penguin plush at the 1st floor gift shop. $7.50. Even at home he hugs it saying “Daddy, birdie” before bed.

Lunch — ‘Namdo Mulhoe Main Branch’ in Jungang-dong (Baby-friendly)

We left Aqua Planet and headed to Jungang-dong for lunch around noon. 10 minutes by car. The place we went to was Namdo Mulhoe Main Branch.

Signature dishes are gizzard shad mulhoe (spicy raw fish salad), sea bass mulhoe, and boiled baby octopus. We ordered sea bass mulhoe ($11) 1 serving + boiled baby octopus (medium) $23. We tore the octopus into small pieces and mixed it with rice for Laurent, and he ate it well. (At 24 months, they have chewing strength for soft octopus.)

No high chair available, but I held Laurent on my lap while eating. The owner grandmother gave us an extra bowl of white rice and served us seaweed soup separately. (Thank you, grandmother…)

We parked at the public parking lot in the alley in front of the restaurant. First 30 minutes free, then $0.20 per 10 minutes. Paid $0.60 for 1 hour.

Namdo Mulhoe Main Branch Practical Info

• Location · Jungang-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do (search ‘Namdo Mulhoe Main Branch’ on maps)
• Hours · 11:00-21:00 (break time 15:00-17:00, closed on holidays)
• Signature dishes · Gizzard shad mulhoe $11, sea bass mulhoe $11, boiled baby octopus S/M/L
• Parking · Nearby public parking (1 minute walk)
• Baby-friendly · Table seating, no high chairs, extra rice/soup available upon request
• Reservations · Phone reservations recommended (often full 12-1pm on weekends)

* Menu, prices, and hours are based on April 2026 visit and subject to change. Check latest info on review sites.

Yeosu Maritime Cable Car — Can a 24-Month-Old Ride?

After lunch, we headed to the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car boarding station (Dolsan Park Station) around 2pm. 15 minutes from Jungang-dong by car. The parking lot is large but was nearly full on the weekend.

Cable cars come in two types: regular cabins and crystal cabins (transparent floor). We took the regular cabin round trip. Free for under 36 months, $11.50 round trip for adults. $23 for 2 people.

I worried Laurent might be nervous since it was his first time up high, but as soon as we departed he shouted “Wow!” and looked out the window. The 1.5km section crossing over the ocean takes about 10 minutes each way, and Laurent kept his palm pressed to the window the whole time repeating “Ocean, boat bye-bye!”

We got off at the terminal, Jasan Park Station, and went up to the observatory. There are some stairs, so dad carried Laurent piggyback. From the observatory you can see Odongdo Island, Dolsan Bridge, and Yeosu’s coastal waters at a glance. The wind was strong so we looked around for 5 minutes and came down.

Since it was a round-trip ticket, we took the cable car back to Dolsan Park Station. Total time was about 1 hour including round-trip ride + Jasan Park sightseeing.

Yeosu Maritime Cable Car Practical Info

• Operating hours · Weekdays 09:00-22:00, Weekends/holidays 09:00-23:00 (last boarding 30 min before closing)
• Closed · Suspended during strong winds/lightning (check official website or call)
• Fares · Adults $11.50 round trip, children 3-12 yrs $8.50, under 36 months free
• Crystal cabin · Additional $3.80 per person (transparent floor)
• Duration · Approx. 10 minutes one way, 1.5km distance
• Parking · Large parking lot available (free, but fills up on weekends)
• Baby-friendly · Parents can hold babies, strollers can be brought into cabins (folded recommended)

Odongdo Island — 20-Minute Coastal Walk

After the cable car, we drove to Odongdo Island around 4pm. 10 minutes from Dolsan Park by car. There’s a large parking lot at the Odongdo entrance (first 1 hour free).

Odongdo is a small island connected by a 768-meter breakwater. You can walk or take a trackless train. We walked. Laurent rode in the stroller, and we pushed while enjoying the ocean breeze.

The camellia forest trail inside the island is beautiful, but with a stroller it’s a bit challenging. We just walked the coastal path to the lighthouse and back. Round trip took about 20 minutes.

Laurent fell asleep in the stroller, so we sat on a bench by the breakwater watching the sunset for about 30 minutes. The April evening breeze was perfect. This was the most relaxing moment of the trip.

Dinner — Grilled Clams at Yeosu Jungang Market

We headed to Jungang Market around 6pm for dinner. We went to the grilled clam alley on the 2nd floor. Each restaurant has similar menus, so we just picked one that looked clean.

We ordered grilled clams (large) $23 + steamed clams $11. The grilled clams came out sizzling, and we picked out the meat and cooled it down for Laurent. He ate about 5 pieces mixed with rice.

The market atmosphere is lively and a bit noisy, but Laurent seemed to enjoy the buzz. He kept looking around saying “Wow wow.”

Parking at the market parking lot was $1 for 1 hour. After eating, we bought some dried seaweed and anchovies at the market and headed back to the hotel around 7:30pm.

Day 3 — Admiral Yi Sun-sin Square & Heading Home

Sunday morning we had breakfast at the hotel (buffet included in room rate) and checked out around 11am.

We stopped briefly at Admiral Yi Sun-sin Square. Parked in the underground lot and walked to see the turtle ship. Laurent was more interested in the pigeons than the turtle ship, chasing them around for 10 minutes.

We had lunch at a seafood soup restaurant in Gyo-dong around noon, then started driving back to Seoul around 1pm. Arrived home around 5pm. Laurent slept almost the entire way.

Total Cost Breakdown

What Worked Well

• Timing — Visiting Aqua Planet right at opening meant we avoided crowds and Laurent could enjoy at his own pace
• Accommodation location — Walking distance to Expo attractions saved driving time
• Moderate schedule — 1-2 main activities per day prevented baby fatigue
• Baby essentials — Nursing rooms and changing facilities everywhere we went
• Car seat — Neck cushion made Laurent comfortable sleeping during drives

What Could Be Improved

• Weekend premium — Accommodation costs 50% more on weekends, consider weekday trips if possible
• Restaurant high chairs — Many local restaurants lack baby chairs, bring a portable seat or be ready to hold your baby
• Odongdo trail — The forest trails aren’t stroller-friendly, baby carrier recommended
• Backup snacks — Always carry rice crackers and fruit pouches in case baby refuses restaurant food

Final Thoughts — Worth It for First Ocean Experience

Yeosu with a 24-month-old was more doable than I expected. The city has good infrastructure for young children, and the main attractions (aquarium, cable car, coastal walks) are all baby-appropriate.

What I’ll remember most isn’t the tourist spots, but Laurent’s face when he first saw the ocean. The way he pressed his nose against the cable car window. How he babbled at the fish in the big tank. These small moments made the trip worthwhile.

If you’re considering a beach trip with a toddler between 18-36 months, Yeosu is a solid choice. It’s not too far, there’s indoor and outdoor variety, and the baby facilities are reliable.

Laurent still looks at the penguin plush every night and says “Ocean, fishie.” I think that means the trip was a success.

Have you traveled to Yeosu with a baby? What tips would you add? Leave a comment below — I’d love to hear your experience!

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

---

Personal experience-based. Product, policy, and price details may change over time — verify with the source before purchase.