YilanPlay Recommendations
Featured
Illustrative Lanyang Original Pavilion in Yilan City is a cultural-creative park themed around indigenous culture, repurposed from former Yilan County Government staff dormitories. The grounds house indigenous-style cultural-creative shops, restaurants and cafés, and regularly host holiday markets, suckling-pig roasts and DIY workshops. Admission to the whole venue is free, making it a great stop for families, pets and photo-loving travelers.
Illustrative Wufengqi Waterfall in Jiaosi Township, Yilan is a natural wonder counted among the Eight Views of Lanyang. The trail takes about 10-20 minutes to walk, with gentle grades, making it suitable for families and beginner hikers. The waterfall has three tiers—upper, middle and lower—topping out at roughly 20 meters; behind it stand five sharp peaks that resemble flags arranged in a line, creating a distinctive silhouette. Viewing pavilions and rest shelters line the path, offering doses of negative ions and cool mist, making it a summer cooling favorite. Open daily 08:00-17:00, with closures on rainy days or when typhoon warnings are issued.
Play
Illustrative 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.
Illustrative 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.
Illustrative 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.
Illustrative 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.
Illustrative 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.
Illustrative 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.