Well, it’s official, folks. I’m officially a solo parent for the next few months again, as Ryan embarked on his current mission this past weekend. It’s funny; these things never get easier, and yet, they do, too. We know the drill. We stay busy, we find a routine, and we make sure those days keep ticking while we count back down. And, honestly, South Korea offers no shortage of entertainment options, so we’re sure to stay busy. One of the last adventures we had as a family before Ryan left though was exploring Pinnacle Land in Asan. Since hiking is off the table with how hot summer in South Korea is, an outdoor adventure like this was just the ticket.

Pinnacle Land in Asan

Remember when we visited Farm Kamille in Taean? Pinnacle Land is very similar, though on a much smaller – and closer – scale. Only about 35 minutes from Camp Humphreys, it’s a cross between a botanical garden, sculpture garden, petting zoo, and nature experience overlooking the farmlands of both Asan and Pyeongtaek. Pinnacle Land arboretum plays host to gorgeous seasonal blooms like tulips in the spring, chyrsanthemums in the fall, and even a trail of Ginkgo trees.

Pinnacle Land South Korea

Pinnacle Land is a little bit of everything. From the gravel lot, you’ll walk up a towering path of tries adorned with twinkle lights that brighten the walkway at dusk. The entrance desk is to your left, and directly to your right, there’s a beautiful koi point, as well as Pinnacle Land Cafe. With the promise of treats after we explored, we fed the fish (you can buy reasonably-priced feed by the cafe), then we paid our entrance fee and started our journey upwards because, yes, you climb.

It’s not a tough climb, and it is stroller-friendly if you stay on the path. Take the path to the right, and you’ll pass a perfectly-manicured lawn lined with flowers and punctuated by a little river running through it. That path also leads up to an ice cream and gift shop, as well as the animals. The kids loved feeding the goats, and they thought the chickens were the cutest thing ever. Usually there are more animals, but it appeared that the only other animals there were alpacas, and there was a sign requesting we leave them alone.

Is Pinnacle Land Fun?

For a family that absolutely loves the outdoors, Pinnacle Land was a lot of fun! Sure, it’s perfectly Korean in that it’s an over-the-top arboretum designed specifically to attract tourists. And yes, some of the sculptures were fascinatingly bold in terms of their depictions of native culture. But it was such a strange little hodgepodge of beauty in the Asan countryside. When we made it to the top of the mountain, the kids were fascinated by the man-made waterfall and second koi pond, and one of the gentlemen actually bought the kids some feed for the fish again, which they loved.

There’s even a pool there, though we couldn’t figure out how to A) make reservations to swim or B) see what sort of requirements there were. They were also masked in the pool, and we did that before at Asan Spavis, and it was rough. So, we’ll stick to the splash pads on post for swimming, etc. right now. Overall though? Top to bottom, we loved it.

Pinnacle Land Asan Address

Pinnacle Land was a lot of fun for all of us! Here are some tips for visiting:

• Bring won to pay (our USAA Visa didn’t work)
• Make sure to bring a mask if you hope to visit Pinnacle Land cafe
• Wear proper walking shoes
• Pricing is as follows – W10,000 for adults, W9,000 for teens, W8,000 for children, under 3 is free

Here’s how to get to Pinnacle Land:

• Waze Address: Chungcheongnam-do, Asan-si, Yeongin-myeon, Wolsan-gil, 20-42
• Naver/Kakao Address: 충남 아산시 영인면 월선길 20-42