I think it’s officially safe to say that we’re slowly (read: very slowly) finding our little adventure rhythm as a family of seven. Is it as busy as it was with just three children? Not by a long shot…but we’re getting our proverbial sea legs and enjoying the much milder winter weather here in South Korea vs. the winter weather in Alaska. A few weeks ago, we ventured to the Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival at Alps Village – something we wanted to do our first time in Korea but finally had time and freedom to do so now. And, better yet, we got to take Oma!
Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival (칠갑산 얼음분수 축제)
We’d heard about this annual ice festival the last time we were in South Korea, but our first winter was closed due to Covid, and our second winter was dominated by us trying to squeeze in every ounce of travel possible before we PCSed to Alaska. Now, we’re here, and we have no plans to leave, so it felt like the perfect time to make the trek – and yes, babies included. It’s just over an hour from our home in Asan, so it felt totally possible.
This is one of those festivals that attracts both locals and foreigners, alike. We knew in advance that we’d see ice sculptures, huge fountains of ice, and more, but we weren’t sure what else we’d see whilst there. When we went though, the weather in Asan was mild, so we weren’t sure how much would be open either. Much to our surprise, most of the village was open (luckily), including the tubing hills, zip lines, ice sleds, and more.
What to do at the Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival
I’ll admit; we went in kind of blind. We didn’t know what we’d experience beyond the backdrop of ice sculptures, but we knew that it would, at the very least, be a fun day trip to the mountains – and it was. Since the weather was pretty mild, only about two-thirds of the fountains were iced over, but the sculptures were displayed in style. The kids loved the sculptures of Rumi and Jinu from K-Pop Demon Hunters, and their favorite was definitely Derpy. They also really enjoyed walking through the ice igloo.
The biggest hit, however, was definitely the tubing hills. Mieke was too young for the large hill, but she loved the middle hill, and all the boys absolutely loved both the ice luge and the bigger sled hill. It was sort of slushy since the weather was mild when we arrived, so snow gear was definitely a must. Spencer really wanted to try the zipline and, for 10,000KRW, it was a no-brainer, and he had the time of his life. Mieke’s favorite was definitely the little ice sled on the pond. And the adults? We just loved watching the kids in their element. Plus, the best thing about Korea is that it’s safe. We could sort of let the bigger kids just meander around and find the activity they wanted to participate in the most.
Tips for Visiting the Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival
Price: Prices vary based on age and activities. For example, a full day ticket for entrance (no sledding) was 8,000KRW. A full day ticket plus sledding on weekdays was 25,000KRW, but the weekend counterpart was 32,000KRW. Additional activities like the zipline can be purchased on the kiosks there. My AMEX didn’t work at the kiosk, but my Hana Bank (Korean card) did.
Address: For Naver – 충청남도 청양군 정산면 천장호길 223-35
Accessibility: We chose not to bring the stroller, and I’m really glad we didn’t. The ice made others who did bring them struggle. We wore the twins. There are small sleds that can be rented for 3,000KRW to pull small children around. I would not consider this accessible for those in wheelchairs either.
Parking: Parking is free, and there are ample lots. However, some of these lots require a decent walk. We were parked over half a mile from the entrance; not terrible, but not ideal. Go early if you want the closer lots!
Amenities: There are places to purchase both food and drinks, and there is a room set aside for changing and feeding babies near the sledding hill. It’s important to note, however, that that room is not heated. I would recommend bringing a thermos of warm water for formula bottles if needed, as well as hot packs for whilst changing littles.
Tips: Tickets can be purchased online, but we had no issue buying there with our Korean card. The orange wristbands indicate sledding was purchased, while purple indicates entrance only. The dalgona-making exhibit takes forever, so I don’t recommend that one. Finally, there are a bathrooms at the entrance (only two women’s’ stalls and two men’s’ stalls). If you can, bypass those and go across the stream from the sled hill where there are larger facilities.
