Everything you need to know about visiting Hong Kong as a family, including where to stay, what to do, how to get around and more!
There are few cities on Earth as exciting and intriguing as Hong Kong. We lived there for 4 years and have visited several times as tourists, so we know the city pretty well!
Most people don’t think of Hong Kong as being a particularly child-friendly city. And while it is true that it is one of the least stroller-friendly cities in the world, there are plenty of fun things to do with kids in Hong Kong.
Add to this a large range of good accommodation, cheap and efficient public transport and you will see that Hong Kong is a fantastic city for a family city break.
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The Best Time to Visit Hong Kong
People think of Hong Kong as being very hot and humid, but in reality, it enjoys mild weather for half the year.
The humidity drops from October onwards until around April and so this is the most pleasant time of year for sightseeing.
The summers are very hot and humid, and it is also typhoon season at this time of year, so it is not such a popular time with visitors. January and February can get quite cold, though rarely much below 10 degrees Celsius.
- Summer months are very hot and humid, particularly June-August.
- Winter months January & February are the coldest.
- Spring weather is unpredictable with heavy downpours common.
- Fall is usually pleasant temperatures and lower humidity.
- Typhoon season runs June to October, although can start as early as April.
- Public holidays in China, particularly Chinese New Year and Golden Week are busy times for tourists in Hong Kong.
Learn more about the Best Time to Visit Hong Kong here.
How to get Around Hong Kong
Hong Kong is an easy city to explore using public transport. The MTR (underground/subway) is cheap, clean and efficient and will connect you with most places you want to go.
There is also a comprehensive bus network and also the beloved traditional Hong Kong trams, which run the length of Hong Kong island. Taxis are also plentiful and cheap.
- Children under 3 travel free and children aged 3-11 travel half price on public transport in Hong Kong.
- Most MTR stations have disability access, making it easy to take a stroller.
- Download the MTR Mobile app for help with MTR route planning.
- Buy an Octopus card to save buying tickets each time you travel or use your credit/debit card.
Read our full guide to Public Transport in Hong Kong here.
Where to stay in Hong Kong with Kids
Hong Kong has all the big chain brands of hotels to choose from, in addition to several lesser-known boutique hotels.
Ideally, you will want to be centrally located – either on Hong Kong island or in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, and close to public transport to make sightseeing easy.
The exception to this is if you are planning to visit Hong Kong Disneyland, and want to make more of your experience by staying overnight in one of the Disney hotels.
Click here to read more about the Best Hotels in Hong Kong for Families.
Things to do in Hong Kong with Kids
People don’t automatically think ‘child-friendly’ when they think of Hong Kong but there is a surprising amount of things to do in Hong Kong with kids.
Of course, there is Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park, but beyond these two popular theme parks, there is plenty of fun sightseeing to be done.
Here are some of our favourite Hong Kong family activities:
- Visit Hong Kong Disneyland
- Spend the Day at Ocean Park Hong Kong
- Ride the Cable Car to the Big Buddha
- Take the Peak Tram to the Peak
- Take a Boat Ride to the Outlying Islands
- Go for Dim Sum
- Hike the Dragon’s Back
We have put together here the perfect family Hong Kong itinerary in 2 days, and you can also read our pick of the best Things to do in Hong Kong with Kids.
What to pack for Hong Kong
Clothes-wise, what to pack for travelling to Hong Kong will depend on what time of year you plan to visit.
Hong Kong is hot and humid in the summer and you will start sweating as soon as you leave the air-conditioned comfort of your Hong Kong hotel.
So light cotton clothing is recommended at this time of year. You will also need to make sure you have sun cream and insect repellent with you at this time of year, and you don’t want to leave your hotel without an umbrella in your bag during the Spring and Summer months.
The winter in Hong Kong can be surprisingly cold, so you will definitely need to pack a few sweaters and a lightweight jacket. You may even want to pack a scarf for the Hong Kong winter but you can leave the wooly hats and gloves at home!
Hong Kong is notoriously hilly, with lots of stairs around the city. For this reason, if you are traveling with a baby or younger toddler, we recommend using a baby carrier and not a stroller.
However, I still recommend bringing your stroller if you plan to spend the day at Ocean Park or Disneyland during your Hong Kong trip.