A Day at the Park – Olympic Park

On the days you are looking for a way to get out of the house, but not go too far or spend a lot of money, parks are the way to go. The beautiful Olympic Park is a short 7 stops away from Hanyang University station with no transfers. You can rent bikes, have a picnic, or just soak up the sun (or shade)! Olympic park is quite large with sidewalk running through the whole park, open fields, restaurants, art, and plenty of benches to relax on. The landscaping is beautiful and there is no shortage of multicolored flowers. During both the week and weekend the park is crowded with families, couples, and friends. I recommend packing lunch and a blanket as the park is the perfect place for a picnic. Also, don’t forget to buy a melon popsicle at one of the many park convenience stores, they’re amazing. :D

Getting to the bike rental shop:

Go to Hanyang station and take the subway 7 stops to Jamsil station. Once you arrive, get out at exit 2 and walk towards Lotte World. You will come up to the bicycle rental stop on your left. You pick out any bike you want and trade an ID for the bike at the front desk. You can use the bikes as long as you want but you must return them by 5.

You have the option of renting a bike at Olympic Park, but it is not free. They offer normal 2 wheeled bicycles and the 4 wheeled bicycle carts that can sit up to 6 people for 30-60 minutes at a time. These carts have a roof so they can be nice on a hot afternoon. The bike rental store is at the north end of Peace Gate near Monchongtoseong Station (몽촌토성역).

Getting to Olympic Park:

Take a left at the corner the bike shop is on, head to the end of the road
Take a left at the end of the road
Take a right at the first intersection
Ride all the way down the road until you see the large Olympic symbol at the entrance of the park.

In addition to the park, there is SO much to do at Jamsil station. Within walking distance is Lotte World, a HUGE brand new mall, a discount grocery store; the list goes on and on. Overall, it’s important to make the most of your semester in South Korea and sometimes it can be overwhelming always having to plan the day or spend money in the city. There is nothing better than a day out where you can exercise, enjoy nature, and simply relax all for FREE!