Beartree Park is one of the most unique (and one of the most beautiful!) places I have been to in South Korea. The park is less than a 2-hour drive from Seoul which makes it the perfect day trip! It’s the perfect spot for couples, friends, or even families with children. This is everything you need to know for your trip to Beartree Park in Cheonan, South Korea!
Beartree Park
The Beartree Park in Cheonan is unique because it’s basically part botanical garden / part zoo. There are 8 different gardens inside the park as well as multiple greenhouses, ponds, and viewpoints. You could easily spend an entire afternoon just strolling through the different gardens. There is an observation tower at the top of the hill that provides an incredible view of the entire park – it’s by far my favorite spot!
One fun thing to do at the park is to see how many bear statues you can find! You’ll find the majority of them in ‘Bear Sculpture Park’ but there are many spread throughout the gardens as well. The statues are meant to tell the story of a young bear as he has grown up. You’ll find sculptures of the young bear playing with his slingshot and jumping rope with his friends and even a sculpture of the bear all grown up on his wedding day!
The greenhouses at Beartree Park are fun because each one is full of different plants and flowers. One greenhouse even has a bunch of different cacti; a little piece of the desert right here in South Korea! Keep an eye out in the greenhouses because many of them have secret designs hidden in the flowers (like the shape of a bear in the succulents!).
Should you be interested in doing your own gardening in the park, there are many different experience programs available throughout the year. You can pot your own plant or even decorate a piece of pottery. Just head to the ‘Teddy Bear Shop’ near the entrance where the experiences are held. There are also quite a few photo ops at the museum! There are a couple of flower walls and of course tons of teddy bears which can be used as props!
Animals at Beartree Park
To be completely honest, I didn’t even know there were actual animals at this park before I came! I was under the impression that it was just a botanical garden, not a zoo. As excited as I was to see the animals, it also made me very sad to see animals like the big grizzly bears stuck in small concrete cages. I’ll let you decide if this is something you want to support or not. The park is more than worth visiting just for the gardens alone.
There are multiple types of bears at the park (grizzly bears, black bears, and bear cubs). For 1,000 KRW (about 1 USD) you can purchase a cup of carrots that you can feed to the bears. They will excitedly wave at you and beg for a treat. If you’re traveling with kids, they’ll love it! Just make sure you don’t feed the bears anything other than what is provided. They’ll gladly take anything you have, but that doesn’t mean they should have it!
In addition to bears, there are also reindeer, guinea pigs, rabbits, and many different birds (peacocks, parrots, ducks, and more!) in the ‘Pet Garden’ section of the park. You can often hear the peacocks and birds singing no matter where you’re at in the park.
Another thing not to miss is all of the Koi fish that you’ll see in the ponds throughout the park. The Koi fish are seen as a sign of wealth and vitality in Korea and are thought to bring good luck to every visitor. Fish food can be purchased at the entrance of the park if you should wish to feed them.
Food and Drinks at Beartree Park
Welcome House Restaurant
The Welcome House Restaurant is located on the second floor of the Welcome House. It’s a western-style restaurant and has great pizzas, steaks, and pasta. It’s the perfect place to stop for lunch during your visit.
Beartree Cafe
The Beartree Cafe is located right next to the ‘Bear Sculpture Park’. It’s the perfect spot to stop if you’re looking for something sweet (they have great desserts here!) or a refreshing drink.
Other Things to Do in the Area
- Asan Hot Springs Town
- Cheonan Museum
- Independence Hall of Korea
- Gakwonsa Temple
- Cheonan Samgeori Park
- Unjusanseong Fortress
- Jungang Lake Park
Things to Know & How to Get There
Address: 217 Sinsong-ro, Jeondong-myeon, Sejong-si
From Seoul | Driving from Seoul, Beartree Park is just under a 2-hour drive. Using public transportation, you will take the train from Seoul Station to Jochiwon Station. From there you will take the blue No. 801 bus to the ‘Jaedong Apartment’ stop and walk the rest of the way.
Parking | There is a large parking lot at the entrance where you are able to park for free.
Business Hours | April to October: 9AM – 7PM. November to March: 9AM to 6PM. The last admission is 2 hours before closing time.
Admission | The price of admission for children is 8,000 KRW but the price of admission for adults varies throughout the year. In the winter season, admission is 10,000 KRW and in the summer months, 11,000 KRW. Maps and brochures are given at the entrance for free.
Rules | No tripods, bicycles, outside food or drinks, or pets allowed. Smoking is not allowed in any area of the park. Removal of any plants, seeds, or stones is prohibited.
Have you ever been to Beartree Park in Cheonan? Share in a comment below!
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Don’t forget to check out these other South Korea posts:
- Things to Do in Buyeo, South Korea
- Sweets and Snacks to Try in South Korea
- Anyang Art Park: The Perfect Day Trip From Seoul
- Myeongdong District Travel Guide
- Things You Should Know Before Traveling to South Korea
- Suwon Hwaseong Fortress in South Korea
