Free things to do in Daejeon

14 places in Daejeon with free entry or no charge, based on guide listings and map data.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

See
Daecheong Lake
대청호수
Information office is at 618-316, Daecheong-ro, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon Metropolitan City (left bank of Daecheong Dam). The lake was formed in 1980 when the Deacheon Dam was completed. This lake provides Deajeon City and Cheongju City with drinking water. Open year round. No parking facilities.
Tue-SunFree
Do
Daejeon Art Center
(대전창작센터) Daejeon Changjak Center
Small art gallery in old downtown showcasing modern art works of young artists. The exhibits rotate every 1-2 months exhibiting to an often unusual theme, individual pieces regularly are quite involved, taking up an entire room.
Free
Do
Daejeon Currency Museum
화폐박물관 Hoapyebak Mulgwan
Historical currencies of Korea up to the modern day, including those of the DPRK (North Korea).
Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, 10:00-16:00 in winter, closed MondaysFree
See
Dunsan Prehistoric Settlement Site
When excavating for Dunsan new town in the early 1990s, a bunch of "stone-age" relics were discovered. Prior to the discovery, it was widely believed the region had a rather recent history. At a glance, the site is essentially a very hilly grassy park with scattered reproduction 'prehistoric huts' built over it. However the site provides extensive historical information for visitors. It is open at night and the inside of the huts light up as you approach showing off an interpretation of what was discovered, complete with reproductions of the various farming and domestic tools unearthed.
Free
Drink
Mood Beige
무드베이지
A cake specialty store with same-day lettering, it offers cute and cute designs. Available on-site without reservation, there are a wide variety of cakes available, which are useful when you urgently need a cake. It is reasonably priced, and the lettering service is provided free of charge, making it a perfect place for anniversaries or birthday parties.
Closed · opens noon₩50,000
See
Mount Gubongsan
구봉산
Open all year round, no parking facilities. This mountain has 9 peaks and walking trails.
Free
See
Mount Gyejoksan
계족산
Bike and walking trails. Site of the Yongwal thermal power plant, and Gyejok Mountain Fortress. Open year round. No parking facilities.
Free
See
National Cemetery
국립대전현충원
National cemetery for Korea's war heroes and patriots. It's quite beautifully landscaped and surrounded by a ring walking trail. Dress standards apply.
Closed · opens 6 amFree
See
Ppuri Park
A family-oriented park on the far southern outskirts of town. Down by a smallish dam, there are the usual swan boats and the like, but the odd drawcard is the hill covered in stone statues representing local family lineages. Local Koreans no doubt have a great time pouring over these, tracing their roots (ppuri), but to the casual observer it's just a curious, if unusual, collection of modern art. A path also leads over a bridge and to the top of the cliff directly to the south where not only is there a pleasant view, but the peak is also littered with a bizarre array of wooden phalli.
Free
See
Sikjangsan Mountain Forest
식장산
Open all year round, no parking facilities. The site provides extensive walking trails and temple visits.
Free
Do
Uam Historical Park
Historic scholarly site nestled in a mountain valley. Has a well kept lake and quite nice to stroll around. Hosts a (poorly gazetted) festival sometime in October. For hikers, the trail hidden at the rear-left of the park continues up the mountain, past a place to fill your water bottles and after a less than 30 min walk, all the way to the top of the ridge overlooking the immense Daecheong lake east of town.
Free
Do
Yuseong Foot Spa
A heated foot spa. The temperature is pretty high but varies along the length so it's appropriate even in winter, and you won't overheat in summer. Unlike most foot spas, the local populace demands pre-washing of feet at the wash-station at the end of the foot spa prior to entering (akin to the etiquette of a full body public bathhouse). Drop your stuff where you intend to sit, then walk down the end, wash up, and walk down the spa to get back to your seat. It can be an embarrassingly fulfilling sight seeing the elderly locals accosting Korean visitors from elsewhere in Korea unaware of this unstated rule. To get there, leave the subway station and head towards the main Yuseong junction to the north. Turn east and follow the wide grassy median strip about 500 m down the road.
Free
See Not mapped
Mount Bomunsan
보문산
Observatory, recreation facilities, and cable cars. Also 20 springs, one every 20 m and each supplies drinkable water. 10 trail routes are available including the Sirubong, Mupilbon, and Sansunggil trails. Important historical sites are located on the top of the mountain. Open year round. A few access ways are available, but the most popular one is via Bomunsan Park Jct.
Free
See
Hanbat Arboretum
한밭수목원, Hanbat Sumokuwon
If coming by taxi, be sure to use the Korean name.
Free

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Daejeon (CC BY-SA 4.0).