• Water House at Anati Hilton Busan (아난티 힐튼 부산 워터 하우스)

Summer is not complete without swimming, right?

I don’t know about you, but I prefer swimming in a swimming pool rather than swimming in the ocean. With the kids, that feeling intensifies.

So, if you feel the same way I do, the Anati Hilton Busan is the place for you.

The swimming pool at the 5-star Anati Hilton Busan is located on the outskirts of Busan along the coast and it claims to have one of the best pools in the city. Let me explain why.

First, facility, facility, facility. There are indoor swimming pools as well as outdoor pools. Their indoor swimming pools are decorated with LED screens and a variety of plants, while the outdoor swimming pools feature an infinity view of the ocean! The water temperature is perfect and allows for the kids to spend hours playing. Also, it has everything you would need such as available shampoo, hair conditioner, body wash, life jackets, a cafeteria and so much more.

The only thing that you need to bring with you is your bathing suit and a swim cap or hat.

Second, the swimming pool is also open to the public. At this time of year, it is very difficult to book a hotel room and the rooms are often unreasonably priced. This is why Anati Hilton’s Water House attracts many people that are not guests.

Lastly, you can enjoy the Ananti Town after you finish swimming. It has a multipurpose recreational complex filled with shops, a bookstore, cafes & restaurants. If that is not something you are interested in, you could enjoy a nice stroll along the coast.

Entrance fee: 79,000 won for adults, 40,000 won for kids for four hours.

If it is your first time visiting, you can get a 30% discount after you download the app and join their membership program.

• Seokcheon Gallery at F1963 (F1963 석천홀)

F1963 is an urban cultural complex that was once a wire factory.

It always has something going on! At this time at the Seokcheon Gallery, an exhibition is taking place with the theme of “We also Need a Vacation.”

This is showcasing how kids from different generations spend their summer vacation.

I could definitely see the difference between how I used to spend my summer breaks and how my kids are spending their summer vacation.

There was also a booth where kids could write a ‘그림일기’, (drawing diary, in my rough translation). That used to be homework practice given to kids back in the day.

The exhibition is open from July 30 to September 4, and it is FREE to visitors.

• Busan Museum (부산 박물관)

You can learn a lot about Korean history by visiting Busan Museum. Plus, you can experience wearing a Korean Hanbok. In order to participate in the program, you need to make a reservation through their website.

There are two different programs offered, one is wearing a regular Hanbok and the other is wearing a royal Hanbok. Wearing a regular Hanbok is through a program open to kids and adults, while wearing a royal Hanbok is only open to adults. Both programs are free.

Making a reservation can be a little bit tricky if you are not fluent in Korean.

My advice is: If you are a non-Korean and have difficulty, seek help from the Busan Global Center.

Just so you know, the Busan Global Center offers a free interpretation service.

All you need to do is download “Life in Busan Application” onto your smart phone.

You can call them any time between 9 am and 9 pm.

Interpreters who speak English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Russian, Uzbek, Mongolian, Burmese, Cambodian, Thai and Tagalog will be available to help you.