A guide to Victoria Peak, Hong Kong, with kids

Victoria Peak is a not to be missed attraction when visiting Hong Kong.

Rising above Hong Kong’s tapestry of skyscrapers, it’s one of our favourite spots in the city. It’s a little quieter up on the Peak, with much less traffic congestion, and less overwhelming for kids. Hong Kong boasts many green spaces and gardens for traveling kids to run around and decompress (our favourite is Kowloon Park). But Victoria Peak is unique that it feels like you’re getting away from the city, but at the same time it’s a tourist hotspot that offers some of Hong Kong’s most iconic experiences.

The Peak has plenty of easy hiking, greenery, lots of shopping and snacks, and possibly the most iconic views of the Hong Kong skyline. If you’re just coming up for the view, the Peak can be seen in 30 mins (an hour if you’re being generous). But it’s best to spend at least half a day to relax and enjoy the change of pace and scenery.

Getting to the Peak

Victoria Peak is not far from central – it only takes about 10 minutes, driving! There are three main ways to get to the Peak. (Not counting hiking – which is very doable, but probably not with young children in tow!) The most popular is the Peak Tram. The cheapest is the public bus. The most convenient is by taxi.

Peak Tram

The Peak Tram is an attraction in itself. It’s one of the first and oldest funiculars in the world, and the steepest! It’s so steep the skyscrapers nearby look like they are leaning away from you. The Peak Tram departs from Garden Rd, and there are six stops to the Peak.

The Tram runs from 7am – midnight and costs between 37HKD – 52HKD. (You can also buy return tickets and packages that bundle some of the Peak attractions.) It conveniently runs every 10 minutes or so.

The caveats here is it gets *busy* during the day. The line-ups can be up to two hours or more. Conversely, just because the tram opens at 7am doesn’t mean you can get to the tram station. The buses that run from the Central Star Ferry terminal/bus terminus don’t operate until 10am. (Furthermore, then main buildings and shops on the Peak open at 10am, too.)

We set out for Victoria Peak around 9am (whereupon we learned the buses don’t actually run that early, and took a taxi!) We did take the Tram on the way back (early afternoon), and it was a creaky, rickety ride the kids loved. There was no queue to take the tram on the way back at that time. The pulley mechanism is also visible from the Peak station, and kept the kids occupied during our short wait.

Public bus

Route 15 from the Exchange Square Central Bus Terminal (conveniently near both the Star Ferry terminal and the MTR exit) will take you directly up to the Peak.

The ride takes about 45 mins, and costs around 10HKD ($1 USD!)

Taxi

This is exceptionally convenient and takes not even 10 minutes from the same bus terminal above. The cost is less than the Peak Tram (for over 2 people, anyway).

Victoria Peak is mostly a residential area. The Tram and bus will take you straight to the Peak Tower and the Peak Galleria, the pedestrian square and tourist hub of Victoria Peak.

What to do on Victoria Peak with kids

Check out the view!

Visitors come to Victoria Peak specifically for its view of Hong Kong’s skyline, Victoria Harbour, and the mountains beyond. It’s one of the most stunning skylines in the world.

The Sky Terrace 428 is the tallest lookout point, a 360 observation deck at the top of the Peak Tower. Tickets are 75 HKD for adults and 38 HKD for children and seniors.

Lions Pavilion is just a short walk away up the path from the Peak Tower. This spot is great for kids, with it’s stone archway and stone steps and pavilion to explore. It also adds a little bit of an extra vibe to the sightseeing. Oh, and it’s free!

Lugang road also offers great views of the skyline, but you will need to hike about 20 minutes in.

These views are spectacular at any time of the day, but it would be magical to experience the sunset and the way Hong Kong comes to life at night. The sun doesn’t actually set over the skyline (although sunRISE does, so if the kids – or if you – are up for it…), but golden hour would make for a stunning view, and the nightscape even more so.

The Peak Tower and the Peak Galleria

This is Victoria Peak tourist central. The Galleria is a shopping mall, and both buildings are filled with shops and restaurants/cafes.

Madame Tussauds Hong Kong is here, as well as “Madness 3D Adventures”, an interactive exhibit by local artists of Hong Kong’s famous landmarks.

Big S and Lil S are not keen shoppers, but what they loved about this spot was the very elaborate candy shop, Candylicious! There are also a number of traditional souvenir shops that were fun to browse, and the kids each picked out a few souvenirs.

There are a number of cafes and restaurants, from Pacific Coffee and McDonalds, to high end noodle bars and steakhouses. The world of fancy restaurants is a mystery to most families with young children – BUT, Gino’s Gelato just outside the Peak Tower is a gem. It’s a fancy ice cream cart/truck that sells gelato in delicious Hong Kong famous egg waffle cones. This made the kids’ day!

Hiking

Victoria Peak might seem like a strange spot to go hiking, but the entire mountain is covered in delightful lush greenery, and a breath of fresh air from the cosmopolitan city below.

The walking is easy and a great way for kids to explore and burn energy.

Lugang road is the most popular, along the side of the Peak that offers great skyline views. Continue on to Harlech road to continue your circle of the Peak, which will bring you back to the Peak Tower. This entire trail is known as the Hong Kong Trail, and takes around 1 hour.

Victoria Peak Garden, up Mount Austin Rd, and Pok Fu Lam Country Park both offer hiking and lots of green space.

Mount Austin Playground

You might start up Mount Austin Rd on your way to Victoria Peak Garden (it’s a nice, short, 15 minute walk through residential area, although the first little bit is quite a steep climb for little legs), but guaranteed your kids will want to stop when they see the Mount Austin Playground.

Part garden, part playground, it’s an ideal spot for kids to unwind and have fun. We found our way there late in the morning, and it was really quiet, with only a few other guests trickling about. There are also bathrooms here, and water fountains to fill your water bottle.

Tips to planning your trip to Victoria Peak

• We recommend avoiding peak hours (eg. noon and afternoon), as the Peak gets crowded and, especially in the summer, that afternoon sun is *hot*. Try arriving early in the morning, ideally even before opening time at 10am to get the entire skyline view to yourself.

• Take a taxi up to the Peak to avoid the sometimes long line-up at the tram’s Garden Rd stop. (If you arrive early in the morning, taxi is your only option.) You can take the tram back down – the lines seem to be much shorter from the Peak side during the day.

• Bring a reusable water bottle. There is a lot of hiking and walking you can do in this area. Even walking under trees and foliage, it gets hot.

• Check the weather. Despite the great hiking and kid-friendly attractions, the view is undoubtedly the main draw of Victoria Peak. If you have a few days to explore the city, pick a clear day (or a clear time of day) for your Victoria Peak outing. There are also live webcams of Hong Kong/the Peak you can check beforehand to ensure a clear view.

• Opt for the free options. This is obviously up to preference, but for our active kids, Lion Pavilion and Lugard Rd was more ideal than Sky Terrace (where they had more freedom to run around… and climb things). And they loved the Mount Austin playground, far more than they would have the wax museum, for example. Of course, every family is different, but it just goes to show you don’t have to pay to have a great experience!

Check out this post for other kid-friendly spots in Hong Kong to catch an amazing view!