Good for Kids

Top your list with the Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Gardens, Symphony of Lights, Peak Tram, and a skyscraper climb.

On the Southside, Ocean Park offers a balance of toned-down thrills and high-octane rides suitable for toddlers to teenagers as well as a giant aquarium and the popular giant-panda enclosure. Older kids might enjoy seeing pink dolphins in their natural habitat on a Dolphinwatch half-day trip. See tropical birds close-up as you walk through the Edward Youde Aviary in Hong Kong Park, or watch bigger, wilder birds through telescopes at the Wetland Park in the New Territories.

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum has a Children's Discovery Gallery with educational playzones designed for children ages 4 to 10, while the Science Museum has plenty of hands-on exhibits.

Mall rats can make plenty of like-minded local friends at Times Square, Pacific Place, Kowloon Tong's Festival Walk, and Elements, all of which are safe places to wander.

The Festival Walk and Elements malls both have ice-skating rinks, while Kowloon Park has a massive outdoor multipool swimming complex.

And of course, there's always Disneyland.