Our "Must Dos" in Taipei

Okay, we're going to divide this up into two sections: With kids, Without kids

Without Kids
Taroko Gorge - we flew from Taipei to Hualien and took a tour. We set it up all at our hotel, the Agora. It was about $130 and well worth it. The gorge is beautiful! The mountain range is all marble - wow!

Yang Ming Shan National Park - Just outside Tiapei. In fact, my navigator husband put us on a city bus from Taipei Main Starion and we went all on our own - what an experience. For those traveling soon - GO!!! it's Cherry blossom time and flower season, we missed it by a week, but sounds AMAZING!

Snake Alley Night Market - If you can handle walking by the occasional porn/sex shop, its fun. They have arcade and crane games for kids - but we had so much fun "winning" our souvenirs! Kids would love this place too if you don't mind them walking by the occasional fore mentioned.
Before you go in, check out the temple! It blew my mind! If you are going soon, hopefully you can see the Chinese new year decorations too! The 40 minute / $7 foot massage was amazing, though painful at times!

Yeilou - Again, could have been done with kids, but may be more fun without. Wow, what beautiful scenery!

Jaio Fan- Tourist place on the side of a mountain - not for kids. Lots of interesting food. Mr. Yeh loves some pretty tasty iced bean desert there - he will make you go and he will make you eat it. It's fun though. don't recommend the fish ball soup though. Best place to buy souvenirs.

With kids

Din Tai Fung - The yummy dumpling restaurant. Go more than once - yum yum yum and cheap!

Taipei Children's Museum ( in Eslite shopping building on Childrens floor- it's tall and white with circular colorful lights at the top. 2 blocks west of Agora) It's expensive to get in, but kids will love it!

Taipei Zoo - see previous post!

21 month old mecca - Located in the children's department (outside on roof) of Mitsokoshi Department store. There is a playground, a fountain, ride on toys, a train. It's heaven for those 1-5 I would say!

Also check out the square in Mitsokoshi on the weekends. Cool artwork and souvenirs. The dragon made out of a straw is our favorite!

Keelung - The big Buddha and the lucky bell are fun. Plus there are some fun kids games.

Taipei 101 - Just amazing, a must see no matter what!

Ride the subway (MRT) and the high speed rail if you can! Take the MRT to Snake Alley or the zoo, they are very close when you get off

Martyr's Shrine for the changing of the guards -wow!

Chang Kai Shek memorial - the memorial is cool, but the grounds are amazing! Plan to stay a couple hours and just enjoy it with the kids. It's so beautiful this spring while all of the flowers are in bloom. I wish we could have stayed much longer than 1/2 hour. Leo loved it too! Walk on the stone path without your shoes. It's not the one from Amazing Race this season, but it's the same concept. It hurts like heck, but your feet will never feel better (except maybe the foot massage at Snake Alley)

The Agora - that hotel was so accommodating and just super! It's a great place to meet other adoptive families from all over the world.

Hope this is helpful to some of you traveling soon!