Sharing a recap of what we did in Seoul, where we stayed, and my thoughts on the whole experience. Short version: I CAN’T WAIT to go back.
Hello friends! How are you? I hope you had an amazing weekend! We just caught up on household stuff here, I finally got over the jet lag (I was on a small plane when we got there, but ended up getting on the struggle bus when we got home), and we met up with friends.
I’m so excited to share another post from our trip with you!
Here is a list of what I have planned so that once they are live, I can add links to this post.
Seoul recap, what we did and what we ate (this post)
Tokyo and Kyoto tours and travel tips
We ate in Japan
My Korean Head Spa experience
Seoul recap, what we did, and what we ate
Before I start, I wanted to start with an apology.
To my South Korean and Japanese friends, I didn’t know, and now I do. I had no idea how much I was missing. The girls chose the destinations for this trip, and I knew it would be something I enjoyed, but it wasn’t my first choice for a vacation. (I would be happy to repeat at least 5+ weeks of the year in Spain adventure.) I didn’t expect to fall in love with these places, but I totally did. This trip completely changed my life. I’ll share more in my Japan post, but these places didn’t feel like different countries… they felt like different worlds.
The people of Seoul were kind and lovely. The food was unbelievable. It felt very safe, and there was plenty to do. We could double our time there and be happy. The funny thing is that we had the opportunity to be stationed in Korea many times during Tom’s military career. All our friends who lived there loved it, and now I understand why.
We flew from Phoenix to San Francisco, then direct from SFO to Seoul. The flight was long – about 12 1/2 hours – but I was able to sleep and shut up (the girls were awake the whole time) and we arrived around 3 pm. I think this is a good time to arrive in a new country because your hotel room is ready, so if you’re totally screwed and need a little sleep, you can. You don’t need to wander around and wait until your room is ready.
We knew it was going to be an uneventful day, so we checked into the hotel and started exploring. We stayed at the RYSE Autograph Collection hotel and I would 100% recommend it for the excellent location, amenities, and dining options. (I booked everything using our Amex platinum. My referral link is here!)
It was surrounded by great restaurants and shops, and easy to walk around.
I didn’t take a picture but the bathroom had a huge waterfall shower with great water pressure.
We were shocked to see all the streets full of small kiosks and cute shops in the area not far from the hotel.
We checked out and met our new skincare friend at TONYMOLY and P was tired, we headed back to the hotel while Tom and Liv ate dinner. We all slept through the night and were fully set the next day!
We did a lot while in Seoul, but here are some of the best.
Lotte World
Lotte World is a large indoor and outdoor theme park. Liv suggested this one – she added her ideas to our trip planning spreadsheet – and we were inspired. We joked that it was like speaking lightly. It’s a lot of levels and a few attractions seem to be hidden, but there was a lot to do. It also blew my mind that I got four tickets with 3 skip line passes for each of us and the total was $200. (I used Trip.com to book.)
I didn’t take a picture of the outside but I did see the castle, various roller coasters, roller coaster rides, and lots of shops and food stands.
We did all the best rides – they have a mix of rides for little kids and fun rides and coasters for older kids and adults – and we spent the whole day there. Journey to Atlantis IT WAS AWESOME; definitely one of my top theme park rides.
Baseball game and Korean BBQ
We spent the day shopping and exploring, and that night, we took a tour with an English-speaking Korean BBQ guide.
and a Dusan Bears baseball game.
Baseball is BIG in Seoul and it’s a real cultural experience. Each player has his own song and joy, and the whole arena dances and cheers. Baseball food is next-level, too. They sell beer in an upside-down baseball cap filled with shrimp – looks good- in addition to tteokbokki, cheese and meat skewers, tons of real food options. You can also bring your own food and drinks; very different from countries where they force you to go inside and buy $8 bottles of water.
A head spa and a petting zoo
The head spa will be getting its own post, but it was the highlight of the trip! While I had the best spa experience of my life, the Pilot and the kids went to the petting zoo where they could hold raccoons and pets.
Living the dream:
Shopping at Olive Young
If you go to Seoul, shopping at Olive Young is a must. You can stock up on all the best K beauty products at amazing prices. It’s like a giant Sephora with skin care and makeup lines… all great. I was worried we wouldn’t find Olive Young or it would be hard to get to, but it’s everywhere. We had three places near our hotel.
Gluten free restaurant in Seoul
On this trip, I tried my best to eat gluten-free as close as possible, but I understood that it could be very difficult – not everything is written down – and I accepted that there will be wheat in the sauces and condiments. And because I don’t speak the language, I didn’t want to be difficult trying to prepare the food.
I have been strictly gluten free for 3 years with autoimmune stuff and it has made a huge difference for me, and P has been gluten free for the past year. (He was red on his IgG test and used to have bad stomach aches and joint pains, which have resolved since cutting it out.) I told him we would do our best since we are thankfully gluten free, but maybe we could have sauces, etc.
We were able to eat at two 100% gluten-free restaurants in Seoul: Sunnyhouse and Monli2. Both were A+ experiences.. better than any gluten free options I’ve had in Tucson.
Sunnyhouse gluten-free restaurant in Seoul, Korea
Sunnyhouse has all-day breakfast, sandwiches, platters and desserts. It’s kind of a hidden place but it’s extremely beautiful inside.
UP had a fluffy nutella waffle, grilled cheese,
and I had a Mediterranean plate. I could eat this every day. The bread was VERY soft and fluffy. Why do US restaurants have such a hard time making good gluten free bread???
Monli2 free restaurant in Seoul, Korea
Monli2 has CHHURROS, pizza, sandwiches, and baked goods. I ordered the pesto pizza and it was actually one of the best gf pizzas I’ve ever had in my life (#1 is Italy, #2 is this, and #3 is NYC).
I knew I was going to eat different foods while we were in Korea and Japan and the whole time I was gone, I felt amazing. My energy was great, I had no stomach issues, and the food was incredibly fresh and delicious.
Our hotel had a big breakfast every day and you can find American breakfast (such as fruit, pastries, eggs, potatoes, bacon and juice) and Korean traditional items, such as kimchi, beef bulgogi, fried rice, pickled vegetables, etc.
Travel tips and things we noticed:
– Definitely learn a few phrases but Google Translate can be a great tool. I was surprised to find that very few people spoke English, and when ordering products, it is easy to switch to English. The girls know a lot of Korean phrases so they were able to help us.
– The bus and subways are very clean and efficient, but we ended up using Uber to get around. It was more expensive to travel around than in the states. We prefer Uber over traditional taxis because you can enter the location – there are no language barriers this way – and you can see the exact fare.
You can also get a Climate Card or T Money card for unlimited transport passes if you decide to use public transport.
– Carry a small trash bag with you. Public trash cans are not available everywhere, so you may have to carry your trash with you until you find a trash can. Don’t assume that all trash cans are public; it may belong to a store.
– Don’t go and eat. IIt’s bad behavior, so if you get a meal or snack, just stop and enjoy it before continuing. I think this is a better way to eat anyway! If your nervous system is calm, you will have a better time digesting your food.
– Google Maps does not work. We used Naver instead of walking around. Google has a transportation problem before using Naver for public transportation. You should find this out through public notices while you’re there, but it’s good to confirm before hopping on public transport.
– Tipping is not a thing in Seoulbut you can add recommendations to Uber.
– Call your phone provider before you leave to set up an international plan. We usually do this before we leave so we have voice and data. We use AT&T and it automatically activates when it detects we are in another country and offers deals; Liv’s phone was switched off while we were there.
– Korean Airlines! This is what we used to do in Tokyo, and it was a unique experience. The ticket prices were very reasonable,
– Take off your shoes in your hotel room. They will usually have little slides by the door that you can put on.
– Leave your shampoo and conditioner at home. Pack LITTLE toiletries because you’ll get better stuff there and the shampoo and conditioner at the hotel will be amazing quality.
– Korea uses European stores. I have had these converters for years and brought them on this trip. They work for laptops and phones but don’t plug in your hair dryer or styling tool this time! Your best bet is to buy a hair tool there, go to a head spa or get a blowout somewhere (!), or let it dry and do some sock curls.
– You cannot bring CBD into Korea. I’m glad I researched this ahead of time and left my favorite gummies at home. I brought melatonin but I didn’t end up needing it. There are also certain medications prescribed here that are not allowed in Korea, so check the rules before you go.
If you’re headed to Seoul anytime soon, you’re in for a treat 🙂 I’m here to help with any questions and I’ll be back with a head spa recap tomorrow!
no
Gina
