Taipei is a dense city, but it is greener than it looks. Da'an Forest Park is a real forest in the middle of town, the Botanical Garden has been growing since the 1890s, and both the Keelung and Tamsui rivers are lined with riverside parks joined by a continuous bike path. Most of the parks are free and open all day, and every one on this page is close to an MRT station. Here is what each is good for.
- Hours Most city parks are listed as open 24 hours; the Botanical Garden is 05:30 to 20:00
- Riverside paths About 112 km of bike paths along Taipei's rivers, run by the city's Hydraulic Engineering Office
- Bikes YouBike docks at most MRT exits, and riverside bike rental centers along the rivers
The parks at a glance
| Park | MRT | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Da'an Forest Park | Da'an Park (R06) | Picnics, a morning walk or run, birds, weekend concerts, kids |
| 228 Peace Memorial Park | NTU Hospital (R09) | A shady break downtown, history, the National Taiwan Museum |
| Taipei Botanical Garden | Xiaonanmen (G11) | Plants, the summer lotus pond, early morning exercise |
| Taipei Expo Park | Yuanshan (R14) | Lawns, the rose garden, weekend markets, events, the art museum |
| Huashan Grassland and playground | Shandao Temple (BL13), Zhongxiao Xinsheng (BL14, O07) | Kids, a lawn next to Huashan 1914 |
| Rongxing Garden Park | Zhongshan Junior High School (BR12) | Neighborhood walks (under renovation in phases to 2028) |
| Shuangxi Park | Shilin (R16), then a bus or YouBike | A Chinese-style garden, a stop on the way to the National Palace Museum |
| Dajia Riverside Park | Dazhi (BR14) | Cycling, river views, the Dragon Boat races |
| Rainbow Bridge | Songshan (G19) | An evening walk before Raohe Night Market |
| Guandu Riverside Park | Guandu (R25) | Cycling toward Tamsui, wetlands, river boats |
City parks
Da'an Forest Park
Da'an Forest Park (大安森林公園) is the big one: about 26 hectares of trees and lawns in the middle of Da'an District. The land was set aside as a park in the Japanese era, but it only opened in March 1994. Taipei Travel calls it the city's largest park. There is an open-air amphitheater with music and other shows on weekends and holidays, and an eco pond with two islets where egrets, black-crowned night herons and grey herons fish. Come early for a walk or a run while it is cool, or bring a picnic on a weekend afternoon.
- MRT: Da'an Park Station (Red Line, R06), right at the park.
- Good for: picnics, a morning walk, birdwatching, kids.
228 Peace Memorial Park
228 Peace Memorial Park (二二八和平紀念公園) is the old city park in the government district, a block of shady paths and lawns between Gongyuan Road, Xiangyang Road, Huaining Road and Ketagalan Boulevard. It is named for the 228 Incident of 1947, and the Taipei 228 Memorial Museum inside the park tells that story. The National Taiwan Museum is right by the park. It is a good place to sit in the shade between sights, or for a quiet early walk before the city gets busy.
- Hours: open 24 hours.
- MRT: NTU Hospital Station (Red Line, R09), Exit 4, which has a YouBike dock.
- Good for: a break downtown, history, morning exercise.
Taipei Botanical Garden
The Taipei Botanical Garden (台北植物園) began as a nursery in 1896 and became Taiwan's first botanical garden in 1921. It is run by the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, covers 8.2 hectares and grows more than 2,000 plant species, in gardens for ferns, gymnosperms, aquatic plants, plants used by Taiwan's peoples and native Taiwanese species. The big draw is the lotus pond, which is at its best in summer; the garden runs a lotus photo page on its website so you can check the bloom. Look out for the Herbarium, built in 1924 and the first in Taiwan, and the Imperial Envoy's Guest House (欽差行臺), built in 1888 and moved here in 1933.
- Hours: 05:30 to 20:00.
- Address: No. 53, Nanhai Road, Zhongzheng District.
- MRT: Xiaonanmen Station (Green Line, G11), Exit 3.
- Good for: plants and photography, an early walk, morning tai chi or stretching in the shade.
Good to know: the lotus pond is in full sun. In summer, go before 09:00 or late in the afternoon, when the light is softer and the heat is easier.
Taipei Expo Park
Taipei Expo Park (花博公園) is the old site of the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition, which ran from November 2010 to April 2011. Today it is three linked park areas: the Yuanshan area by Yuanshan Station, the Fine Arts area around the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and Xinsheng Park further east, home of the Taipei Rose Garden. In the Yuanshan area, MAJI Square (11:00 to 21:00) has food stalls, shops and a farmers' market, and the lawns and halls host festivals, concerts and fairs through the year. The park is listed as open 24 hours.
- MRT: Yuanshan Station (Red Line, R14), Exit 1, right at the park.
- Good for: lawns and roses, weekend markets and events, pairing with the art museum or the Confucius Temple and Bao'an Temple nearby.
→ Festivals and events · Temples
Huashan Grassland
Behind Huashan 1914 Creative Park, the old railway freight yard is now an open lawn in the city's Central Culture Park, known locally as the Huashan Grassland (華山大草原). Its children's playground is themed on the site's railway past, with track and tunnel shapes, and a climbing tower modeled on the chimney of the old Taipei Wine Factory that became Huashan 1914. Let the kids run, then walk over to the galleries and cafes. → Taipei with kids
- MRT: Shandao Temple Station (Blue Line, BL13) or Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station (Blue Line BL14, Orange Line O07).
- Good for: kids, a picnic on the lawn.
Rongxing Garden Park
Rongxing Garden Park (榮星花園公園) is a neighborhood garden park in Zhongshan District, known for its big lawn, its plum trees and its firefly pond. In July 2026 the city started a full renovation, worked in phases area by area and due to finish in December 2028, with a new playground and fitness areas; the big lawn, the firefly pond and the 30 plum trees are being kept. Expect fences and closed sections while the work goes on.
- MRT: Zhongshan Junior High School Station (Brown Line, BR12).
- Good for: a local walk if you are staying nearby; skip a special trip until the work is done.
Shuangxi Park
Shuangxi Park (雙溪公園) is a classical Chinese-style garden of about 2 hectares at the corner of Fulin Road and Zhishan Road in Shilin, on the road up to the National Palace Museum and Yangmingshan. Finished in 1974, it has covered walkways leading to a pavilion in the middle of the pond, waterside pavilions, a nine-turn bridge, a rock grotto, an artificial hill and a waterfall. It is listed as open 24 hours, and it makes a calm stop before or after the museum.
- MRT: Shilin Station (Red Line, R16), then a bus toward the National Palace Museum or a YouBike.
- Good for: photos, a quiet garden walk, pairing with the museum.
The riverside parks and bike paths
Taipei's rivers run behind tall flood walls, and the land between the walls and the water is one long chain of riverside parks: lawns, sports courts, flower fields and, running through them all, about 112 km of bike paths. You reach them through evacuation gates in the walls. It is the best place in the city to ride a bike, flat and away from traffic, and a YouBike from the nearest MRT station is the easy way to do it. → How to rent a YouBike
Dajia Riverside Park and the Keelung River
Dajia Riverside Park (大佳河濱公園) runs along the south bank of the Keelung River between Zhongshan Bridge and Dazhi Bridge, with a loop of bike path several kilometers long and a bike rental center by the main entrance. Meiti Riverside Park faces it on the north bank, three blocks from Dazhi Station, and the Blue Highway river boats link Dajia Wharf and Meiti Wharf in about 15 minutes. Dajia is also where the Dragon Boat Festival races are held. The Keelung River bike paths run about 18.1 km on the left bank and 17.6 km on the right, joining at Dazhi Bridge.
- MRT: Dazhi Station (Brown Line, BR14).
- Good for: cycling, a riverside walk, picnics, the boat races.
Rainbow Bridge at Raohe
The Rainbow Bridge (彩虹橋) is a 167 m footbridge over the Keelung River, from Raohe Street in Songshan to Xinming Road in Neihu, for walkers and cyclists only. Its red, gently S-shaped arch lights up in color after dark, which makes it a good evening walk or ride along the river before dinner at Raohe Street Night Market, at the bridge's Songshan end. It is open 24 hours. → Raohe Street Night Market on NightMarket.tw
- MRT: Songshan Station (Green Line, G19).
- Good for: an evening walk, night cycling, pairing with Raohe.
Guandu Riverside Park and the Tamsui River
Up where the Keelung River meets the Tamsui, Guandu Riverside Park (關渡河濱公園) covers about 6.3 hectares beside Guandu Temple and the fishing port, with walkways, the riverside bike path and Guandu Wharf, a stop for Taipei's river cruise boats. Taipei Travel suggests starting at Guandu Station and renting a YouBike or a bike from the riverside rental center, about 14 minutes' walk north of the temple. From here you can ride the flat path toward Tamsui, or cross Guandu Bridge to the Bali side of the river. Close by, Guandu Nature Park (關渡自然公園), founded in 1996, protects the wetlands and their birds. → Day trip to Tamsui
- Hours: the riverside park is open 24 hours.
- MRT: Guandu Station (Red Line, R25).
- Good for: a half-day bike ride, wetland birds, river boats.
Riverside tips
- Typhoons: the riverside parks are flood land. When a typhoon comes, the evacuation gates close and the parks are off limits; afterward, the city warns of silt, branches and leaves on the paths for a while. Check the Hydraulic Engineering Office's real-time gate status before you go after a storm.
- Shade and heat: there is very little shade by the water. Ride early or toward sunset, and carry water.
- Barbecues and camping in the riverside parks need a permit from the Hydraulic Engineering Office.
- The app: the city's Taipei Riverside Tour app maps the riverside parks and paths.
Good to know: riverside paths are long and exits are far apart. Before you set off, note which gate leads back to an MRT station, so you are not riding an extra 3 km at dusk to find a way out.
Parents planning more for the kids will find activities and camps in Taipei on Camps.Asia. And when you are ready to climb: → Hikes from the MRT · All things to do
Sources
Park details, hours and nearest MRT stations from Taipei Travel: Daan Park, TAIPEI Quarterly: urban picnic parks, 228 Peace Park, flower viewing routes, Taipei Botanical Garden, Taipei Expo Park, MAJI Square, Huashan playground, Rongxing Garden Park renovation, Shuangxi Park, Dajia Riverside Park, Keelung River Bicycle Trail, Rainbow Bridge, Guandu Riverside Park and TAIPEI Quarterly: Biking around Guandu. Botanical Garden history, size, species and hours from the Taipei Botanical Garden (opening hours). The Rongxing renovation plans from the Liberty Times. Riverside path length, permits, the app and typhoon gate notices from Taipei City's Hydraulic Engineering Office (evacuation gate notice, October 2026). Checked October 2026.