Danyang Weekend Itinerary

Let’s run away for the perfect weekend. This Danyang Weekend itinerary is perfect for couples, folks traveling alone, and families.

When to Leave for Your Danyang Weekend Itinerary

We left on Friday night for our weekend getaway. We wanted to make sure we had at least one full day in Danyang on our trip. If you leave by 5 or 6 pm, you will still have plenty of time to make Friday night a lovely part of your itinerary, even with the drive.

Friday Night Dinner at Cowboy Grill

While heading to Danyang for the long weekend, we checked out @cowboy_grill on our way to the hotel. The jack-o-lantern made the ambiance even more fall-esque. Additionally, fitting in a date night stop on Friday during your drive can make the start of the trip feel relaxing and part of the fun.

Grab Dessert and a Drink After Dinner

There is nothing quite like a playful little cafe to cap off the journey to our hotel. Cafe Cheongmyeong is a whimsical antique and we both loved the fact that the straw was paper and not plastic!

Check-in to Danyang Tourist Hotel Edelweiss

On Friday, don’t do too much. Driving is enough of an adventure. After dinner and dessert, check-in to your hotel and get some rest and enjoy your loved one(s). At Hotel Edelweiss, it’s like we have our own Witch Mountain or Close Encounters view from our hotel room! A beautiful backdrop for our anniversary weekend and the perfect end of day one of our Danyang Weekend Itinerary.

Saturday Begins with Mountains and a Skywalk

On day two or our Danyang Weekend Itinerary, we thought we would get a jump on the day, heading to the ManCheonha Skywalk around 9am. Typically, most Koreans don’t get going until 11am. However, not here at Danyang. The skywalk was already a happenin’ place by the time we got there at 9:30 am. We skipped breakfast on Saturday, but you might want to keep a morning snack in your fridge so that you are fully fed for this adventure.

Time for Lunch

After braving the heights, we needed to fill up the tummy, so we went to 24/7: Slow Food Cafe. The server was friendly and the food was super fresh. We split a chicken and roasted veggie sandwich and a chicken and roasted mushroom salad. We topped that off with a kale apple juice and an avocado/banana smoothie. @24.seven_official – thanks for an awesome meal.

After Brunch It’s River Adventure Time

After brunch, we drove along the Namhangang River to Dodamsambong and took a riverboat tour around the three river peaks, and took in the other river sights. After the tour, we hiked to the backside of the limestone we saw on the river.

Cafe and Paragliding

We then journeyed up the mountains to @cafe_sann for a quick snack and some paragliding. Unfortunately, we didn’t know we needed reservations and there were no more open spots for us. We’ll plan better next time, but we still got to enjoy the views, which were phenomenal.

A Relaxing Temple Visit

After taking in the views of Cafe San, we headed to Guinsa Temple. This temple was interesting and compelling – as it was almost part of the mountain, which was then carried into the architecture: a granite or rock base, which was gray, and then these bright wood structures. It seemed to reflect the balance of the world it inhabited. It was also much more functional than others, with an active temple stay and services happening all over. There was a calm bustle and lived-in feel.

Another Cafe Stop

On our hike back down to our car from the temple, we saw this cute little cafe @hanju_market that was featuring cinnamon and ginger beverages. So, we got the cinnamon ginger ade and it was delightful. It was like having Fall in our mouths with a warming burn of ginger coating our throats. We also tried sikhye, which is a traditional Korean rice drink. In addition, all ingredients were freshly made by the super friendly owner.

Dinner at the Danyang Traditional Market

We wanted to go to this shabu shabu place in the local market, but it was closed. So instead we played follow the leader and went to any booth that had a long line. First was gathered up sweet garlic bread (a cheese and Nutella – yes you heard that right, a Nutella garlic bread). Then, we grabbed some dumplings. The third line was for black garlic chicken, but it sold out. So we went to the next line, which was also dumplings. (You can never have too many dumplings;) We then found a bench to consume our goodies.

As if that wasn’t enough, we headed back into the market. This time was the dessert aisle where we picked up some walnut pies shaped as garlic and some ice cream.

Relaxing Riverwalk Near the Hotel

We finished off the day with a relaxing walk along the river to unwind before heading back to our hotel for the night. It was a wonderful end to Day 2 of our Danyang Weekend Itinerary.

Sunday Morning in Danyang Begins Cave Day

This morning we slept in and then headed to Gosu Cave, a limestone cave with amazing rock formations. I love how Koreans have you navigate their caves for visitors. At one point, we are on a spiral staircase that descended forever. I mean, how did they even build that. And then their lighting of the cave is amazing. Definitely a must-see while here in Danyang.

Return to the Danyang Traditional Market for Lunch

We went back to the market to try two more stalls. First up was a black garlic chicken, which was sold out by the time we made it there last night. Then, the other was another garlic bread stand. The line was huge last night (and today). We got the original and then a black garlic cream cheese one. Here in Korea, garlic bread is sweet. When you first try it, you are almost mad at the bread because you want the traditional savory. However, over time you come to have sweet garlic as the norm and even enjoy it.

Visit a Danyang Farmer’s Market

We are suckers for farmer markets. This weekend had me feeling like I was back in New England, driving the hills with lakes in the valleys, and this meeker just was the cherry on top. It was is Susan (shout out to Mom) and was called a Slow Market. We got some Chokeberry jam and apples – as Chad has a hankering to make some apple pie with fall being here.

Take a Mountain Hike

We needed some exercise after our food indulgences at lunch, so we parked our car at “Lazy Caiman” (게으른악어) and searched for the entrance to the Ageobong Peak trail. The hike certainly raised our heart rates, opened the pores, and lifted our spirits with the amazing views that became more splendid as we ascended the peak!

One More Danyang Cave

Our final adventure for this trip was the Hwalok “Jade” Cave, which is less a cave and more tunnels created from the mining of jade, dolomite, and talc. It was fun to see how the area was transformed into a spot offering family fun both inside the mine and outside.

Stop Off for Pizza on the Way Home

In downtown Chungju, we decided to try the Chicago-style pizza at the terrace. The cheesy goodness was just as delicious as it looks and the sauce had a great kick to liven up the taste buds.

In Case of Traffic Jam, Make a Cafe Stop

Sunday nights here in Korea can be a major traffic jam heading home. We had checked Naver (Korean Google Maps) and lots of red. So we decided to just chill at @jardin_botanico_ This cactus shop, creative workspace, and cafe were just right. We loved the decor, the cacti, the food, and the drinks. The perfect ending to an awesome day.

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