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With skyscrapers and massive malls dominating Jakarta’s landscape, family days out often fall into the same uninspired pattern: another weekend spent indoors, navigating crowded shopping centers.
But here’s the good news: Jakarta is seeing the resurgence of family-friendly, open-air spaces that are perfect for family bonding. From lush, green parks to breezy, beachfront escapes, these spots offer a breath of fresh air and a break from the urban grind.
If you’re craving a weekend that breaks free from the usual routine, these destinations provide the perfect setting for bonding and adventure.
Located within one of Jakarta’s business centers, this two-year-old open, green space hosts a variety of cafes and restaurants, wellness facilities and family-friendly amenities. Designed to feel community-centered, it’s a welcoming spot for sports, arts and relaxation.
For a family day out, you can find here two free outdoor playgrounds for kids and an enclosed pet park where pawrents can let their pups roam freely. If you want a bit more activity, it also has an 800-meter jogging track that circles and even smart lockers to keep your things safe while you exercise.
At the center of Jakarta’s other business district, Habitat Park provides families a petting zoo experience without the commitment of a full zoo trip.
Opened only this year, this al fresco park features a botanical garden with a pond full of fishes, turtles and swans, and a mini zoo with deer, birds and even an albino iguana. The park recently celebrated its grand opening with a newly opened cat lounge.
Beyond animal experiences, Habitat Park also offers sensory classes and arranges kid-friendly weekend activities such as arts and crafts workshops. And it’s still expanding — upcoming plans include a dog park and an amphitheater for more activities.
Moving further south, just a short walk away from the MRT Cipete Raya station, is Urban Forest, a small but proper city park full of greenery.
From cafes and restaurants to ice cream shops, the eateries located within the park make it the hottest spot in the center Jakarta for picnics — yes, there are picnic areas. Of course, it has an open-air playground for kids and is friendly to furbabies.
When the temperature cools down at night, it’s quite the sight with twinkling lights and plenty of seating areas available. Whether you’re looking to spend time with your family and friends, or even some alone time, this park makes for a fun time. Open-air spaces like this offer such a refreshing escape from the concrete jungle we live in!
The hottest of all places in this list is Aloha PIK. Literally.
Unique among the other green parks on this list, Aloha is a family-friendly beach club located just outside of North Jakarta in the massive new PIK 2 development. Here, you can feel the ocean breeze with your feet on white sand instead of grass, while enjoying a refreshing coconut drink.
If playing with sand is not enough of a draw for your urban kids, the Hawaii playground within the club features pirate-themed bridges, net ladders and a mini pool for water adventures. The facility even has a nursery room for moms with babies.
Just make sure to apply your sunscreen and have a bottle of water with you at all times.
Also just outside Jakarta, Scientia Square Park in Serpong Digital Center probably has the most extensive list of family-friendly activities to fill your weekends with: Ride mini horses, feed rabbits and koi fish, go in-line skating or skateboarding at a skate park, try wall climbing, enjoy a water playground, meet alpacas and donkeys and more in a teepee barn, go fishing, visit the aviary, and more.
You can also plan themed activities for your kids, such as a full day of mini farming, getting up close and personal with animals in the petting zoo, or other crafty survival skills similar to pramuka (scouting). You can even arrange for a playgroup with your kids’ school.
With plenty of nearby amenities, including a supermarket, you’ll have everything you need for a full day out.
Felicia Melody writes about lifestyle, beauty and fashion (and all things related to passion) from Jakarta. Some may say she’s all over the place, but she’s really just “always somewhere”.
