Exploring the Organic Experience Center in Chungju

Original source: blog.naver.com

Comments 0 Views 5 Date 2026-09-20 19:00

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"You can make gochujang (Korean chili paste), create charcoal pots, and even stay overnight in Chungju."

If you're wondering where to go with your kids this weekend, consider visiting the Chungju Organic Experience Education Center, where you can create things and enjoy nature.

This time, we didn't have a specific destination in mind. On a weekend morning, we were looking for a light place to explore in Chungju and stumbled upon the Organic Experience Education Center.

Upon entering, the buildings were lined up in a straight line, making navigation simpler than expected. Starting from the visitor center, there was an Edu-farm, permaculture area, experience workshop, organic café, local specialty sales area, living experience center, and a complex education center.

Most importantly, the admission was free, which was a relief for visitors.

Location: 123 Maenam-i-gil, Salmi-myeon, Chungju

Experience time: 1 or 2 hours

Operating hours: 9 AM to 6 PM (9 AM to 5 PM during winter)

Closed on Mondays, and if a holiday falls on a Monday, they will be closed the following day.

The first place I visited was the experience workshop next to the parking lot. Various permanent experience programs were being conducted there.

If you're visiting with a group, the complex education center's multipurpose room is where the experiences take place.

For families, there are simple programs like making hand mirrors, necklaces, and pencil holders. There are also experiences like making charcoal pots, herbal flower tea, wild garlic pesto, pizza, aroma soap, scented candles, keychains, and icing cookies. Traditional food making programs include making apple gochujang, yanggaeng (sweet red bean jelly), and traditional sweets.

I visited without a reservation and slowly explored the workshop. Among the various experiences, the eco-friendly pot (dough art) caught my eye. It seemed like a fun experience to create with kids, connecting it to the plants they grow at home.

As I browsed through the menu, I became curious about making apple gochujang. Luckily, there was a group experience for making apple gochujang, so I decided to observe.

Even if I didn't participate directly, I could see how the process was conducted, which helped me think about what program to choose next time when I come back with my family.

The traditional food making experience took place in the multipurpose room on the first floor of the complex education center.

The materials used for this experience included organic apples and chili powder grown in Chungju.

What impressed me the most was the preparation of the ingredients. They didn’t just prepare the necessary materials; they carefully cleaned and prepared each item so that participants could make gochujang themselves.

As I examined the ingredients on the table, it felt different to experience the process of making gochujang rather than just seeing it in the store.

Using locally grown organic apples made it meaningful to experience how our everyday condiments are made.

By following the process, we mixed all the ingredients to create Chungju apple gochujang, which we could take home. The seasoning could be adjusted to taste.

After refrigerating, it could be enjoyed right away. It’s amazing how simply it can be made!

After the traditional food making experience, I explored other facilities. When you visit the Chungju Organic Experience Education Center, take your time to explore the entire facility rather than just participating in one experience.

The nature flows between the buildings, and each space is designed for slightly different purposes, making it feel like a leisurely stroll.

The living experience center, which utilizes animal characters to create accommodation facilities, caught my interest.

It had a different atmosphere from typical accommodations, designed for families to stay in nature while enjoying experiences together.

The living experience center has rooms for 4, 6, and 8 people, separated into A and B blocks by animal characters, with clean facilities and individual beds.

Cooking is allowed, and there are induction cookers, microwaves, refrigerators, and kitchenware available, so you only need to prepare the ingredients.

It would be wonderful to enjoy a night with the kids in a romantic accommodation while grilling meat outside.

There’s a gentle stream flowing around the living experience center, and there’s also a playground nearby suitable for young children to elementary schoolers.

This makes it a great place for kids to step outside and play for a while.

While a day trip is nice, I think it would be great to choose an experience program and plan a 1-night, 2-day family trip to explore the surrounding facilities.

In addition, board games are available for families to enjoy without extra cost, and guests can borrow them for free.

Participating in an experience program and taking a break with board games sounds like a fun idea.

The woodworking program is also available, divided into two sessions, and you can participate by making a reservation.

If you visit with kids, it would be good to choose one making experience and plan your schedule to include board games or woodworking if time allows.

The Organic Experience Education Center is a great place to experience organic farming in a more everyday way through activities and food.

Even though I didn’t participate in all the programs, exploring the workshop and observing the apple gochujang making process made me want to experience the programs with my family next time.

Especially when with kids, including a hands-on experience in your itinerary can make the trip more memorable.

To wrap up, there’s an organic café within the Chungju Organic Experience Education Center. The café space was pleasant, and there were many handmade flower teas and organic teas to enjoy.

All types of tea are made manually, and it would be lovely to enjoy a warm cup of handmade tea here.

Even though it wasn’t open yet, a local specialty sales area will be established next door. Currently, organic apple gochujang and honey were on display in the café.

When you visit, here’s a suggestion: if you’re going out with kids, check the experience workshop programs, make a hand mirror or pencil holder, stroll around the Edu-farm and surrounding facilities, and enjoy some playground activities.

For a visit with parents, consider the experience workshop, herbal flower tea or traditional food making, and then visit the organic café and local specialty sales area, followed by a stroll around the living experience center.

If you’re planning a family trip for 1 night and 2 days, you could schedule the first day with a morning experience workshop, check into the living experience center, explore nearby facilities (board games and woodworking), and then stay overnight. Make sure to check the availability for your desired dates and the operating schedule for experience programs.

Overall, the Chungju Organic Experience Education Center is a perfect place for a leisurely trip focused on hands-on experiences and exploring nature.

Choose an experience you want to try and take your time to explore the beautiful surroundings.

Enjoy your weekend getaway at the Organic Experience Education Center!