Three-floor Gangneung snack shop with kids' sand play: Gangneung Sand

I was on a business trip to Gangwon-do and it's definitely gotten pretty chilly haha. After working hard, I really craved a sweet dessert snack. I searched for good dessert spots nearby and 'Gangneung Sand Main Branch,' known as one of Gangneung's representative souvenirs and snacks, was right around the corner — so I ran right over!

Where is Gangneung Sand Main Branch, and what is the 1st floor photo exhibition?

Gangneung Sand Main Branch is on Seonggokgoyang-gil in Gangneung, and the shop takes up the entire building. Parking is available right in front, which made it easy to get to by car.

The moment I arrived my jaw dropped — the whole building is the 'Gangneung Sand' building, and it's really huge haha.

I was very happy that I could park right in front of the building.

After parking, walking up the stairs reveals a very clean, all-white building waiting for you.

Walking into the 1st floor, there was a small photo exhibition called 'A Place Where Eyes Rest' — the vibe was so emotional and lovely that it was perfect to stop and take it in for a moment.

2nd floor shop: Gangneung Sand prices and box lineup

The 2nd floor of Gangneung Sand Main Branch has the order counter and the shop space. Here I chose one box of the signature coffee flavor for ₩16,000 and one box of the Chodang corn flavor, recommended for kids, for ₩17,000.

Taking the elevator up to the 2nd floor brings you to the order counter and shop.

The shop interior is decorated so beautifully that photos turn out great even with zero effort! There were also tons of awards and certificates on display, which made me trust the taste even more.

What the writer ordered at Gangneung Sand

• Signature coffee flavor (1 box) ₩16,000
• Chodang corn flavor, recommended for kids (1 box) ₩17,000

How long does Gangneung Sand keep?

• Room temperature: 14 days
• Refrigerated: 30 days
• Frozen: 90 days

If you join the Naver receipt review event, they give you a nice canned Americano as a free gift — visitors should definitely grab that!

3rd floor sand play zone and photo zone: why Gangneung Sand works with kids

The entire 3rd floor of Gangneung Sand Main Branch is an event zone. There's a sand play area where you dig through fine sand to find hidden treasures, plus a photo zone, making it a great spot to bring kids.

I went up curious about what the 3rd floor would look like, and the moment I saw it I thought, 'I absolutely have to bring the kids here!'

The whole 3rd floor was set up as an event zone, with a solid experience space where you play in fine sand and dig up hidden treasures haha. Kids would come here and probably not want to leave!

There's a cute little photo zone too, and the packaging itself is so emotional and pretty that photos look good against any background.

Taste test: coffee flavor vs Chodang corn Gangneung Sand

Gangneung Sand's signature coffee flavor blends coffee aroma with buttery richness, while the Chodang corn flavor has actual corn kernels you can bite into for a nutty taste. I set both boxes out for my daughter's weekend camping birthday table.

We happened to go camping with the family that weekend and threw a birthday party for my daughter — setting out the Gangneung Sand boxes made everything look even prettier and brightened up the birthday table mood haha.

Signature coffee flavor — the subtle, gently spreading luxurious coffee aroma blends with rich buttery flavor, and you can immediately tell why it's the signature menu item.

Chodang corn flavor — pure nuttiness! You actually bite into corn kernels popping inside the sand cookie, so the texture is fun too, and it's mildly sweet, so the kids ate it up.

Gangneung Sand Main Branch opening hours

• Daily 09:30 - 19:00 (last order 18:30)
• Regular closing days: none (open year-round)

The packaging is luxurious and the taste is excellent, so I plan to stop by again on my next Gangwon-do business trip and stock up generously! If you're looking for a travel gift or souvenir from Gangneung, definitely visit 'Gangneung Sand Main Branch'!