Jiangbei Water City 3 Days 2 Nights Travel Guide

Explore "Jiangbei Water City" in Liaocheng for 3 days and 2 nights with a budget of 3000 RMB, enjoying the slow life in this ancient canal city!

💰Budget: 3000 RMB (for two people, 1500 RMB per person)
🚄Transportation: High-speed train from Beijing South Station to Liaocheng West Station (about 3 hours), second-class round trip ticket 694 RMB/person, total 1388 RMB; local taxis + shared bikes about 200 RMB

🏨Accommodation: Two nights in distinctive riverside/ancient city homestays
✔Recommended courtyard homestays by Dongchang Lake or in the ancient city, lake view from the window, walking distance to shopping, breakfast included, average 400 RMB/night, total 800 RMB

🎟️Tickets + Experiences: 600 RMB (including Dongchang Lake boat tour 50 RMB, Guangyue Tower 40 RMB, Shanshan Guild Hall 60 RMB, Ferris wheel night view 80 RMB for two, intangible cultural heritage paper-cutting workshop 120 RMB, electric bike rental 150 RMB)

🌳Recommended park activities:

📍Dongchang Lake Scenic Area — the largest urban lake in northern China
✔Cycle around the lake, take a painted boat tour, climb the lake island to see the Jade Emperor Pavilion, enjoy the music fountain at night

📍Liaocheng Ancient City centered on Guangyue Tower
✔600-year-old Ming Dynasty drum tower, climb to overlook the ancient city’s grid layout, stunning night lighting on the tower

📍Shanshan Guild Hall Historical and Cultural Area
✔Glazed tile screen walls, carved beams and painted rafters, experience Qing Dynasty merchant culture and the canal’s prosperous heritage

📍Jiangdi Amusement Park & Liaocheng Botanical Garden
✔Enjoy peach blossoms in spring and fruit picking in autumn, a great family-friendly leisure spot

📍Canal Museum Area
✔Free visit to the China Canal Culture Museum, learn about the history of the "Capital of Canal Transportation"

🍜Must-eat list (Western Shandong flavor + canal cuisine):
✔ Wei’s Smoked Chicken — century-old brand, smoky and flavorful, vacuum-packed for takeaway
✔ Linqing Tuo Ban Tofu — tender with sauce, a street breakfast favorite
✔ Guada (chive and meat filling) — Liaocheng’s special pan-fried pancake, crispy outside and fragrant inside
✔ Ba Pi You Xuan — traditional pastry, best paired with mutton soup
✔ Dong’e Sauce Beef — authentic product from the hometown of Ejiao, tender and rich
✔Dinner recommendation: Farmhouse by the canal for stewed fish and potstickers, original and down-to-earth flavors

📅Itinerary Highlights:

Day 1: Arrive in Liaocheng → Check into lake view room → Evening cycling around the lake → Night climb Guangyue Tower + Ferris wheel for panoramic light show

Day 2: Morning visit Shanshan Guild Hall + Canal Museum → Lunch with Wei’s smoked chicken + Guada → Afternoon fruit picking/boating at Jiangdi Amusement Park

Day 3: Early visit Linqing Ancient City → Taste Tuo Ban Tofu → Buy souvenirs before departure:
✔ Wei’s smoked chicken gift box | ✔ Dong’e Ejiao cake | ✔ Liaocheng straw weaving cultural products

✨Blogger Tips:
✔Best in spring and autumn, spring peach blossom festival, autumn ginkgo avenue is perfect for photos
✔The ancient city is small, walking + electric bike is the easiest way to get around!

📌One sentence recommendation:
Not Jiangnan, but better than Jiangnan. A millennium-old water city nourished by the canal — Liaocheng heals all hurried travelers with a bowl of steaming Guada and a lake bathed in moonlight.