5 Days and 4 Nights Exploring Eastern China

5 days and 4 nights to explore 4 cities in East China, check out the Outer Bund - Humble Administrator's Garden - Hamheng Hotel, in-depth direct taste of the south of the Yangtze River!
If you want to travel across Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, and Wuxi as a hipster, this trip is definitely diverse enough; it brings together landmarks, historical gardens, museums, Republican pavilions, and old food shops. The most impressing thing is that the Happy Hotel really has a curved table, the bronze statue of Kong Yiji is simply the same as the novel, the Suzhou Museum exhibits are dizzying, the inner courtyard of Xue Fucheng's former residence is magnificent, walk around you can imagine the life of a rich mansion at that time, completely immersed in Jiangnan style!

🗂️ Attractions full guide inventory
1️⃣ Shanghai Outlying Bund
One of the most classic landmarks in Shanghai! Take a night tour of the Outer Banks and feel the twinkling lights and the list of old buildings on both sides of the Pujiang River. You can walk and take pictures anytime, anywhere. It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes and walk along Zhongshan East 1st Road North to the Waibaidu Bridge to the 16-storey pier, which is both convenient and enjoys the scenery of the Outer Beach.
📍Address: Zhongshan East 1st Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai North to Waibaidu Bridge, south to Sixteen Shop Pier
⏰ Opening hours: all day year round

2️⃣ Suzhou Museum
Not only is the appearance of the Suzhou Museum designed by Pei Yuming, the exhibits in the museum are really "exaggerated" - porcelain, jade, calligraphy and painting, ancient artifacts are super rich! Most exhibition halls require a queue. It is recommended to arrive in the morning so that you can enjoy it slowly without fear of crowds.
📍Address: No. 204, Northeast Street, Gusu District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province
⏰Opening hours: 09:00-17:00 (Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays)

3️⃣ Humble Administrator's Garden
The most representative classical garden in Suzhou. There are bridges and water, pavilions and fake mountains. You can experience the charm of Jiangnan gardens at once. The garden view is extremely beautiful, you can take a slow walk and take pictures. It is recommended to book tickets online in advance.
📍Address: No. 178, Northeast Street, Gusu District, Suzhou City
⏰Opening Hours: 07:30-17:30 (March-October); 07:30-17:00 (November-February)
🎫 Tickets: 80 yuan

4️⃣ Nanjing Haoheng Hotel (Laomendong Branch)
Authentic food + literary photo spot, eat salty stinky tofu, Nanjing salted duck, Kong Yiji fennel beans, feel the real curved table; there is also a bronze statue, book lovers must go. Yellow wine milk tea is actually quite cute! The historical atmosphere is superb, suitable for taking pictures while tasting the signature dishes.
📍Address: No. 68, Sanjo Camp, Nanjing
🍽️Signature dishes: Nanjing salted duck, Xianheng stinky tofu, braised pork with dried vegetables, rice wine milk tea, Kong Yiji fennel beans

5️⃣ Nanjing Zhongshan Mausoleum Scenic Area
The Zhongshan Scenic Area symbolizes the modern history of Nanjing, with its majestic architecture. It is recommended to arrange to go in the morning, the scenic spot is huge, need to reserve more time to slowly stroll, Monday closed remember to avoid!
📍Address: Inside Zhongshan Scenic Area, Shixiang Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing
⏰Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00 (Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays)

6️⃣ Wuxi Xue Fucheng's Former Residence—Xue Family Garden
As soon as you enter the inner courtyard, you will be shocked by the magnificent ancient architecture. The corridor gardens, small bridges and flowing water are extremely stylish. It is a popular ancient house in Wuxi. Imagine yourself traveling to the Republic of China period, the photo-taking effect is excellent.

🌟 Practical Trip TIPS
- The museum/attraction portion is closed on Mondays, check opening hours before your trip.
- With heavy passenger flow after the end of the pandemic, popular attractions are best booked online in advance.
- There are fewer visitors as soon as the Humble Administrator's Garden opens in the morning, making it suitable for taking beautiful photos.
- The restaurant recommends avoiding the peak meal, with longer wait times at the Hamburg Hotel during peak seasons.
- The light in the inner courtyard of Xue Fucheng's former residence is soft, and mobile phone cameras can easily capture a sense of luxury.

🚗 Easy Transportation Strategy
Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing and Wuxi are directly connected to each other by high-speed rail, convenient urban transportation; Suzhou and Nanjing attractions are mostly accessible by subway, the Outer Banks walk, Nanjing Laomen East taxi / subway are convenient.

🍴Food recommendations
Suzhou Old Street snacks, Nanjing Hamburg's fennel beans + yellow wine milk tea are suitable for tasting; there are many cafes and restaurants near the Outer Banks, view + food all in one.

#ShanghaiBund #Suzhou Museum #Hanheng Hotel #Suzhou Humble Administrator's Garden #East China Photography