A Little Family Trip in Shenyang: The Wild Fun at Magic Cube Farm and the Comfort of Haoze Hotel

The morning breeze was cool as we drove to Magic Cube Farm in Heping Bay. As soon as we entered the park, the child was attracted by the colorful swings on the lawn, broke free from my hand, ran over, and swung high. Her silver bell-like laughter echoed across the spacious farm. I held up my camera to capture the moment her skirt fluttered; sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell on her face, even the tiny fuzz was clearly visible, the scene full of vitality.

We first went to the pet interaction area. The child held a feeding spoon carefully feeding the little piglets. When a piglet nudged her palm, she was startled and stepped back but couldn’t help peeking again. Her mixture of fear and curiosity was amusing. Later, she tried the farm’s soy milk grinding activity. Standing on tiptoe, she helped me push the grinding stone, her little face flushed red. Although the soy milk produced was little, she treasured the cup and said she wanted to save it for the evening. At noon, we ate in the farm’s picnic area, spreading out a mat and laying out pre-prepared sushi and fruit. The child ate while greeting passing ducklings, feeling especially relaxed.

In the evening, we drove to Haoze Hotel in Sujiatun. At check-in, the child couldn’t take her eyes off the cartoon stickers at the front desk. The staff smiled and gave her a stack, which she immediately pocketed, saying she wanted to share them with her kindergarten friends. Once in the room, the child was immediately drawn to the small sofa by the window. Climbing up, she could see the little garden downstairs. Excitedly, she pointed to the distant slide and said she wanted to play there the next day. The children’s toiletries in the room were strawberry-scented. She sniffed them several times while washing and said they smelled better than those at home.

Not wanting to go out at night, we ordered Shenyang specialties: Guobaorou (sweet and sour pork) and Di San Xian (a stir-fry of potatoes, eggplants, and green peppers). After the delivery arrived, we sat at the dining table eating. She said, “This tastes better than the farm’s boxed lunch.” After dinner, I played puzzles with her in the room for a while. When she got sleepy, I used the hotel’s screen casting feature to watch a movie, enjoying a moment of my own time.

This day was filled with the carefree fun of the farm and the cozy comfort of the hotel. Simple yet full of happiness—this is probably what the best family trip looks like.

Post by Noah Hartley | Oct 8, 2025