Longbei Mountain Forest Park is back, and I really don’t recommend going in August because it’s just too amazing!

Tickets: Free! No reservation needed (only Wenfeng Tower climbing costs 10 yuan).

Opening hours: 5:00 AM - 8:30 PM (in summer, you can enter as early as 5 AM, night tours are fantastic).

Transportation:

Drive and navigate to "Longbei Mountain Yangxian Gate" (main gate parking lot 5 yuan/day, new energy vehicles park free for 2 hours).

Bus: Routes 106, 107, 109 go directly to "Forest Park West Station."

🚶‍♀️ Two must-do routes

1️⃣ Parent-child nature classroom route (3 hours · easy and not tiring)

Route: Yangxian Gate → Cuihu Lake → Azalea Garden → Forest Trail → Dutch Windmill Lawn.

Activities:

Cuihu Lake boating: Electric boat 30 yuan/hour, feeding koi + cooperative paddling is super healing.

Azalea Garden treasure hunt: In May-June, find the "Tiger Shrike" in the purple flower sea (bring your own binoculars!).

Forest Trail: 1.5 km colorful non-slip path, with animal science boards and leaf rubbing walls along the way.

Lawn picnic: Spread a picnic mat in the Dutch Windmill area, DIY rice balls + fruit skewers, kids can run wild without stress.

2️⃣ Photography power walk route (4 hours · blow up your social media)

Route: Yangxian Gate → Artificial Waterfall → Wenfeng Tower → Dawn Redwood Forest → Inkstone Pool.

Photo spots:

Artificial waterfall group: Shoot at 6:30 AM! 178 meters of four waterfalls + bamboo forest waterfall viewing pavilion, full fairy filter effect.

Wenfeng Tower top: 10 yuan to climb the 108-meter tower, 360° view of Yixing city + distant Taihu Lake (a must on sunny days).

Dawn Redwood Forest reflection: Mirror lake + straight dawn redwoods, wear a white dress for forest-style photos.

Inkstone Pool blue waves: Ancient-style pavilions + rippling water surface, Hanfu enthusiasts will feel like gods here.

🌟 Hidden activities + seasonal specials

Free bonus:

Collect 10 types of fallen leaves → exchange for forest postcards at the visitor center.

Book the "Little Forest Ranger" activity (3 days in advance! Plant trees + insect observation with kids).

Night-only:

September-November "Glowworm hike": Rent reflective vests to explore the firefly forest.

First Saturday of every month: Stargazing night under Wenfeng Tower (astronomical telescope open).

Seasonal specials:

April-May: Wisteria tunnel + 50,000 azalea flowers (wear light-colored clothes for photos!).

September-October: Osmanthus garden aroma SPA + chestnut picking (pick up bamboo baskets at the entrance).

December-February: Rime forest + snow treasure hunt (non-slip shoes essential).

🍜 Foodie radar + accommodation

Snacks inside the park:

Bamboo Forest Tea Bar: Bamboo tube rice + osmanthus lotus root starch soup (25 yuan per person).

At the playground entrance: Cherry blossom ice cream truck (top-tier aesthetics).

Nearby food:

Main gate farmhouse: Black rice with sugar + stewed bamboo shoots with salted meat (50 yuan per person).

West Heng Street night market: Xuxingji hand-pulled noodles + Heqiao dried tofu (the chili sauce is amazing!).

Accommodation recommendations:

Top choice for families: Tent camp inside the park (barbecue + stargazing allowed).

Luxury vacation: West Bank Huangchuan Hotel (10-minute walk, full of design flair).

⚠️ Hard-earned tips

Mosquito protection! Mosquito protection! Mosquito protection! Mosquitoes are fierce near the dawn redwood forest and ponds, bring mosquito repellent.

Transportation tools:

Rent electric scooters 60 yuan/hour (best for families with kids).

Family bicycles 100 yuan/hour (ride freely on the lawn area).

Safety tips:

No entry to creek areas deeper than 30 cm, children should wear GPS watches.

Avoid the "Despair Slope" trail on rainy days (slippery bluestone slabs).

Photography tips:

Enter before 6:30 AM to shoot morning mist waterfalls + Tyndall light through the bamboo forest.

Wenfeng Tower is backlit in the afternoon, better to climb in the morning.

This guide is for reference only.