竹林大饭店

I didn't expect that I could eat shrimp bran wontons, marble duck, fermented bean curd jelly, chicken sauce tofu, fresh meat/red bean paste plum cake, and golden navel (called tiger claw in Shanghai) all at once in Zhulin Hotel in Yancheng. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg, there are too many things to eat there. Zhulin Hotel is located in the city center of the old city of Yancheng. It looks like a very modern building, but inside it is the original scene of old Yancheng, restoring the post office, bank, cloth shop, photo studio, barber shop, comic book stall, fishing village and other shops of that era, full of life and interest. What is particularly surprising is that there are so many people inside, and most of them are young people.

There aren't many places to visit in downtown Yancheng, but this place is very unique. It's called a big hotel, but it's actually a museum. You can see a lot of things that look old, and you can even sit in an old shop and eat. Other cities have similar places, but the display here is very detailed, and the restoration is very high. It feels like you're there, and it shows that a lot of effort was put into the layout. The air conditioning is very strong inside, and you can also have breakfast at the Zhulin morning market. It's worth a visit.

Walking into the Zhulin Hotel, I felt like I was revisiting yesterday and was instantly transported back to my childhood. Even my mother, who is almost 80 years old, was filled with emotion and kept recalling the past days.

Familiar scenes in memory, enjoy some snacks on the first floor after visiting

1️⃣ Lianyungang: A Warm Winter Getaway Between Mountains and Sea 💰Estimated Budget: 2 days 1 night, 350 RMB per person (including guesthouse, seafood, and public transportation) 🚄Transportation: Huaian East → Lianyungang Station, 1 hour high-speed rail, 40+ RMB fare 🌟Recommended Attractions: • Liandao Suma Bay: So quiet in winter it feels like you have the whole sea to yourself! Take the kids to collect seashells, see windmills, and stroll along the boardwalk – super therapeutic! 🌊 • Yuntai Mountain by the Sea: Take the scenic bus up the mountain for a breathtaking panoramic view of the eastern harbor where mountains meet the sea. Relaxing for both the elderly and children! ⛰️ • Yangshan Island: A free, off-the-beaten-path island! Colorful fishing boats, rocky beaches, and a sunset that's like an oil painting! 🎨 🦀Food Recommendations: • Xugou Seafood Market: Choose your own fresh seafood, have it cooked next door, and enjoy crab feasts for just 50 RMB per person! • Lao Hai Bian Jianbing (Old Seaside Pancake): Crispy pancake rolled with small fish and chili peppers, 5 yuan each, filling and delicious 🌮 • Su Ji Bamboo Fish: A local childhood taste, smooth sweet potato noodles, and a warm, sour and spicy soup~ ------ 2️⃣ Xuzhou: The Vibrant Atmosphere of an Ancient City 💰Estimated Budget: 2 days 1 night, 300 yuan per person (hotel + public transport + snacks) 🚄Transportation: Huaian East → Xuzhou East, high-speed rail 50 minutes, ticket price 60+ yuan 🌟Recommended Attractions: • Huilongwo Historical District: Lanterns hanging in the blue brick alleys, super atmospheric when lit up at night, perfect for taking photos 🏮 • Xuzhou Museum (Free): Jade burial suit, Han Dynasty terracotta warrior array, take your children back to the Han Dynasty, remember to book in advance! • Yunlong Lake Stroll: Water birds are often seen on the lake in winter. Bring some bread to feed the ducks, and cycling along the lake is super relaxing 🚲 🍲 Food Recommendations: • Lianglaifeng Spicy Soup + Pan-fried Buns: A bowl of spicy pepper soup with a few pan-fried buns for breakfast—the whole family can eat their fill for under 30 yuan! • Home-Style Stewed Chicken: Simmered until tender and flavorful over a wood-fired stove, it's absolutely delicious with flatbread dipped in the broth! 40 yuan per person for a full meal 🍗 • Fuguo Street Snacks: Plum blossom cake, fried stinky tofu, frog and fish... a happy old street where you can eat your fill for 10 yuan! ------ 3️⃣ Linyi: A Relaxing Experience with Hot Springs and Books 💰Estimated Budget: 2 days 1 night, 400 RMB per person (hot spring guesthouse + meals + short-distance transportation) 🚄Transportation: Huai'an → Linyi, High-speed rail 1.5h, ticket price 80+ RMB 🌟Recommended Attractions: • Guantang Hot Spring: A must-visit in winter! A Tang-style courtyard hot spring with family pools, perfect for relaxing with parents♨️ • Calligraphy Square + Museum: See how calligraphy is integrated into the city in Wang Xizhi's hometown. Enjoy kite flying and strolling in the square🪁 • Yizhou Ancient City: Free to visit! Bluestone streets and antique-style buildings; the lanterns illuminate the city at night, instantly transporting you to another era~ 🍜Food Recommendations: • Xiangmin Fried Chicken: Who invented Linyi fried chicken with instant noodles?! Spicy and addictive, one serving is enough for the whole family! • Eight-Treasure Fermented Black Beans: A time-honored brand of pickled vegetables, perfect with porridge, 5 yuan/jar, take it home as a souvenir. • Yimeng Pancakes: Multigrain pancakes rolled with fried dough twists, crispy and sweet, experience the authentic way to eat them! ------ 4️⃣ Yancheng: A Fairytale Winter in the Tidal Flats and Wetlands 💰Estimated Budget: 2 days 1 night, 380 RMB per person (budget hotel + transportation within the scenic area) 🚄Transportation: Huaian East → Yancheng, High-speed rail 1 hour, ticket price 50+ RMB 🌟Recommended Attractions: • China Milu Park: Take a sightseeing bus to watch the milu deer stroll in the reeds, and children can feed carrots up close 🦌 • Yellow Sea Forest Park: The metasequoia forest is ablaze with red and yellow hues in winter. Rent a multi-person bicycle for a fun ride with the whole family 🚴 • Water Street Night View: Small bridges and flowing water adorned with colorful lights, sit on a rowboat and listen to local folk songs – the atmosphere is amazing! 🐟Food Recommendations: • Hongxiang Morning Tea: Fish soup noodles + crab roe buns – a warm and satisfying start to the day, 20 RMB per person 🍜 • Zhulin Grand Hotel: A collection of retro snacks, including shrimp wontons and rice cakes. Experience the authentic flavors of Yancheng for just 30 yuan per person. • Farmer's Street Egg Pancakes: Soft pancakes filled with everything, especially with fried dough sticks and pork tenderloin – incredibly satisfying! All you can eat for 6 yuan! ------ 📋Budget Comparison Table (Per Person/2 Days 1 Night) City Accommodation Food Transportation Tickets Total Lianyungang 120 RMB 150 RMB 30 RMB 50 RMB 350 RMB Xuzhou 100 RMB 120 RMB 20 RMB 0 RMB 300 RMB Linyi 150 RMB 120 RMB 30 RMB 100 RMB 400 RMB Yancheng 130 RMB 140 RMB 40 RMB 70 RMB 380 RMB ------ 💡Family Travel Tips 1. Saving on Transportation: Book high-speed rail early bird tickets 7 days in advance. Use public transportation/shared electric bikes for city attractions. Daily transportation costs will be less than 20 RMB🛵 2. Smart Accommodation Selection: Choose family rooms or suites; it's cheaper per person than booking two rooms. During the off-season, guesthouses often have "stay and get breakfast included" promotions. 3. Off-Peak Dining: Many restaurants offer discounts after 2 PM and 8 PM, saving you up to one-third on the same dishes! 4. Winter Essentials: Pack hand warmers and thermos flasks for the elderly and children. The temperature difference between indoors and outdoors is significant in the damp and cold weather of the south, so remember to add layers as needed. 🧣 These are places I've personally visited with my family. In December, you don't need to travel far; slow down and you'll discover that the most beautiful scenery is often hidden in the everyday life of a small town next door. Save this guide and take your family on a trip! ❤️ #AJourneyLikeASong #ExperiencingWinterBeauty #PlacesThatAreEverydayOnWeChat #CityCultureNotes #SpontaneousTravel

[Back from Yancheng] Red-crowned cranes, Père David's deer, mudflats, and seas of flowers—this hidden gem of land and sea is breathtakingly beautiful! 🦌 Just got back from Yancheng, and the afterglow is amazing! There are no crowds here, only endless mudflats, freely roaming Père David's deer, and gracefully dancing red-crowned cranes… Keep this guide handy to unlock Jiangsu's hidden "land and sea treasures"! 🌾 ⭐Reasons for Recommendation • Asia's largest coastal wetland, a truly "animal-friendly" travel destination • Flower fields in all seasons: tulips, lilies, cosmos, and pink muhly grass in rotation • Less crowded and more pristine, perfect for taking photos without having to hide from the crowds, enjoy the entire coastline to yourself 🗓️Itinerary Reference (3 Days 2 Nights Highlights) Day 1: China Milu Deer Park → Yellow Sea Forest Park → Tiaozini Sunset Day 2: Red-crowned Crane Wetland Ecological Area → Dayang Bay (or Holland Flower Sea) Day 3: Salt Town Water Street → Return Trip 🌿Top 5 Recommended Attractions 1. China Milu Deer Park (China's only Milu-themed park, close-up feeding is incredibly cute) 2. Tiaozini Scenic Area (World Natural Heritage site, tidal forest + mudflat beachcombing) 3. Red-crowned Crane Wetland Ecological Area (best for bird watching in winter, the red-crowned crane release is breathtaking) 4. Yellow Sea Forest Park (forest train + aerial walkway, a free and easy forest-themed photo opportunity) 5. Dutch Flower Sea (A different flower sea in every season, tulips at their peak from March to May) 🚶‍♀️Detailed Itinerary (Natural Wonders Tour) 📍 Day 1 Wetland Exploration • 9:00 China Milu Deer Park (Ride an electric cart to the free-range area, feed the deer with carrots) • 12:00 Dongtai Fish Soup Noodles (Chen Ji's time-honored brand, milky white fish soup so delicious it'll make your eyebrows fall off) • 14:00 Yellow Sea Forest Park (Cycling through the metasequoia forest, take photos in the wooden cabins) • 17:00 Tiaozini (Check the tide table! The mudflats are like mirrors at low tide, the sunset is absolutely stunning) 📍 Day 2 Cranes and Flower Sea • 8:30 Red-crowned Crane Wetland (Flying performance at 10:00 AM, bring binoculars) • 12:00 Yancheng Farmers' Street (Lotus Root Starch Dumplings + Wuyou Sugar Twist) • 14:00 Holland Flower Sea (available at the "Only Love" theater fantasy city) • Or choose Dayang Bay (urban cherry blossom island, springtime flower showers) 📍 Day 3 City Impressions • 9:00 Yanzhen Water Street (antique-style building complex, take a rowboat and listen to Huai opera) • 11:00 Zhulin Grand Hotel (retro street theme, one-stop snack tour) • 13:00 Buy souvenirs, return trip 🍜 Food Highlights (river and sea flavors) • Breakfast Highlight: Dongtai Fish Soup Noodles (milky white soup, must-have with fish roe buns) • Intangible Cultural Heritage Flavor: Jianhu Lotus Root Starch Dumplings (chewy and non-sticky, fragrant with osmanthus) • Local Specialty: Yancheng Egg Pancake (soft egg pancake, sweet bean sauce + chili sauce) • Delicious to the point of being eyebrow-dropping: Dazong Lake hairy crab (autumn and winter), drunken mud snails • Snack Memories: Wuyou Sugar Twist, Funing Rice Cake 🎁Specialties/Souvenirs • Yancheng Grass Oven Cake (Crispy and crispy, perfect for hot pot) • Binhai Polygonum Multiflorum Powder (Health-promoting souvenir) • Dongtai Hair Embroidery (National Intangible Cultural Heritage, exquisite handicraft) • Dafeng Porcelain Carving (Personal Deer/Red-crowned Crane Themes are very unique) 🌟Must-Do Experiences 1. Walk through the "Tidal Forest" on the Tiaozini Mudflats (Wear rain boots!) 2. Feed the "Four-Legged Animals" at the Deer Park (Bring your own carrots for better value) 3. Take a series of photos when the red-crowned cranes are released, capturing the moment they spread their wings 4. Stay overnight in a wooden cabin in the Yellow Sea Forest and listen to birdsong in the morning 5. Take a hot air balloon ride in the Holland Flower Sea (Open when the weather is good) ⚠️Avoidance Tips • The tides at Tiaozini Mudflats change rapidly, so be sure to check the tide table for the day. • Do not get out of your car in the free-range area of ​​the Deer Park; just stick a carrot out the window. The Red-crowned Crane Reserve sees the largest numbers of cranes in winter (November to March of the following year). • The Holland Flower Sea is generally less scenic outside of its blooming season; check flower information before you go. • Some scenic areas are large; renting an electric scooter/bicycle is recommended. 🚗Transportation • Driving is the most convenient! The attractions are spread out, so renting a car offers flexibility (approximately 3 hours from Shanghai). • High-speed rail: Yancheng Station/Yancheng Dafeng Station, then transfer to a tourist bus or take a taxi. • City buses: Tourist bus routes are infrequent; check timetables in advance. • Within the scenic area: Electric scooter/mini-train/bicycle rentals provide easy transportation. 💡Useful Tips 1. Best seasons: Spring (April-May for flower viewing), Autumn (October-November for bird watching), Winter (December-February for red-crowned cranes) 2. Stay in a guesthouse in Dongtai/Dafeng for wetland views from your window. 3. Sunscreen and wind protection are essential on the mudflats! Hat and sunglasses are essential. 4. Photography enthusiasts should bring telephoto lenses; they're necessary for bird and deer photography. 5. Follow the "Yancheng Culture and Tourism" WeChat official account for festival and event information. The romance of Yancheng lies in the elegance of red-crowned cranes soaring through reed beds, the freedom of elk running at sunset, and the vastness of the mudflats reflecting the sky. This place isn't for rushed photo ops; it's for slowing down and surrendering your heart to nature. 🦩 #AJourneyLikeASong #PlaceYourWeChatFriendsAreAskedAbout #YanchengTourism #GoOutAndHaveFunWithFriends