Baoding is a fantastic city for family trips! The attractions are conveniently clustered in the city center, making it easy to explore while enjoying food and shopping along the way. Here’s how our 4-day itinerary looked:
Day 1
West Street – Zhili Governor’s Office – Ancient Lotus Pond – Cathedral – Zhonglou Bread – Daci Pavilion
We started by visiting West Street to get a “Baoding Museum Passport,” which offers free entry to four museums. We used it at three spots:
- Zhili Governor’s Office (Regular price ¥30)
- Ancient Lotus Pond (Regular price ¥30)
- Huai Army Office (Regular price ¥25)
For the museum passport, we visited Zhanyue Creative Store on West Street. They also have a variety of stamps you can collect while exploring.
Day 2
China Paleozoic Animal Museum – Baoding Museum – Baoding Art Gallery
The Paleozoic Animal Museum is a must-visit with kids! If you’re having trouble booking tickets, check out some tips online. Stamps for the museum passport are available at the Paleozoic Museum, Baoding Museum, and Baoding Art Gallery. The Art Gallery is conveniently located on the museum’s upper floor.
Day 3
Yishui Lake – Taihang Water Town
Both Yishui Lake and Taihang Water Town are lovely destinations. If you have time, definitely plan to visit these scenic spots. More details are available in the online guide.
Day 4
Baoding Zoo – Huai Army Office
- The Baoding Zoo opens at 7:30 AM, tickets are ¥15, and parking is free. A highly affordable outing!
- Huai Army Office: Built during the time of Li Hongzhang, former Governor of Zhili, the complex includes both Huizhou-style architecture and northern-style courtyards—a unique blend that’s worth a visit.
Places to Eat
- Zhili Anjia Beef Flatbread: Try the shredded pork with garlic sauce, tofu with minced meat, and the beef flatbread! The potato strips are a favorite for the little ones.
- Zhili Governor’s Office: Don’t miss the honeycomb ice cream at the entrance for ¥15!
- Donkey Meat Sandwiches: We tried sandwiches at Baofu Yongmao and Yongmao Donkey Meat; both were excellent.
- Zhonglou Bread: The texture is a bit chewy, but worth trying if you enjoy bread with a bite.
- Quedu Tea House: Though we didn’t visit, we ordered takeaway for two days. Their grilled pudding and various fruit teas are delicious and refreshing.
Where to Stay
With so many attractions and shopping centers in Baoding conveniently located close to each other, staying in Lianchi District on Yuhua West Road is ideal. We stayed at a Hanting Hotel, which had a robot for room service—quite a hit with our little one! Families with kids might enjoy this fun, convenient stay.