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Best Things to Do
Top 50 Best Things to Do in Taiyuan [2025]
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Jinci Museum
4.8
/5
12392 reviews
8.6
From €9.52
Based on 119 reviews
Taiyuan Ancient County/Jinci Temple | 20.3 km from downtown
Phone 4006088608
Address: In Jinci Park, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-4 hours
Featured in 2025 Asia 100 – Family-Friendly Attractions
Highlights:
Growing Buddhist Relics Tower overlooking Jinci's panorama
Jinci's Three Treasures showcase ancient architectural charm
Saved by 126 users9339 positive reviews
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Entering the garden, a sense of time and space washes over you. The profound and ancient scenery invites a sigh of admiration for the wisdom and ingenuity of our ancestors. Walking slowly and carefully with awe, the slanting wind and drizzle cannot conceal a sense of melancholy. So many memories of the past are scattered among the flowers, plants, carved railings and painted buildings. The feeling of helplessness of picking up flowers in the morning and picking them up in the evening embodies the saying, "The carved railings and jade steps should still be there, only their faces have changed." The passage of history is ultimately just the passing dust of time and space, each brick and tile telling the story of joys and sorrows.
Enter the Jinci Museum through the beautiful park. The exquisite architecture and vivid clay sculptures make people linger. There are rest corridors everywhere in the scenic area, which is very friendly to the elderly and children.
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Shanxi Museum
4.8
/5
2818 reviews
7.8
Based on 98 reviews
Shanxi Museum/Taiyuan New Town Wuyue Plaza | 1.6 km from downtown
Phone 0351-8789555
Address: No. 13, North Section of Binhe West Road, Wanbailin District, Taiyuan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Highlights:
Ancient culture & iconic architecture
Ancient artifacts & unique appearance
1926 positive reviews10K views in last month
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Shanxi Museum is a window to focus on the deep history of Shanxi. To Taiyuan, you must visit the Shanxi Museum. Taste carefully and take most of the day. It is recommended to reserve enough time!
This museum is well worth visiting, with so many treasures to see that it's hard to take them all in.
You can plan your itinerary accordingly, following the guide for a quick tour.
By the time the museum closes in the afternoon, the crowds are much smaller, allowing you to take wonderful photos.
You even got a nice stamp. It was a very pleasant visit.
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Taiyuan Botanical Garden
4.7
/5
3371 reviews
7.7
From €5.95
Taiyuan Ancient County/Jinci Temple | 15.6 km from downtown
Phone 0351-6995666
Address: Jinyuan District of Taiyuan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
No.2 of Family-Friendly Attractions in Taiyuan
Highlights:
Cherry & lotus seasonal events
Baobabs & rare plants nearby
Saved by 129 users3118 positive reviews
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The night view is more beautiful after turning on the lights. I recommend going there in the evening. The park is beautiful. It is difficult to park in the surrounding area. I hope that regular parking spaces can be planned. There are too many street vendors and the environment needs to be improved.
I came to Taiyuan for a concert and stopped by to play. The architectural design and park construction are really well done. I took my kids for a ride in the electric car and learned about many fruits and plants. It exceeded my expectations!
No.
4
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The Coal Museum of China
4.4
/5
2179 reviews
6.9
From €7.14
Based on 12 reviews
Shanxi Museum/Taiyuan New Town Wuyue Plaza | 2.4 km from downtown
Phone 0351-6180108
Address: No. 2 Yingze West Street, Wanbailin District, Taiyuan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
No.3 of Family-Friendly Attractions in Taiyuan
Highlights:
4D cinema & underground mine experience
Global coal resources exhibit
1412 positive reviews10K views in last month
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Tickets were issued quickly and the service was excellent. They were still accepting guests even though it was almost 5:00 PM. The guide was very dedicated and continued explaining until 6:30 PM. Every detail was well-informed, and the children learned a lot. It's a rare opportunity. The fees are very reasonable and worth the money. The cultural and creative shop is also very well-priced.
I bought the Shanxi Cultural Tourism Annual Pass, which gave me free admission and 10 yuan for the guided tour. The entire venue is themed around coal, and there's a simulated mine in the back. The facilities are a bit dated, and the 5D movie screen wasn't very clear. I learned a lot, though, and it fulfilled my dream of going down a mine.
No.
5
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Mengshan Grand Buddha
4.5
/5
827 reviews
6.9
From €5.84
Based on 60 reviews
13.4 km from downtown
Phone 0351-6159898
Address: Luocheng Temple Village, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-4 hours
No.2 of Night Attractions in Taiyuan
Highlights:
The Bei Qi Cliff Buddha Statue is 46m tall
Hike along the ancient path to the foot of the Buddha statue
553 positive reviews10K views in last month
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The Mengshan Giant Buddha was carved into a steep cliff face and is located near the summit of Mengshan Mountain. The niche is an open-mouthed cliff face, 30 meters wide and 17 meters deep, with a roughly semi-elliptical plan. The mountain is level with the Buddha's neck, suggesting a natural rock protrusion, which was carved into the Buddha's head during excavation. Behind the Buddha, a large flat area on the cliffside houses temple ruins and scattered brick and tile debris. The Mengshan Giant Buddha is a single statue, with no traces of attendant statues inside or outside the niche.
Because the Buddha's rock mass is composed of loose sandstone, it has been severely weathered and collapsed, making the folds of the statue's clothing unrecognizable.
The Mengshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area is not far from the city center, with convenient transportation and direct bus access. The scenic area has complete facilities, many places for children to play, and the fees are reasonable. I will come again in the future.
No.
6
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Taiyuan Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum
4.8
/5
313 reviews
6.9
Taiyuan Railway Station | 7.2 km from downtown
Address: 山西省太原市迎泽区南十方街与东峰路交汇处往西150米
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Highlights:
North Qi tomb murals' essence
Unique murals of Xu Xianxiu
298 positive reviews10K views in last month
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Don't let yourself get stuck if you can't get a reservation at the Shanxi Museum! 🉑 Don't let that put you off; come and experience art instead! Compared to the solemn and imposing provincial museums, this Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum, built on an excavation site, is more refreshing and accessible.
🕙Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (last admission at 4:30 PM, so don't rush). Closed on Mondays.
🎫Admission: Free. Book in advance through the official WeChat account. If you can't get a reservation online, you can also register on-site. There are limited spots available daily, so arrive early.
🚗Transportation: Take bus No. 873 to the Dongfeng Road Nanshifang Street Intersection stop, then walk a few hundred meters. Driving or taking a taxi is also possible; there's a parking lot nearby. During off-peak hours, you can park directly near the museum exit, but spaces are limited.
🏢 The museum itself is quite small, with three exhibition halls. 1️⃣ The first exhibition hall, "The Splendor of the Other Capital," showcases Northern Qi tomb murals unearthed in Shanxi, such as "Saddled Horse Cavalry," which features flowing lines and stunning colors.
2️⃣ The second exhibition hall, "A Thousand Years at a Glance," offers a glimpse into the original site of Xu Xianxiu's tomb. Wearing VR equipment, you can immerse yourself in the life of Northern Qi aristocrats.
3️⃣ The third exhibition hall, "Simple and Standard Beauty," features comparative murals from the Lou Rui Tomb and the Jiuyuangang Tomb, helping you gain a systematic understanding of the Northern Qi painting style.
✨Tips:
1️⃣ It's recommended to listen to the guided tours. You can pick up an audio guide at the information desk or join the volunteer guides at 10 AM and 3 PM. When we visited, we even encountered a group of children serving as volunteer guides, who were very eloquent and engaging. 👍!
2️⃣ The area is not far from Bell Tower Street and the Fenhe Scenic Area, so you can explore both areas together.
The tour was very good. I didn't expect that we were the only one there. Luckily, we became a private group. Teacher Zhang Zhanming gave a very good lecture, with rich content and serious responsibility. He talked about the characteristics, background and allusions of the murals in depth. The Northern Qi murals are still worth seeing. It is a different kind of Chinese history. You can understand the art and humanities of the Northern Qi Dynasty in Taiyuan.
No.
7
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Taiyuan Shanxi Merchants Museum
4.7
/5
189 reviews
6.7
Liu Xiang/Bell Tower Street | 1.3 km from downtown
Phone 0351-5223262
Address: 山西省太原市杏花岭区府东街101号
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Highlights:
Old bank site & history
Shanxi's rich merchant culture
179 positive reviews10K views in last month
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Transportation and Parking: I took a taxi. When I arrived at 9:00 AM, there was already a long line outside.
Reservation: Since I was attending the concert, reservations were free and I made them at Fan City, which was very convenient.
Exhibitions: Up ahead is the former Governor's Mansion. Further inside is the Shanxi Merchants Museum, a treasure-filled museum. 😂 There's so much to see. I spent about three hours exploring. It's so beautiful. 😎 It can get a bit hot when the sun is strong. 😅 Each hall has fans and air conditioning, but with so many people, it's still quite warm, and the cooling isn't very effective.
The Shanxi Merchants Museum, a local cultural and historical museum built on the site of the former Shanxi Governor's Mansion, integrates cultural relics, ancient buildings, gardens, and exhibitions. Formerly the seat of the Shanxi Provincial People's Government, the site was relocated in September 2017 and transformed into the Shanxi Merchants Museum. The museum integrates collections, exhibitions, meetings, receptions, and external relations, focusing on the history of Shanxi merchants and the commercial culture they created.
No.
8
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Taiyuan Fantawild Oriental Heritage
4.6
/5
2767 reviews
6.6
From €15.47
21.4 km from downtown
Phone 400-166-0006
Address: 山西省太原市阳曲县华强中路1号
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-1.5 days
No.3 of Night Attractions in Taiyuan
Highlights:
Nuwa adventure & Dayu rafting
Immersive high-tech Eastern mythology
2510 positive reviews10K views in last month
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There were a lot of people today, but it didn't affect the experience. The queues for each project basically took half an hour. I've been here several times, and my children always want to come again.
There were so many people at Fantawild on May Day that you had to wait in line for about 120 minutes for any popular project, but the fireworks at night were so beautiful, and I also saw Phoenix 🐦🔥. In short, it is still the first choice for holiday travel! There are many people but the atmosphere is particularly good!
No.
9
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Taiyuan Zoo
4.2
/5
3291 reviews
6.4
From €1.19
Based on 34 reviews
Taiyuan Zoo/Taiyuan Forest Park | 5.5 km from downtown
Phone 0351-3074953
Address: No. 2 Dongshan Road, Xinghualing District, Taiyuan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
No.5 of Family-Friendly Attractions in Taiyuan
Highlights:
7 major park areas showcase a rich variety of animal species
See rare birds up close in the Aviary
2128 positive reviews10K views in last month
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The hotel service is friendly, clean and tidy, the room is warm and spacious, the hotel location is excellent, the housekeeping staff is also very friendly, the front desk girl is also very enthusiastic, the room price is very affordable, cost-effective! I have received more than one comfortable and pleasant stay experience, and there are fireworks on earth, this is my evaluation of this hotel. Excellent
It was unexpectedly quite large, and there were quite a few animals inside. If you are tired of walking, you can choose a sightseeing train or battery car. It seems that you need to buy a sightseeing ticket to see the wild animal area, so we didn't go to see it.
No.
10
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Donghu Vinegar Garden
4.8
/5
748 reviews
6.3
Based on 9 reviews
Taiyuan Railway Station | 4.2 km from downtown
Phone 0351-4424648
Address: 26 Ma Daopo, Taiyuan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
No.6 of Family-Friendly Attractions in Taiyuan
Highlights:
Traditional vinegar brewing experience
Vinegar culture experience park
527 positive reviewsRecently viewed by 1,000+ people
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It smells so good 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Shanxi's vinegar culture has a long history. At Donghu, you can learn about the entire vinegar production process. The guide also patiently explains the knowledge points of daily vinegar selection! It is definitely worth a visit!
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