Strolling Through the Small Town | Shaoxing

| Shaoxing. 🦄 About Shaoxing: "Eating stinky tofu and riding a black-canopied boat" are the two things my 3-year-old daughter kept talking about after returning from Shaoxing. Although we didn’t get to try the stinky tofu because my parents weren’t fans, and we missed the boat ride due to long queues, these two experiences about Shaoxing stuck in her mind. 📅 Travel Itinerary: A 5-person group with a combined age of 230+ opted for a leisurely stroll. Day 1: From Hangzhou to Shaoxing, checked into Xianheng Hotel, walked to Xun Bao Ji Zhuangyuan Branch (10 min), and after the meal, strolled back to the hotel along Cangqiao Straight Street. After a nap, we wandered around Lu Xun’s Former Residence and Shen Garden until sunset, then took a taxi to Longzhu Garden for goose meat. After a satisfying meal, we walked back to the hotel (30 min). Day 2: After breakfast, we watched the little fish in the hotel’s waterside pavilion, then headed to Bazi Bridge (20 min walk). We explored the ancient bridge, enjoyed a cup of coffee, and played with a little cat 🐱. Then we randomly chose a route back to the hotel and had lunch at a restaurant near the hotel before checking out. 🍜 Food Guide: 🉑 Xun Bao Ji’s drunken shrimp 🦐, drunken chicken 🐔, and crispy fish 🐟 are must-tries. The portions are small, so if you’re a fan, go all in. 🉑 Zhuji Lao Goose Restaurant requires an early visit. We arrived at 7 PM and got the last portion of goose meat, with many other dishes already sold out. My daughter loved the goose meat and goose intestines, and the soy sauce shrimp had a unique flavor—the river shrimp soaked in soy sauce were incredibly fresh and tender. 🏨 Accommodation Guide: Xianheng Hotel was our top choice, with an excellent location that made it easy to get around. The courtyard room came with an afternoon tea set, and the fennel beans were delicious. However, there were some downsides: we booked two adjacent rooms, but one guest didn’t check out until 3 PM, forcing us to wait despite repeatedly explaining to the front desk that we had kids and elderly needing a nap. The room wasn’t cleaned promptly after checkout, which was disappointing. Additionally, it was 35°C that day, and the air conditioning wasn’t turned on—we eventually got a fan to cool down. 💗 Other Tips: 1️⃣ Shaoxing has 600 ancient bridges, earning it the title of "China’s Ancient Bridge Museum." If you’re not traveling with family, you can explore them all and uncover the legends of the water town. 2️⃣ If you have the energy after visiting Bazi Bridge, head to the Former Residence of Wang Xizhi to experience Shaoxing’s ink-wash culture. 3️⃣ If you’re staying near Lu Xun’s Former Residence, set aside time for the Shen Garden Night Tour—it offers a different charm compared to daytime.