A Family-Favorite Autumn Outing — Anhui · Around Huangshan

Take your parents and kids on a 300-kilometer self-drive to fully savor autumn｜This hidden road holds China’s gentlest autumn -- 🍁 Not every autumn is suitable for the whole family to enjoy together Have you ever experienced this? Wanting to take your parents out for a walk, But finding the scenic spots overcrowded, with many steps and tiring walks; Kids complain of boredom, and elders say, “Let’s not go next time.” Today, I’m giving you this ✅ Elderly can walk easily ✅ Kids have a blast ✅ Parents get beautiful photos ✅ You feel like you’re on vacation autumn self-drive route, all in one place. This is not just a trip, but a gentle escape— bringing your family closer again. --- 🗺️ 1. Route Overview｜Golden 7-day loop, only 420km total > Theme: Slow down, savor autumn in your stomach and heart > Area: Anhui · Around Huangshan (off the main Hongcun road) > Recommended vehicle: Standard 7-seater SUV or MPV (e.g., Odyssey, Li Xiang L8) > Best time: November 5 - November 25 (peak ginkgo gold and Chinese tallow red leaves) ✅ Recommended route: ``` Day 1: Hangzhou/Nanjing → Yixian Yuting Town (Stay: Countryside homestay) Day 2: Yuting → Lucun → Tachuan → Hongcun outskirts viewing platform (Stay: Tachuan village homestay) Day 3: Tachuan → Yangchan Tulou → Xin’an River Landscape Gallery → Return trip 📌 Why choose here? - Avoid Hongcun main entrance (skip 90% of tourists) - No high mountain or dangerous roads, average elevation <300m - Stay 2-3 hours at each spot, relaxed pace - Asphalt roads to every village, stroller and wheelchair accessible --- 🚗 2. Daily itinerary details｜Each stop designed for “family happiness” 🌄 Day 1: Scenery from the start｜Gentle transition from city to countryside - Distance: about 180km, 3.5 hours - Highlights: Golden rice fields along the way, village smoke curling up ✅ Must-stop: Yuting Town · Wang’s Old Teahouse - Location: Beside National Highway G233, navigate to “Yuting Town Government” - Experience: - Elderly: Drink a cup of Huangshan Maofeng tea, listen to locals’ stories - Kids: Feed goldfish in the courtyard, watch stone mill tea grinding - You: Take a set of “autumn window view” cultural photos - 🍵 Recommended snacks: Huizhou Baolu Pine (corn crispy rice), Osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root > 💡 Accommodation recommendation: 【Guiye · Creekside Courtyard】 > - Built by the river, rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows > - Free breakfast provided (pumpkin porridge + egg pancake) > - Courtyard available for barbecue and sunbathing > - Price: 580 RMB/night (family room, 4 people) --- 🍂 Day 2: The heart of autumn｜Ginkgo, Chinese tallow, ink-wash villages This day is the highlight of the entire route. 📍 First stop: Lucun · Ginkgo rain in front of the wood-carved building - Time: 9:00-10:30 AM - Feature: In front of the century-old Zhicheng Hall, a dozen ginkgo trees turn yellow, fallen leaves like a carpet - Suitable for the whole family: - Elderly: Sit on the doorstep drinking tea, watch dappled light - Kids: Collect leaves for specimens, play “falling leaf rain” game - You: Use slow-motion on your phone to capture “shaking tree moments” > 📸 Photo tip: Have kids wear red clothes running, blur the golden leaves background, instantly create stunning shots --- 📍 Second stop: Tachuan Village East Slope Viewing Platform｜China’s version of “Maple Valley” - Time: 11:00-12:00 - No need to enter the village! Navigate directly to “Tachuan East Parking Lot” - Scene: White walls and black tiles scattered, Chinese tallow trees burning like flames, morning mist lingering - Family activities: - Elderly: Walk along gentle slopes, breathe mountain forest air - Kids: Use binoculars to find “birds hiding in trees” - You: Take a “family back view” photo to remember this moment forever > 🍲 Lunch recommendation: Grandma’s house at the village entrance > Huizhou stinky mandarin fish (mildly smelly but not pungent), dried bamboo shoots with pork, pumpkin rice > About 40 RMB per person, authentic and affordable --- 📍 Third stop: Hongcun outskirts · Nanhu Academy Bridgehead - Time: 3:00-4:00 PM (avoid peak hours) - No ticket needed! Just stroll around the outskirts - Scene: Nanhu Lake reflection like a mirror, withered willows in late autumn, scattered sketching students in the distance - Emotional value maxed out: - Elderly sigh: “This looks like our childhood Jiangnan.” - Kids ask: “Why do they keep painting?” - You suddenly realize: Education is on the road --- 🌄 Day 3: Earth’s art exhibition｜Tulou and landscape paintings 📍 First stop: Yangchan Tulou｜Golden honeycomb hidden in the mountains - Distance: about 60km, 1.5 hours (some mountain roads) - Feature: Hundreds of earth-colored tulou built on the mountain, autumn drying yards covered with chili peppers, corn, chrysanthemums - Family experience: - Elderly: Visit old houses, recall “We used to dry grain like this” - Kids: Play “find the color” game (red chili, yellow corn, brown tea leaves) - You: Drone or telephoto shoot “earth textures” > ⚠️ Note: Drones prohibited in core area, short flights allowed on village outskirts hills --- 📍 Second stop: Xin’an River Landscape Gallery · Shendu Wharf boat ride - Time: 2:00-4:00 PM - Recommended route: Shendu → Zhangtan (about 1 hour one way) - Scene: Emerald river water, red leaves reflected on both banks, fishermen casting nets like Song Dynasty paintings - Why suitable for the whole family? - Elderly: Can sit or walk on the boat, no fatigue worry - Kids: Watch water birds, count bridges, listen to boatman stories - You: Shoot a “people traveling in a painting” documentary-style video > 🎫 Boat ticket: 85 RMB/person, children half price, seniors with ID discount --- 🧭 3. Thoughtful details｜Make the trip truly “easy” ✅ Vehicle preparation checklist | Item | Description | |------|-------------| | Baby safety seat | If you have children | | Car thermos | For hot tea or porridge | | Folding cane chair | For elderly to rest midway | | Emergency medicine kit | Stomach medicine, motion sickness patches, band-aids | ✅ Driving tips - Stop at service areas every 1.5 hours to stretch - Use “Gaode Map - Family Group” feature to share real-time location - Download [Anhui offline map], some mountain areas have no signal ✅ Accessibility information - Main roads in Lucun and Tachuan are smooth, wheelchair accessible - Xin’an River wharf has ramp access - Yangchan Tulou has many steps, elderly should assess their ability --- 🍱 4. Autumn on the palate｜These flavors will make your family remember forever | Location | Must-try food | Reason for recommendation | |----------|---------------|---------------------------| | Yuting Town | Baolu Pine + Osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root | Crispy and soft, loved by elders and kids alike | | Lucun | Huizhou Dao Ban Xiang steamed bamboo shoots | Savory and tasty, perfect with rice | | Tachuan | Free-range chicken soup stewed with pumpkin | Warm and nourishing, autumn exclusive | | Yangchan | Homemade fermented tofu + roasted sweet potato | Original ecological flavor, kids fight to eat | > 📌 Hidden activity: At Tachuan homestay, sign up for “Family Huizhou Cooking” class (68 RMB per person), make bean dumplings and glutinous rice cakes together, double the fun. 🌾 The best trip is when your family smiles and says “Let’s come again” You don’t need to go far, nor spend a lot of money, just a quiet road, a few falling ginkgo leaves, a hot farmhouse meal, and the silhouette of your family watching the sunset side by side. This autumn, stop asking “Where’s fun to go?” Take them on a trip. Because— Parents age quickly, Children’s childhood is short, And the memories you share, are worth cherishing forever.