How a Local in Suzhou Visits 5 Gardens in One Day

Many people are curious about Suzhou gardens, and as someone who has lived in Suzhou for 22 years, I hadn't visited several of the city's gardens. Out of respect for spring, I activated my expired annual pass and set off. I traveled green all the way without spending a dime on transportation. First stop: Wangshi Garden. I missed the magnolia flowers in early March, but fortunately, the peonies were in full bloom. Wisteria and Chinese roses were also budding, and the garden's scenery would be even better in a week. Why start at Wangshi Garden? Because I couldn't get into Zhuozheng Garden in the morning. The crowd at the entrance scared me away, so I grabbed a free bike at the entrance, rode through Guanqian Street, and arrived at Wangshi Garden, which was close and less crowded. It took about 1 hour to tour the garden. Second stop: Canglang Pavilion and Ke Garden. You can walk from Wangshi Garden, and along Shiquan Street, you can enjoy coffee, milk tea, snacks, and restaurants. I highly recommend visiting Shiquan Street; every time I go, I wish I had an extra stomach. The nearby "Happy Village" internet-famous wall is also a great spot for photos. The entrances to Canglang Pavilion and Ke Garden are opposite each other. Both gardens are small and not crowded, perfect for sitting quietly and taking photos. Touring both gardens takes about 1 hour. Third stop: Yi Garden. After leaving Canglang Pavilion, there's a free bike to ride to Yi Garden's entrance. The biggest attraction in Yi Garden right now is the peonies. Personally, I found it more beautiful than Ke Garden and Canglang Pavilion, but the garden is small, and I finished touring it in about 30-40 minutes. Fourth stop: Zhuozheng Garden and Lion Grove Garden. Ride a free bike from Yi Garden's exit to Zhuozheng Garden's entrance. Zhuozheng Garden is indeed a sight at every step, but it's hard to get in. I recommend entering after 3:30 PM (entry stops at 5 PM). There's enough time to tour before closing, and the crowd is much smaller than in the morning or noon. Zhuozheng Garden is photogenic, with ancient-style ladies everywhere. The wisteria and 130-year-old Chinese roses haven't fully bloomed yet; it'll take another week to reach their peak. From Zhuozheng Garden's east exit, you can directly enter Lion Grove Garden, but I was too tired and had visited before, so I skipped it. If you have the energy, I recommend visiting Lion Grove Garden too. About tickets: Zhuozheng Garden 80, Wangshi Garden 30, Yi Garden 15, Canglang Pavilion 15, Ke Garden 20, Lion Grove Garden 30. The gardens in the city are close to each other, and there are free bikes available near each entrance. I recommend them if you don't have luggage. Finally, I wonder if Suzhou only has peak and super peak seasons? #Suzhou #SuzhouGardens #TravelTips