Keep this 'Suzhou July Travel Guide' at hand for perfect trip!

What to do in Suzhou this July? Keep this handpicked "Suzhou July Travel Guide" for the perfect trip!

Suzhou Amusement Land Forest Water World Night Tour

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Water World苏州乐园森林水世界, and the park has launched a series of immersive activities, including interactions with handsome and beautiful NPCs, level-based games, and concerts.
Opening Hours (July 4 to August 31)：
Monday to Thursday: 9:15 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday to Sunday: 9:15 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets: 158/139/99/69 yuan

"Gusu Night Scene" Water Tour

The 3-kilometer waterfront from Pingmen to Qimen has been transformed into an immersive cultural experience belt blending history, local traditions, and cutting-edge light shows. Visitors can immerse themselves in the romance of nighttime Suzhou surrounded by the gentle Suzhou dialect and a dynamic interplay of lights and mist.
Route: Qimen Pier→Pingmen→Qimen Pier

Boarding Location: Qimen Cruise Pier齐门游船码头
Time: 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 
Duration: Approximately 45 minutes
Tickets: 158 yuan/person; 79 yuan/child (1.2m-1.4m)
Adult Tickets Child Tickets

Extended Opening Hours for Some Museums and Attractions

Suzhou Museum苏州博物馆, China Kunqu Opera Museum中国昆曲博物馆, Suzhou Pingtan Museum中国苏州评弹博物馆, Suzhou Silk Museum苏州丝绸博物馆, Suzhou Library苏州图书馆(人民路总馆), and Tiger Hill Scenic Area extend opening hours in July and August. Read MoreSuzhou museums to extend service hours in summer

Original Site of Suzhou Weaving Department Opens to Public

The much-anticipated former site of the Suzhou Weaving Department苏州织造署旧址 has officially opened for public visits by appointment. As one of the "Three Great Jiangnan Weaving Bureaus" alongside the ones in Nanjing and Hangzhou, it was exclusively responsible for producing top-grade silk for the imperial court. The site is now designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.
Visiting Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
It opens on Saturdays and Sundays and during public holidays, winter and summer vacations (January-February, July-August). 
It will be closed during special academic activities. 
Visitors must leave the campus by 4:45 p.m. to maintain teaching order.

Yeshan Island Opens to Public

Yeshan Island叶山岛 is surrounded by water on all sides. To the east, it connects to Changsha Island, while to the west, it links with Xishan Island, resembling a pearl embraced by emerald waves.

Chongyun Lane Set to Open Soon

Located near Chongyuan Temple, Chongyun Lane重云巷 is scheduled to open by the end of July. Centered around a home accommodation cluster, the project highlights trendy sports and pet-friendly social spaces, offering visitors a brand-new, all-in-one cultural and leisure experience. It aims to become the ultimate destination for an ideal getaway.

Lotus

The lotus is one of the core elements in Suzhou's classical garden waterscapes. The city boasts numerous parks and gardens renowned for their lotus displays. In midsummer, endless stretches of lotus leaves and blossoms shimmering under the sun create a mesmerizing interplay, perfectly embodying the poetic charm of Jiangnan.
Blooming Period: June to July
Viewing Spots: 
Moonlight Over the Lotus Pond Wetland Park荷塘月色湿地公园, Lianchihu Park莲池湖公园, Shihu Scenic Area石湖景区, Chongyuan Temple重元寺, Humble Administrator's Garden拙政园, Lion Grove Garden狮子林景区, Lingering Garden留园, Tiger Hill虎丘山风景名胜区

Water Lilies

With pure snow-white, sunny goose-yellow, or blushing pink hues, each flower floats gracefully upon the water. Like fairies of the pond, they stand with poetic charm.
Blooming Period: June to July
Viewing Spots: 
Tiger Hill Wetland Park苏州虎丘湿地公园, Qiyuan Garden启园, Lingering Garden, Master-of-Nets Garden网师园, Moonlight Over the Lotus Pond Wetland Park, White Horse Stream & Dragon Pond Scenic Area白马涧龙池景区

Crape Myrtle

Delicate blossoms cluster like clouds, harmonizing with whitewashed walls, black-tiled roofs, and winding corridors. These floral displays lend classical gardens an extra layer of poetic grace.
Blooming Period: July to September
Viewing Spots: 
Canglang Pavilion沧浪亭, Keyuan Garden可园, Master-of-Nets Garden, Garden of Cultivation艺圃, Yiyuan Garden怡园, Quyuan Garden曲园

Standing shoulder to shoulder, these golden blooms transform entire fields into rippling oceans of gold.
Blooming Period: July to October
Viewing Spots: 
Suzhou Bay Sports Park苏州湾体育公园, Tongli National Wetland Park江苏同里国家湿地公园

Humble Administrator's Garden Lotus Exhibition

Over 1,000 pots of exquisite lotus are on display, including double-petaled, multicolored, and miniature types. Set against the backdrop of classical garden architecture, the exhibition offers an immersive lotus appreciation experience.
Time: June 28 to August 24
Venue: Humble Administrator's Garden
Tickets: 80 yuan

Tiger Hill Three Flowers Summer Cool Fair

Apart from admiring the three flowers (jasmine, white magnolia flowers, and sour orange flowers), enjoying their fragrance, and sipping floral teas, visitors can immerse themselves in live performances, experiencing the poetic romance of Jiangnan.
Time: June 28 to August 31
Venue: Tiger Hill Scenic Area 

Tickets: 70 yuan

Ornamental Stone Exhibition

This exhibition showcases a collection of contemporary scholar's rocks, masterfully blending the art of Chinese gardens with traditional stone appreciation culture.
Time: July 15 to August 14
Venues: 
Lingering Garden, Lion Grove Garden, Master-of-Nets Garden, Canglang Pavilion, Yiyuan Garden 
Tickets: 

55 yuan (Lingering Garden), 40 yuan (Lion Grove Garden, Master-of-Nets Garden), 20 yuan (Canglang Pavilion), 15 yuan (Yiyuan Garden) 

Suzhou 9th Four-Season Orchid Exhibition

Centered around orchids as the medium and culture as the core, this exhibition integrates Suzhou's profound classical garden heritage to explore the interpretation of garden culture and the innovative development of horticultural displays. It continues to promote the deep integration of exquisite orchids and classical gardens.
Time: July 1 to July 10
Venue: Canglang Pavilion

Tickets: 20 yuan

Jiangnan Lotus Picking Garden Party

Stroll through the fair to select unique cultural and creative products, savor delicious snacks, and enjoy a delightful time. In this beautiful season, have good memories filled with laughter and warmth.
Time: June 14 to August 31
Venue: Moonlight Over the Lotus Pond Wetland Park

Tickets: 30 yuan

"June Yellow" Crab

A seasonal delicacy of Jiangnan, "June Yellow" refers to juvenile crabs that have just completed their third molting in the sixth lunar month. The crabs are loved for their delicious and sweet taste.
Recommendations: Old Suzhou Teahouse Restaurant老苏州茶酒楼, Jiangnan Delicacy Restaurant江南雅厨(李公堤店), Wusa Restaurant五卅酒家(带城桥下塘店)

Eel

In Suzhou, "Xiǎng Yóu Shàn Hú" (Sizzling Oil Eel Paste) is a summer delicacy like no other. Freshly killed eels are swiftly sliced and stir-fried over high heat. When served, a ladle of sizzling oil is poured over the dish, creating a tantalizing "sizzle" and releasing an irresistible aroma. 

Recommendations: Pearl Restaurant珍珠饭店, Xiehe Restaurant协和菜馆(凤凰街店), Lao Zhen Yuan老镇源菜馆(吴江文苑路店)

Fan-Cooled Noodles

In the scorching summer days of Suzhou, a bowl of fan-cooled noodles is the ultimate remedy for the heat. Topped with crisp shredded cucumber, carrot, mung bean sprouts, and other fresh garnishes, the noodles transform summer's swelter into a refreshing coolness on the tongue.

Recommendations: Huizhen Mama's Suzhou Snacks惠珍妈妈苏式小吃(三元店), Meiweizhai美味斋(石路步行街店), Zhuxinnian Dim Sum Store朱新年点心店(山塘街店)

Five-Spice Fried Pork Bites

A signature Suzhou summer delicacy, Five-Spice Fried Pork Bites are made from tender diced pork, coated in batter and deep-fried to a golden crisp. After draining excess oil, the piping-hot morsels are dusted with five-spice powder. The bites boast a crispy exterior and juicy, succulent texture; when cooled, they take on a pleasantly chewy texture, offering a different but equally delightful experience.

Recommendations: Du San Zhen杜三珍(三元店), Lao Lu Gao老陆稿卤菜

Cuiguan Pears

Renowned as one of the "Three Treasures of Shushan" alongside Shushan bayberries and Yunquan tea, Cuiguan pears are celebrated for their snow-white flesh with an exceptionally crisp yet tender texture. These succulent pears offer a refreshing sweetness with a naturally cool mouthfeel. Typically harvested in the sixth lunar month, they've earned the poetic nickname of June Snow.

Recommended Picking Locations: Shushan Village树山村, Feng Menglong Village冯梦龙村

Honey Peaches

The most renowned Suzhou honey peaches hail from Fenghuang Town in Zhangjiagang. Fenghuang peaches are renowned for their dense yet tender flesh with abundant juice and intense fragrance, offering a perfect balance of sweetness with a subtle tartness. Over 20 premium varieties are cultivated here.
Another crowd favorite is the Beiyao honey peach from Tong'an Town in Suzhou New District, which is celebrated for its smooth texture and explosive juiciness that bursts with every bite!
Recommended Picking Locations: Fenghuang Town凤凰镇, Tong'an Town通安镇

Source:  好玩苏州 (WeChat ID: suzhouwlv), Photo by Liu Zhen, Ximalaya Beipodeyu, William
Source：iSzhou