A Clear Guide to Suzhou Attractions! Go Ahead with Confidence

[Daisy Hermiston]

Suzhou has a lot of tourist spots, but not all of them are worth visiting. Here's what locals think about the top attractions in Suzhou (just personal opinions). You've got to read this carefully—nothing but practical tips here. No more confusion for sisters coming to Suzhou and wondering how to play it right!

For your trip:
DAY 1: Zhuozheng Garden → Suzhou Museum → Lion Grove Garden → Pingjiang Road → Guanqian Street → Seven Li Shantang
DAY 2: Liu Garden → West Garden Temple → Huqiu → Seven Li Shantang
DAY 3: Wangshi Garden → Shiquan Street → Twin Pagoda Market → Oriental Gate → Jinji Lake

Food Recommendations:
Li Bai Crab House - Their all-crab feast is legendary, presenting different parts of the crab like roe, milt, meat, and legs separately. And don't miss their sticky rice desserts!

Wan Yuan Su-style Hot Pot - A unique take on hot pot compared to the fiery Sichuan style. Try their Gong vegetable beef balls for a taste of tender elasticity.

Gusu Boat Banquet - Authentic Suzhou cuisine. Their braised pork dishes and sweet sticky treats are must-tries.

Tanhua Jiangnan Cuisine - Signature dishes include squirrel mandarin fish, fried shrimp, silver fish omelet, and Dongpo pork. Don't skip their floral wine!

Some notes: Shantang Street can be crowded and full of generic roadside stalls. If you're looking for a quieter experience, consider other options. Also, if you visit gardens like Zhuozheng without understanding the cultural history behind them, they might seem less impressive than places like Hanshan Temple.

Images used are shared and authorized by @Zhangyu Xiaowan Duzi.

[Lena Oberbrunner]

Where exactly is Tanhua Jiangnan Cuisine located?

[Dr. Guadalupe Homenick]

Guanqian Street is decent; I just ate there recently.

[Hannah Rogahn]

Avoid Shantang Street—it’s overcrowded and filled with generic stalls.

[Jo Douglas]

Nighttime at Huqiu is still enjoyable.

[Miss Angela Cormier]

Huqiu deserves a top spot!

[Katrina Ziemann]

Skip Lion Grove—it’s ugly. Avoid Pingjiang Road and Shantang Street too.

[Abraham Kris]

Then what else is there to do?

[Miss Alison Collier]

If you can’t book the top-rated places, try others.

[Terrence Beer]

Agreed. Zhuozheng isn’t as interesting if you don’t know much about its history. Hanshan Temple is better.

[Joanne Swift]

Same here. I didn’t get much out of visiting Zhuozheng.

[Reginald Ziemann]

Tongli Ancient Town is overrated, but some parts are nice.

[Sonja Schroeder]

The Twin Pagoda Market is just a regular market now that it's become popular.

[Ms. Beatrice Abernathy]

Is Li Bai Crab really good?

[Helen Gleason]

The classics are definitely Zhuozheng and Huqiu. The Suzhou Museum doesn’t compare.