3-Day 2-Night Family Trip to Ningbo | A Relaxing & Delicious Itinerary

Tested in person! Ningbo is truly an underrated family-friendly gem in the Yangtze River Delta! This three-day two-night trip lets you experience both mountain-water retreats and urban delights—fun with fewer crowds! The whole journey is easy and stress-free for moms! 🚗 Self-drive route: From downtown Shanghai to Yinzhou District, Ningbo, about 3 hours. Depart right after school on Friday for a weekend getaway without missing classes. 🛏 Accommodation 📍 YUN Hotel Ningbo This hotel was a pleasant surprise. The 60㎡ twin room was spacious. Breakfast rivals star-rated hotels—fresh long-haired shrimp and handmade Ningbo noodles were delicious. Features a heated pool and a 2,000+㎡ Squirrel Paradise for kids, like entering a wooden forest—spacious and clean. Includes a picture book area, slides, sandpit, playhouse zone, and building blocks. Day 1: Arrived in Ningbo at night and had authentic seafood noodles nearby: Chai Laotaipo Seafood Noodles. The bowl was packed with fresh ingredients like mantis shrimp, river shrimp, and clams—the broth was incredibly flavorful. Day 2: 🦋 Zhou Yao Insect Museum Countless rare insect specimens and interactive exhibits! Giant butterfly wall, 3D insect animations, live insect observation area, and even hands-on encounters. My kid even touched a snake! 🌸 Tips: Free but requires advance booking. Closed on Mondays. 🌿 Qianhu Secret Trail A hidden gem of Dongqian Lake! Rented an e-bike for a lakeside ride—breezy and stunning. Visited Wang Anshi’s former residence, Little Putuo, and boated to the lake center. The west village entrance has Nezha mural art. Picnicked on the lawn when tired. 🍲 Yongshang Mingzao·Ningbo Xiaoxian (Culture Plaza) — Must-try! The best local Ningbo cuisine! Soy-marinated crab, red wine walnut soup, hairtail platter… every dish was piping hot and amazing! 🌸 Tips: Lines start at 4 PM—go off-peak or reserve early. We waited nearly 3 hours. Day 3: 🏮 Nantang Old Street — Eat & Explore A 1,500-meter Ming-Qing ancient street full of local snacks! Oil twists, Gangyagou glutinous rice balls, Nantang oil buns, Ningbo "three stinky" dishes, and mung bean jelly… 🛍️ Hankyu Department Store A must-visit in Ningbo! B1 floor has great food—loved the apple pie and matcha ice cream. 🦀 Amao Restaurant Planned to revisit Yongshang Mingzao, but the wait was too long. Amao was decent—Ningbo-style marinated crab with rice was perfection. Dry pot seafood, tofu-wrapped yellow croaker, and pressure-cooked oysters were fresh and authentic. Ningbo is the hidden king of family trips! Three days of Jiangnan water town charm and mountain-sea grandeur—plus food coma-worthy cuisine! Worth revisiting again and again.