How to Spend 3 Days and 2 Nights in the Trendy City of Changsha?

Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, also known as 'Star City.' It has emerged as a new internet-famous city, attracting many young people to check in. The popular attractions in Changsha are relatively concentrated, so you only need about two or three days—perfect for a weekend trip. As a travel enthusiast, my habit is to first understand the locations, distances, and transportation of each attraction, and then choose a good place to stay so you don't have to drag your tired body around looking for accommodation after a day of sightseeing. Since the popular attractions in Changsha are close to each other, I recommend staying near Wuyi Square as your base for exploration. Here is my guide to checking in at Changsha's trendy spots~

DAY 1, Stop 1: Arrival - Hotel (After arriving in Changsha, head to your booked hotel, drop off your luggage, take a short rest, freshen up, put on some makeup, and change into nice clothes. That's why there are so many beautiful girls and handsome guys in Changsha!)

Hotel photos:

Reasons to recommend: ① Affordable price, around 100 RMB, suitable for most budgets. ② The hotel is centrally located among several popular spots. ③ The hotel itself is an internet-famous photo spot.

DAY 1, Stop 2: Hotel - Changsha International Finance Square (Changsha IFS)

Attraction info: As the tallest building in Hunan Province, it's a landmark of Changsha's high-end modern service industry and a must-photograph spot. The rooftop KAWS dolls are on the 7th floor, reachable by direct elevator.

Route: Walk 824 meters from the hotel, about 12 minutes. Turn right out of the hotel, walk straight along Cai'nan South Road to the intersection with Jiefang West, then turn left.

DAY 1, Stop 3: Changsha IFS - Huangxing Pedestrian Street

Attraction info: Eating, eating, and more eating at Huangxing Pedestrian Street. Start with a cup of cold Sexy Tea. My favorite is Youlan Latte, a classic. Then queue for a bowl of Black Classic Stinky Tofu (Luo Ji's is also very tasty), crispy outside and tender inside, never get tired of it! Also try Tang You Ba Ba (sugar oil cake) and iron plate squid. After these snacks, you won't need a proper meal... (I'm drooling just thinking about it—these are my must-eats every time I visit!)

Route: IFS is right next to Huangxing Pedestrian Street.

Avoid: Taiping Ancient Street is crowded and mostly sells souvenirs. If you prefer a quieter spot, choose Duzheng Ancient Street next to the hotel—fewer people, a few trendy tea houses, and Dabin's skewers are good too.

DAY 1, Stop 4: Huangxing Pedestrian Street - Mini Wenheyou - Hualongchi Bar Street (Considering you might be tired from traveling and sightseeing, you can walk back to the hotel from Huangxing Pedestrian Street to rest, change clothes, and touch up your makeup. After all, Changsha's nightlife doesn't really start until around 10 PM.)

Route: Turn right out of the hotel, go to the traffic light, turn left, cross the street, and walk about 3-5 minutes to reach Hualongchi Bar Street. Along the way you'll pass a mini Wenheyou, where you can eat crawfish (lu crawfish, flavored crawfish, garlic crawfish, etc.), take photos, and check in. Perfect!

Avoid: Super Wenheyou is too crowded; you have to queue for hours, so...

There's a bar in Hualongchi where you can pet dogs. The dogs can be adopted or petted for free. Then listen to music, have a drink, and wash away the day's fatigue.

Avoid: Don't order rose-flavored beer. I won't tell you I drank it and got sick.

DAY 2, Stop 1: Hotel - Orange Isle (Juzizhou)

After waking up, find a noodle shop nearby for a bowl of rice noodles. If you don't like noodles, the Hutouji pastries next to the hotel are delicious—strongly recommend durian cake and original egg tarts. After a hearty breakfast, take it easy and head out.

Attraction info: I probably don't need to introduce Orange Isle. The main thing is to pay respects to the largest statue of Chairman Mao in China, and take a little train to enjoy the river breeze. Blue sky, white clouds, lawns, camphor trees, willows, music fountains—everywhere is a scenic spot. There are fireworks shows on some holidays.

Route: Walk from the hotel to Huangxing Pedestrian Street, take Line 1 subway to Wuyi Square, transfer to Line 2, and get off at Orange Isle station. Walking plus transfers takes about 20 minutes to reach Orange Isle.

Avoid: ① The night before, search for 'Yuelu Mountain Scenic Area Entry Reservation' on WeChat mini-program and reserve a free ticket (maximum 5 people per phone). ② You can eat at Miao Street inside Orange Isle—mostly snacks, so you can also bring your own food. ③ Buy a ticket for the little train at the service counter (20 RMB/person round trip). Take the train to Chairman Mao's statue. Don't try to walk—you'll get exhausted. You can take photos first, then walk back slowly. If you get tired, get on the train at a stop with your ticket. ④ Wear sunscreen; the sun in Changsha is harsh.

DAY 2, Stop 2: Orange Isle - Yuelu Mountain / Hunan University (You can spend about 3 hours at Orange Isle, and about 2 hours at Yuelu Mountain)

Attraction info: Yuelu Mountain is another must-visit in Changsha, including Love Evening Pavilion, Yuelu Academy, Lushan Temple, etc.

Route: Take the subway from Orange Isle station to Yingwan Town, just one stop. Exit from Yingwan Town Exit 3, walk left 120 meters, then turn into Lushan Road. Walk another 310 meters to reach the east gate of Yuelu Mountain. Go up from the east gate and descend from the south gate. After descending from the south gate, you can stroll and eat in the university area—lots of snacks.

Avoid: ① Like Orange Isle, reserve a free ticket on the mini-program in advance (Yuelu Academy costs 40 RMB/person). ② Queue to enter at the gate, then buy a cable car ticket inside (up 30 RMB, down 25 RMB, round trip 50 RMB). ③ For the return, you can buy a downhill slide ticket at the service window under the telecom tower—reportedly very thrilling (35 RMB/person).

DAY 2, Stop 3: Hunan University - Dongguashan (Winter Melon Mountain)

Attraction info: Dongguashan is not a mountain; it's a food street. When in Changsha, besides sightseeing and checking in, it's all about eating. Even Principal Wang Sicong has checked in here! Dongguashan's most famous item is the meat sausage, which has been on Hunan TV. Also try perilla peaches and chilled jelly.

Route: Walk 509 meters from Hunan University to Fu (4th tone) Bu (4th tone) He subway station, enter via Exit 6, get off at Lingguandu Station Exit 2. Then walk 20 minutes to Dongguashan, or take a motorbike taxi for about 15 RMB.

Avoid: ① Dongguashan is full of snacks, small portions. ② Mengzhong BBQ is famous there but has long queues. Recommend Wen Ge Roast Beef—super delicious, and their flavored crawfish are large and flavorful. ③ The most famous meat sausage in Dongguashan is deep-fried. You can choose spicy or not. The queue is long; it's just a small stall. ④ After eating, take a taxi back to the hotel for about 10 RMB—it's very close.

DAY 3: Tianxin Pavilion, Duzheng Street

On the third day, sleep in naturally. Then walk to Tianxin Pavilion Park to see the remaining ancient city gate of Changsha and feel the historical atmosphere. At the foot of Tianxin Pavilion, there are a few trendy tea houses where you can sit and have tea, relax from the past two days' rush, and experience old Changsha's tea culture. If you have time, stroll into Duzheng Street, which is right next to the hotel. Finally, a perfect return trip.

Finally, throughout my guide, I've recommended snacks rather than proper meals. But actually, on Huangxing Pedestrian Street, there are Xiang cuisine restaurants like Fei Dacai and Chopped Pepper Fish Head. They taste great, have a strong sense of ceremony, and excellent service. Feel free to arrange time to experience them~