Spending Spring Festival in Guangzhou: 2021 Guangzhou Family Travel Guide
The 2021 Lunar New Year is just around the corner, and many families have chosen to stay in Guangzhou this year. With a long winter break ahead, where should you take the kids? Check out this Guangzhou family travel guide for some fun attractions and exquisite cuisine!
— Route 1: Check in at the landmark Canton Tower —
One of Guangzhou's iconic landmarks, Canton Tower is well worth a visit whether you're a local or a tourist. It's best to come from daytime until night. Those with a sense of adventure can challenge the Alpha Discovery Park on the tower, while families with kids can enjoy sweeping city views from the Star Observation Floor, and then head up to the Ferris wheel on the top floor to soak in the romantic, cozy atmosphere at the pinnacle of the tower with the whole family.
Canton Tower's new adventure project: the "Sky Eye Walk" at Alpha Discovery Park
The "Sky Eye Walk" is an outdoor circular walkway at a height of 325 meters on Canton Tower. You can walk a full circle around the tower body, suspended in the air, and enjoy a 360-degree unobstructed view of the Flower City's beauty. This marks China's first openwork sightseeing walkway on a high tower, right here in Guangzhou at Canton Tower, delivering an all-new experience for adventure lovers!
Although this activity is conducted high up, it is actually very safe! Before starting, they'll give a detailed briefing on safety measures and repeatedly check the safety gear, and there are professional coaches accompanying you throughout. So you can rest assured! The only thing you need to overcome is the nervousness inside. Once you bravely take that step, you'll find it easier than you imagined—after all, this challenge is one-way; once you start, you must keep going to the finish line!
I walked the whole loop myself and felt fantastic; it was especially stress-relieving, as the process forces you to focus on your steps and your inner self. To your left is completely open without any barrier, and to your right there's a steel cable you can hold onto, or you can let go and walk freely. And the "Sky Eye" that many people fear is actually a rotating device: you stand on it, and only when you're ready do you rotate outward. Facing you is an unshielded panoramic city view—so cool!
During the experience, you can't bring phones or cameras, but there are designated photo-capture points. My tip is to take as many photos as possible (there's no extra fee), because they're taken blindly—snap many, and you can copy all of them afterward.
For those planning to try this, wear comfortable clothes and non-slip shoes. Long-haired girls need to tie their hair up. In winter, bring a windbreaker or outdoor jacket, because it's chilly up high—colder outside!
We went in the afternoon, and the visibility that day wasn't great. I heard that the magic moment at dusk or when the city lights just come on is especially beautiful, so I'll have to come back again next time!
If you bring your kids to Canton Tower, a basic tour is to the Star Observation Floor for city views. Advanced players will inevitably go for the Canton Tower Ferris wheel—the night scenery is simply breathtaking and romantic!
The Ferris wheel sits at the tower's top, 450 meters high, and is the world's highest Ferris wheel. Each capsule takes about 20 minutes for one full rotation and can hold 4 to 6 passengers, offering Guangzhou's nightscape from every angle. This is a mecca for proposals and wedding photography, and also perfect for a family outing! Our little two-year-old "Poached Egg" can now say she's been to the top of the city!
When visiting Canton Tower, I suggest having lunch first and then heading up the tower. I recommend a Hong Kong-style seafood hot pot restaurant where you can enjoy both Canton Tower views and fresh seafood—Xiyue Lou! Located at Tiande Plaza, you can gaze out at the "Slim Waist" (Canton Tower), take in Liede Bridge, and soak in the CBD night view. The interior is decked out in nostalgic Hong Kong style, costing 20 million yuan. The view alone is worth the "price of admission."
Xiyue Lou is acclaimed by foodies as the Hermès of hot pot restaurants. It's particularly perfect for a Spring Festival visit, a fine reward for yourself and your family after a year of hard work.
Unlike the spicy, numbing Sichuan-Chongqing hot pot, the Hong Kong-style hot pot here focuses on the original flavors of the ingredients, with seafood as the star, hence the name seafood hot pot. The broth is a superior soup base—Xiyue Lou's signature fish maw and free-range chicken broth is unanimously praised and truly remarkable.
Free-range chickens from Guangdong, reared naturally for 8 to 10 months, are simmered with aged deep-sea wild croaker maw, pig trotters, old hen, lean pork, chicken feet, Jinhua ham, and more than 20 other ingredients. Slowly stewed for 10 hours over gentle heat, a golden broth is created. Right at your table, chicken pieces are snipped in, and two liang of fish maw are added. The broth is velvety smooth, thick and rich, packed with collagen. The chicken is firm, the fish maw tender and sticky. The moment the pot boils, the first sip straight away awakens your taste buds. If there's a local Cantonese at the table, they'll definitely say, "Very chicken-y!"
Next comes the highlight—swishing live seafood flown in from around the world. Canadian small elephant trunk clams, Thai nine-section shrimp, premium wagyu beef slices—these are all highly popular dishes. The professional servers time the swishing perfectly, so each item is just cooked when it reaches your mouth, preserving the natural sweetness and absorbing the fragrant richness of the broth.
One interesting side dish is the seaweed bean curd roll. Seaweed is hand-rolled into the bean curd rolls, giving them a unique texture and aroma. Once they soak up the broth, they'll leave an unforgettable impression on your palate.
Signature dishes also include fresh French foie gras—melts in the mouth with a hint of red wine aroma in the finish. From the nose to the tongue, it slides down before you can even think, so delicious you can't stop!
Braised radish, bamboo fungus, and Dalian abalone uses eight-head abalone from Zhangzi Island in Dalian, braised with white radish and Hong Kong bamboo fungus until tender and flavorful. Even my picky-eater daughter asked for another bite.
The claypot rice at Xiyue Lou is said to have left even the "celebrated Hong Kong food critic" Ouyang Yingji yearning. In his words: "No chef without 20 years of skill could make it." How can you miss it when you're here?
— Route 2: Old Guangzhou nostalgia, new urban flavor —
They say in Chengdu you must visit Kuanzhai Alley, in Wuhan you go to Lihuangpi Road, in Xiamen to Zengcuo'an, and in Chongqing to Hongyadong. It seems every city has its iconic street. So when you come to Guangzhou, you must experience Yongqing Fang—a different, era-defining "Guangzhou flavor."
There are many unique cultural and creative shops here, and the one most beloved by the artsy crowd is Good Old Days. It houses many objects that belonged to our parents' generation, evoking childhood memories. Time has flown, and now we're parents ourselves. Will this generation of kids still be so nostalgic when they grow up?
The most popular spot in Yongqing Fang is naturally the Bruce Lee Ancestral Home Memorial Hall. Bruce Lee is the pride of the Chinese people, one of the few Chinese film stars to leave his handprints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The memorial hall introduces Bruce Lee and his family.
My husband (Daddy Egg) got really excited when we arrived, eagerly telling me which movie scenes were from which films, and even demonstrated the wooden dummy. His form wasn't quite standard, but his little fangirl praised him regardless of the facts: "Daddy, you're amazing!" That made this older dad over the moon!
If you're interested in Cantonese opera culture, drop by the Cantonese Opera Art Museum. It's free, but you need to make a reservation. The pavilions, terraces, and towers are artfully arranged, with bridges and gardens in distinctive Lingnan style. There are also photo experiences where you can dress up in Cantonese opera makeup and costumes. It's a hidden cultural gem right in the city.
Walking through Yongqing Fang now, you can still glimpse the precious memories the years have left this city. In the winter chill, the scent of coffee wafts from afar. Why not grab a cup, hold it in your hands, and savor this place slowly?
If Yongqing Fang represents old Guangzhou nostalgia, then to experience Guangzhou's modern metropolitan charm, you must stroll through Zhujiang New Town. After visiting Haixinsha and Huacheng Square, you absolutely should try this Japanese restaurant. Matsutsuki Jiman Ryori—a highly popular Japanese restaurant in Zhujiang New Town, consistently ranking No. 1 on the Japanese cuisine and environment rankings on review platforms since opening in Guangzhou a few years ago. At over 300 RMB per person, it's great value for money.
Matsutsuki Jiman Ryori doesn't just evoke the romance of time slowing down. Later I learned from the manager that "Jiman" comes from the Japanese jiman, which means something you're most proud of, your forte. Every chef at Matsutsuki is a "Jiman" culinary artist, holding their proud skills, pursuing ultimate mastery and craftsmanship to explore the wonderful relationship between people and food.
Upon entering the restaurant, you're immersed in a strong Japanese atmosphere. Even the floor is covered with tatami mats woven from rush grass, and you need to remove your shoes. The staff will carefully help you store them. To be honest, I rarely take my child to Japanese restaurants, but I love coming to Matsutsuki because the private rooms have good soundproofing, there's a mother-and-baby room with complete baby care items, making it very convenient for looking after little ones.
I highly recommend trying the sukiyaki here, especially in Guangzhou's fickle weather where it's still cold then warm. A piping hot Japanese hotpot is so comforting. Sukiyaki is a Japanese-style hot pot; its essence lies in the broth and dipping sauce. Authentic sukiyaki broth is made by simmering sweet soy sauce and beef fat, resulting in a thick, rich, mellow sweetness. Adding green onion segments, onion, tofu, shirataki noodles, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, crown daisy, baby cabbage and other vegetables makes it even more refreshingly sweet.
The soul of sukiyaki, however, is the raw egg dip. Beat the egg first, then take the just-cooked food and dip it directly into the beaten egg. Using the residual heat from the food, the egg coating is heated and just set as you put it in your mouth. The food absorbs the sweet broth and gets wrapped in the silky smooth egg, creating absolutely perfect texture!
Matsutsuki's pan-fried foie gras is also worth recommending: original flavor grilled over charcoal, with a secret sauce added. Warm and enjoyable, it's so smooth it melts on your tongue before you can fully savor it, leaving a lasting aftertaste.
For the seared beef, it's lightly torched with a blowtorch, quickly seared at low temperature to lock in fats, sliced to a 2mm thinness almost translucent, cooked to only 20% doneness, wrapped with onion and finished with Matsutsuki's secret sauce. It delivers a tender yet crispy texture that's still full of fresh flavor.
For the sashimi platter, you must order the whelk—the whole whelk meat is pried out, offering a crunchy texture and a fresh, delicate taste. Delightful!
Tempura, grilled silver cod, salads... the menu is foolproof. The only thing you need to worry about is how to manage to taste all the flavors you want.
— Route 3: Come to Guangzhou, visit Chimelong —
When talking about family travel in Guangzhou, you can't miss the Guangzhou Chimelong International Resort.
To welcome the Lunar New Year, six golden takin calves, just over a month old, at Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park have made their debut to meet visitors.
The golden takin is a Class I protected animal in China, one of the four national treasures of the Qinling Mountains alongside the giant panda, golden monkey, and crested ibis. Golden takins are high-altitude animals that eat almost any plant within reach of their broad mouths; their diet includes at least over 100 plant species. The park provides them with various leaves, green grass, and alfalfa hay, supplemented with complete formula feed, along with extra fruit and salt blocks to supply vitamins, minerals, and trace elements for their physical needs.
After seeing the cute golden takin calves, don't forget to take the aerial cable car and the mini train to traverse different habitats and observe various animals. When you see the animals constantly weaving among uncles, aunties, big brothers and sisters, so lively and adorable, the kids will be over the moon.
Meanwhile, at Chimelong Paradise's "National Style Greets Spring, Good Fortune at Chimelong" themed event, there are stations for dressing in national-style attire and a dedicated makeup area, where visitors can transform into national-style trendsetters and stroll along Guochao Street for photo ops.
Near Chimelong, there are many distinctive private kitchens. I recommend this restaurant: Xiangjian Jingjie. It's a restaurant imbued with strong traditional Chinese cultural atmosphere. Though small, it features the four arts of the scholar—zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting—full of antique charm. The dishes are mainly based on quinoa, creating a variety of health-conscious delights. It's a truly interesting spot, worth a try.
