A Perfect Hangzhou Family Getaway: Two Days, One Night of Joyful Family Fun
Hangzhou’s beauty has lured me back many times, but I’ve never had time to take my baby. They say companionship is the longest and most tender confession, and staying together is the warmest promise. With each day your child grows, the time you have to be with them shrinks a little. He will eventually find his own sky, and as parents we only hope to light a lamp on his growing path. A happy childhood spent together is so precious and fleeting. In the blink of an eye, when he becomes a young man, you’ll realize that today’s mischief will one day turn into warm, full memories. So this time, I made time to bring them to Hangzhou.
At Hangzhou Paradise, I bought you your favorite lollipop. We rode the carousel together, and you had so much fun.
At Rotten Apple Land, we went go-karting together, bumped around in bumper cars, and took the magical mini-train. You couldn’t get enough—you rode once and immediately wanted to go again. There was just so much to do.
There was a Chinese-style Halloween event on, and the park was filled with cosplayers—young ladies and gentlemen in stunning costumes and makeup. We joined them to explore the park and tick off checkpoints, immersing ourselves in the ultimate interactive experience.
That evening, our family soaked in the Yunman Hot Spring, feeling the embrace of its warm waters.
Rotten Apple Land: A Top Hangzhou Family Destination
This was my baby’s first trip to Hangzhou, and I’d done my homework. The perfect place for little ones has to be Rotten Apple Land. We booked a family package online in advance—it covered all the attractions inside and was a better deal than buying separate tickets. Hangzhou Rotten Apple Land is a fully indoor, high-tech family park, blending numerous interactive high-tech experiences and themed performances. There are so many rides and activities for kids. Even the entrance is adorable, and children absolutely love it. We arrived early because our little one just couldn’t wait to get inside.
Once in, we headed to the first floor to start playing. That’s where the best rides are, and there are plenty of them. Over a dozen themed zones dazzled us from the moment we stepped in. The basement level had the most attractions, with dreamlike audio-visual effects and immersive interactive projections that gave both adults and kids an experience beyond everyday imagination. It truly opened our child’s eyes. We climbed aboard the magical mini-train, winding through a tiny tunnel, and our kid was so thrilled he went on it twice. From ride to ride, our baby beamed with joy. It’s a place where adults find happiness and families discover a magical world. This is a family haven, a place where dreams begin.
But we soon discovered that the first floor was actually our toddler’s favorite. It features classic cartoon shows, picture-book plays, fairy-tale dramas, multimedia theatre, and science experiment performances—educational and entertaining, with new shows every month. There are nearly one hundred high-tech interactive attractions: the XD Virtual Roller Coaster, the Happy Coral Island 4D Cinema, 200 Million Years Under the Sea, the magical mini-train, the motion-sensing interactive theater, the Dollhouse, and more. The riot of colorful decorations made us feel as if we’d stepped into a fairy tale. My baby loves go-karting, so my partner took him for a spin—and he absolutely refused to get out. We ended up going again.
We came to a little castle where, with a press of a button, a snowstorm of white foam swirled inside. This sort of activity lets kids play and learn at the same time. When you push the switch, tiny white bubbles fly up into the air.
There’s also a 3D art area that’s perfect for photo ops, with several paintaings ideal for posing. We wandered around, and soon our little one spotted the train again. Riding the mini-train is always his favorite, so we all got on, with him sitting right at the front while we followed behind taking pictures. The train chugged slowly away, and he didn’t want to get off.
Then we headed to another zone that felt like walking through a narrow alley. We passed shimmering, colorful lights dotted with twinkling stars—dreamy and romantic. We came upon a huge, lifelike pink cake sculpture. The whole park was filled with laughter, and there were so many other fun things to try, including hands-on parent-child activities. It’s absolutely worth visiting.
And then there are the shows: classic cartoon plays, picture-book dramas, fairy-tale performances, multimedia and science experiment theatres—all blending learning with fun, with new productions every month. The XD virtual roller coaster, Happy Coral Island 4D Cinema, 200 Million Years Under the Sea, the magical mini-train, the interactive motion cinema, the Dollhouse—nearly a hundred high-tech rides and shows, all included in one ticket! No homework, no worries, just wonderful performances and playful games. This is both a grown-up’s wonderland and a magical family park!
Next we went to the third floor, where a blue ocean theme awaits. Here you’ll find attractions like 200 Million Years Under the Sea and the motion-sensing interactive cinema. A massive whale-shaped restaurant looms ahead; when you’re tired and hungry, you can sit down, grab a bite, and then continue on. The restaurant looks like a giant whale with its mouth wide open, and inside the walls are covered in paintings of sea creatures. Dining here, surrounded by these artworks, felt wonderfully romantic.
We picked up a guide map of Rotten Apple Land that listed all the opening hours of every attraction. You can plan your day around it. We spent a whole afternoon there, and our baby still wanted to do more, especially his beloved mini-train and go-karts.
Hangzhou Paradise: A Chinese-Style Halloween for the Whole Family
By chance, our visit to Hangzhou Paradise coincided with its Chinese-style Halloween event. The park was full of cosplayers—young women and men in incredible handcrafted costumes and makeup. We joined the cosplayers on a park walk and checkpoint hunt, diving into the most immersive experience imaginable. Together we stepped into a haunted town, escape room, terrifying battlefield, and a horror bathroom—real-life scary scenes brought to life.
Dozens of cosplayers, each dressed as a character, paraded from the entrance into the park. We’d never seen anything like it, a massive cosplay transformation with so many people in costume at once.
Beyond the ghost houses and escape rooms, the heart of Hangzhou Paradise is its rides. The newly upgraded 360° giant frisbee, the splash-filled shoot-the-chute, the suspended roller coaster, God of Wind, high-altitude swing, and stylish flyer—all these thrilling rides are included in one ticket. Both adults and children have a blast. It was so much fun that even a full day wasn’t enough. Even the terracotta warrior statues at the entrance wore cosplay masks, which looked endearingly cute.
We began in the Songcheng Ancient Street area, a charming reproduction with snack stalls and handicraft shops. My little one spotted a sugar-blowing stall and the lollipops he loves, so I bought him one. He was overjoyed. Sometimes a child’s happiness is just a single lollipop.
Hangzhou Paradise has a huge variety of rides. It can be split into new and old areas: the new section is all modern thrill rides—roller coasters, God of Wind, double pirate ship, bungee jumping, skycoaster, high-altitude swing, stylish flyer, and other adrenaline-pumping attractions. The old section centers on Songcheng Ancient Street, with haunted houses, a colourful tower where embroidered balls are tossed, and other atmospheric shows. There’s so much to do that one day simply isn’t enough. Since we had our toddler with us, we skipped the more extreme rides, but there were still plenty of gentle family-friendly options: the music boat, the mother-and-child observation wheel, and other lively children’s rides.
The biggest surprise was the Halloween theme. Just look at the photo below—if it were night-time, it would be genuinely scary! On the day we went, cosplayers in full costume filled the park, performing spectacular shows as they moved to music. You could also take pictures with them.
With Halloween approaching, spooky decorations were everywhere—giant spiders on the lawn, daily themed performances. Every time I come to Hangzhou, the park I most look forward to is Hangzhou Paradise. There’s just so much to enjoy.
We walked around, keeping an eye out for fun. Nearby, we saw a white pony. My child loves ponies but also gets a little scared. He’d step forward, then hesitate, too close to dare but too curious to leave. Sometimes a child’s happiness is that simple: a beloved animal, a favorite lollipop, and they’re happy all day. As we strolled, the park felt spacious, and everywhere we looked rides tempted me. Visitors flowed past, especially long queues of young people at the thrill rides—it’s clearly a very popular park.
Inside the entrance, a long corridor hung with colourful fabric made for beautiful photos. Another entrance area was decked with red lanterns, equally picturesque. Wandering through Hangzhou Paradise felt like time travel, slipping between modern and ancient. It’s not just rides; there are lovely streets to explore and delicious food to eat. A whole day here still felt like not enough.
Right opposite the lobby of the First World Hotel, inside the tropical rainforest, there’s a fun shrimp-fishing activity. We saw several parents with children fishing for shrimp, and next to it was a barbecue station where you could grill your catch on the spot. That’s incredibly convenient: kids get to enjoy fishing and then eat the shrimp they caught. Shrimp fishing also helps build concentration and patience.
Another unmissable Instagram spot at Hangzhou Paradise is the Ferris wheel. It stands tall to the right of the park entrance. My partner, our baby, and I climbed aboard together. It was our first Ferris wheel ride. As the wheel slowly rose, our little one gazed out happily, watching the view climb from ground level to the top. At the highest point, through the transparent glass, the whole of Hangzhou Paradise spread before us—a bird’s-eye panorama, breathtakingly beautiful. If we’d caught the sunset there, it would have been even more spectacular. If it’s your first visit, I’d definitely recommend the Ferris wheel; it comes with a touch of romance.
Yunman Hot Spring: Enjoy a Tropical Rainforest Bath Without Leaving the Hotel
Yunman Hot Spring is inside the Hangzhou Songcheng First World Hotel, with its entrance right next to the hotel front desk. Since we were staying at the First World Hotel, it couldn’t have been more convenient. Along the spring, thousands of adorable lanterns and dozens of unique illuminated displays turn the surroundings into a starry, colourful galaxy. The hot spring is adjacent to Xiang Lake, Songcheng Hangzhou Paradise, Hangzhou Rotten Apple Land, and Songcheng Splash Water Park. Its natural water is magical and rich in trace elements like radon, strontium, barium, and fluorine, offering notable benefits for health, relaxation, beauty, and weight loss.
After dinner, we took a short break and then got ready to soak. Wearing our bathrobes and carrying towels, we headed to Yunman Hot Spring. The site has four differently themed zones—Rainforest Bubble Pool, Original Soup Tribe, Xiangju Flower House, and Tianzhu Grass Hall—blending Japanese and Chinese aesthetics. With 33 distinct pools, you can easily spend a whole evening relaxing. There are no indoor hot spring pools, but there is a Japanese-style lounge where you can rest and eat. All the pools are outdoors, though covered by pavilions. At night the pool lighting was especially beautiful, casting patterns on the trees and creating a painting-like backdrop. We even managed to take some lovely night-time photos.
Our baby was eager to get in, so we found a children’s pool filled with colorful bubble balls. He soaked happily, playing with the balls while in the water. He already loves playing with water, so this was pure joy for him.
There are many different types of pools. The one that impressed me most was the Mandarin Duck Pool, a fascinating pool filled with real red chillies—yes, actual chillies! It looked just like a twin-flavoured hotpot. I didn’t dare try it, worried it might actually feel spicy. Just thinking about it was amusing. I’d never seen a pool like that before. There were also red wine pools and various Chinese herb-infused pools. If we tried each one, even for a short time, we’d be soaking for ages. The best part of staying at the First World Hotel is that you can soak right until closing time. As winter approaches, spending a day at Hangzhou Paradise can leave you tired. Soaking at Yunman Hot Spring at night is incredibly comfortable; it instantly soothes tired feet and melts away all your exhaustion.
First World Hotel: Like Staying in a Tropical Rainforest
For this Hangzhou trip with my baby, we opted for convenience and booked the Hangzhou First World Hotel, a Southeast Asian tropical rainforest-themed family hotel. The warm service began the moment we arrived, leaving a wonderful first impression. The hotel is right next to Hangzhou Paradise, Rotten Apple Land, Splash Water Park, and Yunman Hot Spring—you can step out of your room and start playing. It couldn’t be easier. The rooms are elegantly styled, spacious, and my favorite part was stepping out through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the balcony, where you can overlook the hotel’s lush, rainforest-like interior. The comfy king-sized bed and quiet atmosphere made this first-time stay a delight. The tropical rainforest vibe made me feel as though I were in a vibrant, living ecosystem.
The room was quite large and spotlessly clean. We booked a king room, and the bed was so big it easily accommodated the three of us. It had a European flair, and the lounge chair next to the bed was wonderfully comfortable—after a long day at Hangzhou Paradise, sinking into it with legs stretched out was pure bliss.
Complimentary bottled water was provided daily, and the combined dressing and work desk was very convenient. My partner didn’t need to use the bathroom mirror to put on makeup; she could sit right there. The TV was cleverly hidden inside the cabinet, which looked elegant. The cabinet beside it actually concealed a mini-fridge. Warm lighting made the room feel cozy and welcoming. The room was quiet and the bed felt just right, so taking a family photo in this warm setting felt perfect.
My son loves watching TV. After a day out, he’d ask me to turn it on, climb onto the bed, and watch his favorite cartoons. Stepping out onto the balcony, a circular tropical rainforest garden unfolded below, lush with all kinds of greenery. My partner couldn’t resist the view, and the balcony had a swinging chair—a great spot for a selfie.
Taixiangge Restaurant: Savoring Delicious Food
On any trip, you can’t miss out on good food and beautiful scenery. Staying at the First World Hotel, we dined at the Taixiangge Restaurant on the ground floor. It was autumn, the perfect season for hairy crabs—plump, aromatic, and brimming with roe. Absolutely delicious.
The lamb chops were prepared in a unique way: fried to a crisp on the outside yet fragrant and tender inside.
The poached chicken was delicate and succulent, even better with a splash of soy sauce—lean with thin skin.
The steamed egg with clam was my baby’s favorite. He usually loves eggs, and this time he got to try a different version. Every dish was tasty, the prices were reasonable, and the value was excellent. If you’re staying at the hotel, the ground-floor restaurant is very convenient.
Our short family trip soon came to an end. Companionship is the longest and most tender confession. While my baby is still small, I want to spend as much time with him as possible, show him scenery he’s never seen, and let him try things he’s never done. When he grows up, he’ll have wonderful memories to cherish. This Hangzhou trip was filled with joy and happiness.
