Hubei Travel 2021: National Day Family Trip - 7-Day Self-Drive Itinerary from Wuhan to Jingzhou to Yichang with Attraction Recommendations (Ultimate Guide)
When traveling to Hubei, Yichang, Jingzhou, and Wuhan are must-visit cities. On one hand, they offer rich attractions and pleasant scenery; on the other hand, these three cities are along the same line (G50), making it very convenient whether by self-driving or bullet train.
First, depending on whether your city is closer to Yichang or Wuhan, choose a starting point. Let's take Yichang as an example.
On September 30 or the morning of October 1, drive or take the bullet train to Yichang. It is recommended to stay at Yichang Shuiyunlan Hotel (with buffet breakfast). The hotel is right next to Wanda and the Three Gorges Tourist Center, just a three-minute walk away. In the evening, dining, shopping, and the Yangtze River night cruise are all very convenient.
Depending on your situation, you can choose a half-day or full-day tour on October 1. Driving can be tiring, so it is recommended to join a guided tour on the first day to avoid driving yourself. The hotel has travel information, or you can directly go to the Three Gorges Tourist Center for consultation and booking.
For a half-day tour, I recommend the Three Gorges Waterfall. The Three Gorges Waterfall (formerly known as Baiguoshu Waterfall) is one of China's top ten famous waterfalls. Located in the Xiaofeng Scenic Area, it covers over 6,000 acres and is famous for its natural waterfall clusters and canyon jungle scenery. The tour takes about 3 hours, and there is an electric cart at the entrance for 20 yuan per person (voluntary, self-paid). The Three Gorges Waterfall is scenic at every step, composed of dozens of natural waterfalls including Hukou Waterfall, Pearl Waterfall, and Water Kasaya Great Buddha, forming a massive waterfall cluster. Among them, the main waterfall, 102 meters high and 80 meters wide (30 meters taller than Huangguoshu Waterfall), hangs on a steep cliff, plunging straight to the valley floor, with splashing jade-like water and mist.
For a full-day tour, I recommend the Two Dams and One Gorge tour. It includes the world's largest dam - the Three Gorges Dam, the first dam on the Yangtze River - Gezhouba Dam, the cultural ancient site of Sanyou Cave, and the Xiling Gorge known as the "unique Three Gorges." There are two options: boat first then bus, or bus first then boat. I suggest boat first then bus. After all, you will be more energetic when going, and you can enjoy the scenery along the way, haha. Generally, after booking a tour in advance, you board the boat at the Three Gorges Tourist Center at 8:30 AM on the day. Along the way, you pass through the Gezhouba Ship Lock and experience the rising water lifting the boat; admire the beautiful Xiling Gorge canyon scenery; the boat stops at Sandouping Port for lunch. After lunch, take a bus to visit the Three Gorges Dam: the commanding height of the Three Gorges project - Tanziling, 185 Platform, and the Closure Memorial Park. After the tour, take the bus back to the city.
For dinner, I recommend local dining brands: Zijiren and Shuaibaren, both serving home-style dishes that suit most tastes. But since you are in Yichang, you must eat fish. I suggest going to Wanda to try "Yudouji" soybean milk fish hotpot - it's especially delicious, you can drink the soup, and the fish is very tender. Ask the boss about Yichang's specialty fish. After eating, take a five-minute walk to the riverside, stroll along the river, and enjoy the night view of Yichang's Yiling Yangtze River Bridge and Moji Mountain, which is stunningly beautiful. End the day's itinerary amidst the beautiful scenery.
Stay at Yunqi Hotel (Xiling No. 2 Road branch) (with buffet breakfast), to conveniently check out CBD Shopping Center and the popular shrimp restaurant in the evening. When leaving in the morning, pack your luggage, put it in the car or leave it at the front desk, because you will come back in the evening after the tour.
Three Gorges Tribe One-Day Tour: Also join a guided tour. Take the bus at Junyao Square in the morning to the Three Gorges Tribe Scenic Area: visit Longjin Creek - Water Tribe, Creek-side Tribe (enjoy the Tujia wedding performance, watch wild Three Gorges macaques), Huanglong Waterfall, etc.; take a boat to the cable car pier, have lunch, then go uphill to visit Stone Memorial Arch, Dengying Rock, Yaoyue Pavilion, and Bawang Palace, experiencing the folk customs of the mountain tribe. After the tour, take the bus back to the Three Gorges Tourist Center. The day's itinerary ends.
Go back to Shuiyunlan Hotel to pick up the car or luggage, then drive or take a taxi to Yunqi Hotel (Xiling No. 2 Road branch) (with buffet breakfast, taxi fare about 8 yuan). Because you got a membership card at Shuiyunlan Hotel, you can also get a discount at Yunqi Hotel. Yunqi Hotel is relatively affordable with simpler decor. After checking in, you can walk or drive to the popular shrimp restaurant - Lobster Palace. The venue is large, accommodating over 200 tables.
After eating, walk about ten minutes to CBD and Dayang Department Store. There is a snack street with various stalls. If you like something, you can bring some back as souvenirs. Recommended snacks: Yichang specialties like radish dumplings, cold rice drink, pan-fried potatoes, and top cake.
Another happy day ends.
Stay at a hotel in Changyang County town. Drive one and a half hours from the hotel to the 5A-level scenic area - Changyang Qingjiang Gallery Scenic Area. Buy tickets at the visitor center.
Qingjiang Gallery One-Day Tour: View Geheyan Dam, walk through the Tujia Wind and Rain Corridor and the Ba People Time Tunnel. Take a boat to tour the Qingjiang Gallery Scenic Area, see Qingjiang Giant Buddha in Daoying Gorge, Peacock Spreading Tail, visit Tujia Xianren Village, and board the birthplace of the Ba people - Wuluo Zhongli Mountain.
For lunch, you can have some snacks in the scenic area. After the tour, drive 30 minutes to Changyang County town to check in and eat authentic local food. If self-driving, it is recommended to stay at a hotel with a parking lot, because parking in Changyang is really difficult... The county town is small, so you can walk to the Qingjiang River to enjoy the breeze.
Find a farmhouse restaurant. Changyang's fish, potatoes, cured pork and cured pig trotters, and lazy bean curd are all good. Last time we ate at a place called Wuzhaiyiwei Farmhouse, and it tasted pretty good.
Stay at Yunqi Hotel (Jingzhou branch) (with buffet breakfast). Drive two and a half hours in the morning to Jingzhou city and check into Yunqi Hotel. I recommend the beef three-delicacy hotpot, Jingzhou beef bones, Jingzhou fish cake, and guokui (flatbread) - you must try them in Jingzhou. In the afternoon, visit Jingzhou Museum, rent a tandem bike to tour Jingzhou Ancient City and Zhang Juzheng's Former Residence. In the evening, have a good meal and sleep well to recharge for the next day's itinerary in Jingzhou.
Fangte Oriental Mythology One-Day Tour: Drive half an hour in the morning to Fangte. Buy tickets at the ticket office or book online in advance. Park opening hours: Monday to Friday 9:30-17:30, holidays 9:00-18:00. This does not include extended hours; for example, during Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, it opens until 8:30 PM, and at 8 PM you can watch fireworks. Rental of mobility scooters: very necessary, highly recommended, because Jingzhou Fangte park is quite large. A mobility scooter can make your tour faster and allow you to easily enjoy more attractions. Especially for families with children, a mobility scooter is even more needed. Another preparation: download the "Fangte Travel" app in advance. Not only can you buy tickets, but most importantly, you can check the specific status of each attraction, approximate waiting times, performance times, etc., making it easy to arrange your activities reasonably. Recommended attractions: Fly with You, Cowherd and Weaver Girl, Galaxy Crossing, Yu the Great's Flood Control, Boonie Bears Valley, Flying over Dog Bear Ridge, Nine Provinces Charm, Chu Music, Qu Yuan, Circus Carnival, Nüwa Mends the Sky, and Eternal Splendor.
Stay at Vienna Hotel opposite Fangte in the evening.
Stay at Wuhan Shuiyunlan Hotel (with buffet breakfast). In the morning, drive 3 hours to Wuchang District of Wuhan to the Yellow Crane Tower Scenic Area. There are small restaurants nearby for a simple meal. About three hours is enough to tour Yellow Crane Tower. It is located on the ridge of Snake Hill in Wuchang, a national 5A-level tourist attraction, known as "the first tower under heaven" and "a peerless scenic spot." In the afternoon, drive 20 minutes to Jianghan Road Shuiyunlan Hotel. Choose this hotel because it is good and usually hard to book; you need to reserve in advance. Also, it is near Shuijia Food Street, Jiqing Street, and Jianghan Road pedestrian street, perfect for eating snacks and shopping in the evening. Directly upload pictures:
Day 7: After several days of travel, it's time to head back home... Arriving home safely is the most important thing!
