Tianjin Family Travel Guide
Fun for the Whole Family**
Tianjin, a northern port city that embraces diversity, boasts a rich history of international architecture and a vibrant pulse of modern technology. The Haihe River flows through the city, where the Ferris wheel and Ancient Culture Street create a charming contrast, and the aquarium and museums hold the answers to children's endless questions. As a popular choice for short trips in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, a family trip to Tianjin is both relaxing and fulfilling. This May Day holiday, we embarked on a 3-day, 2-night family trip to Tianjin with our 7-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. We've compiled this guide, covering all aspects of dining, accommodation, and entertainment, to help you enjoy a family adventure in Tianjin!
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### **1. Preparation: Travel Light, Be Prepared**
1. **Clothing and Gear**
- Spring and Autumn: Windbreaker + light sweater (strong winds along the Haihe River); Summer: sun hat + ice sleeves; Winter: thick down jacket.
- Stroller (many cobblestone streets in Wudadao and Italian Style Town, recommend a lightweight stroller).
- Portable water bottle, wet wipes (many Tianjin snacks are sold at outdoor stalls, convenient for cleaning on the go).
2. **Transportation and Tickets**
- Bind Alipay to the "Tianjin Metro" app, scan to enter and exit stations; for areas with many attractions, consider using shared bikes and walking.
- Book popular venues in advance: National Maritime Museum, Tianjin Science and Technology Museum, etc. (free venues require ticket reservations).
3. **Fun Pre-Trip Activities**
- Introduce your children to Tianjin's "humor capital" culture, watch the animated series "The Grand Canal," and spark their interest in canal history.
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### **2. Itinerary Recommendations: 3-Day, 2-Night Highlights**
**Day 1: Old City Charm - Ancient Street Treasure Hunt + Haihe Romance**
- **Morning: Ancient Culture Street**
Under the "Jinmen Guli" archway, take your children to visit the clay figurine shop "Niren Zhang" and the Yangliuqing New Year Painting shop, and try painting a mini New Year painting (CNY 30 experience). The street's roasted pear cake (rice cake + jam) and dragon mouth copper pot tea soup are must-try snacks. Our daughter holding a painted sugar figurine and licking it as she walked melted the hearts of passersby.
- **Lunch: Lao Yongsheng Baozi Shop**
Avoid the high prices of "Goubuli," locals prefer this shop. The three-flavor baozi are juicy, and watching our child carefully bite into the baozi to sip the soup was amusing. We recommend the pumpkin porridge and vegetarian mixed dish, which are light and tasty.
- **Afternoon: Italian Style Town**
Take a double-decker sightseeing bus (CNY 30/person, free for children under 1.2m) through the European-style buildings. Our son counted the horse carriage sculptures and shouted, "It's like traveling to Rome." In the evening, watch street performers at Dante Square, and our children danced to the music.
- **Night: Tianjin Eye + Haihe River Cruise**
Book the Ferris wheel 3 days in advance (CNY 70/person), and enjoy the Haihe River night view from a transparent cabin 120 meters high. We recommend the "Night View Loop" cruise (CNY 100/person), which features a crosstalk performance in the cabin. Although our children didn't understand the jokes, they were amused by the actors' exaggerated expressions.
**Day 2: Ocean Adventure - Polar Exploration + Science Enlightenment**
- **All Day: Haichang Polar Ocean Park (Binhai New Area)**
Take Metro Line 9 directly to the park, and head straight to the "Beluga Theater" (10:30 showtime). The moment the beluga kissed the glass drew cheers from the audience. The underwater tunnel felt like being in the deep sea, and our daughter screamed with excitement when a stingray glided overhead. You can have lunch at the "Whale Shark Restaurant" inside the park, where the kids' meal comes with fish-shaped rice balls.
**Tips:**
- Check the show schedule in advance, and prioritize watching the "Whale and Dolphin Alliance" (dolphin ball balancing + knight parade).
- The park is quite cold, so bring a light jacket.
- **Evening: Binhai Library**
The "Eye of Binhai" pure white book mountain is visually stunning, and the children's reading area has pop-up books and beanbag chairs. Our son was engrossed in "The Octonauts" and didn't want to leave. Note: Bags must be stored, and cameras are not allowed.
**Day 3: History and Future - Museum Time Travel + Family Cycling**
- **Morning: National Maritime Museum**
The "Maritime Palace Museum" lives up to its name. We recommend heading straight to the "Ancient Ocean" exhibition hall with your children. The 3-story-high whale skeleton fossil left our children in awe. The interactive area allows you to touch shark eggs and play a virtual fishing game, making learning fun.
- **Lunch: Fisherman's Home (Dongdi Park Branch)**
A seafood restaurant near the museum, we recommend the mackerel dumplings and shrimp gnocchi soup, which are fresh and boneless, suitable for children.
- **Afternoon: Wudadao Cycling**
Rent a family tricycle (CNY 50/hour) and ride through the rose garden of Munan Park and the red-walled corridors of Minyuan Square. Play the "Find the Little Lions" game in the garden of Prince Qing's Mansion (there are 100 stone lions with different postures on the eaves). Our children lost count halfway through but enjoyed the game.
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### **3. Food Recommendations: Snacks and Meals**
1. **Nanlou Jianbing (Longchang Road Branch)**
Freshly ground mung bean flour pancakes with double eggs and crispy crackers. Children can share half a set with hot soy milk.
2. **Jiuheju Zhajiangmian (Liwan Road Branch)**
Hand-rolled noodles with a chewy texture and savory sauce. Children can choose "small bowl vegetarian noodles" with sweet and sour gluten and cucumber strips.
3. **Nana's Restaurant (Isetan Branch)**
A popular Western restaurant with children's meals that are both visually appealing and nutritious: bear-shaped rice + vegetable salad + mini fries, perfect for parents to take photos and share on social media.
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### **4. Accommodation Recommendations: Family-Friendly and Reliable**
- **Polar Ocean Hotel**
Located across the street from Haichang Park, the rooms have penguin/polar bear themes, and you can enjoy the park's night light show by opening the curtains before bed.
- **The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin (Heping District)**
A classical European-style building with a children's play area, offering picture book borrowing and playtime services with a little butler, allowing parents to enjoy afternoon tea.
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### **5. Practical Tips: Smooth Travel**
1. **Avoiding Pitfalls**
- The "crosstalk teahouses" on Ancient Culture Street mainly target tourists, with varying quality. We recommend visiting "Mingliu Teahouse" for authentic Tianjin humor.
- Binjiangdao Pedestrian Street is crowded, so be cautious when visiting with children on weekends.
2. **Transportation Tips**
- Choose the "Dabeiyuan Wharf - Italian Style Town" short route for the Haihe River cruise (40 minutes) to avoid restless children.
- Parking is difficult in the Wudadao area, so we recommend taking Metro Line 1 to "Xiaobailou" station and walking.
3. **Hidden Gems**
- There is a family market at Minyuan Square on Sunday mornings, where you can make handmade kites.
- The Liberation Bridge near Tianjin Station Wharf opens on holidays (check the official account for specific times). The scene of the mechanical bridge slowly rising amazed our children, who exclaimed, "The iron giant is waking up!"
A family trip to Tianjin is a wonderful collision of tradition and modernity. Our son high-fived a beluga through the glass at the aquarium, our daughter chased pigeons under the crabapple trees in Wudadao, and we savored the warmth of the city in a bowl of hot Guoba Cai. This city may not have the grandeur of famous mountains and rivers, but it infuses family travel with unique joy through the gentle waves of the Haihe River, the aroma of Jianbing Guozi, and the open-mindedness of Tianjin people. On the way home, our children were already planning: "Next time, we want to go to the aircraft carrier park and drive a 'tank'!" You see, the excitement of Tianjin is never-ending...
Seeing the Haihe scenery on the Eye of Tianjin is good except for the time queue. I like the Eye of Tianjin. Next time I come to Tianjin, the Eye of Tianjin is one of the landmarks of Tianjin. It is built on the Haihe River. It is a Ferris wheel that crosses the river and bridges. The Ferris wheel takes 28 minutes to rotate for a week, which is slow and not exciting. When you reach the highest point, the surrounding scenery can see the scenery within 40 kilometers.
I heard that the night view of Tianjin Eye is very beautiful. I was fortunate to sit once today. The surrounding area is very lively and the commercial atmosphere is heavy. There are many seagulls on the Haihe River during the day, but they are not allowed to feed and can be watched. Some Ferris wheels have TVs and some do not have TVs. The one we sat on this time happened to be without TVs, but the scenery outside is beautiful, and it doesn't matter if you don't have TVs.
🎟 Tickets go to 100💰/person at night. 📍 Location is on Yongle Bridge, get off at the northwest corner of Metro Line 1 and walk for 15 minutes. There are many stalls, singing and taking pictures along the river. After watching, you can go to Dabei Temple or Ancient Culture Street. 🏔 The scenery car is quite large, can seat 8 people, air conditioning is not stuffy. When you get to the highest point, you can see the night view on both sides of the Haihe River. The lighting is very beautiful, but the panoramic view of the city is more clear during the day. Turn around for 30 minutes and take pictures for enough time. Personally feel that sitting during the day is more cost-effective, the light is good to take pictures clearly, the night view is beautiful but there are not many good scenery around, it is better to take a Ferris wheel directly on the bridge.
Five points praise, five points praise. The car is surrounded by all, not as afraid as expected, and it can be regarded as experiencing a Ferris wheel in half-surprised and half-joyed. The scenery of the city is seen from a height. Tianjin has a unique beauty.
Yes, the night view is very beautiful [price ratio] very high
Reasons to Recommend: Iconic Landmark: As one of the world's few Ferris wheels built over a bridge, it offers a unique architectural marvel.Stunning Views: Provides breathtaking panoramic views of Tianjin and the Haihe River, especially beautiful at night.Cultural Experience: A great way to appreciate the blend of modernity and history in one of China's major cities.My visit to the Eye of Tianjin was truly memorable. The views from the top were spectacular, and the ride was smooth & stunning
The whole journey is about 28 minutes, two entrances, the queue place has air conditioning, and the cable car also has air conditioning. Each car sits 7-8 individual, and you need to put it together if you don't come together. The scenery outside the window is good, it should look better in the evening.
Because the night boat is booked, the Ferris wheel is boarded at 4 pm, there are not many people, you can enter the box without queuing, the Ferris wheel is very slow, our family of three a car, no one before and after, it can be seen that only the festival has a lot of people, there will be a long queue, eight into a box situation. The weather was clear and the visibility was high. The scenery of Tianjin was unobstructed!