Changzhou Travel Guide 2026 — China Dinosaur Park, Tianning Pagoda & Yan City

What's inside this guide Bucket List · Highlights · Q&A · Itineraries · Attractions · Activities · Where to Stay · Food · Getting Around · Shopping · Practical Info · Day Trips · Tips · Background · Plan Your Trip

Changzhou Bucket Listthe little things that make Changzhou unforgettable

Roar through the China Dinosaur Park

The "Eastern Jurassic" — animatronic dinosaurs, the Dinosaur Museum and the thrill rides of China's best dinosaur theme park.

Climb the Tianning Pagoda

At 153.8 m the tallest pagoda in the world — thirteen storeys of gilded halls above the temple roofs of the "First Jungle of the Southeast".

Step into the Spring-Autumn Yan City

The only city of the Spring and Autumn period preserved on its original site — moats, ramparts and the 2,500-year-old walls of the Yan state.

Sail Lake Tianmu

The lake of a hundred green islands south of the city — bamboo rafts, tea terraces and the mountain air of the Tianmu foothills.

Night-ride the Global Animation Fantasyland

The "Animation Valley" — themed rides, light parades and the cartoon world of the Wanda animation studios.

Eat the canal city's table

Changzhou's savoury take on Jiangnan food — the famous braised "big meatballs", river eel and the sweet osmanthus cakes.

Top Highlightswhat Changzhou does best

No.1
China Dinosaur ParkThe "Eastern Jurassic" — 70 lifelike dinosaurs, the Dinosaur Museum and a full theme park of rides, shows and family thrills.
No.2
Tianning Temple & PagodaThe thousand-year temple of the Chan masters, crowned by the 153.8 m Tianning Pagoda — the tallest in the world, its thirteen gilded storeys open to visitors.
No.3
Spring-Autumn Yan CityThe only city of the Spring and Autumn period still on its original site — moated walls, the yan state's legacy and the "Spring-Autumn Dream" shows.
No.4
Lake TianmuThe green-island lake of the Tianmu foothills — bamboo forests, tea terraces and the longest "one-line sky" ravine in East China.

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Changzhou

Is the Dinosaur Park worth ¥200?

For families, yes — it is China's best dinosaur theme park: the museum is genuinely world-class, and the rides and shows fill a full day. Weekday visits and online tickets ease the cost and the queues.

How many days do I need in Changzhou?

Two days cover the Dinosaur Park and the city (Tianning Pagoda, Yan City, the Animation Valley). Three days add Lake Tianmu and the old canal town of Piaocheng.

When is the best time?

April–June and September–November are mild and quiet; summer is hot and the water rides pack the park; golden weeks need advance tickets.

How do I reach Changzhou?

Changzhou North is on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed line — 30 min from Nanjing, 1 h from Shanghai, 4.5 h from Beijing. Changzhou Benniu Airport serves domestic routes.

Where should I stay?

The Dinosaur Park district suits families (the Dinosaur Theme Hotel is a favourite); the old city around the Tianning Temple suits sightseers; Tianmu Lake has resort hotels for lake days.

What should I eat?

Changzhou's savoury "big meatball" stew, braised river eel, "Yanling" duck and the osmanthus cakes of the old town — plus the family favourites around the park.

Sample Itinerariesdinosaurs, pagodas and the lake

Changzhou Family 2-Day Tour

The Dinosaur Park and the Animation Valley for the kids, the Tianning Pagoda and Yan City for everyone. View the plan →

Day 1

China Dinosaur Park – Dinosaur Museum – evening parade

Day 2

Tianning Temple & Pagoda – Spring-Autumn Yan City

Changzhou & Lake Tianmu 3-Day Tour

Two days of park and city, then a full day of bamboo and islands on Lake Tianmu. View the plan →

Day 1

China Dinosaur Park

Day 2

Tianning Pagoda – Yan City – Animation Valley night

Day 3

Lake Tianmu – bamboo forest – tea terraces

All plans are bookable end-to-end by our team — see the full day-by-day Changzhou itineraries hub, or the day-trip pages for single-day options.

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

China Dinosaur Park (Zhonghua Konglong Yuan)

The "Eastern Jurassic" — 70 lifelike dinosaurs, the four-storey Dinosaur Museum, a Jurassic rainforest and the thrill rides of the park's four themed zones. China's best dinosaur destination for families.

RMB 200 adult / ¥100 child · 09:00–17:00 (weekdays) · 09:00–21:00 (peak) · Theme park · 1 day · 1 day

View details →

Tianning Temple & Pagoda

The thousand-year "First Jungle of the Southeast" — Chan masters' halls, the gold Buddha and the 153.8 m Tianning Pagoda, the tallest in the world, its thirteen gilded storeys open for the climb and the views.

Temple ¥20 · tower ¥60 · 08:00–17:00 · Temple & pagoda · 2 h · 2 h

View details →

Spring-Autumn Yan City

The only Spring-and-Autumn-period city on its original site — moats, earthen ramparts and the 2,500-year-old walls of the Yan state, with the "Spring-Autumn Dream" song-and-dance epic by night.

Park ¥20 · Dream show ¥160 · 08:30–17:00 (park) · evening show seasonal · Historic park · 3 h · 3 h

View details →

Global Animation Fantasyland (Xi Xigu)

The "Animation Valley" of the Wanda studios — cartoon worlds, family rides and the night light parades, a short ride from the Dinosaur Park.

RMB 180 · 09:00–17:00 · Theme park · 4 h · 4 h

View details →

Lake Tianmu & the bamboo forest

The green-island lake of the Tianmu foothills — a day of rafts, tea terraces and the "One-Line Sky" ravine; the resort zone south of the city is the classic family escape.

Lake ¥90 · zones vary · 08:00–17:00 · Lake & forest · 1 day · 1 day

View details →

More in the region on the Jiangsu attractions page.

Activities & Festivalsrides, parades and lake mornings

Dinosaur Museum & fossil hall

Inside the park — a world-class collection of skeletons, from the giant sauropods to the feathered dinosaurs of the Chinese beds.

Night parade & shows

Peak-season evenings bring the dinosaur light parade and the lake shows — check the park schedule for the day you visit.

"Spring-Autumn Dream" epic

The Yan City's night performance — a grand song-and-dance retelling of the Spring and Autumn period on the ancient ramparts.

Lake Tianmu raft & tea day

Bamboo rafts across the islands, a walk through the tea terraces and the ravine's "one-line sky" — the classic lake morning.

Where to Staypark district, old city and the lake

Every hotel below is bookable by our team; browse the full Jiangsu hotels directory.

Dinosaur Park district

The Dinosaur Theme Hotel and the family hotels of the park zone — the convenient base for the park and the Animation Valley, from about ¥400.

Book: Jiangsu hotels · or email [email protected]

Tianning Temple old city

Hotels within walking distance of the temple and the Yan City — central for sightseeing, from about ¥300.

Book: Jiangsu hotels · or email [email protected]

Lake Tianmu resorts

Lakeside resort hotels and villas for the lake days — pools, tea terraces and mountain air, from about ¥500.

Book: Jiangsu hotels · or email [email protected]

Railway-area chain hotels

Convenient mid-range options near Changzhou North station for high-speed travellers, from about ¥250.

Book: Jiangsu hotels · or email [email protected]

Food & Restaurantssavoury Jiangnan with a local twist

Big meatball stew (Da Roudun)

Changzhou's famous savoury meatball — a fist-sized pork ball braised in dark soy, the city's most-loved dish.

Braised river eel

The canal city's eel — braised glossy and sweet, served in the old restaurants of the temple quarter.

Yanling duck

The slow-braised duck of the lake district — tender, dark and fragrant, a local banquet staple.

Osmanthus cakes

The sweet cakes of the old town, steamed with osmanthus flowers in autumn — the classic Changzhou gift.

Dinosaur-park family food

The park's food courts cover everything from noodles to burgers — easy refuelling between rides.

Shopping & Souvenirsclay figurines, tea and the old-town sweets

Changzhou clay figurines

The painted clay dolls of the "Dragon City" — lucky figures and opera characters from the craft shops of the old town.

Tianmu Lake tea

The green teas of the Tianmu foothills — fresh leaves from the terraces around the lake.

Osmanthus cakes & sweets

Boxes of the town's flower-scented pastries from the old bakeries of the temple quarter.

Dinosaur souvenirs

The park's fossil kits, dinosaur toys and model collections — the inevitable family haul.

Full local-product guides live on the Jiangsu specialties page.

Getting There & Aroundhigh-speed rail, airport and the lake road

Changzhou North is on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed line — 30 min from Nanjing, 1 h from Shanghai, 4.5 h from Beijing.

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Changzhou Benniu Airport (about 20 km) serves domestic routes; Nanjing Lukou and Shanghai Hongqiao are the main international gateways.

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Long-distance coaches link Changzhou with the Jiangsu cities and Shanghai; the main coach station adjoins Changzhou railway station.

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By metro

Changzhou Metro Line 1 crosses the city from the railway stations to the old town; the park district is served by buses and taxis.

By taxi

Taxis start at ¥9; the Dinosaur Park is about ¥25 from the centre, Lake Tianmu about ¥100–120.

By car

The G2 and G42 reach the city exits; the park has large pay lots (¥20), and Lake Tianmu's resorts are signposted from the south ring road.

Day Trips From Changzhouacross Jiangsu from the canal city

Zhenjiang Three Mountains (1 day)

Jinshan, Jiaoshan and the Xijin Ferry — 30 minutes by train to the river city.

Yangzhou Gardens (1 day)

Slender West Lake and the Five-Pavilion Bridge — about 40 minutes by high-speed rail.

Wuxi Lingshan Buddha (1 day)

The 88 m Grand Buddha and the Brahma Palace — an hour from Changzhou.

Nanjing One Day (1 day)

The ancient capital's mausoleums, wall and Qinhuai nights — about 1 h 20 by rail.

Travel Tipsthings to remember

1 · Book the park online

The Dinosaur Park sells out on weekends and golden weeks — online tickets and early arrival (09:00) beat the queues.

2 · Tower tickets add up

Tianning Temple is ¥20 plus ¥60 for the pagoda climb — worth it for the views, but budget for both.

3 · Weekdays beat weekends

The park, the Animation Valley and the lake are all far quieter midweek; hotel prices drop too.

4 · Family passes save

Families should check the park's family tickets and the combined Animation Valley offers before buying single rides.

5 · Lake day = early start

For Lake Tianmu, take the first raft and the tea-terrace walk before noon — afternoons are for the ravine and the return.

Background & Historyfrom canal city to "Eastern Jurassic"

Geography & climate

Changzhou sits on the Grand Canal between Nanjing and Wuxi, with the Tianmu foothills rising to the south. Subtropical, with long summers; the best months are April–June and September–November.

History & culture

A canal port for over two thousand years, Changzhou produced the "Changzhou School" of scholarship and painting. Its modern reinvention as the dinosaur-and-animation capital began in 2000 with the China Dinosaur Park.

The Spring-Autumn Yan City

The ramparts at Yancheng preserve the only city of the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) on its original site — the moated walls of the Yan state, older than any surviving city wall in China.

Plan Your Changzhou Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place

Everything on ToursChinaTravel is bookable through our team by email or WhatsApp. Here's where each part of your Changzhou trip lives on the site.

Changzhou Travel Guide — the City of Dinosaurs and Ancient Canals

Changzhou Bucket Listthe little things that make Changzhou unforgettable

Roar through the China Dinosaur Park

Climb the Tianning Pagoda

Step into the Spring-Autumn Yan City

Sail Lake Tianmu

Night-ride the Global Animation Fantasyland

Eat the canal city's table

Top Highlightswhat Changzhou does best

China Dinosaur Park

Tianning Temple & Pagoda

Spring-Autumn Yan City

Lake Tianmu

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Changzhou

Is the Dinosaur Park worth ¥200?

How many days do I need in Changzhou?

When is the best time?

How do I reach Changzhou?

Where should I stay?

What should I eat?

Sample Itinerariesdinosaurs, pagodas and the lake

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Activities & Festivalsrides, parades and lake mornings

Dinosaur Museum & fossil hall

Night parade & shows

"Spring-Autumn Dream" epic

Lake Tianmu raft & tea day

Where to Staypark district, old city and the lake

Dinosaur Park district

Tianning Temple old city

Lake Tianmu resorts

Railway-area chain hotels

Food & Restaurantssavoury Jiangnan with a local twist

Big meatball stew (Da Roudun)

Braised river eel

Yanling duck

Osmanthus cakes

Dinosaur-park family food

Shopping & Souvenirsclay figurines, tea and the old-town sweets

Changzhou clay figurines

Tianmu Lake tea

Osmanthus cakes & sweets

Dinosaur souvenirs

Getting There & Aroundhigh-speed rail, airport and the lake road

Changzhou North is on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed line — 30 min from Nanjing, 1 h from Shanghai, 4.5 h from Beijing.

Changzhou Benniu Airport (about 20 km) serves domestic routes; Nanjing Lukou and Shanghai Hongqiao are the main international gateways.

Long-distance coaches link Changzhou with the Jiangsu cities and Shanghai; the main coach station adjoins Changzhou railway station.

By metro

By taxi

By car

Day Trips From Changzhouacross Jiangsu from the canal city

Travel Tipsthings to remember

1 · Book the park online

2 · Tower tickets add up

3 · Weekdays beat weekends

4 · Family passes save

5 · Lake day = early start

Background & Historyfrom canal city to "Eastern Jurassic"

Geography & climate

History & culture

The Spring-Autumn Yan City

Plan Your Changzhou Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place