Come to Suzhou for 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival with this travel guide!

The Mid-Autumn Festival holiday is just around the corner. Where should you go in Suzhou for the best moonlight and what autumn delicacies should you try? Here's your guide!

 

 

Night tours of classical gardens are the one thing you can't miss in Suzhou. After nightfall, lanterns light up along the garden corridors, and rockeries, pools and plantings are all steeped in moonlight. 

 

 

Recommended gardens and scenic spots for night visits include the Humble Administrator's Garden拙政园, the Master of the Nets Garden网师园, the Couple's Retreat Garden耦园, and Tiger Hill虎丘山风景名胜区.

 

 

Baodai Bridge澹台湖公园-宝带桥 has been one of Suzhou's most celebrated moon-viewing spots since ancient times. "A String of Moons on Shihu Lake" is counted among China's four great moon-viewing wonders. Whenever a full moon hangs high, Xingchun Bridge石湖-行春桥 on the northern shore of Shihu Lake offers a chance to witness this remarkable spectacle.

 

 

For a modern, urban atmosphere, head to Jinji Lake and ride the "Suzhou Eye" Ferris wheel苏州之眼摩天轮 or photograph the moonlit scene of the Ferris wheel reflected on the lake in front of the Gate of the Orient东方之门.

 

 

Once you've had your fill of moonlight, daytime Suzhou is also captivating, with a steady stream of new events.

The Osmanthus Fair opens next Wednesday, September 23, the day of the Autumn Equinox. Osmanthus-flavored treats, Suzhou-style handicrafts, and creative goods all gather in one place. Read More.

 

 

The Tiger Hill Temple Fair brings together intangible cultural heritage performances such as taige (parade floats of performances on elevated platforms) and high-pole lion dance, along with specialty markets.

 

 

For all-out fun the whole family can enjoy, Suzhou Amusement Land苏州乐园森林世界 is a great choice: Tundra Kingdom lets you experience the thrill of an ice-and-snow world; roller coasters and Fantasy Drift get the adrenaline pumping; and Candy Land, a firm favorite with kids, fills the holiday with laughter and joy.

 

 

Visiting during the holidays? Don't miss the blockbuster exhibition at the Suzhou Museum苏州博物馆. From September 15, the museum's Northern Song Dynasty masterpiece Pearl Pillar of the Buddhist Shrine is on display in its original form. The exhibition will run through October 18. Read More.

 

 

As autumn sets in, Suzhou's seasonal delicacies arrive one after another.

On September 28, Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs are officially harvested. At this time, the hairy crabs are at their peak flavor.

 

 

Cangshu mutton is richly aromatic, tender but not falling apart, savory without being greasy.

 

 

Freshly baked Suzhou-style pork mooncakes have distinct, flaky layers. When you take a bite, the juices burst forth. For many old Suzhou locals, it's an essential Mid-Autumn treat.

 

 

Gorgon fruits in sweet osmanthus soup are a treat unique to this season. When you taste glutinous gorgon fruits sprinkled with osmanthus honey, a fragrance of osmanthus lingers in your mouth.

 

 

Beyond these, classic Suzhou dishes, including stir-fried eel with sizzling oil, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, and shrimp with Biluochun tea, along with local specialties like Suzhou-style mung bean soup and Suzhou noodles, are all well worth a try.