Planning a trip to Chengdu to see the pandas but have NO idea what else to do with your time there?

Most travel guides will have you running from one temple to the next, ticking off all the historical sites and attractions that Chengdu is known for.

But here’s the thing: Chengdu is a modern city with way more to offer than just temples and ancient streets. Sure, you can step back in time at places like Jinli Street and Kuanzhai Alley, but there’s also a whole other side to the city that’s all about trendy neighborhoods, buzzing cultural scenes, and incredible food.

From the artsy vibe of Eastern Suburb Memory to day trips that’ll take you into the mountains, a trip to Chengdu can take on many shapes.

And if you’re into spicy food, prepare to be rolling in opportunities to eat—Sichuan peppercorns will definitely give your taste buds a run for their money!

Honestly, I’m not sure why Chengdu isn’t talked about more. It’s such an awesome city, and it’s way more than just pandas and temples.

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15 Fun Things To Do In Chengdu, China

1. Kuanzhai Alley

Kuanzhai Alley, or “Wide and Narrow Alley” in English, is one of Chengdu’s most famous historical blocks. It’s a great place to stroll, admire architecture of the olden days, try some local food, shop for souvenirs, and get a taste of local culture.

The Kuanzhai Alley you see today is a reconstruction of old Chengdu from around 100 years ago and is one of the city’s three remaining historical districts, along with Daci Monastery and Wenshu Monastery.

While it’s been revamped for tourists, it still feels like a stroll back in time.

The area is divided into Wide Alley, with the most intact Qing Dynasty buildings; Narrow Alley, which mixes late Qing, early Republic-era, and even early Western-style architecture; and Well Alley, where you’ll find snacks, folk crafts, and street performances.

When we visited, we wandered through the alleys and saw everything from teahouses to dessert shops to boutique shops selling embroidery and bamboo crafts, plus some more modern establishments (like POPMART and Starbucks).

We found Kuanzhai Alley to be super fun to stroll around because of how beautiful all the buildings were. The content of the shops were all different too — some of them focused on traditional crafts, others were artsy, some were cafes, others were hotpot restaurants.

I’d give yourself 3-4 hours to explore, watch a face-changing show, and eat in this area. The shops usually close around 10 pm.

2. Catch a Sichuan opera show

Sichuan opera shows have got one super special facet to them: face-changing!

Face-changing, or bianlian in Mandarin, is a special part of traditional Sichuan opera where actors magically switch masks in the blink of an eye to show different characters.

This art used to be a closely guarded family secret, but now you can catch these performances all over. In Chengdu, face-changing shows happen daily at traditional teahouses and opera theaters–and Kuanzhai Alley is the place to witness a face-changing show for yourself.

While the Shufeng Yayun Sichuan Opera House is the most recommended venue, there are actually plenty of other establishments in Kuanzhai Alley that put on these shows.

We ended up stumbling into a random opera house where the show had just started — thank gosh my parents can speak Mandarin fluently, not sure how we would have pulled this off otherwise!

Our admission came with a table for us to sit at (no tea or any other extras included, though tea and snacks were available at an extra fee).

The shows typically combine a few acts of traditional opera, comedy skits (which you probably won’t fully get unless you speak Chinese), and the highlight: face-changing.

The face-changing scenes were way more fun than I expected! With a quick flick of their heads or a dramatic wave of their sleeves, the performers’ masks change in the blink of an eye!

At some point, they even went into the audience and did their face-changing tricks with some audience participation. The masks have super bright colors and expressive patterns, so it was nice to see them closer up.

3. Dress up in opera costume

For people who love dressing up, Chengdu offers many opportunities to dawn on costumes and feel like part of the environment you’re in.

And no, it’s not cultural appropriation — Chinese people themselves love dressing up for social media and actually welcome foreigners to do the same.

Many of the opera houses at Kuanzhai Alley offer the chance to dress up in traditional opera fashion! You can dress up in stage costume (intricate headpieces and all) and let a professional put theater makeup on your face too. You’ll look just like one of the actors in the show.

Other opportunities to dress up in dramatic period costumes can be found at Jinli Street and at the Shuyanfu Dinner Show.

4. New Century Global Center

Normally I wouldn’t add malls to these kinds of lists, but the New Century Global Center is special. It’s the largest building in the world by floor area.

This place is so big that it’s practically its own city. You can eat, sleep, play, and live out your whole life entirely inside without ever leaving. Really!

Inside, you’ll find a water park, a hotel, an ice rink, a movie theater, bowling alleys, arcades, karaoke rooms, shops, restaurants, food courts, and more. We didn’t necessarily go there to get any specific shopping done–we just wanted to walk through it for ourselves.

We visited on a Monday night and it was surprisingly quiet there, which was a refreshing change from the crowds we faced nearly everywhere when we were in Xi’an and Shenzhen.

After visiting for ourselves, we’d say it’s got our stamp of approval.

5. Jinli Pedestrian Street

Jinli Street is another one of Chengdu’s blast-from-the-past areas that’ll make you feel like you’ve been transported back in time. It’s an especially pretty spot to visit at night!

Known as the “First Street of the Shu Kingdom,” this 350-meter-long lane is steeped in history dating back to the Qin Dynasty (221 BC) and was once a hub for ornate cloth trading.

It’s often compared to Kuanzhai Alley, but Jinli is more focused on traditional performances and folk arts.

Walking along the main pedestrian area, you’ll see rows of tea houses, souvenir shops, and food stalls, all designed in the classic Qing Dynasty architectural style. The many glowing red lanterns will be hard not to swoon over.

No matter the day of the week, the streets are buzzing with activity—store owners beckoning you to try their snacks, folk artisans crafting paper-cut art, creating lifelike clay figurines, and maybe even performing shadow puppetry.

You’ll probably even spot people enjoying an ear-cleaning session, a unique Sichuan tradition. Try it for yourself if you came with dirty ears!

If hunger strikes, you’ll find local snacks like sticky rice balls, sesame desserts, dumplings, sweet dried persimmons, or the famed San Da Pao (a treat of mochi-like sticky rice, brown sugar, sesame, and beans).

During our own stroll, we got a San Da Pao to share (the old man pounding mochi outside was invitation enough) and bought a bunch of peanut candy and beef jerky to enjoy later.

All in all, Jinli Street is a great place to walk off dinner, soak in Chengdu’s old-world charm, and maybe even pick up a trinket or two!

👉 Pro Tip: Don’t arrive at Jinli Street too late because the businesses start to pack up for the night around 9:45 to 10 pm.

6. Eastern Suburb Memory

Eastern Suburb Memory (东郊记忆 / Dongjiao Memory) is one of the coolest areas in Chengdu. In my opinion, it’s a must-visit, especially if you’re into places that blend the old with the modern and trendy.

This industrial area, once home to the Hongguang Valve Factory of the 1950s, has been transformed into a hub of creativity and innovation. Yep, it’s one of those artsy industrial areas.

You’ll see the towering industrial chimneys, old pipelines, and steam locomotives of the old factory days alongside all kinds of hip and trendy establishments.

Today though, it’s buzzing with activity. Music festivals, digital art museums, trendy shops, colorful graffiti, restaurants, dessert shops, and cool photo ops complement the industrial skeleton of the past.

The whole area is cool, young, and super energetic—everything I love about a walkable neighborhood!

I really enjoyed walking through the stationery shops and panda-themed gift shops, as well as checking out all the different restaurants here (we came across a camping-themed hotpot restaurant, how fun)!

We bought a couple of unique items to bring home as souvenirs at Melooo and ended up buying a couple of pastries/buns at Shan Bakery. I highly recommend this bakery; since it’s a more ‘upscale’ type of place, the breads are slightly pricier but they were delicious nonetheless!

If you’re into art, music, or fashion, you’re gonna like this area a lot.

7. Dine as the royals do at Shuyanfu

Chengdu people really know how to have fun because Shuyanfu was one of the most enjoyable things I did in Chengdu!

To quickly sum it up before I dive into all the goodness, Shuyanfu is a dinner-and-a-show experience that combines an 8-course Chinese royal banquet with a Han Dynasty-inspired show.

You’ll be seated in a grand hall with seats surrounding the stage on all sides, where performers take the stage on a three-story setup. Every act—from elegant dances to dramatic scenes—tells a story of ancient Sichuan culture. As with most Mainland China shows, expect LOTS of great costuming.

Even as someone who barely understands Mandarin, it was still fun to watch! There’s enough dancing, acting, and lip-syncing to still enjoy the show despite not understanding the language.

After each performance, your private server (also in costume!) delivers the next dish.

By the end of the 1.5-hour experience, you’ll have sampled more than 8 courses, which doesn’t even include the appetizers and desserts that sit prettily at your table from the start.

My favorite part? Feeling like absolute royalty as the servers brought us dish after dish with the best service, all while the actors enchanted us with their artistry.

You can book advance tickets on Trip.com here. Book early because it’s a full house at almost every show!

8. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Let’s be real: the pandas are why you came to Chengdu, right? Just 10 km (6 miles) from downtown, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is Chengdu’s hottest attraction.

This lush sanctuary was designed to mimic the natural habitat of giant pandas, giving them the best environment to thrive. Home to over 100 pandas, including playful panda cubs and the TikTok-famous duo Hehua and her sister, it’s the ultimate spot to see China’s national treasures up close.

The highlight for us was the baby panda area, where the little ones crawl, tumble around, or nap in the cutest positions imaginable. They don’t have to do anything; you don’t even need to see their faces — their mini size is cute enough to make you cry!

Aside from the adorable little cubs, there’s also Hehua (or Huahua), the Tiktok sensation. Famous for her silly personality, raindrop-shaped eyes, and stubby body shape, the lines to see her and her twin sister are some of the longest in the park.

Don’t skip the chance to see red pandas while you’re here—these raccoon-like creatures deserve some love too. Plus, the viewing areas are much less crowded.

You can buy your timed tickets in advance on Trip.com (this is where we bought our tickets too). We recommend getting tickets for the morning visit.

👉 Pro Tip: Get there early! Pandas are most active in the morning, and this is your best chance to see them eating or playing instead of snoozing. When we got there (around 9:30 am) some were still eating, but a lot of them were getting ready to nap, so we ended up seeing a lot of sleeping pandas and panda butts.

9. Sanxingdui Museum

The Sanxingdui Museum is an attraction typically paired with a visit to the panda research base, despite them being over an hour away from each other.

This museum showcases artifacts from the ancient Shu civilization, dating back an incredible 4,000 years. The Sanxingdui site was first discovered in 1929, and its most famous cultural relics were all excavated in 1986.

I personally like to call this attraction the “alien museum” because of all the mystery and allure that surrounds this discovery.

Unlike anything else in Chinese archaeology, the relics here have a style all their own—think oversized masks with bulging eyes, mysterious bronze trees, and figures that look like they belong in an alien sci-fi movie.

When the site was first discovered, the relics were so unusual that people speculated that they belonged to a race of aliens (this has since been refuted by experts).

While the objects themselves are super interesting to look at on your own, I’d recommend opting for an actual tour guide.

Skip the lackluster audioguide (trust me, the audioguide was so freakin’ boring and hard to follow with hardly any storytelling whatsoever — we thought it was a total waste of money). Spring for a live tour guide instead.

They’ll provide the context and cohesive storytelling that makes these ancient artifacts come alive. Tour guides are available onsite in the same area where you rent audioguides.

Again, you can purchase your tickets on Trip.com ahead of time.

(As with most advance ticket purchases, buying tickets on the official site is too much of a hassle without a Mainland China phone number. We tried and failed, and ended up buying on Trip.com.)

10. Try Sichuan hotpot

Chengdu food is known for its incredible level of spiciness. You have not had spicy food unless you’ve eaten Sichuan cuisine.

As such, Sichuan hotpot is the fiery cousin of regular hotpot and shabu-shabu, and it’s all about the spicy, numbing experience. The star is the mala soup base, a combination of Sichuan peppercorns (hello, tingly numbness) and chili oil (pure heat).

This broth is bold, unapologetically spicy, and leaves your tongue tingling in the best way… if you can handle it. Alongside the spicy pot, there’s usually a milder or herbal option for those who need a break from the heat.

So, what goes in the pot? Everything from thinly sliced meats, shrimp balls, and tofu to local favorites like duck blood and pig brain (for the adventurous). Veggie options include lotus root, potato slices, and leafy greens.

For dipping, there’s a sesame-based sauce, usually mixed with garlic, cilantro, and a splash of oil to cool things down. Oftentimes, the soup base is so flavorful already that you won’t even need the sauce.

Hotpot restaurants are everywhere in Chengdu. Look for the words “火锅” on signs—that’s your hotpot beacon. Seriously, you can’t walk 50 steps without stumbling across another spot.

👉 Pro Tip: Can’t handle the spice of Sichuan hotpot? The soup pots usually have a divider: one for the Sichuan spicy soup and another soup base of your choice. The tomato-based soups or herbal-based one are typically the safe choice for non-spicy folks.

11. Wenshufang (and Wenshu Monastery)

While temples are not usually the most fun, I’ve made an exception for Wenshu Monastery, aka Chengdu’s largest and best-preserved Buddhist temple.

Wenshufang–the streets surrounding Wenshu Monastery–ended up being one of our favorite pedestrian areas in Chengdu. We’d return to the area just to enjoy the beautiful Chinese architecture, local shops, and tree-lined streets!

Going back to Wenshu Monastery for a second: this active monastery is massive.

The monastery grounds have a lot of areas to explore, so not only are you getting to experience local culture, but you’ll also be experiencing beautiful architecture, cultural relics, landscaped gardens, pretty red walls, and some peace and quiet.

Check out all the different buildings and courtyards on the property, including the backyard garden. During our visit in late November, there were golden ginkgo leaves carpeting the ground—a quiet, almost magical escape from the rest of the city.

The exit gate leads you to a picturesque pedestrian area called Wenshufang, lined with pop-up vendors, local restaurants, and a lot of cute shops.

Unlike many other temples, Wenshu feels refreshingly untouristy. The stores there mostly sell handcrafted goods, not mass-produced panda souvenirs (as you’ll find in other parts of Chengdu).

With free entry and plenty of little pathways and courtyards to wander, Wenshu Monastery is worth checking out if you’re in the area.

12a. Have tea at People’s Park

People’s Park is a whole half-day experience if you allow it to be. This is the place to go to experience the everyday life in Chengdu like the locals do.

Start by grabbing a table at one of the park’s many teahouses and sip tea alongside seniors chatting, playing cards, or just enjoying the late-morning atmosphere. You might even be people-watching them people-watching YOU!

You can order tea from the staff; they’re constantly walking around with menus. We ordered one cup of tea per person (the one pictured here is a chrysanthemum flower tea).

My cousin really wanted to go for the snack platter set menu, but since we had pastries from Gong Ting Gao Dian (a famous local bakery with over a century of history), my parents vetoed his suggestion.

In case you’re interested, the tea set with snacks comes with tea, tangerines, sweet potatoes, corn, nuts, and a couple of sweet treats to enjoy with your tea too. It was so cute to see so many of these sets throughout the courtyard!

While we did not opt for the tea set, we did opt for the sifu tea master. The tea master basically walks around and does all kinds of crazy moves with a long-spouted teapot.

If you opt for this experience, they will come by and fill your tea (in kungfu-like fashion) a total of 3 times.

12b. Take a loop through People’s Park

After enjoying some tea and snacks, take a loop around the rest of the park.

Don’t skip this one! The park is buzzing, and I mean BUZZING, with elderly activity: expect to see groups of people dancing, singing, or doing choreographed arm exercises to pop music!

My mom, like the Zumba enthusiast she is, couldn’t resist joining an exercise dance group for a quick five minutes of fun—she looked like she’d stay all day if we let her.

Honestly, we spent so much more time at People’s Park than we expected — there was just so much to see. We explored the bonsai garden, then the chrysanthemum garden, and then wandered over to the matchmaking corner, where parents post profiles of their children in hopes of finding a match.

If you like experiencing local life more than ticking items off your travel itinerary, this is the place to do it.

13. IFS Mall + Chunxi Road

Chunxi Road is the heart of Chengdu’s main shopping scene and a must-visit spot if you want to experience the modern city side of Chengdu. It’s most famous for the panda sculpture atop the IFS Mall!

IFS (Chengdu International Finance Square) is home to around 300 luxury, jewelry, and fashion labels, so it’s a good place to pop in if shopping is your mission.

The surrounding streets are lined with snack stalls, local shops, restaurants, and other larger malls. Keep an eye out for the “I <3 Chengdu” sign and photographers offering their services if you want a more professional-looking photo.

14. Take a day trip to Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha is an incredible sight—a 233-foot tall statue carved directly into a cliffside overlooking the meeting point of three rivers. Built over 1,300 years ago, it’s the largest stone Buddha in the world and one of the great wonders of China.

A typical day trip involves a drive from Chengdu (about 2 hours each way), a leisurely boat ride to view the Buddha from the river, and a hike around the site to see it from different angles, including the intricate details of its massive feet and peaceful face.

Getting around in China, especially outside major cities, can be kind of difficult due to the language barrier and limited English signage. Honestly, it’s much easier (and less stressful) to book a guided tour.

They’ll handle transport, tickets, and give you context about the Buddha’s history, so you can focus on enjoying the experience rather than struggling your way through the day.

While day trip tours are available on Western-based sites like Viator, we’ve found guided tours to be much cheaper on Trip.com.

15. Huanglong Scenic Area

For outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, Huanglong Scenic Area is like stepping into a fairytale.

This natural wonder is nearly 6 hours from Chengdu by car, but still within the Sichuan Province. It’s most famous for its travertine terraces and vividly colored pools, which cascade through the mountains like a giant dragon’s shimmering scales (hence the name of the area, Huanglong).

The area is also home to lush forests, snow-capped peaks, and wildlife, including the elusive giant panda in its natural habitat.

Huanglong isn’t the only gem in the region—the Songpan area also boasts other must-visit spots like Jiuzhaigou National Park, known for its towering waterfalls and colorful alpine lakes. Together, these sites showcase some of China’s most pristine natural landscapes.

That said, getting to Huanglong and its neighboring attractions can be challenging due to long travel times, limited transportation options, and the language barrier in rural areas.

A guided multi-day tour from Chengdu is the easiest way to explore this region. These tours typically bundle Huanglong, Jiuzhaigou, and surrounding mountain villages into one well-organized trip, ensuring you don’t miss a thing while taking the stress out of logistics.

Again, I’m a pretty seasoned traveler who loves the money-saving aspect of DIY trips, and I know some Mandarin, but I wouldn’t dare try and plan my own version of this side trip. Traveling through China is a beast in itself. Even I’d opt for a guided tour!

If you’re in the early stages of planning your China trip, this area is a strong contender for an unforgettable detour into nature.

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Practical Tips For Chengdu, China

Here’s a quick overview of Chengdu + some tips to help you get familiar with the city:

• City Layout: Chengdu is structured around a series of “rings” (like concentric circles), with the city center at Tianfu Square. The First Ring Road surrounds the immediate downtown area, while the Second, Third, and Fourth Ring Roads encircle progressively larger parts of the city. Most attractions are within the Second or Third Ring Roads.
• Travel Times: Driving from one end of the city to the other (Fourth Ring Road area) can take about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on traffic. The city is pretty dang large!
• Walkability: Chengdu’s central areas, like Chunxi Road or Kuanzhai Alley, are walkable and well-connected by metro. But many of the city’s big attractions (like the Panda Base and Sanxingdui Museum) are further out, so there are times when you’ll need to rely on taxis, rideshare, or shuttle buses.
• Where to Stay: The area around Chunxi Road or Tianfu Square is the most convenient for public transportation (metro lines converge here). This is the heart of the city, with easy access to restaurants, shopping, and sights.
• Getting Around: While Chengdu’s metro system is clean and efficient, we didn’t take the metro at all during our trip. Didi (China’s Uber) is super cheap and much more convenient, especially if you’re traveling with older parents and children or carrying lots of luggage. For short trips, expect to pay around 15–20 RMB (under $3 USD).
• For Restaurants: Download Dazhong Dianping, aka the Yelp of China. Get the app so you can read reviews for establishments, see star ratings and pictures, and get the addresses of the places I recommend in this guide.
• How To Book Advance Tickets: For Chengdu, I used Trip.com to book all of our attraction tickets. We also booked all of our train tickets + some hotels through this site. Trip.com is also a really good place to read user reviews before committing to any paid attraction.
• Get familiarized with how China works in general before diving into this travel guide. Here are 30 essential things to know about China before your trip.

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Planning Your Trip To Chengdu?

Here are some of our other China travel guides to help you plan an incredible trip:

Chengdu

• 3 Days In Chengdu, China: Pandas, Ancient Streets, and Royal Banquets
• How To Spend 4 Epic Days In Chengdu, China
• Shuyanfu Dinner Show: A Must-Do In Chengdu, China

China In General

• Preparing For China: 30 Essential Things To Know Before Your Trip
• 7 Must-Have Apps To Help You Survive In China (+ What eSIM To Get)

Other Destinations In China

• Xi’an
• Chongqing
• Shenzhen
• Hong Kong

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