Kids went wild! Meishan family trip for 3 days and 2 nights, pandas + intangible cultural heritage + delicious food all covered

Day 1: Panda Fun Day, healing all the bad moods 📍 Morning: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Dujiangyan Campus) Drive 1 hour from Meishan city center at 8 AM to avoid tour groups after 10 AM! Head straight to the "Panda Villa," my kid squatted on the viewing platform watching pandas rolling around and munching on bamboo shoots, almost drooling~ ✅ Must-try "Panda Kitchen" parent-child activity: wear gloves to knead dough and press panda-shaped steamed buns. The staff will take the buns to feed the pandas, and my kid proudly showed off the feeding video all the way! 🍱 Lunch: "Li Niangniang Farmhouse Cuisine" next to the base Ordered stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork (crispy and tender without residue) and tomato scrambled eggs (kid’s favorite), about 50 RMB per person to eat until full. The swing in the courtyard let the kid burn energy for 10 minutes. 📍 Afternoon: Return to Meishan, stroll around Dongpo Impression Water Street Arrived at Water Street at 4 PM, the bluestone road is lined with ancient-style buildings, and many girls dressed in Hanfu! Took the kid on a "Wupeng boat" (30 RMB/person, free for under 1.2m), the boat lady told a little story about Dongpo’s water management, and the kid listened very attentively. 🌙 Evening: Water Street light show + snacks At 7 PM the lights come on, the pavilions and towers glow with warm yellow light, like stepping into a costume drama! Bought "Dongpo sugar painting" (chose a little rabbit shape, kid didn’t want to eat it), and cold jelly cake (super sweet brown sugar, refreshing), sat by the river watching the performance, so cozy didn’t want to leave. Day 2: Intangible cultural heritage handcraft + mountain and water fun, cultural vibes 📍 Morning: Qingshen Bamboo Weaving Art Museum Qingshen in Meishan is the "Hometown of Chinese Bamboo Weaving," the bamboo weaving Qingming Riverside Scene in the museum is stunning! ✅ Parent-child bamboo weaving experience: chose a simple "bamboo woven small basket," the teacher taught hand-in-hand how to wrap the wire, my 6-year-old kid actually completed it independently and even engraved their name, full of achievement (experience price 88 RMB/group, including materials). 🍜 Lunch: Qingshen "Zhang’s Bamboo Village Noodle Shop" Ordered bamboo fungus chicken soup noodles (soup so fresh you lick the bowl) and brown sugar glutinous rice cake (crispy outside, sticky inside). Bought two bamboo weaving small ornaments at the noodle shop entrance for 10 RMB each as souvenirs. 📍 Afternoon: Zhongyan Temple "Parent-child creek tracing" 20 minutes drive from the bamboo weaving museum to Zhongyan Temple, 5 minutes walk from the mountain gate to the creek, water shallow to the ankle, so clear you can see little fish! Brought small fishing nets and water guns, the kid and other children chased fish, I sat on a rock by the creek soaking up the sun, the mountain breeze was super comfortable~ ⚠️ Remember to put non-slip shoes on the kid! The stones by the creek are a bit slippery, I prepared band-aids, luckily didn’t need them. Day 3: Countryside picking + lake view relaxation, easy finish 📍 Morning: Lao Wang’s Citrus Orchard (Dongpo District) Arrived at the orchard at 9 AM, it’s the honey tangerine harvest season! Oranges hang on branches like little lanterns, the kid stood on tiptoe and picked a full basket (10 RMB/jin, can pick and eat on the spot), freshly picked oranges are juicy and sweet without sourness. The orchard owner also taught the kid how to tell if an orange is ripe: "yellow and soft to the touch means sweet," the kid learned and repeated it cutely. 📍 Afternoon: Heilongtan Tourist Resort 30 minutes drive to Heilongtan, rented an electric boat (150 RMB/hour, seats 4), cruised around the small island, the lake surface glittered, and we even saw egrets flying by. After docking, fed swans with the kid (5 RMB/bag of feed), the swans chased the kid, who was both scared and laughing~ 🍰 Afternoon tea: Lakeside "Yunqi Café" Ordered tiramisu and hot milk, sat by the floor-to-ceiling window watching the lake view, the kid played with the café’s building blocks, I finally got to sneak some phone time! 🍴 Family Food Highlights and Pitfalls ✅ Must-eat 3 places 1. Meishan city center "Zhao Duck": sweet-skinned duck with crispy sweet skin, tender meat, tore into small pieces for the kid who ate two pieces in a row! 2. Dongpo District "Dongpo Pork Knuckle Rice": pork knuckle stewed until soft and falling off the bone, suck the bone marrow with a straw, kid loved it, perfect with rice. 3. Qingshen "Linjiang Eel Shreds": eel shreds cooked with flavor, added tender peas, kid ate almost half a bowl. ⚠️ Pitfall warnings • "Internet-famous fried skewers" at Water Street entrance: expensive and greasy, kid took one bite and spat it out. • "Dongpo Pancake" inside the scenic area: nice packaging but dry and hard texture, not as good as old shops in the city. 🏨 Accommodation Recommendations (Family-friendly) 1. Meishan Zhuli Courtyard Homestay • Has children’s play area (slide, reading corner), family rooms with small tents, kid went straight in to play. • Owner delivers freshly ground soy milk and buns in the morning, no need to get up early to find breakfast. 2. Heilongtan Changdao Intercontinental Hotel • Close to the resort, has indoor pool (water temperature 30°C, kid can play in water), hotel garden where you can feed pigeons. 🚗 Transportation & Luggage Tips • Transportation: Meishan city attractions are close, taxi starting fare 6 RMB; for Qingshen and Heilongtan, self-driving recommended (car rental 200 RMB/day) or take intercity bus (10 RMB/person, frequent departures). • Luggage: mosquito repellent patches (must-have for mountains and creek), spare clothes (creek tracing will get wet), snacks (to fill kid’s hunger), portable small fan (a bit hot in the afternoon). 💡 Local Insider Tips 1. Panda base may be closed Monday mornings, check opening hours before going! 2. Bamboo weaving experience needs to be booked one day in advance, weekends are busy to avoid wasted trips. 3. Citrus orchard picking season is October-November, other times you can pick strawberries or cherries (seasonal). Bringing kids to Meishan, no need to rush the itinerary, slowly enjoy pandas, do bamboo weaving, eat delicious food—this kind of family trip is truly comfortable! Next time I want to bring the kid to pick strawberries~