Stand on Nanning Street on a summer evening and the whole city seems to be outdoors: skewers turning over coals, the smell of grilled seafood drifting down the road, and crowds moving slowly past stalls that will reappear as a morning market once the weather turns cold. That street is as good a place as any to start understanding Jinzhou.
The city suits travellers who are working their way through Liaoning and want a stop that mixes Liao-dynasty architecture, Civil War history and a coastline on Liaodong Bay without the crowds of the bigger coastal cities. It also rewards anyone willing to take a short bus ride out to Yi County for the fossil sites and temples.
Getting around is mostly on foot or by bicycle, with taxis and an extensive bus network filling the gaps.
1. Liaoshen Campaign Memorial
This large museum in Linghe District is dedicated to the Liaoshen Campaign, the first of three major offensive operations launched by the People's Liberation Army against Kuomintang positions during the late stage of the Chinese Civil War. It holds over 16,000 pieces of equipment used during the campaign, including rifles, machine guns, mortars, cannons and tanks, along with thousands of pictures and documents.
The best-known exhibit is the Panoramic Picture Hall, which reproduces the complete Battle of Jinzhou on a rotating circular screen. Admission is free, and the museum is served by bus nos. 10, 111, 202, 207, 211, 214, 222, 224 and the inner circle bus.
2. Guta Park
Guta Park sits at the heart of Jinzhou and contains the Guangji Pagoda, a 72-metre-tall Liao-style tower with thirteen levels in an octagonal shape. A quiet temple beneath it completes the setting, and locals gather here for early morning rituals, exercise and other activities.
There is no fee for admission to the temple grounds, so it is an easy stop to fold into a morning. Come early if you want to watch the park at its liveliest.
3. Bijia Mountain
Bijia Mountain is an island in the Bohai Sea south of Jinzhou and the site of a Chinese Buddhist temple. For most of the day it can only be reached by boat, but when the tide wanes a natural causeway connects the island to the mainland, allowing people to walk across on foot. Local people call this Tian Qiao, or Sky Bridge.
On top of the mountain stands a tall stone pavilion that resembles a gigantic pen resting on a pen holder, which is where the name "Pen Holder Mountain" comes from. With its distinctive shape and rich vegetation, it is a good spot for mountaineering, photography and simply taking your time.
4. Fengguo Temple
Fengguo Temple is a Buddhist temple dating from the Liao Dynasty, and its main hall is one of the oldest and best-preserved ancient wooden structures in China. It is in Yi County, reached by bus from Jinzhou Bus Station followed by a walk or a taxi; the temple is just 1 km north of the Yi County Bus Station.
Opening hours are shorter from November to March than from April to October, and no tickets are sold in the last 30 minutes. Pair it with the county's fossil museums, which are on the same bus route out of the city.
5. Sino-German Paleontological Museum
Established in 2008 by a German fossil collector in collaboration with the government of Yi County, this museum stands at the site where the dinosaur species bolong yixianensis was first discovered. A large fossil of bolong yixianensis is on display alongside other fossils found in the area, and outside there is an excavation site and a petrified forest.
To get there, take a bus to Yi County from Jinzhou Bus Station and then a taxi; the museum is on the G305 Highway, about 16 km west of the Yi County Bus Station. It closes every Monday and during Chinese New Year, and no entry is allowed in the last 30 minutes.
6. Yizhou Fossil Museum
This was the first paleontological museum established in Liaoning Province following the discovery of fossils in the region in the 1990s, and it is now an official branch of the Geological Museum of China. Its collection runs to about 10,000 fossils, including around 200 considered to be of high value and importance.
It is the easiest of the Yi County sights to reach: take a bus from Jinzhou Bus Station and walk, as the museum is only 150 metres from the Yi County Bus Station. No tickets are issued after 15:30, so plan your arrival accordingly.
7. Yiwulü Mountain
Yiwulü Mountain lies in the west of Beizhen City and is one of the three sacred mountains in Northeast China. Its main peak, Wanghai Mountain, rises 867 metres above sea level, and spots such as Beizhen Temple, Shenshui Bridge, Fish Pool, Guanyin Pavilion, Sijiao Pavilion, Kuangguang Pavilion, Lotus Stone, Cloud Pass and Wanghai Temple are scattered across the range.
This is a full-day outing rather than a quick stop, so give it the time it deserves and go prepared for a long walk.
8. Jinzhou Night Market
The night market is what Jinzhou is currently most famous for. It usually runs during summer evenings and becomes the Morning Market during the colder seasons, and it is where you go for snacks, drinks and the bustle of the crowd.
It is located on Nanning Street. Arrive hungry and wander rather than planning a route.
9. Jinzhou Beach
In summer you can head to the beach near Geumju to experience the sand and waves, along with various marine entertainment programmes. It is the obvious counterpart to a hot spring visit if you are in the city during the warmer months.
10. Bird watching at North Lake
Jinzhou North Lake and the nearby wetlands are worth visiting in spring and autumn, when you can enjoy the scenery of migratory birds. Bring binoculars and go at the right time of year, since the seasons are what make this worthwhile.
11. Hot springs
Jinzhou has a number of hot spring resorts around the city, and a winter soak is an ideal way to relax when the weather is at its coldest. It pairs naturally with the ice park on the Xiaoling River, which operates for as long as the river stays frozen.
12. Ice park on the Xiaoling River
During winter, a small ice park is set up on the Xiaoling River and lasts as long as the river is frozen. Activities include riding ATVs on the frozen river, ice skating, ice skating chairs and vehicles, and rubber tyre rides pulled by vehicles.
It is entirely dependent on the river freezing, so treat it as a seasonal bonus rather than a fixed stop.
13. Local folk culture in the countryside
The rural areas around Jinzhou retain many traditional cultural activities, and during festivals you can experience local folk customs in depth. If your visit coincides with a festival, this is worth building a day around.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Guta Park, where the Guangji Pagoda and the temple grounds are free to enter and locals gather early for rituals and exercise. From there, move on to the Liaoshen Campaign Memorial in Linghe District, which is also free and holds the Panoramic Picture Hall.
Afternoon: Head south to Bijia Mountain. Check the tide before you go: for most of the day the island is reached by boat, but when the tide wanes you can walk across the natural causeway known as Tian Qiao. Climb to the stone pavilion at the top for the view.
Evening: Finish at the Jinzhou Night Market on Nanning Street, which runs on summer evenings, for snacks, drinks and the atmosphere. In the colder months, look for it as the Morning Market instead, and consider a hot spring soak in place of the evening wander.
When is the best time to visit Jinzhou?
Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cold but very dry. Autumn and winter are especially sunny. If you want the night market in its summer form, the beach and the marine entertainment near Geumju, come in summer; if you want hot springs and the ice park on the Xiaoling River, come in winter. Spring and autumn are the seasons for bird watching at North Lake and the nearby wetlands.
How do I get around Jinzhou?
The most popular way to get around is on foot or by bicycle. Taxis crowd the streets and start at 6 RMB per trip, and bus routes blanket the city as the most economical option, though they are not always reliable. Jinzhou Jinzhouwan Airport provides air transport to major airports in China, and there are two railway stations in the city, one for long trips and one for shorter routes.
Can I pay by card in Jinzhou?
Visa and MasterCard are not accepted in Jinzhou, aside from a few large bank branches with access to these networks. Bank of Jinzhou is the only bank in the city with native English-speaking staff, and Western Union, Bank of China and many other banking services are also present.
How do I reach the Yi County sights?
Take a bus to Yi County from Jinzhou Bus Station. From there, Fengguo Temple is just 1 km north of the Yi County Bus Station, the Yizhou Fossil Museum is only 150 metres away, and the Sino-German Paleontological Museum is on the G305 Highway about 16 km west, reachable by taxi.
Work out which season suits you, pick your base in the city, and start planning your trip to Jinzhou around the sights that fit the time of year.