Suzhou in early winter is a place you won't want to leave.

Bored on the weekend, I decided to take a short trip nearby. I slept in on Saturday and didn't leave Shanghai until almost 2 pm. I wanted to take a stroll around Dianshan Lake, but I left too late, so I went straight to Xishan Island Scenic Area on Taihu Lake. I planned to stay on the island for a night. Admission to the island is free, but there are many paid attractions and farms on the island. I didn't visit any of them. I just drove aimlessly along the road to the island. There are many ginkgo trees around the houses on both sides of the main road. The white walls, black tiles, yellow leaves, and old trees create a poetic scene. When I reached the Shigong Mountain Scenic Area, it was already dark, so I checked into Suzhou Jiangnan Lishan Boutique B&B nearby. Our group stayed in a family suite on the top floor. I didn't expect the B&B to face Dongshan Island. The lakeside room has a large floor-to-ceiling window, so you can watch the sunrise from the bed. You can also go to the balcony to listen to the birds singing in the morning and welcome the sunrise. After watching the sunrise, you can go back to sleep. Then, you can go downstairs to the lobby to enjoy the warm winter sun and have a warm breakfast. If you're not in a hurry to leave, you can sing karaoke or read a book. If I were alone, I might not leave. I would want to stay here for a while. After packing up, we checked out and left slowly. After leaving the island, we saw several scenic spots nearby. We finally chose the most popular Tianping Mountain Scenic Area. We drove to a parking lot near Linyan Mountain, about 3 km from Tianping Mountain, and parked the car. Then, we each rented a shared bike and rode to the entrance of Tianping Mountain. We saw the cars stuck in traffic and couldn't help but admire our own wisdom. There are also beautiful maple trees along the road. I have to emphasize that the most beautiful scenery of Tianping Mountain is the large maple forest at the entrance. People with limited mobility don't have to worry about missing the beautiful scenery. I recommend everyone to visit. Although there are many people, the scenery is really intoxicating. People who have the energy and want to see the panoramic view can also climb the mountain. The good thing about this mountain is that there are downhill paths every so often, so you don't have to worry about not having enough energy to go back. This seasonal beauty is breathtaking.