Shawn and Amanda King arrived in Chongqing after a long haul from Japan, exhausted but ready for a five-day exploration of a city that kept surprising them. Day one was immediately intense: China was far cleaner than expected, with streets swept early in the morning, and the sheer scale of Chongqing made it obvious that this was not a place to navigate solo. So the Kings hired a private guide named Tao, recommended through a Facebook page, to show them the best spots over two full days. With a toddler and a baby on the way, they knew a driver and some local knowledge would make all the difference.
Their first mission was breakfast, and it set the bar high: a soft bao bun spot, then a bowl of noodles that they later called the tastiest of the entire trip. Chongqing, as the capital of Sichuan pepper, greeted them with a signature numbing heat, and a little milk quickly became Keanu's—and their—best friend. From there, Tao led them to Chongqing's mind-bending vertical architecture. They visited the famous 22nd floor building, where what looked like a second-floor street from one side turned out to be a skybridge on the 22nd floor from the other, linking two buildings because of the mountain terrain. The family stood there watching the city unfurl in a cyberpunk haze, with views that videos could not do justice.
At Liberation Square, they learned Chongqing ranks among the most populated cities in the world—over 32 million people. They sampled a coffee-flavored bread Amanda loved, followed by famously sour and spicy sweet potato noodles that made Shawn wince and rate a solid 7 out of 10. A stone-baked pork bun with pickles earned a 9, especially with chili oil and vinegar dip. Tao proved to be more than a driver; he told them how he learned English from American TV shows like Friends and The Vampire Diaries, helping the conversation flow as naturally as the city's layers.
One of the most surreal stops was Liziba Station, the famous monorail that slides straight through a residential building. Crowds gathered for the perfect photo, and the Kings joined in. Nearby, they also discovered a World War II bomb shelter converted into a gas station—an image that made them laugh with disbelief—and another enormous bomb shelter turned into a quirky commercial and wishing space where people hung their hopes on tens of thousands of small objects.
Goose Neck Park came next, and it stole the show. Tao explained the name from the map's goose-neck shape, and Shawn and Amanda were stunned by the manicured gardens, cliffside walkways, and endless photo spots. It was stroller-friendly, which made it even sweeter for the family. From there, Testbed2, a former coin factory turned creative complex, offered shopping, local fragrance, a haunted-house vibe, and great city views. Shawn even spotted a DJI drone for a better price than in the US, another reminder that Chongqing was full of surprises.
By evening, they hit the streets again for quick bites, watching peppers being cooked into what looked like edible art. A $2 egg burger became the definitive 10 out of 10 snack. Then came the grand finale: a lookout point glittering with city lights, where the old town and the new cyberpunk skyline melted together. Amanda called it one of the prettiest things she had seen in a long time. The only warning? Eighteen thousand stairs make that spot a no-go for strollers and babies. Still, after a long but magical day, the Kings headed back to their hotel, ready to do it all again with Tao the next morning.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: Why did you decide to hire a guide in Chongqing?
- A: Managing a toddler and a stroller in a mountain city with unlimited layers was too much for us, especially while I'm pregnant. We figured a driver would make it easy and let us see as much as possible.
- Q: What was the tastiest noodle you had?
- A: The very first bowl on day one was hands-down the tastiest noodle of the whole trip. It was spicy and numbing, but a little milk helped.
- Q: What surprised you most about China?
- A: How clean it was. Early in the morning people were sweeping the streets, and it honestly felt quite different from a lot of other Asian countries and the US.
- Q: What was the 22nd floor building like?
- A: It was mind-bending. One side looked like a second-floor street, but the other side was 22 stories up. The sky bridge connects the buildings because of the mountain terrain.
- Q: What was your favorite snack at Testbed2?
- A: The $2 egg burger was a total 10 out of 10 and definitely better than the other one we tried. I couldn't get enough.
- Q: How was Goose Neck Park?
- A: It was one of the prettiest parks we've ever been to, and it was easy to navigate with a stroller. The cliffside views were incredible and made for amazing photos.
