Shenyang Expo Garden is located at No. 301, Shuangyuan Road, Hunnan District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and a large comprehensive park integrating horticultural landscapes, ecological protection, popular science education, and leisure entertainment. The park was formerly the venue for the 2006 China Shenyang International Horticultural Exposition, and after the expo, it was preserved and optimized into a permanent scenic area. The scenic area features the concept of "harmonious coexistence between nature and humanity", gathering garden architectures and plant landscapes from five continents around the world and various regions of China, integrating horticultural styles and cultural elements from different regions. The total area of the park is approximately 217 hectares, including a water area of about 14 hectares. It has more than 100 various exhibition gardens and over 2,000 plant species, making it the largest and most diverse horticultural expo park in Northeast China. The landmark building in the park, the Lily Tower, stands 125.8 meters high, one of the largest sculptural buildings in Asia, and has become an important landmark in eastern Shenyang.
History and Culture
The history of Shenyang Expo Garden began in 2004. To host the 2006 China Shenyang International Horticultural Exposition, Shenyang City launched the construction of the park near Qipanshan Scenic Area, which was completed in two years. From May 1 to October 31, 2006, the expo was successfully held, attracting 52 countries and regions, 30 domestic provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), and many international organizations to participate. The number of visitors reached 12.6 million, setting a record for the International Horticultural Exposition at that time.
After the expo, the park was renovated and upgraded, and officially opened to the public in 2007 as a permanent horticultural theme park. Its construction and development have witnessed the progress of China's horticultural industry and the deepening of international cultural exchanges. The preserved exhibition gardens and characteristic buildings from various countries in the park have become epitomes of garden art and culture from different countries and regions, with important commemorative significance and ornamental value. As a landmark project in Shenyang's urban development, the Expo Garden has also promoted the improvement of the local ecological environment and the upgrading of the tourism industry.
Main Attractions
Lily Tower
The Lily Tower is the landmark building of Shenyang Expo Garden, located at the commanding height in the middle of the park. It is 125.8 meters high with a diameter of 10 meters, with a steel structure main body and an appearance shaped like a lily flower, symbolizing "everlasting harmony" and "harmonious development". There is an elevator inside the tower, allowing visitors to reach the 80-meter-high observation deck to overlook the entire Expo Garden and the surrounding landscapes of mountains and waters. The tower body is decorated with an LED lighting system, which presents colorful light and shadow effects when lit at night, complementing the surrounding garden landscapes. As one of the tallest sculptural buildings in Asia, the Lily Tower is not only the visual center of the park but also an important landmark in the eastern urban area of Shenyang.
International Park
The International Park is located in the northeast of the Expo Garden, covering an area of about 30 hectares. It focuses on displaying the garden landscapes and architectural features of more than 50 countries and regions. Among them, the French Garden is modeled after the Palace of Versailles garden, with fountains, sculptures, and neatly trimmed hedges; the Japanese Garden embodies the "dry landscape" style, creating a simple and quiet atmosphere with stones, sand, and moss; the Thai Garden features pagodas and Southeast Asian-style pavilions full of exotic charm. Each exhibition garden is built according to the traditional horticultural techniques of the respective country, with planted characteristic plants such as tulips in the Dutch Garden and olive trees in the Italian Garden, allowing visitors to appreciate the diversity of world garden art without leaving the country.
Domestic Park
The Domestic Park is distributed in the northwest of the Expo Garden, covering an area of about 40 hectares. It consists of exhibition gardens from 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) as well as Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, showcasing the garden culture and folk customs of different regions in China. The Beijing Garden features imperial gardens, with archways, corridors, and a stone boat imitating the Summer Palace; the Suzhou Garden replicates the classic elements of Jiangnan gardens, with winding bridges, flowing water, pavilions, and towers forming a delightful scene; the Yunnan Garden highlights ethnic minority customs, planted with bougainvillea, palm trees, and other tropical plants, accompanied by Dai bamboo houses. Each exhibition garden not only reflects the local architectural style but also incorporates characteristic cultural symbols, such as the terracotta warrior sculptures in the Shaanxi Garden and the prayer flags and pagodas in the Tibet Garden, forming a condensed picture of Chinese gardens.
Shenyang Botanical Garden
Shenyang Botanical Garden is an important part of the Expo Garden, located in the south of the park, covering an area of about 60 hectares. It was formerly Shenyang Botanical Garden founded in 1959, one of the oldest professional botanical gardens in Northeast China. The garden is divided into multiple specialized gardens according to plant types, including Peony Garden, Peony Garden, Cherry Blossom Garden, and Sweetgum Garden. It collects more than 2,000 plant species from Northeast China, North China, and some southern regions, including more than 50 national key protected plant species. In spring, cherry blossoms and peach blossoms bloom competitively; in summer, lotus flowers and water lilies cover the lake; in autumn, sweetgum and smoke tree leaves are as red as fire; in winter, pine and cypress are green, and wintersweet emits a fragrance, offering scenic views in all four seasons. The garden also has a plant science museum, which displays the growth laws and ecological value of plants through pictures, texts, and specimens, with both ornamental and educational functions.
Rose Garden
Rose Garden is located in the middle of the park, currently the largest greenhouse flower exhibition area in Northeast China. It covers an area of about 12,000 square meters, with a steel structure glass curtain wall building, divided into indoor exhibition area and outdoor garden. The indoor exhibition area uses a temperature control system to simulate different climate zone environments, planting more than 300 species of roses and rosaceous plants from around the world, including rare varieties such as red roses, white roses, and blue roses, which bloom all year round. The outdoor garden is themed on roses, designed with flower borders, flower corridors, and a sunken square. From spring to autumn, roses of various colors bloom competitively, forming a romantic sea of flowers. The garden also has a rose culture exhibition, introducing the cultivation history, symbolic significance, and implications of roses in different cultures, making it a popular spot for visitors to take photos.
Food
Characteristic Catering in the Park
There are multiple catering areas within the Expo Garden, offering a variety of local specialties. Among them, the "Expo Garden Flavor Snack Street" gathers characteristic snacks from all over Liaoning. Shenyang chicken racks are a must-try, prepared through various methods such as braising, smoking, and roasting. The meat is tender with a unique flavor, and each serving costs about 15-20 yuan. Haicheng pies have thin crusts and generous fillings, with options like pork and beef. They are often enjoyed with millet porridge, and each serving is priced at 8-10 yuan. In addition, there are Jinzhou barbecue and Dalian iron-plate squid, etc., which are affordably priced and suitable for a quick meal while visiting. The themed restaurants in the garden, such as "Baihe Xuan", serve Northeast Chinese home-cooked dishes like Guo Bao Rou (sweet and sour pork) and Di San Xian (stir-fried three fresh vegetables). The average consumption per person is about 50-80 yuan, with a comfortable environment that can accommodate group dining.
Surrounding Food
There are many restaurants within 5 kilometers around the Expo Garden, mainly serving Northeast cuisine and farm-style dishes. "Nongjia Yuan Iron Pot Stew" is 3 kilometers away from the park, specializing in iron pot stewed goose and iron pot stewed fish, cooked slowly in traditional iron pots, with side dishes such as corn cakes, potatoes, and vermicelli, featuring rich flavors, with a 4-person set meal priced at about 150-200 yuan. "Qipanshan Farm Chicken Restaurant" is located in the Qipanshan Scenic Area northeast of the park, specializing in free-range farm chickens, which can be cooked into dishes such as braised chicken with mushrooms and chicken soup noodles, with tender chicken meat and mellow chicken soup, and half a chicken priced at about 80-100 yuan. In addition, there are Korean restaurants nearby, offering cold noodles, stone pot bibimbap, etc., with an average consumption of 30-50 yuan per person, suitable for tasting after the tour.
Tickets
The ticket price is 50 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "沈阳世博园景区" to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are adjusted according to the season: the peak season is from April 1 to October 31, with opening hours from 8:30 to 17:30 (admission stops at 16:30); the off-season is from November 1 to March 31 of the next year, with opening hours from 9:00 to 16:00 (admission stops at 15:00). Among them, the opening hours of the Rose Garden greenhouse are 9:00-17:00 (peak season) and 9:30-15:30 (off-season); the opening hours for climbing the Lily Tower are the same as the park's opening hours. Some outdoor exhibition gardens may be closed due to weather conditions in winter. It is recommended to confirm through official channels before traveling.
Tour Route
A recommended one-day tour route covering core attractions: enter from the main entrance at 8:30 a.m., first take a sightseeing bus to the Rose Garden (about 10 minutes), visit the indoor and outdoor rose exhibition areas (about 1 hour); then walk to the Lily Tower, climb the tower to overlook the panorama (about 40 minutes); at 11:00, go to the International Park, focusing on visiting the French Garden, Japanese Garden, and Thai Garden (about 1.5 hours); have lunch at the snack street near the International Park at 12:30 (about 1 hour); at 13:30, go to the Domestic Park, visit the Beijing Garden, Suzhou Garden, and Yunnan Garden (about 2 hours); at 15:30, walk to Shenyang Botanical Garden, visit the Peony Garden and Cherry Blossom Garden (about 1 hour); return to the main entrance at 16:30, and you can buy souvenirs at the souvenir shop on the way. The whole tour combines walking and taking sightseeing buses, taking about 8 hours. The stay time at each attraction can be adjusted according to interests.
Transportation
- Subway: Take Shenyang Metro Line 1 to Pangjiang Street Station, transfer to Bus No. 168 Branch Line to "Expo Garden" Station, and walk about 5 minutes to the main entrance of the park. The whole journey takes about 1.5 hours, with the subway fare ranging from 2 to 4 yuan and the bus fare 5 yuan.
- Bus: You can take bus lines such as No. 168, No. 385, and Leifenghao Intercity Bus from the urban area to "Expo Garden" Station directly. Among them, Bus No. 168 departs from Shenyang North Railway Station, with one bus every 30 minutes, taking about 1 hour, and the fare is 5 yuan; Bus No. 385 departs from Wu'ai Market, with one bus every 40 minutes, taking about 1.2 hours, and the fare is 4 yuan.
- Self-driving: Starting from downtown Shenyang, drive east along Dongling Road and Shuangyuan Road, about 20 kilometers away, taking about 40 minutes; the parking fee at the park's parking lot is 10 yuan per time for small cars and 20 yuan per time for large cars, with sufficient parking spaces.
- Tourist special line: Many travel agencies in the city have opened one-day tour special lines to the Expo Garden, including round-trip transportation and tickets, with prices ranging from 100 to 120 yuan per person. You can sign up at hotels or travel agency stores.
Must-visit Attractions
- Lily Tower: A 125.8-meter-high landmark building. Climbing the tower allows you to overlook the entire park. The lights are gorgeous at night, and it is a symbol of the park.
- International Park: Gathers garden landscapes from more than 50 countries. The fountains in the French Garden, the dry landscape in the Japanese Garden, and the pagodas in the Thai Garden showcase the diversity of world horticulture.
- Domestic Park: Characteristic exhibition gardens from 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities). The imperial gardens in the Beijing Garden, the Jiangnan style in the Suzhou Garden, and the ethnic characteristics in the Yunnan Garden form a epitome of Chinese gardens.
- Rose Garden: A 12,000-square-meter greenhouse flower area with more than 300 species of roses blooming all year round. The indoor and outdoor sea of flowers is romantic, suitable for taking photos.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to spend 1 day for the tour. The best seasons to visit are April-May (when spring flowers are in full bloom) or September-October (when autumn scenery is gorgeous). Pay attention to sun protection in summer, and you can enjoy greenhouse flowers in winter.
- The park is large, with a total walking distance of about 15 kilometers. It is recommended to buy a sightseeing bus pass (50 yuan) to save energy and visit key attractions on foot.
- Catering prices are relatively high. You can bring your own dry food and drinking water and eat in the rest areas of the park; if you want to taste characteristic foods, you can choose the snack street or surrounding farm-style restaurants.
- Before visiting, you can get a free guide map at the entrance to plan your route; or rent an electronic interpreter (30 yuan per unit) to learn about the cultural background of each exhibition garden.
- There are many visitors on holidays. It is recommended to enter at 8:30 a.m. when the park opens to avoid the peak; photographers can bring a telephoto lens to take pictures of flowers and architectural details.
Notes
- Picking flowers and plants, and trampling on lawns are prohibited in the park. Take good care of plants and public facilities, otherwise, you will be fined.
- The temperature in greenhouse exhibition areas (such as the Rose Garden) is relatively high. You can take off your coat in advance when entering in summer to stay comfortable.
- Sightseeing buses run on fixed routes and need to pick up and drop off passengers at designated stops. Pay attention to the last bus time (17:00 in peak season, 16:00 in off-season).
- There are many mosquitoes in summer. It is recommended to bring mosquito repellent; bring rain gear on rainy days, and some roads may be slippery, so pay attention to walking safety.
- There are medical stations and visitor service centers in the park. You can seek help in case of emergency.