Trip Overview
When: Late April - Early May 2021 (Labor Day holiday)
Duration: 5 days
Travelers: Family with two young kids + grandparents
Budget: ~500 RMB (~$70 USD) per person
Transportation: Self-driving, 1,000 km each way (2,000 km total)
Why We Drove Instead of Flew
2021's Spring Festival was cancelled by COVID, so we hadn't visited the grandparents in months. The May Day holiday was our chance—but the 1,000 km (620 miles) between Shanghai and Luoyang (洛阳) presented a choice: train or drive? We chose driving. Worst decision? Almost. Best decision? Also almost.
Here's the reality: Chinese national holiday traffic is... legendary. The entire country seems to be on the road simultaneously. Our 8-hour drive turned into a 27-hour saga. But here's the thing—we'd do it again. The kids handled it like champs, we discovered hidden gems we'd never find on a train, and grandparents got to see their grandkids. Worth every minute of gridlock.
Day 1: Departure and First Setback
We kicked off at 4:30 PM on April 30th, aiming to reach Nanjing (南京) for the night. Pro tip: Never trust navigation apps during national holidays. The entire Yangtze River Delta was red—literally every highway was bumper-to-bumper.
Five hours later, we'd only made it to Wuxi (无锡)—normally a 1.5 hour drive. At this rate, Shanghai to Nanjing would take forever. Spouse and I made a executive decision: stop for the night, find a hotel nearby. Lucky us—found a family room. Kids crashed, we crashed, done.
Foreigner tip: The service areas on the Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway are legitimately five-star. Yes, really. We're talking hot food courts, convenience stores, Starbucks, and some even have little gardens and pavilions to stretch your legs. When you're stuck in traffic for hours, these rest stops become saviors.
Day 2: Stuck in the May Day Madness
May 1st—Labor Day itself—and we were still moving at a crawl. This was our first major holiday road trip, and honestly, nothing prepares you for the sheer volume of cars. People were literally standing outside their vehicles on the highway, stretching, taking photos, kids running around. Gridlock has never looked so... festive?
We finally reached Chuzhou (滁州市) around 5 PM—and that's when things got real. The G36 highway was completely stopped. Five separate accidents, two ambulances screaming through. An hour and a half of sitting still.
Reality check: When traffic stops on a Chinese highway, people get creative. Vendors walk between lanes selling water and instant noodles. Families have full picnics in the breakdown lane. Someone was even flying a kite. You learn to go with the flow—or lose your mind.
Finally, traffic started moving. We exited at the nearest town—Huangnigang Town (黄泥岗镇)—to find dinner. Pro hack: small towns near expressways have the best, cheapest food. We found a local favorite: Di Guo Ji (地锅鸡)—pot-cooked chicken.
Fresh local chicken, vegetables, and signature cornbread pancakes cooked right in the pot—for 20 minutes, then served. The aroma when they lifted the lid? Absolute heaven. This was authentic rural Anhui (安徽) cuisine at its finest.
The town square was alive—elderly folks doing square dancing, others listening to traditional storytelling, and somewhere in the distance, wedding firecrackers. China comes alive in these small towns.
Dinner done, we hit the road again—destination Huainan (淮南). But Navigation being Navigation, we took a scenic detour through the mountains of central Anhui, got turned around, and somehow led another car astray too. Fun times. Arrived at our hotel at 11 PM. Collapse.
Day 3: Huainan Beef Soup & Finally Arriving in Luoyang
Huainan (淮南)—you might not have heard of it, but every Chinese person knows its famous beef soup (Huainan Niuroutang 淮南牛肉汤). It's legendary in these parts.
Woke up early, walked 2 km to the top-rated spot: Xie Jihong Beef Soup (谢继红牛肉汤). 8 AM and the place was packed—locals lining up for their morning fix.
What you get: beef, glass noodles, tofu skin, and their signature crispy pancake, all swimming in a rich, slightly spicy broth. Soups in northern China tend to be heartier—this was no exception. We slurped up every drop.
Foreigner tip: Most beef soup shops in Huainan open at 5-6 AM and close by noon. This is a breakfast tradition. Come late, and you're out of luck.
550 km later, we arrived in Luoyang (洛阳) at 7 PM. The grandparents met us, saw the grandkids, and everyone's faces lit up. Home at last—for the kids, this is grandma and grandpa's house. For us, it's the only place that feels like a real break.
Day 3-4: Luoyang in Spring
Early May in Luoyang: perfect weather, not too hot. The peonies had just finished blooming, but the roses were in full swing.
Lunch: Luoyang Water Banquet (洛阳水席)—a traditional feast of soup-based dishes. It's called "water席" because every dish comes with broth. 24 courses, each more elaborate than the last. Our whole family went. Verdict: interesting experience, very networking-friendly, great for groups.
Afternoon: Zhou Shan Forest Park (周山森林公园)—just west of Luoyang. The hill is 216 meters high, with hiking trails and camping areas. Took the three kids (yes, three—we met up with my sister and her kid) plus my brother-in-law for a family hike. The air was crisp, the paths were shaded—great for kids. At the top, you get a panoramic view of Luoyang city. Worth the leg workout.
Day 4-5: The Return Journey
May 4th: Return day. The expressway was surprisingly smooth—maybe everyone else was still on their way to their destinations while we were already heading back? Came across Fengyang (凤阳) for dinner, then overnight in Chuzhou (滁州市).
May 5th: Up early, on the road by 6 AM. Arrived Shanghai by 4 PM—smooth sailing the whole way. Done. 5-day trip complete.
Final Thoughts
Four days of driving, 2,000 km total, roughly 45 hours in the car. Was it exhausting? Absolutely. Would we do it again? Without question.
Here's the thing about road trips in China: yes, the traffic is insane, the rest stops are crowded, and sometimes your GPS leads you astray. But you see parts of the country that train passengers miss entirely. Small towns with incredible food. Hidden landscapes. The joy on your kids' faces when they see grandma and grandpa.
Pro tips for your own May Day road trip:
1. Leave early OR leave late. The 5 AM departures and 10 PM arrivals have lighter traffic. The 8 AM - 6 PM window? Pure chaos.
2. Download offline maps. Data can be spotty in rural areas, and when your GPS says "turn here" and you're in the middle of nowhere, you'll thank yourself.
3. Bring entertainment. Our youngest had a complete arts-and-crafts kit. Coloring books, crayons, sticker books—the works. 27 hours of driving became 27 hours of "are we there yet" with reasonable patience.
4. Embrace the detours. That random town you stopped in for dinner might become your favorite meal of the entire trip.
5. Traffic jams are temporary. The memories last forever.