The 15 Best Day Trips from Nanjing
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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There are 15 good day trips from Nanjing, China, led by Hefei, Changzhou, Taizhou. The closest is Zhenzhou, about 50 min by car, and 3 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 15 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Nanjing
- 1
Hefei, China
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 15 min by car143 km west of NanjingKnown for Dinosaur.
- 2
Changzhou, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car116 km east of NanjingKnown for 中华恐龙园.
- 3
Taizhou, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car116 km north-east of NanjingKnown for 东篱菊影.
- 4
Wuhu, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car85 km south-west of NanjingKnown for 广济寺塔.
- 5
Yangzhou, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car72 km north-east of NanjingKnown for 扬州梦幻之城.
- 6
Yixing, China
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr by car126 km south-east of NanjingKnown for 瀛园.
- 7
Zhenjiang, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car66 km east of Nanjing - 8
Chuzhou, China
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car54 km north-west of Nanjing - 9
Xuancheng, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 55 min by car123 km south of Nanjing - 10
Ma’anshan, China
Half-day tripAbout 55 min by car49 km south-west of NanjingKnown for 三匹马.
- 11
Zhenzhou, China
Half-day tripAbout 50 min by car44 km north-east of Nanjing - 12
Taozhou, China
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 15 min by car142 km south-east of Nanjing - 13
Chaohu, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 35 min by car100 km south-west of Nanjing - 14
Xinghua, China
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car139 km north-east of Nanjing - 15
Gaoyou, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 35 min by car102 km north-east of Nanjing
A sample day: Nanjing to Hefei
- 07:30Leave Nanjing
- 09:45Arrive in Hefei (2 hr 15 min drive)
- 10:00Dinosaur
- 12:00Lunch
- 13:15Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Hefei
- 15:45Head back to Nanjing
- 18:00Home in Nanjing
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Nanjing?
- The best day trips from Nanjing are Hefei, Changzhou, Taizhou, Wuhu, Yangzhou. The closest is Zhenzhou, about 50 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Nanjing?
- Zhenzhou is the closest, 44 km north-east of Nanjing, roughly 50 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Nanjing?
- 3 places are within about an hour's drive of Nanjing: Zhenzhou (50 min), Ma’anshan (55 min), Chuzhou (1 hr).
- What is the biggest city near Nanjing for a day out?
- Hefei is the largest city in day-trip range, 143 km west of Nanjing and about 2 hr 15 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Nanjing?
- For a weekend away from Nanjing, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Hefei (143 km, 2 hr 15 min), Taozhou (142 km, 2 hr 15 min), Xinghua (139 km, 2 hr 10 min), Yixing (126 km, 2 hr). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Nanjing?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Hefei at 143 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.
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