Vast fields of blooming rapeseed flowers in Pingyuanchi village, Rugao. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

Diverse cultural and tourism activities, including study tours, spring outings, and countryside experiences, surged in popularity in Rugao during the Qingming Festival holiday, with major attractions reporting record crowds.

According to local tourism data, the Shuihui Garden received 79,600 visits during the holiday, while Pingyuanchi village welcomed 54,500 visitors and Longyou Lake Scenic Area attracted 40,200.

In Pingyuanchi village, vast fields of blooming rapeseed flowers created a sea of gold. Visitors flew kites, rode sightseeing vehicles and enjoyed activities such as horseback riding and go-karting, making the village a top destination for family-friendly rural getaways.

This year, Jiangsu introduced its first spring break, which, combined with the Qingming holiday, created an extended vacation period. Study tour programs gained strong momentum. A themed activity invited families to explore 12 sites across Rugao, blending entertainment with learning as participants discovered the city's history, culture and natural heritage.

Hands-on educational experiences proved especially popular. At Nantong Schmidt Opto-Electrical Technology, children observed the sun through Newtonian telescopes and assembled telescope models. At the Henry C. Lee Museum of Forensic Sciences, they donned police uniforms to conduct fingerprint analysis and forensic experiments.

One-day rural camps in Pingyuanchi village also attracted strong interest, offering children immersive activities such as picking mugwort to make green rice balls, planting gourds, observing beekeeping, and catching ornamental fish.