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Muslim noodle restaurants are ubiquitous all over China, but Xi’an, with its large Muslim population, has a far better class of them. Most restaurants have photos of the various dishes on the wall, and all you have to do is point. My personal favorite is 面片, which translates as “noodle flakes.” The chef has a clump of dough and flicks thin slices of noodle off into boiling water. At Lanzhou Muslim Traditional Beef Stretched Noodles I like the noodle flakes with beef and potato gravy, but the options for toppings are endless.

There’s a little bar area south of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, two blocks east of the Westin. The bar scene in Xi’an isn’t as boisterous, by Western standards, as in other cities. That being said, if you’re in the area and want a beer, this is a good place. There’s the Lan Kwai Fong bar, Emi Club, and the Blue Lotus to try, and lots of outdoors vendors and street food help make for a fun night.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is a very cool historical site to visit in Xi’an. It was built in the seventh century to house Buddhist scriptures, statues, and other relics that were brought back to China by the Buddhist scholar and traveler Xuanzang. Extended, rebuilt, and renovated over the years, the pagoda currently leans noticeably to the side. There is an interesting legend about how the pagoda got its name. A group of Buddhist monks had no meat to eat (then, as now, not all Buddhists were vegetarian). As some wild geese flew overhead, one monk hoped that the Bodhisattva would provide some meat—at which point, the front goose fell to the ground. The monks believed this was a sign that they should be more pious. They decided to give up eating meat, and established a pagoda at the point where the goose had fallen. Visitors can pay to climb to the top of the pagoda. We took a pass on the day we were there because there were so many tourists waiting to buy tickets, but the view from the top is said to be excellent.

The main royal residence for emperors during the Tang Dynasty (from the 600s to the 900s), Daming Palace was discovered in 1957. After excavations and restoration work, the palace, also known as the Palace of Great Brilliance, opened to the public. Visitors learn about the Tang Dynasty and can admire the palace’s cultural relics and elegant architecture.

Visiting the famous Terracotta Army was on my bucket list, and I was lucky enough to see it recently. As I entered the first pit, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Right in front of me was the section holding the life-size terracotta warriors all lined up in Qin Dynasty formation. The first three rows were soldiers, which you can tell by their uniforms and hairstyle. Behind them stood charioteers and their horses, which were also full-size. The charioteers were recognizable by their arms and hands, which were positioned as if they were holding reins. Officers stood behind the charioteers. From my vantage point, I felt like a general standing with my army before me, waiting for my command.

This is a great little market directly across the street from the Westin and south of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. It’s oriented towards visitors and tourists, so there are lots of cheap souvenirs. However, there are also plenty of cool, locally handmade things like fabrics and carved statuettes.

Built in the grand architectural style of the Tang Dynasty, the huge Shaanxi History Museum offers a comprehensive overview of the history of the ancient capital. The museum houses over 370,000 precious relics unearthed in Shaanxi Province. Highlights include sculptures of the twelve Chinese zodiac figures, murals depicting a polo match, and four original terracotta warrior statues.

The Underground Palace is one of the strangest places I have ever visited. We stumbled upon it by chance while wandering along the west side of the wall around the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. Despite not knowing what it was, we bought tickets and went in. The first part was a very long hallway lined with old Chinese paintings under glass. We reached a fork and turned right, heading down more creepy tunnels with stone walls and old carpeting. Displayed along the hallway were relics collected by Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk who traveled the world in the seventh century. Everything was labeled in Chinese, including photos of mummies. There were only a few other people around, which is a very odd feeling in China. At the end of the tunnel was a shrine/temple. We doubled back and took the other tunnel. First, there were funhouse mirrors. This tunnel was even weirder and creepier than the others, because every 50 meters or so there was a little alcove. One alcove had an erotic exhibition that you had to pay to enter; we didn’t go in. Another was dark, with mirrors. I got scared and my friend and I started screaming, and then the two other female tourists down here started screaming. What can I say? A dark tunnel with mirrors deep underground is really scary! Another alcove had what looked like a tombstone exhibition. There was a sign that said we were 1,370 meters below ground. I loved this, whatever it was. Definitely a must-visit.

The dazzling turquoise water brides the horizon, making it difficult to tell whether you are walking on the water or can reach the lofty snow-capped mountainous range looming far ahead is within your easy reach.

Hunting is a new bar in the Tianhe neighborhood. It might be the only bar in all of the Pearl River Delta with a mixologist. The drinks here are stellar. They’re so precise that every drink comes with its own specially made ice. Wing Fan, the owner, tries to make a harmony with his humble surroundings. Many of the cocktails are standard China fare, like Old Fashioned and Long Island Tea. They don’t taste like any other cocktail you’ll ever get in Guangzhou.

Yantian Seafood Street is located by the seaside and provides the perfect ambiance to devour fresh and cheap seafood. There is a wholesale market for those who wish to purchase live seafood to bring home, along with another section selling dried and preserved products. The restaurants here are packed and lively, with patrons feasting on lobsters, crabs, abalones, and shrimp at affordable prices. Be sure to try Shenzhen’s famous Shajing oysters while you’re here. The more bustling stalls out on the streets along the port allow you to select your own seafood from the many tanks on display, before cooking it right away to provide a fresh, delicious, and memorable meal.

Guangzhou is home to numerous streets where all the vendors focus on a particular type of good or industry, and locals know Jiangnan Avenue North as the “wedding street.” The area is full of shops and malls that sell wedding gowns, accessories and all types of wedding-related products. You’ll be amazed by the huge number of various kinds of wedding dresses here. Besides the more Western-style wedding garments, there are tons of traditional Chinese wedding outfits, especially Cantonese ones. Qungua is the traditional Cantonese wedding gown. The Qun is the long skirt, while the Gua refers to the Chinese-style top coat. The customary Chinese bridal Qun Gua symbolizes an abundance of children. They are typically an auspicious bright red color (considered a color of happiness and good luck) and elaborately embroidered with a rejoicing dragon and phoenix pattern that dates back to the Qing Dynasty. One shop that stands out is Long Feng Qungua. (Long means dragon, and feng means phoenix in Chinese.) What makes this shop special is its exquisite embroidery. Traditional Chinese embroidery is a skill that is passed down in the family, and the shop’s current owner is the third generation make and sell qungua; over a century ago, her grandmother was one of the best embroiderers in town. Even if you’re not looking for a wedding gown, the dresses, shoes, shawls and other finely embroidered items are beautiful examples of traditional Chinese craftsmanship.

Just through the heavy wooden doors of this Sichuan pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar is the Pour House, an always-busy music venue where early evening soundchecks often fill the dining room with drum and bass noise. Even louder are the explosive flavors on the plate—the kitchen is unrepentant about not toning down the spice on the Sichuan beef and Yu Xiang pork slivers. For the full lip-numbing cocaine-face experience, start with the dry-rubbed Shaoxing chicken wings, which balance sweet, salty, savory, and spice with plenty of crunch. A few noodle bowls are adaptable for the more spice averse, but this is a place for adventurous fire hounds. On Sundays, brunch offers one of Charleston’s only dim sum experiences, including plenty of dumplings, scallion pancakes, and turnip cakes. After a meal, head to the Pour House deck for free daily concerts by local bands, before bigger-name bands take the indoor stage at night.

The 163-acre National Zoo is cradled by D.C.’s wooded Rock Creek Park, providing a protected, dynamic habitat for more than 1,500 animals. From the micro-world of insects to the larger-than-life world of elephants, the exhibits are engaging and educational, especially if timed with a training or feeding demonstration. Highlights include orangutans swinging overhead as they traverse the O-Line cable between enclosures; a charismatic family of otters that swirl through a waterfall-fed stream and scurry over rocks; and, of course, the famous giant pandas, which are just generally adorable as they eat, sleep, climb, and play. Admission is free, but donations are recommended to support the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to research and conserve these species for generations to come.

Housed in a 100-meter-tall, concave building in the heart of Xintiandi, the 24-story property has rooms with enduring views over the neighborhood’s Shikumen storefronts. Accommodations combine dark woods, floor-to-ceiling windows, green and gold wool carpets with a paisley-like motif, and dual-basin bathrooms with oversized bathtubs. Shanghai’s Art Deco period and Xintiandi’s courtyard houses inspire interiors, while color schemes of black and green appear throughout, from the dark local granite used as flooring and walls to green glass detailing. Another recurrent theme is the horse, a key Han symbol, laser-cut into large lobby columns and bronze beams to resemble bark on a tree.