Stalin Park

Locals and visitors alike congregate year-round in Stalin Park. The tree-lined promenade, dotted with statues, playgrounds and cafes, runs along a 42km-long embankment that was built to curb the unruly Sōnghuā River. The odd Flood Control Monument (防洪胜利纪念塔; Fánghóng Shènglì Jìniàntǎ), from 1958, commemorates the thousands of people who died in years past when the river overflowed its banks.

During summer, it's a spot to sample snacks and sip a beer under the trees. In winter, the Sōnghuā River becomes the local sports centre, with ice skating, ice hockey and ice sailing all options. You can hire the gear you'll need from vendors along the riverbank. If you really want to show off, join the people who like to swim in the gaps in the ice.