Daily life in Xi'an: laundry, haircuts, parks and the 10-day resident's basics

No self-service laundromat culture here — the system is drop-off. Your hostel or hotel will wash a bag for roughly ¥20–40 (ask at the desk; next-day return is normal). Outside, dry-cleaning and laundry chains sit in every mall district — look for 干洗店 — and wash-by-the-bag deals around ¥30–50 are typical. Backpacker tactic: pack quick-dry clothes, use the drop-off once mid-trip, and treat the hotel's expensive per-piece laundry as the emergency option only.

A quick-cut chain (快剪) inside a mall does a competent scissor cut for ¥20–40, no appointment, often no small talk — perfect if your Mandarin is ten words. Full-service salons (wash + cut + head massage) run ¥40–80 and the massage alone justifies it. The universal strategy: a clear photo on your phone, the word 稍微修一下 ("just a little trim") written in your translator, and the courage to say 停 ("stop") when it's good. Beard trims are standard at both.

This is the free show nobody books. Xingqing Palace Park is the flagship — tai chi, sword forms, water calligraphy — but Revolution Park (革命公园, free, metro Line 2/4 nearby) is the sociologist's pick: chess stands where strangers kibitz eight deep, mahjong tiles clacking under the trees, opera circles that welcome a listening foreigner, and on weekends a famous matchmaking corner where parents trade résumés for their single children. Go before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m.; the middle of the day empties out.

Malls gyms sell day passes — expect ¥30–80 for a single visit in mid-range chains, more at hotel-adjacent clubs. Public swimming pools exist but swim caps are mandatory (buy one at the entrance, ¥10–15). The honest local answer is free: the city wall loop and park loops fill with runners at dawn and dusk, and shared bikes (see getting around) make the riverside greenways a 20-minute ride from the center.

Convenience stores — the big chains plus strong local brands — are everywhere inside the wall, most open 24 hours: drinks, snacks, phone chargers, instant noodles with free hot water, and often a counter heating baozi at dawn. Pharmacies fly a green cross and cluster on every commercial street; our emergencies guide covers what to do when it's more serious than a blister. Between stores, pharmacies and delivery apps, a 10-day resident wants for almost nothing.