I also went to Suzhou from Nanjing to meet old classmates for a day and then went to Zhouzhuang.

I took the train to Suzhou and then took the bus to Guanqian Street and Chayuanchang (the city center is equivalent to Xinjiekou). Then I can go to the gardens to visit Suzhou Paradise, which is not too far away.

As for Pingjiang Road in the evening, there is a Pingtan Museum and a Kunqu Opera Museum on Pingjiang Road. You can watch performances for just a cup of tea.

It's a very atmospheric street with many bars and cafes, including many foreigners.

You can also take a boat trip on the moat at night. There are many places to board the boat, so find it yourself.

Personally, I think you can enjoy the gardens during the day and visit the night market at night.

As for where to stay, you can generally live from Guanqian Street to Yingchun Road’s South Bus Station, which is more convenient by car.

The next day I went to Suzhou North Bus Station and took the bus to Zhouzhuang. It was 10 yuan cheaper to buy tickets for Zhouzhuang at the North Station.

Note that when you enter the North Station, you don’t buy it at the place that sells long-distance tickets. When you walk in, you can see the waiting room for tourist routes. Buy it there!

This is purely manual typing. I hope it can be helpful to you.