I took a free tour with Su Chao. It was a very overcast day, so the photos aren't stunning, but it was definitely cool.
Key attractions: Five Pavilion Bridge, White Pagoda, Twenty-Four Bridges.
The West Gate is closest to the core area, followed by the South Gate. There's a long willow-shaded embankment at the South Gate, which is a good thing for admiring the willows, but a bad thing is the long walk.
The East Gate is third farthest.
The North Gate is the furthest. To avoid being bored, they've added some attractions like the Luocheng Ruins, the Bonsai Garden, and the Water System Miniature Garden. They don't seem very popular. But the North Gate has one good thing: it's very close to Daming Temple.
The boats and shuttle buses charge by stop. For example, the shuttle bus is a one-time fee, not the scenic area's circular bus. Be sure to ask for details.
The parking fee at the scenic area takes a long time to decipher. There's a difference between half-hour and full-hour charges. Be sure to check the unit of charge. There's also a difference between peak and off-peak seasons. Peak season seems to be April-May and September-October. Today, September 27th, is peak season. During the day, the price is 8-10 yuan per hour, capped at 5 hours. Off-peak season is half that.