These beautiful surroundings have not only inspired authors, artists and songwriters to use the city as a setting in their works, they have also attracted many tourists from around the island and overseas. But all too many visitors have made Hualien only a stopover on the way to fishing in Carp Lake, rafting on the Hsiukuluan River, admiring Taroko Gorge or enjoying some other nearby recreation area in Hualien County.
但他們來此打尖的目的，無非是要往「瑞穗」鄉的秀姑巒溪泛舟；到「壽豐」鄉的鯉魚潭遊湖；上「秀林」鄉的太魯閣和清水斷崖觀峽看海……。在一般人的心目中，花蓮就等於花蓮縣境的奇岩峭壁、高山深谷，卻往往忽略了這個只佔全縣面積百分之○．六的溫馨小城。