Beijing
The capital of China, Beijing 北京, is a large city with 20+ million residents. There is so much to do here that we’ve split it up into two different posts. If you only have a few days (2-5), we’ll give you the highlights here. However, if you have more time (6+ days), read this article to see additional amazing things to do in this city!
When to Visit
Beijing has all four seasons so it all depends on what you are looking for.
Spring (March, April, May) is an amazing time to visit as the local parks and walkways are alive with beautiful spring flowers. I wasn’t expecting such brilliant foliage in a desert climate but they do a nice job keeping the parks, roads, and walkways updated with plants.
Summer (June, July, August) tends to be very hot, more rainy days, and lots of mosquitoes. Last year set some records for 40+ C (100+ F) days. The summer nights are fun though because most people eat outside and there’s nothing like grilled meats and cold delicious beverages to cool you down.
Fall (September, October, November) brings cooler weather and the most beautiful foliage. I’d definitely recommend a visit during fall if you can as it’s easy walking around weather. Do avoid coming during National Holiday in October though as most of the locals travel then and prices will skyrocket and travel is near impossible.
Winter (December, January, February) gets really cold. It can get below freezing but luckily it usually snows only once or twice a year and melts pretty quickly. If you don’t mind the cold temperatures, there definitely is a charm about Beijing in the winter like roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes from vendors. Even though most places have heating, it’s pretty moderate so do bring layers and dress for the cold.
Where to Stay
As with all of China, we’d recommend you book your hotel stays with Trip.com. Not all hotels are able to accept foreigners (most Western hotels will) but Trip.com you are easily able to tell based on others’ reviews. There is a wide range of hotels from budget hotels to super fancy luxury. I’m not sure of the hostel scene in China. We never encountered it. Actually we never heard anyone talk about it so unsure if it exists. Do note that you’re not allowed to just stay anywhere like couch surfing. The hotels actually have to register you with the police departments using your passport. So be prepared to stay in legit places and always have your passport ready when checking into a hotel.
AirBnb shut down their China operation within the last few years so again, play it safe, we’d recommend booking hotels through Trip.com.
If you are looking for a little bit of splurge, we can definitely recommend the following hotels as we did a few staycations and enjoyed these hotels.
The Intercontinental – in the heart of Sanlitun, absolute luxury and amazing restaurants for brunching.
The Opposite House – inside the TaiKooLi Mall (Sanlitun), this beautiful hotel captures your attention with beautiful sleek details.
Nuo – Nuo has two locations: the downtown location is an older regal style but the Chaoyang location gives high end hotels a run for their money with a stunning art display in the lobby, a luxurious spa and pool, and the best brunch in town.
The Orchid – in the middle of the Hutongs, this high end hotel is nestled between small shops and restaurants.
In terms of neighborhoods or locations, we’d recommend staying close to the central or east side of the city so you are closer to the action. Also being near a subway station will be helpful in all your traveling.
How to Get Around
The Beijing Subway and Bus system is AMAZING. Although it will take you over an hour to go from one side of the city to the other, the subway is so smooth, it’s very well marked with signs in Chinese and English, and is the best way to get around the city. Although you will have to walk a considerable distance to transfer trains, it’s all indoors and you only need to scan your pass once when you enter and once when you leave. You can buy a 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 day pass at any train station entrance. I’d definitely recommend this as we used the subway all the time to get from neighborhood to neighborhood. Do note that the Subway system closes at 11pm so if you are out late, make sure to plan an alternative way to get home.
If taxis are more your style, make sure to download the DiDi app to hail taxis from anywhere. Uber and other ride hailing apps don’t work in China. Also if you want more information about bikes, check out our post about China overall to see how to rent bikes. They are honestly an amazing way to see more of the city while you are there.
Renting a car in China is probably not the best option and it can be very hard. They do not accept the International Drivers License so you would have to get a Chinese Driver’s License. It is definitely possible as many of our coworkers who are expats of China have gotten theirs, it’s probably not feasible for a short term travel trip.
Food
Chinese food in China is unlike any Chinese food I’ve had elsewhere in the world. It’s incredible and so diverse. Each of the Chinese regions have their own dishes and they highlight that area’s locally grown food. In Beijing, you can find any type of restaurant you are looking for from local favorites, any region in China, or many Western options as well.
Beijing Local Favorites
You’ve probably heard of hot pot. It’s a broth that is continuously heated at the table and raw ingredients like meat and veggies are brought out. You cook the ingredients in the broth and then take them out to eat. Beijing has its own take on hot pot with Beijing Hot Pot. Usually served with lamb, a clear broth is used to highlight the better quality meat. It’s easy to recognize with a distinctive copper pot and served with only a delicious sesame dipping sauce.
Beijing Duck is a whole experience. When you order the duck, which can serve 3-5 people, it’s served on a beautiful platter, carved in bite sized pieces with small wraps/thin pancakes. You get an accoutrement tray of thinly sliced spring onion, cucumbers, a hoisin sauce, and sugar. You get to create your own wrap with a little of each sauce, veggie, and meat. Roll it up and take a bite! Save the crispy duck skin to dip in the sugar. It’s the best treat. I know it sounds odd but just try it!
Two other sweet treats that are fun to try are tánghúlu which is basically fruit on a stick covered in hardened sugar. It’s amazing. The best is the hawthorns as they are naturally sour so it pairs well with the sugar on the outside. But if hawthorns aren’t your thing, you can get strawberries, oranges, kiwis, or mixed fruit. Also don’t miss out on trying a delicious, cold Beibingyang soda. Basically an orange soda, but it’s fun as it’s still sold in glass bottles and is such a refreshing treat on a hot day. They are sold in almost all restaurants, convenience stores, and supermarkets.
Beijing is also known for its seasonal dishes. As the weather starts to get chilly, the street vendors come out to serve fresh roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes. The distinct warm, sweet smell can be noticed from blocks away inviting you to enjoy these two simple but delicious treats served as is. They are great walking snacks to eat while wandering the Hutongs!
Traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, moon cakes are a dense pastry filled with many different types of fillings including red bean paste, nuts, lotus, or jujube paste. You can find them around town year round, but they really come out in mass during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
For restaurants, there are thousands of local Chinese spots that are definitely amazing. Pro Tip – Remember when searching on Apple Maps or in Dianping (a review app), you need to search using the Chinese words for the food you are looking for.
What To Do in Beijing
15 things to do – Attractions by Location
- Outside of City – The Great Wall of China
- South Side – Temple of Heaven, Pearl Market, Panjiayuan Market
- Central – Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City (The Palace Museum), Jingshan Park, Beihai Park, Hutongs, Qianmen Walking Street
- North Side – Olympic Park with Birds Nest (National Stadium)
- Northwest Side – The Summer Palace, Botanical Gardens
- East Side – 798 Art District, Sanlitun, Central Business District (CBD)
Outside of City – The Great Wall of China is a must see! There are multiple points of entry, each with its own unique things about it. Here are our top three favorites.
Mutianyu – is the most popular location to see the Great Wall as it’s only a 1.5 hour drive from Beijing. This location gives you multiple ways to get to the top including: cable cars, chair lifts or stairs. On the way down, you can access all of these and there is also a toboggan slide which makes for a fun way down! This is the most fully restored Great Wall section so you can see it in all its glory.
Simatai – Access this part of the wall from Gubei Watertown about 2 hours from Beijing. This town was constructed a few years ago to resemble an ancient water town. It’s absolutely adorable and a fun way to be transported back in time. With tons of shops, restaurants, performances and even a drone/light show at night. This is the best location to walk on the Great Wall at night as the town lights up the wall. During the day, we took the walking path to the wall but at night, we took the cable car to the top and walked around. Also from the wall at night, you get a stunning view of the ancient town lit up. It’s really a unique experience.
Huang Hua Cheng – Lakeside Great Wall is about 1.5 hours from Beijing. This is a cool experience because the Great Wall actually dips through a few lakes. The views are stunning with the mountains around and they have built up many things to do like paddle boarding, boats, and other water activities. You can easily spend the day here.
In all of these, you can walk directly on the wall! The wall is basically a wide walking path made from stone with castle-like railings. Actually being on the wall is such a unique experience because as the wall follows the mountain tops, the wall itself becomes super steep stairs. There were moments I was scared due to the steepness. It’s crazy to think about how hundreds of years ago they made the wall and what it must have been like to use it as defense. You can also walk through and explore many of the watchtowers. If you’ve come this far to China, you can’t miss visiting the Great Wall.
South Side – Temple of Heaven, Pearl Market, Panjiayuan Market
The Temple of Heaven, built in 1420, is located inside a beautiful park. It’s honestly worth it just to walk around the park as it’s an amazing nature break in the big city. But this iconic building is fascinating to see up close as you’ll start to see it in many pictures and advertisements for China. The outside is the traditional Chinese style architecture with red and gold paintings adorning the building.
Pro tip – the Temple complex is closed on Mondays so it’s either a great time to go visit because there will be fewer visitors or it’s terrible if you want to see the whole complex.
Pearl Market – located just across the street, the Hong Qiao Pearl Market is an iconic indoor shopping center with tons of stalls slinging local goods for tourists like silk scarves, pearl jewelry, Chinese decorations, vases, chopsticks, and of course clothing. It’s a fun place to go shopping as many vendors will start high and you can haggle down the price. To be honest, this market is where we encountered the most amount of people speaking English! Plan to get some souvenirs here.
Speaking of souvenirs, if you are looking for more antiques or more authentic gifts, make a stop over to the Panjiayuan Market. This market is more for locals but they have a great selection of open air antiques, a whole section of art, one for pottery and tea sets, one for walnuts (to be spun in your hand), and of course jewelry. Most sellers here do not speak English so be ready to translate numbers to negotiate your prices.
Central – Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and The Palace Museum, Jingshan Park, Beihai, Hutongs, Qianmen Walking Street
Tiananmen Square is a large concrete space between many governmental buildings in central Beijing. While they often put on public displays of government, it’s harder to appreciate as a tourist. You’ll know you’ve hit the government building areas of town when you see gold fencing lining the sidewalks. You are able to enter and walk around the square itself but you will be required to go through security checks, with certain items being restricted like water bottles and drones, and you have to have your physical passport scanned before entering. The square itself is impressive in size but lacked interest for us. The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong and the Monument to the People’s Heroes are also located here. They were closed to the public while we were there so I can’t speak to it but it seems that they may be open now.
Pro tip – if you don’t want to wait in security lines, rent a bike and ride past on Chang’an Street. While you won’t be able to stop due to security personnel ushering you on, if you ride slow enough, you can snap a few pictures and see the whole area without having to walk it all. We did a few laps around the square to see everything. Be warned, that you cannot park bikes anywhere near the government facilities (gold fences) so be ready to bike farther away to park.
While technically Tiananmen Square is connected to the Forbidden City, they have two different entrances. At the Forbidden City you will need a ticket to enter. Tickets are available online beforehand or at the gate, if there are any left that day. The Forbidden City is the former residence of 14 Ming Emperors and 10 Qing Emperors. Ever seen the movie “The Last Emperor”? This was his palace and the movie was actually shot inside the Forbidden City. Once a place reserved for royalty only, they have now converted the inside into The Palace Museum where you can walk through many of the 9,000 rooms including the housing chambers, palace meeting rooms, dignitary hosting locations, and beautiful gardens. The rooftops are striking gold with the red, green, and blue paintings on the buildings. There are many stone carved animals that make this place just regal. Plan to spend a few hours here as you can wander and wind your way through. I’d definitely recommend either a guide or read about the history and significance before you go. Things like the carved lions hair curls or the number of dragons on the roofs, all have significance and meaning. It’s quite impressive.
After having been inside the Forbidden City, we recommend that you cross the street going north to Jingshan Park to get unbelievable views of the Forbidden City from the hill tops. It’s striking how large the Forbidden City complex really is. Jingshan Park has five hill tops, each with a small pavilion. The walking paths are well laid out and paved, albeit very steep and with lots of steps. While you wouldn’t need more than an hour here as the park is small, the views of the Forbidden City, Bell and Drum Tower, the Hutongs, and Beihai Park are incredible and worth the hike!
Speaking of Beihai Park, located just west of Jingshan, this is another beautifully laid out park with a lake. Named for the White Pagoda, it’s a well manicured walking area. While there is a small fee to enter the park, our pro tip is skip Beihai and head north to Houhai lake and park as it’s free to walk around. Here you will get the same feeling but more shops and restaurants. You will get asked to take a carriage ride here by many vendors selling rides, but just politely decline and keep walking. If you want to get off the lake, take any of the little alleyways out and explore the small shops and restaurants nearby.
By now you’ve heard us mention the Hutongs a couple times above because it’s honestly one of the most Beijing things. A hutong in Beijing refers to a narrow lane or alley formed by traditional courtyard housing. This style of housing had a courtyard in the middle shared by families who lived in the housing built around the courtyard. These historic lanes have a rich history dating back more than 700 years. These days, some of the coolest coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and stores now occupy the store front intermixed with housing where locals still live. The winding alleys are so fun to explore as you’ll find a new place hidden among twists and turns. It’s honestly unlike anything we’ve walked through before. There are many older Hutongs you can walk through but we recommend Andingmen, Gulou, and Dongzhimen just northeast of Houhai.
Qianmen Walking Street, located just south of Tiananmen Square is a more commercialized walking street but it offers all the local favorites. It’s a fun area of town to enjoy a few hours. While there are many shops outside, there are a few indoor food courts and markets to explore here as well. If you’d like to take in the traditional Chinese opera, stop by the Tianleyuan Theatre for a family friendly performance. It’s a great introduction to the Chinese style of opera. When you buy a ticket, you aren’t buying a seat number instead they are first come first serve. It’s not a large theater so no need to be crazy early but you can even go before the show to see the performers putting on their traditional makeup in the lobby of the theater.
North Side- Olympic Park with Birds Nest (National Stadium)
Take the Line 8 (green) train to the Olympic Park stop. Here you can see the site of the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2022 Winter Olympics. A lot of the buildings are still standing including the Birds Nest which is now called the National Stadium, the Aquatic Center, and the Olympic Towers. It’s free to walk around but going in most buildings requires either an event in the stadium or you need to pay to use the facilities. For example the Aquatic Center is now a multi-functional center for sports, recreation, and fitness.
The grounds have also been built out to include a beautiful park up north. You can spend literally hours walking all the paths. Fun fact: the man-made lake and river that run through the whole complex, create a dragon shape from above. Included in the park you’ll find a high ropes course, go karts, and even boats to rent on the lake. If you’re able to grab a picnic lunch and lounge in the shade, it makes for a lovely afternoon.
Northwest Side – The Summer Palace, Botanical Gardens
Once situated far outside the city, this former Summer Palace to the emperors is now located inside the 5th ring road so it’s just part of the city. Venture out this way by taking the Line 4 (blue) and getting off at the Beigongmen stop. You can buy your tickets on an app before going or at the door by scanning a QR code.
These imperial gardens are breathtaking. As the old summer retreat for the royal family, you can walk through their former living quarters, private gardens, and even hike to the top of Longevity Hill for beautiful views. The man-made lake is surrounded by a beautifully kept walkway which boasts many different types of plants and flowers. It honestly did not feel like we were in a city of 20+ million while walking around these pristine gardens. One fun thing to do is to get the Summer Palace Passport and have it stamped at all the specific locations listed in the passport including the houses, temples, and monuments.
Pro tip – Don’t confuse The Summer Palace, Yiheyuan, with The Old Summer Palace, Yuanmingyuan. The Old Summer Palace is located just east of The Summer Palace. This park is also beautiful but no structures remain. Most of them were burned down in 1860 when the French and British demolished the area. The ruins and relics still remain and it’s definitely an interesting park if you have some extra time to explore.
If you haven’t had your fill of gardens yet, check out the Beijing Botanical Garden. Located a little further west, this beautiful botanical garden is built at the base of a mountain range so the paths leading you back into the gardens start to climb part of a mountain which provides amazing views, ravines and valleys, and just an incredible experience. The small entry fee is worth the diversity of plants, flowers, and nature they have.
East Side – 798 Art District, Sanlitun, (CBD) Central Business District
798 Art District is a funky, fun place to visit in Beijing. This old industrial area has been converted into art museums, art exhibitions, shops, restaurants, and cute cafes. You’ll see graffiti adorning all the walls and walkways. They even have art installations inside and outside. It’s a really fun vibe to the area. We recommend grabbing a drink and burger at Jing A for a delicious meal, or go more local with a Yunnan restaurant. Finally, cap it all off with dessert from Choc-a-lot which is honestly rare to find such fresh and sweet cookies in China!
Sanlitun is the center of malls and shopping in Beijing. There are lots of stores ranging from budget to crazy high end. Think nightlife, fashion, trendy among the youths. It’s a sight to see, especially walking through TaiKooLi Mall. Make sure to explore all the floors and see all the sights. Cross Gongrentiyuchang Road to the south to see even more. There is a modern courtyard that boasts some great western restaurants like Taco Bar, Las Musas, Home Plate BBQ, and many more.
CBD (Central Business District) is the financial and business section of Beijing. With tall skyscrapers and beautiful architecture, we felt like we were in downtown Chicago! Take the Line 10 (blue) train to Guomao. Here you will find fancy hotels like The Kerry and The Jen. Also you have a wide array of restaurants like the upscale Hatsune (sushi), the gastropub Beer Smith (pro tip – stay for the live music as the band is actually amazing!), and any of the restaurants located in the China World Mall. You can actually get lost in this mall, that’s how big it is!
