Yes, Beijing gets really hot in summer.
Yes, summers are getting hotter every year.
And yes, it’s due to climate change, global warming and other important stuff.
But no, it doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors, glued to your sofa, sitting in front of your air conditioner with a pint of ice cream.
Luckily, there are quite a few swimming pools and water parks you can cool off at and actually enjoy the hot weather.
One of those pools is located inside Qingnianhu Park near Andingmen, and it offers a full day of fun for the whole family. Definitely one of the larger outdoor pools in Beijing, the Qingnianhu pool tends to get busy, especially on weekends. When we visited it was crowded, but we still managed to find a spot for our towels and the stroller in the shade by the little kids’ pool.
When you pass through the gate, you may leave your stuff in a locker and get changed in the changing rooms. You can also bring in your own food and drinks (glass bottles not allowed in), although there are snacks available inside, too.
The Little Kids’ Area
The kids’ pool is divided into two areas: the super shallow one with an elephant-shaped structure in the middle (which the kids thought was a slide, so the lifeguards on duty had to constantly blow their whistles) and an area that is a tad deeper, with a water playground my kids got all hyped up over. This pool was super busy, with kids of all ages going down the slides and screaming with excitement when the huge bucket on top of the structure would tip over and splash water on them.
The Water Massage Area + The Foam Party
There’s another small round pool for kids to play in and for adults to enjoy hydrotherapy jets massaging their aches away. However, the star of the show (for the kiddos, at least!) is the area by the kids’ pools where a foam machine blows foam and bubbles onto a slip-resistant surface and makes a unique experience for the kiddos.
The Bigger Kids Area
The main pool is around 1.5m deep, features multi-colored slides, and is perfect for various water activities. When we were there, it was crowded with parents and kids swimming and playing with water toys and floating devices, which are available for rent or purchase at the park.
The Chill Area
The area closest to the changing rooms was the least crowded one and was perfect for swimming and just chilling in the cool water.
Qingnianhu swimming pool is super kid-friendly with all the water equipment and shallow pools, but due to its size it may not be perfect for parents with older kids who still need supervision. My 6-year-old kept jumping from one pool into another, so it was quite tiring following him around in the heat.
Tickets to the pool can be purchased online or at a little booth by the entrance for RMB 98/adult, RMB 78/child (under 1.3m), RMB 138/one parent and one child, and RMB 218/two adults and one child.
Find it:
Qingnianhu Park Swimming Pool
Andingmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District (South gate of Qingnianhu Park)
Opening Hours: 10am-5pm (weekdays), 10am-6pm (weekends and holidays)
Images: Sanja Stojkov, Dianping
