Si’de Park 四得公园
This Lido gem is a favorite with locals and expats alike. On any given weekend, families can be spotted playing at the outdoor playground (with a bouncy castle, kiddy rides, and a merry-go-round), trying their luck at the fishing pond, staying active at the tennis courts, or simply lounging on the grass. There are many dining options around the park, including SALT, Park Side Bar & Grill, and CJ Foodworld.
Free. Daily 6am-9pm. Jiangtai Xilu, Chaoyang District (6438 6093) 朝阳区将台西路
CJ Foodworld
Daily 11am-11pm. 9-8 Jiangtai Lu (near Ai Jiang Shan), Chaoyang District (8457 1997) 朝阳区将台西路9-8号（近爱江山）
Park Side Bar & Grill 园景
Daily 10am-late. 9-6 Jiangtai Xilu (opposite Rosedale Hotel), Chaoyang District (6444 6555, info@parksidebeijing.com) www.parksidebeijing.com 朝阳区将台西路9-6号（珀丽酒店对面）
SALT 盐
Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6-10.30pm, Sun Brunch noon-4pm. 2/F, 9 Jiangtai Xilu (opposite the Japanese School, west of Rosedale Hotel), Chaoyang District (6437 8457) www.saltrestaurantbeijing.com 朝阳区将台西路9号2层（珀丽酒店西边）
Cosmic Bowling 北京沙明建保龄球俱乐部
Also known as SMJ Bowling Club, Cosmic Bowling upholds the classic family tradition of bowling. At 20 lanes, the club is modestly-sized but still large enough for a birthday party. Prices vary according to the time of day, while shoe rentals cost RMB 5 and billiards cost RMB 50 per hour. When you’re all bowled out, head to The Taj Pavilion right next door or Element Fresh down the street.
Cosmic Bowling
RMB 12-25/game, RMB 100-200/hour. Daily 9am-2am. 3/F, Lido Place, 6 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District (6437 6688 ext 3801, bowling300@163.com) 朝阳区将台路6号丽都饭店3层
Element Fresh 新元素
Sun-Thu 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat 8am-midnight. 6 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District (6433 5058) www.elementfresh.com 朝阳区将台路6号
The Taj Pavilion 泰姬楼印度餐厅
Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm. 3/F, Lido Place, 6 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District (6437 6688 ext 3811) www.thetajpavilion.com 朝阳区将台路6号丽都饭店3层
StarTrooper Laser Tag 激光搏击
If you’ve got older kids, get them to round up a bunch of their friends and head to StarTrooper. The rules are simple: Two teams wearing vests with colored sensors attempt to score points by “shooting” their opponents with laser guns. When someone’s hit, the vest flashes, vibrates, and deactivates for a few seconds, temporarily freezing the victim. After a 15-minute game, each player gets a printout with the number of hits they made and the number of times they got hit. Participants can then enjoy a free soda and compare scores.
For kids 1.3m and over. Tue-Sun 9am-8pm (Tue and Fri by appointment only). RMB 40/person (single game), RMB 1,680/hour (entire venue). Wangjing West Garden, Bldg 316, Wangjing, Chaoyang District (6475 8329, info@startrooper.net) www.startrooper.net 朝阳区望京新城西园3区316楼
U-Speed Go-Karting 优速卡丁车馆
U-Speed’s 4,000sqm facilities include go-karting tracks, VIP rooms, a bar/restaurant, conference rooms, and a games center with foosball, pool tables, and a video arcade. It’s not cheap (RMB 120/six-minute session), but it’s a hard-to-beat thrill for ages 10 and up.
Mon-Fri 1pm-1am, Sat-Sun and holidays 11am-1am. 1 Siyuan Qiao, Jingshun Lu (near Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast), Chaoyang District (English: 186 1015 8386 or 158 1091 7950, Chinese: 6473 2548/6148, rockqoffroad@yahoo.com.cn) www.u-speed.com 朝阳区四元桥1号 （近北京海航大厦万豪酒店）
The New City Center
The New City Center is a cross between a cafe, community center, and events venue. Founded by an expat, the center offers a number of children’s programs and after school classes, including Mommy and Me Learning Club and Hooked on Phonics. The space can be rented out for special events, birthdays, and conferences, with seating for up to 170 people. In addition, proceeds after expenses from the Corner Cafe – which has free Wi-Fi – benefit charity projects throughout China.
Mon-Sat 9am-5pm. 112 Lize Xiyuan, Guangshun Beidajie, Wangjing, Chaoyang District (6475 1066, info@thenewcitycenter.com) www.thenewcitycenter.com 朝阳区望京广顺北大街丽泽西园112号
Family Box Educational & Recreational Center 家盒子
Designed for ages 0-12, Family Box is a family center that combines learning and play over three floors. Facilities include a climbing frame, play area, swimming pool, Sensory Room, Soft Island, and craft room. Courses and activities are based on the UK’s Early Years Foundation Stage.
RMB 480/child (full-day access). Sat-Thu 9am-8pm, Fri 10am-8pm. Bldg 4, 51 Wangjing Beilu, Chaoyang District (6478 6163) www.familyboxes.com.cn 朝阳区望京北路51号院4号楼
Photos by Sophie Zhu
This article originally appeared on p50-51 of the beijingkids June 2013 issue.
Check out the PDF version online at Issuu.com
