Many Beijing families will be spending their summer vacation in China for the first time this year and while domestic travel is a great option, there is no reason you can’t recreate that vacation feeling right here in Beijing. Here are some simple tips on how to be a tourist in your own home, and reignite the spirit of exploration and discovery that goes hand in hand with vacation.
Summer is the best time to fall in love with Beijing all over again.
Hit the Books
Pretend that Beijing is a new exciting destination that you’ve never seen before, and research it like you would any other place. Dust off the Lonely Planet guide books, check TripAdvisor, look up local bloggers, follow the official city hashtags on Instagram, and browse through back issues of beijingkids for inspiration. Get each member of the family to pick interesting places that they would like to explore, including places to eat, play, and learn, then make a plan to visit or experience as many as possible.
Do a Grand Tour
Even if you’ve lived here for years, we bet there are plenty of things about the city you haven’t discovered yet. We are really spoiled for choice with dozens of wonderful and experienced tour guides offering all kinds of different food, historical, cycling, and walking tours. Flip to p. 38 for a list of our favorites.
Phone a Friend
If you were visiting a friend in a foreign city, you’d hit them up for recommendations straight away! Do the same in Beijing, asking a friend to show you their favorite restaurants, parks, play centers etc. You could even take it in turns with another family, trading your favorite ‘secret spots’.
Get Moving
Changing your mode of transportation for bus, train, bike, walking, tuk-tuk, or even pedalo (on some of Beijing’s lakes) is a great way to literally change your perspective. It’s amazing how differently you see the city you either slow or increase your pace, or take a slightly different route.
Book a Staycation
If it is within your budget, book a night or two in a hotel in a part of town you don’t usually get to. This will make it even easier to explore the area and kickstart that vacation feeling.
Get Trapped
We’re not suggesting you should go and get ripped off, but why not take a chance on some of those ‘tourist trap’ restaurants and experiences that you’d usually avoid? Yes, you might spend a bit more money but you’ll be surprised at how fun and interesting these ‘traps’ really are.
Cheese It Up
Have you ever gotten a great family photo at Tiananmen Square? Or in a typical Beijing hutong? Now is the time to make all those fun cheesy holiday pics happen! Half the fun of a holiday is looking through all the fun snaps afterward, making this ‘Beijing holiday’ one to remember for years to come.
KEEP READING: Put Your Trust in Beijing’s Best Local Tour Guides and Agencies
Photos: Unsplash
This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 June issue
