There’s a silver lining to every grey cloud, even one as dark as the bleak shade that Covid has thrown over our otherwise sunny days. The silver lining I discovered was that admission to Chaoyang Park is now free! Granted it had only cost RMB 5, but still, you can’t argue with a freebie!
There’s more! While the park was lovely and quiet on a weekday, with plenty of open, available space for picnicking (just stay off the grass) or setting up a badminton game, we discovered a cluster of amazing kid-friendly activities for a full day’s worth of fun!
Watch the video to check out some of the family-friendly fun Chaoyang Park offers!
Aerial Adventure Course
Challenge yourself to a test of bravery and balance in this adventure course off the ground and up in the trees! There’s a variety of challenges, from planks to tunnels, so your kids can discover how to maneuver and master their bodies while navigating each obstacle. Kids 1.05m and above are able to attempt the junior course accompanied by a parent (don’t worry, if I could do the course in ballet flats, you’ll be fine). Kids above 1.4m are able to do all the courses including the junior, intermediate, advanced, and integrated course, as well as a zip line across the lake! Incidentally, tickets are RMB 220 for the junior course and RMB 160 for the advanced, while a parent-child ticket will set you back RMB 320.
Real-life Counter-Strike (with toy guns)!
Remember Counter-Strike, the first-person multiplayer shooting game that rocked the 90s? Well, this is basically a real-life version of that! Basically, you put on a helmet and/or military-style vest, carry a toy gun, and try to eliminate the other team and capture their home base. Side note: You can bring your own flag if you want. Players can opt to book out the entire place at RMB 150/person for two and a half hours, or simply enter the grounds individually for RMB 160 for two hours. If you want to make it sound cooler with your tweens, then say it’s like “real-life” Fortnite. Anything to get them off the couch and outside of the house, right?
Water activities
There are at least two places that offer water activities such as canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding in Chaoyang Park. One such place lies right around the corner from where the aerial adventure course is, across the bridge and to the left. The other lies north, close to Solana Mall. Both are operated by Whale Sports and offer a 30-minute canoeing experience starting from RMB 109 for one person, to RMB 199 for a three-seater canoe. Be sure to bring a change of clothes though… just in case.
Four-seater family pedal bike
There’s probably a name for those four-seater pedal bikes but I don’t know it. Regardless, this is a fun way to get around and explore the massive park. If you’re not into pedaling, you can even rent an e-scooter, though I’ve really only seen two-seaters for those. There are kiosks littered all over where you can rent these pedal bikes, and one is conveniently located right outside the aerial adventure course grounds! Prices start from RMB 80 per hour.
Amusement park
If all else fails, there’s always the trusty amusement park to help keep your kids entertained, for a price. Individual ride tickets start from RMB 20 but an all-access ticket might be a smarter move if you’ve got an, “I wanna try everything” kid like mine. RMB 88 will buy you a ticket that allows you to choose six out of 18 ride categories. Aside from carnival-esque rides, the park also offers a Dinosaur City, an indoor playground for younger kids, and the Sony Science Center for inquiring minds.
There’s lots to do at Chaoyang Park, and now that it’s free to enter, you’ve got even more of a reason to visit before school starts! Take advantage of the cooler weather, pack a picnic lunch, and head over with the whole family!
KEEP READING: WATCH: Kiddos’ Day Out at MeLand, a 3-Story Indoor Playground
Images: Vivienne Tseng-Rush, DaZhongDianPing
