The Best Activities Going On During Golden Week

Let’s dive into this week’s collection of fun family-friendly events and dining deals right here in Beijing.

As always, click the link in the event title or scan the QR codes for further details and ticketing info.

Fri, Oct 1

Van Gogh Alive: The Experience

Friday marks the opening of the national tour for this fantastic exhibition, which showcases the masterpieces of the late Dutch artist in a vivid display of light design and classical music. People of all ages have fallen in love with this immersive exhibition the world over, and now it’s your turn!

Tickets start from RMB99. To purchase tickets, paste the following into WeChat and click on it to open the mini-program: #小程序://杜星球/vSbRafKvdnjqBEp

From Oct 1, 10am-8pm. The Dewey Center. RMB 99

Oct 1-5

Songzhuang Art Festival Maker Box Art Market

For four days, the Songzhuang Xiaobao Cultural Square in Tongzhou is being taken over by an amazing arts and culture market. There will be plenty of crafts and activities for kids (and adults) from all over the world, including ceramics, weaving, toy building, and more.

Oct 1-5. 12-8.30pm. Songzhuang Xiaobao Cultural Square, Tongzhou. Free

Oct 1-7

Royal Fall Camp for Kids

In partnership with the Courtyard Institute, Black Sesame Kitchen is hosting two three-day educational camps just for kids, starting Oct. 1. All kids from ages 4-12 are welcome, and the entire camp will be hosted in both Chinese and English throughout. Kids will learn all about Chinese dynasties and cultural traditions around fall through a variety of hands-on crafts, cooking activities, and outdoor adventures.

Oct 1-4 & Oct 4-7, 9am-5pm. Black Sesame Kitchen. RMB 3,980 (sibling discounts available).

Oct 1-31

BomBomSpace New Story Opening and Kids Discount

Trampoline center, arcade, climbing gym, and all-round fun zone BomBomSpace is celebrating the opening of their brand new venue with a great deal for families: from October 1-31, get 15 percent off when you book a kid’s birthday party, and they are also giving away pairs of tickets (1 adult and 1 child) to followers, so be sure to scan the code below for all the info and to get in the running.

Sunday, Oct 3

Kids Club: Rolling Hills Loop Hike and Farm Playground

The name says it all… take a ramble on the rolling hills of Miyun District in this easy and relaxing day trip, while also enjoying a bonus farm playground visit and tasty dumplings for lunch! As always, this Kid’s Club hike is designed to keep kids of all ages happy and occupied while parents can take a load off and enjoy a lovely day out.

8am, first departure. Bus pickup from Lido and Liangmaqiao. RMB 420 for adults, RMB 200 for kids 5-12, free for kids under 4.

Oct 3-6

MasterChef Culinary Camp, Oct 3-6

Speaking of camps… The Hutong is famous for hosting great culinary classes, and we especially love this four-day camp because it’s available to kids from 8 and up, as well as adults. Every day, participants will learn everything about cooking including the basics of flavor and spices, common cooking techniques, how to compose a menu and create delicious dishes from scratch, as well as essential skills like knife safety. Sign up quickly, because we suspect spots in this camp will disappear fast!

Oct 3-6, 9.30am-3.30pm. The Hutong. RMB 3,200

Wed, Oct 6

Forbidden City Treasure Hunt

With hundreds of rooms, secret courtyards, and more artifacts than you can shake a stick at, the Forbidden City is the perfect place to explore with kids, which is exactly what this Treasure Hunt is all about! Kids will have a blast as they discover this extraordinary site, all while learning plenty of interesting facts along the way.

9am-1.30pm. The Forbidden City Art Museum. RMB 350, 1 parent and 1 child. RMB 450 1 parent and 2 kids.

Great Dining Deals at Family-Friendly Restaurants

Golden Week Buffet Specials at Feast by EAST: From Oct 1-3, enjoy a semi-buffet brunch, or surf & turf for RMB 328 per person. Then from Oct 4-7, go for the semi-buffet brunch or dinner for RMB 248 (brunch) or RMB 268 (dinner). All offers include free-flow on selected drinks.

Beyond Meat BOGO Mondays at Slow Boat Sanlitun: Meatless Monday has never been so easy, or tasty!

All-You-Can-Eat Taco Tuesdays at Las Musas: Go crazy with unlimited tacos for RMB 120 and 25 percent off margarita pitchers.

Half-Off Mussels at Jing-A Taproom in CBD on Wednesdays: Not getting to the seaside this break? No worries, enjoy some delicious fresh mussels at Jing-A ‘s CBD Taproom all the same.

Half-Off Dishes at QMex Taqueria on Thursday: 1/2 price Australian Skirt Steak, Roasted Guajillo Chicken, Grilled Lamb Chops, Grilled Spicy Cheese Sausage & Habanero Chicken from 5pm until closing!

RMB 28 Fish & Chips at Peach on Friday: Every Friday all fish and chips are RMB 28 for dine-in and takeaway.

And don’t forget about these ongoing events and exhibitions…

Miyazaki Hayao and Ghibli’s World Animation Art Exhibition (ends Oct 10). Kids absolutely love the rich and magical world of Studio Ghibli animations, and this exhibition gives them a chance to experience it all up close and in person! We even came up with a special Quiz Mission for your kids to dig into as they explore this out-of-this-world exhibition!

2021 Beijing International Light Festival (ends Oct 10). Pretty lights, lasers, stunning displays…this is one nighttime event worth keeping the kids up for.

Meet Egypt: The Exhibition of the Golden Mummies (ends Oct 15) What is it about Ancient Egypt that seems to enchant children? If you’ve got budding archeologists at home, this exhibition, which showcases over 100 pieces and explores the fascinating world of the afterlife in Ancient Egyptian culture will keep them enthralled for hours.