After talking about the people, services and food my family will miss most in Beijing, we now move on to our favorite venues in the capital city that we have such great memories of. The list includes parks, museums, kid playgrounds and hiking areas that are all family-friendly! Of course, as always, all the opinions stated in this article are just that – my opinions – and completely subjective.
We first visited this AAAA tourist site in winter for its Ice Lantern Festival (which should open really soon!), but I think its true beauty lies in the summer months when the lake is as emerald green as the trees surrounding it. That’s when you can take the short 20-minute hike up to the top and zip-line across from cliff to cliff over the water then speed boat across it. It also boasts the Guinness World Record for longest series of escalators – if you’re into that sort of thing.
Find it:
Longqingxia Scenic Area
Guchengcun, Jiuxianzhen, Yanqing District
2. Ice Hiking on the White River in Miyun
It’s actually the perfect time to do this in Beijing right now! There are many tour groups that will do this hike and we’ve actually tried it with two different ones – the Beijing Hikers and the Cub Scouts – and it’s definitely a must-do in Beijing at least once. Preparation is key here, though, so make sure you get all your crampons and winter gear ready!
3. Skiing/Snowboarding in Nanshan
It’s not the greatest skiing in the world, it may not even be the best skiing in Beijing, but skiing at Nanshan Ski Resort is certainly the most accessible and by far the cheapest I’ve encountered in the world. Just an hour outside of main Beijing (with good traffic) and with all accessories and clothing rentable on site, it’s so easy to just show up, gear up, and start skiing. Aside from the RMB 200 deposit for each person, it costs less than RMB 500 to ski for the day and rent everything you need!
Find it:
Shengshuitou Village (圣水头村), Henanzhai Town（河南寨镇), Miyun County（密云县)
4. Picnicking / Cycling in Yanqing Scenic Area
Again, this is an area that we’ve explored a few times with various travel tours, and every time has been a refreshing break from the city. Beijing Hikers, Tayrona and Our Beijing are among the travel groups that we have experience with and would recommend booking a tour with. Our only issue is that it can take up to three hours to drive one way, which could mean up to a six-hour commute for a day trip. There are several comfortable and reasonably-priced local inns and hotels in the area if you would prefer to stay the night.
5. Beijing Marriott Hotel Changping
While there are numerous hot spring hotels in Beijing, this one is my family’s go-to because it’s expat-friendly (Marriott brand) and also just far enough away to warrant a good staycation. Three cool things about the hotel:
1. The water that fills your bathtub is hot spring water so you don’t even have to leave your room for the experience.
2. The kids’ water park on the hotel grounds uses hot spring water.
3. The hotel is right next to a local amusement park and outlet shopping mall.
Do note that the hot spring water park in the basement of the hotel costs an additional fee, starting from RMB 98 for kids and RMB 238 for adults for a day ticket. There is an indoor and outdoor water play area, complete with slides, waterfalls, water jets, and colored pools to add to the fun.
Find it:
Beijing Marriott Hotel Changping
29 Nankou Lu, Changping District
6. Beihai Park
Definitely one of the most scenic, historical and beautiful parks, especially if you can visit it without sprawling crowds. What made it really memorable for my family was the Beihai Park Scavenger Hunt that you can do on your own any time as long as you get the guide book!
Find it:
1, Wenjin Jie, Xicheng District
It was such a historical thrill to see the Peking Man Museum and its actual excavation sites in Zhoukoudian. We were lucky to be able to tour the facility under the expert guidance of Dr. Tom Stidham, who has since moved back to the States, but the museum continues to be a one-of-a-kind visit in Beijing. The most fun part is definitely the access to the caves where the actual fossils were found, which is a fun adventure for aspiring Dora the Explorers and Indiana Joneses.
Find it:
1, Zhoukoudian Jie, Fangshan District
(北京市房山区周口店大街1号)
8. Paleozoological Museum of China
Hands down one of the best museums in Beijing, this dinosaur-focused museum offers bilingual information so it’s super expat-friendly. It’s also the only museum that I’ve ever had the privilege of spending the night in, thanks to a cool partnership with the Scouts/certain student groups!
Find it:
西城区西直门外大街142号
142 Xizhimenwai Dajie
9. Bom Bom Space
There’s always a new kids’ playground popping up somewhere around Beijing, but Bom Bom Space has consistently been my kid’s and his friends’ favorite for the five years we lived here. Their facilities have been well-maintained and the premises kept clean despite the staggering amount of kids that run amok in there. Plus, it’s located in an outlet shopping mall so you can just leave the kids to play while you shop!
Find it:
BomBom Space
3/F, Surprise Outlets, Jinzhanxiang Forest Park East
北京斯普瑞斯奥莱商城二期3层
10. Shenglu Vineyard
I just cannot get enough of this vineyard plus dog-friendly campground plus outdoor natural kids playground! Since we discovered it couple years ago, it’s been one of our go-to haunts any time we have a day off from school. Feel free to set up your own tent on their nicely-manicured grassy fields, or use any one of their canvas tents complete with chairs and tables at a higher price. More details can be found in this article.
Find it:
Shenglu Vineyard 圣露庄园
奶乐村村东顺白路471号东1门
East Gate 1, 471 Dongshunbai Lu, Chaoyang District
KEEP READING: 10 Beijing Restaurants and What I’ll Miss About Them
Images: Ray Wu, VivienneTseng-Rush, Beijing Hikers
