Searching on what are the things you can see and do in Beijing? The capital city of China is one of the best destinations for history buffs. Just imagine standing in places you’ve only seen on documentary films or read (or scanned) in books.
This 2020, if you are thinking of a destination to visit, why not consider Beijing. Here are the places my family visit last November.
1. Hike and Climb the Great Wall of China
Tick off that list of visiting the Seven Wonders of the World when you visit The Great Wall of China. A massive fortification with more than 2,000 years of history, it was surreal to finally hike and climb this familiar structure in history books.
There are many sections of the Great Wall and one of the easiest sections to reach is the Badaling section. It can get crowded but there are tips and ways to avoid the hoarde.
Read my guide here: “How to Take the Bus to The Great Wall of China from Beijing”
2. Get Lost Inside the Forbidden City
I was in high school when I watched, “The Last Emperor” and frequently saw documentaries featuring Beijing’s Forbidden City. My kids also watched “Karate Kid” and I was amazed at how they were able to recall scenes from the film during our visit.
One of the first impressions you’ll have when visiting Beijing is how massive everything is and Forbidden City is definitely one of them.
Once the imperial household of the Chinese Emperor, walk into the footsteps of the Emperor, the Empress, his concubines, the eunuchs, guards, and imperial residents of the Forbidden City.
You can buy your ticket at 3rd party sites like Klook.
3. Embrace the Space of Tiananmen Square
Serving as one of the world’s largest public squares, Tiananmen Square is a significant venue for Chinese political and cultural events (we arrived shortly after the 70th anniversary of People’s Republic of China).
Tiananmen or “Gate of Heavenly Peace” also serves as the door to the Forbidden City. There are landmarks within Tiananmen but never miss Mao Zedong portrait.
4. Get Lost in the Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven is another imperial complex where emperors make sacrifices to the heavens for good harvests. It is locally known as Tiantan Park with different structures for different purposes.
The iconic building for me is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests with its circular shape and blue glaze tiles symbolizing heaven. A few steps away is a mini museum that gave me an idea on the ritual performed by the Emperor.
I’m saying “get lost” because it is here that I lost my son, Liam. I know you’ll never be a parent unless you have temporarily lost your child – but not in Beijing! Don’t worry, he found his way.
5. Retreat to The Summer Palace
During summer when the halls and walls of the Forbidden City get too hot for the imperial family, the emperor and his party retreat to the Summer Palace, more than 10kms away from Beijing.
A lovely place to walk and stroll, best visited during summer of course. Though we came during the early hours of winter, it was a wonderful place. Relaxing with its waters and trees.
I love the marble bridges and how locals visit for some birding and urban strolls.
6. Meet the Pandas of Beijing Zoo
Traveling with kids or not, Beijing Zoo is a must-visit because they have pandas! Meeting the giant pandas are definitely one of the things to see and do when in Beijing. Do you know that China owns all the pandas in the world?
Aside from the pandas, Beijing Zoo is large as it houses 5000 animals. Not only we saw white tigers and hippos, I love the landscape and gardens within Beijing Zoo.
7. Sweat and Cheer up at the Olympic Village
First built for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics with the iconic landmarks like The Nest and the Water Cube, Beijing Olympic Village will be one of the venues for the 2022 Winter Olympics. That will make Beijing the only city to host both winter and summer Olympics.
Another large space in Beijing, the Olympic Village is the city’s major sporting venue. When we were there, it just hosted a marathon. There are also musical performances in the Village.
8. Drink and Dance the Night Away in Sanlitun
If you think Beijing is all about cultural sites, think again. Thus if you yearning for some nightlife or meeting fellow foreigners, head to Sanlintun in Beijing’s Chaoyang district. Sanlintun means, “three li village” (li is equivalent to .5km) and today is filled with shops, bars, and restaurants.
Hard to miss is the famous Taikoo Li Sanlintun. There is also this impressive dancing painting, where an interactive board let kids costumize the graphics and after a few seconds, it will appear in reel time – perfect for some souvenir shot!
9. See Beijing’s Unique Architectures
Beijing’s modern architecture defies rules and equally unusual and jaw-dropping. Start off with the egg-shaped, National Centre for Performing Arts not far from Tiananmen Square to Olympic Village’s The Nest.
At the heart of Beijing’s Central Business District is the CCTV Headquarters shaped like big underpants. Another skyscraper is The China Zun Tower, Beijing’s tallest building.
My personal favorite is the work of Zaha Hadid – Galaxy SOHO, a series of ovoid glass-shaped buildings.
10. Shop and join the Crowd at Wangfujing
I can’t say Wangfujing is a not-to-be-missed attraction when in Beijing, but I think, it deserves a place in my list of things to do and see when in Beijing. A long pedestrian-only shopping district, the area is a great place to get acquainted to Beijing especially when it comes to their security.
When we travel, I always plan our Day1 as flexible as we can (no opening hours and bus to catch) and shopping areas like these are great to fill in your Beijing itinerary. Still, we enjoyed our language-challenging Chinese dinner in Wangfujing and window shopping (their souvenir shops are more expensive).
These are the places we visit when we enjoyed an autumn trip in Beijing but there are more than 10 things to see in Beijing of course.
Here are some attractions in Beijing we were not able to visit that you might want to add in your Beijing itinerary:
- Jingshan Hills
- The Lama Temple
- Old Summer Palace
- 798 Art Zone
- National Museum of China (it was closed during our visit)
