7 best day trips from Beijing

Day trips compared

The day trips

70 km · About 1–1.5 hours by train

1.Badaling Great Wall

The most visited and most heavily restored section of the Great Wall, with wide paths, cable cars and a museum. It is the easiest section to reach by public transport but gets very crowded; go early on a weekday.

Getting there

High-speed train to Badaling Great Wall station or S2 suburban train

Best for

First-timers, Families

150 km · About 2.5 hours by car or tour bus

2.Jinshanling Great Wall

A partly restored Ming section with dramatic watchtowers along a long ridge, popular with photographers and hikers who want fewer crowds than Mutianyu. Good walking shoes are essential for the uneven stretches.

Getting there

Private driver, organised tour or seasonal bus

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

140 km · About 2 hours by car or bus

3.Simatai and Gubei Water Town

Gubei Water Town is a rebuilt northern-style canal town at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall, one of the few sections open for evening visits with lit-up watchtowers. Staying overnight lets you see it after day visitors leave.

Getting there

Tourist bus from Dongzhimen or a private driver

Best for

Couples, Families

50 km · About 1–1.5 hours by subway and bus or car

4.Ming Tombs

Thirteen Ming emperors are buried in a valley north of Beijing. The Sacred Way's avenue of stone animals and officials, Changling's great hall and the underground palace at Dingling are the main sights.

Getting there

Changping line subway then bus, or combined with a Badaling trip by car

Best for

Culture, First-timers

120 km · About 30–40 minutes by high-speed train

5.Tianjin

The port city has the Italian Style Town and Five Great Avenues of former foreign concession villas, the Haihe riverfront and the Tianjin Eye Ferris wheel on a bridge, plus famous snacks such as goubuli buns and mahua twists.

Getting there

High-speed train from Beijing South

Best for

Culture, Food lovers, Budget

180 km · About 1–1.5 hours by high-speed train

6.Chengde Mountain Resort

The Qing emperors' vast summer retreat of lakes, palaces and parkland is ringed by the Eight Outer Temples, including the Putuo Zongcheng Temple modelled on the Potala Palace. It is a long day; an overnight stay is easier.

Getting there

High-speed train from Beijing Chaoyang to Chengde South, then taxi

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

90 km · About 2–2.5 hours by car

7.Cuandixia

A village of Ming and Qing courtyard houses stacked up a hillside in the mountains of Mentougou, preserved because of its remoteness. Some families offer simple rooms and farmhouse meals.

Getting there

Private driver, or subway and a rural bus

Best for

Quiet stays, Culture

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• City buses are cheap and cover the whole city, including tourist lines to the Badaling Great Wall, but routes are mostly signed in Chinese.
• Train tickets need your passport; book early around national holidays.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask