8 best outdoor things to do in Beijing

Outdoors in Beijing

Historic site · Huairou District

1.Great Wall at Mutianyu

Leave early to arrive at opening and walk west towards the steeper towers, where crowds thin out quickly.

Time needed

Full day including travel

Cost

Mid-priced

• Iconic
• Views
• Outdoors
• Kids
• Active
• History

Religious site · Qianmen and Dashilar

2.Temple of Heaven

Enter by the east gate before 8am to see the park at its liveliest, and buy the combined ticket that includes the main halls.

Time needed

2–3 hours

Cost

Low cost

• Iconic
• History
• Architecture
• Outdoors
• Photo spot

Palace · Haidian

3.Summer Palace

Enter by the north gate, climb Longevity Hill first, then walk down to the lake and take a boat back towards the east gate.

Time needed

Half a day

Cost

Low cost

• Iconic
• History
• Outdoors
• Couples
• Views

Viewpoint · Wangfujing and Dongcheng

4.Jingshan Park

Visit right after the Forbidden City, or come in late afternoon when the sun lights the palace roofs.

Time needed

45 minutes

Cost

Low cost

• Views
• Photo spot
• Couples
• Outdoors

Park · Shichahai and Houhai

5.Beihai Park

Combine it with Jingshan Park and walk out of the north gate towards the Shichahai lakes.

Time needed

1.5–2 hours

Cost

Low cost

• Outdoors
• Couples
• Kids
• History

Waterfront · Shichahai and Houhai

6.Shichahai lakes and hutongs

Agree the price and route of any rickshaw tour in writing before you set off, or simply walk the lanes yourself.

Time needed

2 hours

Cost

Free

• Free
• After dark
• Outdoors
• Couples
• Photo spot

Historic site · Haidian

7.Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)

Visit in July when the lotus ponds bloom, and combine it with the Summer Palace about 3 km away.

Time needed

2 hours

Cost

Low cost

• History
• Outdoors
• Off the beaten path
• Photo spot

Zoo · Xicheng

8.Beijing Zoo

See the pandas in the morning when they are most active, before midday heat or crowds.

Time needed

2–3 hours

Cost

Low cost

• Kids
• Outdoors
• Nature

Grouped by area

Booking and timing

Of these 8, 1 free, 6 low cost, 1 mid-priced. Book ahead for Great Wall at Mutianyu. The longest visit is Great Wall at Mutianyu; group the rest by area to save travel time.

• Great Wall at Mutianyu: Tickets for the wall and cable car can be booked online; a private driver or organised tour is the easiest way to get there.

How to fit them into 5 half-days

Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.

• Half-day 1 (Huairou District): Great Wall at Mutianyu, at least 6 hours.
• Half-day 2 (Qianmen and Dashilar): Temple of Heaven, at least 2 hours.
• Half-day 3 (Haidian): Summer Palace, at least 3 hours.
• Half-day 4 (Haidian, Wangfujing and Dongcheng and Shichahai and Houhai): Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) → Jingshan Park → Beihai Park, at least 4 hours.
• Half-day 5 (Shichahai and Houhai and Xicheng): Shichahai lakes and hutongs → Beijing Zoo, at least 4 hours.

The best months to be outside

• April: highs of 20°C (68°F), about 5 rainy days, busy crowds. Blossom in the parks and the Summer Palace; pleasant days, but some windy or dusty spells.
• October: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 5 rainy days, busy crowds. Crisp, sunny and colourful, but the first-week Golden Week brings enormous crowds to every major sight.
• May: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 6 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm, dry and sunny; one of the best months, apart from the very crowded 1–5 May Labour Day holiday.

The neighbourhoods they are in

• Wangfujing and Dongcheng — Shopping street and hotels a walk east of the Forbidden City
• Qianmen and Dashilar — Old shopping lanes and hutongs just south of Tiananmen Square
• Shichahai and Houhai — Three linked lakes, willow-lined banks and lakeside bars
• Wudaokou (Haidian) — University district near Tsinghua and Peking universities

More of Beijing

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