With kids · Beijing · China
Beijing with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Beijing suits families who pace the big sites: the Great Wall's toboggan at Mutianyu, pandas at the zoo, boats in Beihai Park and the Drum Tower performances are hits with children. Distances are long, so plan one major sight a day and use taxis between them. Top picks: Great Wall at Mutianyu, Beijing Zoo and Beihai Park. Families usually base themselves in Wangfujing and Dongcheng.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Wangfujing and Dongcheng
- Rainy-day options
- 0
Best things to do with kids
Historic site · Huairou District
1.Great Wall at Mutianyu
About 70 km northeast of the centre, Mutianyu is a restored Ming section of wall with more than 20 watchtowers along a forested ridge. A cable car or chairlift climbs to the wall, and a toboggan slide offers a fun way down.
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
- Book ahead
- Tickets for the wall and cable car can be booked online; a private driver or organised tour is the easiest way to get there.
- Iconic
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
- History
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Zoo · Xicheng
2.Beijing Zoo
Founded in the late Qing dynasty, Beijing Zoo is best known for its giant panda house. The grounds include old imperial gardens and a large aquarium on the same site.
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
Park · Shichahai and Houhai
3.Beihai Park
A former imperial garden west of Jingshan, centred on a lake with Jade Flower Island and its White Dagoba, a Tibetan-style stupa from 1651. You can hire paddle boats in summer, and the Nine-Dragon Screen of glazed tiles is on the north shore.
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
Historic site · Gulou and Nanluoguxiang
4.Drum and Bell Towers
At the northern end of the old city's central axis, the red Drum Tower and grey Bell Tower once marked time for the capital. Drummers perform on the giant drums several times a day, and the steep climb gives views over the hutong rooftops.
Climb the Drum Tower for a performance, then look down on the square between the towers, where locals gather in the evening.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Kids
Architecture · Chaoyang
5.Olympic Green
The 2008 Olympic park holds the steel lattice of the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, and the bubble-clad National Aquatics Center, the Water Cube. Both are lit up in the evenings, and the wide plaza is popular for kite flying.
Come at dusk to see the stadium and aquatics centre illuminated from the plaza at no cost.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- After dark
- Free
- Kids
Palace · Haidian
6.Summer Palace
The Qing court's summer retreat spreads around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, with the 728-metre painted Long Corridor, the Tower of Buddhist Incense and the Marble Boat. Boats cross the lake, and the Suzhou Street canal on the north side is a quieter corner.
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
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, shopping and luxury
Wangfujing and Dongcheng
Wangfujing's pedestrian shopping street and the surrounding lanes of Dongcheng put you about 15 minutes' walk from the Forbidden City's east gate and close to the National Art Museum. Metro line 1 runs along Chang'an Avenue to Tiananmen, and international hotel chains are concentrated here.
- Good
- Walking distance to the Forbidden City; Wide choice of hotels; Metro line 1 on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Commercial main street; Tourist-priced food on the snack streets
- Nearby
- Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Tiananmen Square, Wangfujing Street
Family travel tips
- Children under 1.2–1.3 metres usually travel free on the subway and get reduced entry at many sights, which price by height.
- The Forbidden City involves several kilometres of walking on uneven stone; bring a light stroller or carrier for small children.
- Pack hats, water and sunscreen for the Great Wall in summer and warm layers in spring and autumn, as the ridges are windy.
- Book the Forbidden City, National Museum and Tiananmen reservations for every family member, each with their passport number.
- Large malls in Wangfujing and Guomao have family restrooms, play areas and familiar food.
Day trips for families
- Badaling Great Wall (About 1–1.5 hours by train) — The most visited and most heavily restored section of the Great Wall, with wide paths, cable cars and a museum.
- Simatai and Gubei Water Town (About 2 hours by car or bus) — 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.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–May and September–October. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Beijing good for kids?
Beijing suits families who pace the big sites: the Great Wall's toboggan at Mutianyu, pandas at the zoo, boats in Beihai Park and the Drum Tower performances are hits with children. Distances are long, so plan one major sight a day and use taxis between them.
+What can kids do in Beijing?
Great Wall at Mutianyu, Beijing Zoo, Beihai Park, Drum and Bell Towers and Olympic Green.
+Where should families stay in Beijing?
Wangfujing and Dongcheng: Shopping street and hotels a walk east of the Forbidden City.