As one of the most popular travel destinations in China, Beijing is where you can look into the best highlights of ancient and modern China and the essence of Chinese culture including its traditional lifestyle, cuisines, and arts. It is definitely the top pick for those traveling to China for the first time as well as families with kids.
Here is the ultimate travel planner on how to plan a Beijing family trip. This article will present you with the top things to do in Beijing as a family, travel itineraries of different length, best time for your trip, transportation tips, and accommodation options. Travel to Beijing with your family and witness one of the greatest cities in the world.
Top Things to Do in Beijing as a Family
Explore the Ancient History of China
Beijing is the perfect place for families with kids traveling to China to learn about its ancient history. You can visit famous Beijing attractions including imperial palaces, museums, gardens, and of course, the Great Wall.
Forbidden City, or the Palace Museum, used to be the imperial palace of Ming and Qing dynasties. Its magnificent architecture and historical significance have earned it the title of the best of the world’s five palaces. Today, it is the most renowned museum in China with a large number of ancient Chinese art treasures and historical artifacts.
Summer Palace, or Yiheyuan in Chinese, is China’s largest and best-preserved imperial garden. Built during the Qing Dynasty, it was inspired by the architecture and design of classical Jiangnan gardens and the West Lake in Hangzhou. You can enjoy the gorgeous sceneries that were once reserved only for the royal family.
Badaling Great Wall and Mutianyu Great Wall are two of the most famous sections of the Great Wall in Beijing. You can visit and take a hike on one of the seven wonders of the world, the massive structure that has witnessed thousands of years of Chinese history. It’ll be a great learning opportunity and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you and your family.
Experience Rich Chinese Culture
Beijing Hutongs are a unique signature of the city. They’re alleys or narrow streets flanked by houses on both sides. These streets still contain the most authentic and traditional lives of Beijingers even though the city has been developing quickly. One of the most famous hutongs you should visit is Nanluoguxiang.
Beijing food is an important part of Chinese culinary culture and will definitely be a highlight of your Beijing tour. From traditional street snacks to exquisite dishes originated from the imperial kitchens, you’ll find classic dishes like Peking Duck and Zhajiangmian. Try both century-old restaurants and food stalls on Wangfujing snack street.
Beijing Opera, or Peking Opera, is the most influential opera in China known as the “national opera.” With a history of more than 200 years, Peking Opera has a standardized set of artistic expressions in various aspects such as literature, performance, music, and stage art. It’s an excellent window into traditional Chinese arts and culture.
Step into the Fascinating Modern Life of Beijing
Beijing Zoo might be your kids’ favorite place to visit in Beijing. It is one of China’s oldest and largest city zoos with over 1,000 species in total, including many species unique to China like the giant panda. It’s one of the most popular attractions of Beijing family trips.
798 Art District was once an industrial district of state-owned 798 factory and other electronic industries. Nowadays, the area has become a new landmark of Beijing urban culture and is known for its contemporary art and the 798 lifestyle. There are more than 400 galleries, studios, exhibition spaces, fashion stores, restaurants and bars, and other types of organizations.
Universal Studios Beijing is the seventh Universal theme park in the world that opened in 2021. There’re seven themed lands including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness, and Jurassic World Isla Nublar. You’ll find excellent dining and accommodation options that are fun for the whole family.
How Many Days Should a Beijing Family Trip Be: Recommended Itineraries
Generally, we recommended planning 3-5 days for the best Beijing tour. For a family trip to Beijing, it is best that you set aside enough time for travel and resting. A longer trip will give you more flexibility in your schedule.
With a week or more, we recommend extending your China family tour from Beijing to other cities and experience more of this beautiful country.
Here are some suggested Beijing family tour itineraries.
3-5 days
There’s a wide range of activities to do in Beijing. With 3-5 days, you can cover the essentials and select some attractions that interest you. You can also go on a themed tour in Beijing if you have a specific goal in mind, for example, a food tour or a culture tour. In general, we recommend spending a day on:
- Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, & the Temple of Heaven
- Great Wall hiking tour& Hutong visit
- Beijing Zoo & the National Museum of China
- Universal Studios Beijing
- Jiangshan Park, the Summer Palace, & 798 Art District
- Beijing Confucius Temple, Yonghe Palace, & the Olympic Park
Recommended Beijing Classic Tours:
A week or more
With a week or more, we highly recommend that you extend your Beijing family tour to other parts of China. You can experience a more diverse range of cultures and traditions. Here’re some of our best China tours from Beijing for your reference:
- 8 Days Beijing – Xian – Shanghai Highlights Tour
- 11 Days China Exploration Tour of Beijing Chengdu Xian Zhangjiajie
- 13 Days China Tour of Beijing – Xian – Hangzhou – Huangshan – Shanghai
Best Time for a Family Trip to Beijing
Beijing is located in a warm continental monsoon region with four distinct seasons, fickle springs, scorching summers, cool autumns, and cold winters. July is the hottest and wettest month of the year, and January is coldest. The best time for a Beijing family trip is the autumn season from September to October. March to May in spring are good options for outdoor activities as well.
Beijing Weather in Four Seasons
Beijing in Spring (March to May) gradually gets warmer with unpredictable weather conditions. There’s usually a significant temperature difference between day and night. From March to May, the average temperatures of each month range from 0°C to 12°C (32-54°F), 8°C to 20°C (46-68°F), and 14°C to 26°C (57-79°F) respectively.
Beijing in Summer (June to August) sees intense heat and frequent rainfall. The average temperature ranges from 21 to 33°C (69-92°F), and heat weaves often occur in late June and July. Most rainfall is concentrated in July and August. It’s recommended that you avoid outdoor activities on days with heavy rain.
Beijing in Fall (September to November) is characterized by clear skies, abundant sunshine, and fresh air. Even though the temperature gradually drops, it is still comfortable for outdoor activities with the daytime temperature ranging between15°C and 25°C (59°F and 77°F) and nighttime around 10°C (50°F).
Beijing in Winter (December to February) is cold and dry. The average temperature often ranges between -5 and 5°C (23 and 41°F). The coldest days in Beijing can see temperatures dropping to -10°C (14°F) or even lower. The cold weather is often accompanied by strong winds and minimal precipitation. However, thanks to the frequent sunny days in this season, it’s still possible to venture outdoors.
Beijing Transportation
How to Get to Beijing
Getting to Beijing by flight
Beijing is the major gateway city into China with many international flights to Beijing. For a family trip to Beijing, it is recommended that you book a direct flight if possible. It’ll save you a lot of time and energy on the way. The two major airports in Beijing are Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) and Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX).
There’re a number of options to get from the airports to the city center.
Taking a taxi is the most convenient way when you’re traveling with a family. It’ll cost around CNY 100-120 and take about 50 minutes from PEK and CNY 220 and 60-90 minutes from PKX.
You can also use the metro system which might involve transfers and more walking. Take the Beijing Capital Airport Express Line from PEK and the New Airport Subway Line from PKX.
There are also airport bus services from both airports, however, it is not so recommended for families traveling to China, especially for the first time. There’re multiple lines which can be difficult to navigate, and they might not take you directly to your accommodation, so you’ll have to walk or transfer for other transportations.
If you’re getting to Beijing from other cities in China, high-speed trains are very convenient and time efficient. With more than 10 railways stations in Beijing, you can easily get from major cities like Xi’an, Chengdu, Shanghai, Zhangjiajie, and Guangzhou. You can select a train type and seat class according to your preference.
How to Travel around Beijing
The easiest way to get around Beijing is by metro. Beijing subway system currently has more than 10 lines running. It’ll take you to most of the popular attractions and city center areas. It’s easy to navigate and will allow you to dodge the busy road traffic. If you would like to save some time and trouble on the way, it’s also a good idea to take a taxi around the city, although you might want to avoid the rush hours.
Where to Stay on a Beijing Family Trip
Beijing has plenty of accommodation options ranging from hostels to five-star hotels. It’ll be easy to find family-friendly places as long as you’re in the city center. For families traveling to Beijing with kids, there’re many international hotel chains that provide family rooms or extra beds. You may also want to book somewhere close to major subway lines so traveling would be easier. Here’re some recommended areas:
Qianmen Street Area: Qianmen Street is within 5-minutes walking distance of Tian’anmen Square, the National Museum of China, and the Forbidden City. The area is very convenient for shopping and dining.
- recommended hotels: New World Beijing Hotel, Legendale Hotel Beijing, Howard Johnson Paragon Hotel Beijing Central
Wangfujing Street Area: Wangfujing Street is known as the “paradise for shopping” in Beijing with a number of upscale hotels and convenient city transportation.
- recommended hotels: Hilton Beijing Wangfujing, Novotel Beijing Xinqiao, Sunworld Hotel
Universal Studios Beijing: The Universal Studios Beijing has two family-friendly hotels, The Universal Studios Grand Hotel and NUO Resort Hotel. They offer themed, spacious rooms alongside all kinds of facilities and excellent dining options.
