Summer Family Trip to Beijing

In the blink of an eye, another semester is over, and the little one is on summer break again. My daughter has been talking about going to Beijing for years. Ever since first grade, when she learned from her Chinese textbooks about the flag-raising ceremony, Chang'an Avenue, Tiananmen, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace... she's been pestering us to take her there. So this year, we finally made it happen. Though my husband and I both travel to Beijing at least twice a year for work, it felt completely different this time, exploring the city with our child during summer vacation.

Since my husband and I are quite familiar with Beijing, I got a bit lazy and didn't plan much. I thought we'd just take it easy and go with the flow. Surprisingly, my daughter did a ton of research before the trip with great enthusiasm. The journey began with a train ticket. Used to the fast pace of work and daily life, I insisted that our family slow down this time—no rushing, just savoring the travel experience. So, my daughter, who had never been on a soft sleeper train before, got to sit by the window and leisurely enjoy the scenery outside.

Day 1: Nanluoguxiang, Yonghe Temple, Water Cube, Bird's Nest (Stay: Guyunfang Yijing Hotel, 66 Ju'er Hutong)

The train arrived in Beijing right at 7:30 a.m. Since we had booked accommodation in Nanluoguxiang, our family of three took the subway there with our luggage. Beijing's traffic is notoriously congested, so we tried to use the subway as much as possible. For convenience, each of us got a transit card, which worked for both subway and buses. There's a deposit, but you can return the card and get the deposit back at any transfer station. Around 8 a.m., we reached Nanluoguxiang. Most shops hadn't opened yet. Following Baidu Maps, we easily found our hotel. Check-in wasn't until 2 p.m., so we left our luggage, then headed out. We randomly picked a breakfast spot in the hutong, had some steamed buns and soy milk, and set off for Yonghe Temple. After breakfast, we decided to stroll there. On the way, we stumbled upon a restaurant that kept over 40 cats. It wasn't open yet, but when we asked to see the cats, the staff warmly welcomed us inside.

It was a struggle to drag my daughter away from the felines. We continued on to Yonghe Temple, where we rented an automatic audio guide at the entrance. Most Beijing attractions are steeped in Chinese culture, so I recommend renting a guide wherever you go to learn about the architecture and historical stories—it helps kids understand history better. Since Yonghe Temple is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, photography isn't allowed inside most halls, so we took hardly any photos. With the audio guide narrating, our family wandered, stopping now and then. The visit took about two hours. By then, my daughter was complaining of hunger. Leaving Yonghe Temple, we found the nearest "Yaoji Chaogan" for some traditional stewed liver. Our girl, rarely exposed to northern food, happily gobbled down the liver and buns. We were so hungry we forgot to take pictures before polishing it all off.

On the way back, we passed a fruit shop and were lured in by the huge, fragrant Beijing peaches. We bought a few without hesitation. For the next few days, those peaches became our main fruit—absolutely delicious! Ha ha!

Back at the hotel, though it wasn't yet 2 p.m., they let us check in early. I had booked a budget room on Mafengwo without noticing it lacked a window. But since we'd be out most of the time, it didn't matter. Aside from the small size and no window, the hotel was lovely—full of old-world charm and decorated with classic Beijing flair. Here are two photos. The service was great, especially the friendly security guard in the lobby. When we bought a watermelon and asked to borrow a knife, he kindly took it to the restaurant, cut it up, and brought it back to us.

We took a nice nap at the hotel and set out again around 4 p.m. Originally, we planned to visit Prince Gong's Mansion, but as soon as we stepped out, we found Nanluoguxiang—deserted that morning—packed with crowds. It took a huge effort to squeeze through to the subway station, and by then it was past 5 p.m.

Here's what Nanluoguxiang looked like at 4 p.m.—impossible to walk.

Since it was getting dark, we scrapped the Prince Gong's Mansion plan and decided instead to find a great place to enjoy old Beijing-style mutton hotpot, then see the night views of the Bird's Nest and Water Cube.

Even at night, the Bird's Nest and Water Cube were crowded, but the square is huge. August evenings in Beijing are cool and pleasant, so our family strolled, took photos, and relaxed. Vendors were selling tickets to go inside, but we skipped them—we were tired from a long day, and admiring the exterior lights felt enough. After about half an hour wandering the square, we took the subway back. We went to bed early to save energy for the Great Wall the next day.

Day 2: Mutianyu Great Wall, Siji Minfu Roast Duck

Of course, you can't visit Beijing without seeing the Great Wall. The most famous sections are Badaling and Mutianyu. After checking with a friend, we chose Mutianyu—steeper terrain but better scenery, and fewer tourists due to less convenient transportation than Badaling. We followed a Ctrip guide and booked the "Mutianyu Bus" in advance. Early in the morning, we reached the designated meeting point and caught the first bus straight to Mutianyu. We arrived early, so there wasn't a long line for the cable car, and we went right up.

There are three ways to ascend Mutianyu: cable car, slideway, or on foot. The slideway is thrilling, with only a few foreigners queuing. The cable car offers a bird's-eye view of the Wall and takes you to the starting point for hiking. Walking would involve climbing a small mountain to the same spot. Most visitors opt for the cable car. There's also the most extravagant way—helicopter—but we gave that a miss.

Below: the Great Wall seen from the cable car.

I'd heard Mutianyu is the steepest section, and my daughter was a bit scared at first. But the initial path was easy, and with few tourists that early, our family strolled along, chatting, laughing, and taking photos. As we progressed, the steps grew steeper. From a distance, we spotted "Haohan Po" (Hero's Slope), and my daughter began thinking about turning back.

The steps were almost vertical, some nearly half a meter high—it felt like the person above was stepping on the head of the one below.

The path became increasingly steep, and our energy waned. The little one started to get grumpy, but with her dad's encouragement, she calmed down and pushed on, step by step, until we finally reached the top. Standing on the highest watchtower, we truly felt like heroes.

Having conquered the climb, the way down was much smoother. After about five hours, we returned to the base and took the Mutianyu Bus back. Starving, we checked our phones and found a famous roast duck restaurant, "Siji Minfu," right near the bus stop. It was just past 4 p.m., and we made a beeline there. Good thing we hurried—before 5 p.m., a long queue had formed. The roast duck was phenomenal: crispy skin, tender meat. Even I, who never eats animal skin, couldn't resist having several pieces. Not only the duck, but their other Beijing dishes were refined and delicious, shattering my impression that Beijing cuisine is always heavy and greasy. Here are some food photos.

After the feast, we returned to the hotel. That's when we realized how convenient the location was. We had only booked two nights but decided to extend our stay for another day.

Day 3: Forbidden City

We had reserved our visit online before the trip, so we just needed our ID cards to enter. This wasn't my first time at the Forbidden City, but it was definitely the most crowded I'd ever seen it. In summer, visitor numbers hit the daily limit. The moment we stepped through the gate, we were engulfed by a sea of people. I'd read online about three routes—east, west, and central—but once inside, we abandoned the plan and simply went where the crowds were thinner. Renting an audio guide at the entrance was essential. It automatically activated at each palace or site, giving explanations that saved us from just skimming the surface. With so many visitors, the audio guide proved more practical than live guides, each shouting through a loudspeaker, making it nearly impossible to hear.

The Forbidden City audio guide.

It was incredibly crowded, but since it was my daughter's first visit, we insisted on covering all three routes. We managed to squeeze into the Treasure Gallery with the throng, but by the time we came out, the queue for the Clock Gallery was impossibly long. Under the blazing midday sun, we regretfully gave up and left. We spent about five hours inside, exiting around 3 p.m. For lunch, we just had some snacks. After leaving, we treated our daughter to a dessert in Wangfujing to recharge. With time still left, we decided to take a taxi to Prince Gong's Mansion.

Fans of "Dream of the Red Chamber" know that many architectural features of the Grand View Garden were inspired by Prince Gong's Mansion, and Cao Xueqin had deep ties to this place. My daughter, currently reading the novel, was extremely interested. No reservation was needed; we just queued for tickets on-site. As usual, we rented an audio guide. Entering around 4:30 p.m., we hoped for fewer people, but it was still crowded. A line over a hundred meters long had formed to see Emperor Qianlong's "Fu" (Blessing) stele. Below: the queue for the "Fu" stele.

With a child, we skipped that queue. Instead, we wandered among the buildings, listening to the audio guide, observing, and soaking in the history. My daughter was thrilled to find many similarities to the Grand View Garden described in "Dream of the Red Chamber." Inside, there was a cultural exhibition about the novel, surprisingly empty. Our family spent nearly an hour there, slowly examining every detail.

We left Prince Gong's Mansion at dusk, the sky still bright and the temperature dropping. Strolling back to the hotel along Houhai, we enjoyed the evening breeze. Some lakeside bars had opened, and occasionally we heard a singer's voice drifting out—if the song was good, we stopped to listen. Leisurely, we made our way back to Nanluoguxiang and found the renowned "Fangzhuanchang No. 69 Zhajiang Noodles." This place gained fame after Xie Tingfeng filmed a food show here, but it remains unchanged: only three items on the menu—zhajiang noodles, Arctic Ocean soda, and soy milk—and they close once the day's sauce sells out. We arrived around 6 p.m. to a long queue, but with a little patience, we got in quickly as tables turned over fast.

The shop is small, but the zhajiang noodles were utterly delicious and generously portioned. We worried three bowls would be too much, yet each of us cleaned our bowl, and my daughter still wanted more.

After noodles, on the way back, we passed another cat café—right across from our hotel, though they were never open when we left in the mornings. My daughter went in to play with the cats for a while.

Here's a daytime photo of the cat café entrance.

After some feline fun, we returned to the hotel to sleep early, preparing to get up before dawn for the flag-raising ceremony.

Day 4: Flag-raising Ceremony, Stay at Great Wall Hotel, Temple of Earth Park

We woke at 3:30 a.m. and took a taxi straight to Tiananmen Square. Despite arriving before 4 a.m., the security checkpoint was already thronged. We queued for screening, then finally found a spot among the crowd—after that, we hardly dared move. The wall of people was truly several layers deep.

The queue for security.

The flag-raising began precisely at sunrise. When the honor guard appeared, the bustling square instantly fell silent, the entire crowd hearing only the synchronized steps. As the national anthem played, many spontaneously sang along. In that moment, a deep sense of patriotism welled up—far more moving than any TV broadcast.

After the ceremony, we followed the crowd toward the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, but with so many people and unfamiliar roads, our family circled the vast square twice without finding the end of the queue. By the time daylight came fully, seeing the endless line, we decided to head back. It left a reason for a next visit.

We packed up, changed hotels to the Great Wall Hotel near Liangmaqiao. The room was much more spacious, with a free swimming pool and gym. As soon as we checked in, my daughter eagerly wanted to swim, showing no tiredness from the 3:30 wake-up.

With crowds overwhelming us at several spots, my husband and I studied the guides again. We decided that for the rest of the trip, we'd use the subway early each morning to beat the tour groups to the attractions.

After settling in, since it was still early afternoon, we headed to the Temple of Earth Park. We figured if it was too crowded, we'd skip it. But to our surprise, it was remarkably quiet—the 2-yuan entry fee is probably a rarity nationwide. Most visitors were elderly locals. Lotus flowers were blooming, and the scenery was lovely. Finally, we could take photos without fighting crowds. We snapped many nice ones.

We spent a relaxing afternoon in the park, then returned to Liangmaqiao. Near the subway exit, following a mobile app, we found the top-rated "Xisi Steamed Bun Shop." Truly delicious. Using a group coupon, we got a great deal—a 69.9 yuan set for three. There were many other snacks nearby, and we bought more, spending around 150 yuan in total. Everything was so good, but we forgot to take photos—oops!

After a full dinner, we took the subway to see the famous CCTV "Big Pants" building at night, then went back to the hotel, changed into swimsuits, and swam for an hour. Bliss!

Day 5: Yuanmingyuan, Peking University, Tsinghua University

To avoid crowds, we set out at 6:30 a.m., entering Yuanmingyuan as soon as it opened. Sure enough, it was almost empty. Naturally, the first thing we focused on was its tragic history during the invasion by the Eight-Nation Alliance. My daughter had learned about it in school, and seeing the contrast between restored models and the ruins left her deeply shocked.

Most visitors only go as far as the "Western-style Garden" ruins (pictured above) before turning back. But Yuanmingyuan, built and rebuilt over a century, is a vast imperial garden. This time, my husband—who usually relies on me for planning—had done his own research and led us around. I'd been to Yuanmingyuan before, always stopping at the ruins and leaving after maybe two hours. This time, we explored for over four hours, discovering so many beautiful spots I'd never seen.

In the afternoon, a friend who graduated from Peking University showed us around my daughter's dream university. With an alumni card, we entered without a reservation; otherwise, you need to book in advance for both PKU and Tsinghua. Outside, touts offered to sneak people in for 80-100 yuan per person.

Peking University is truly one of China's most culturally profound institutions, with buildings exuding traditional Chinese elegance. The famous Weiming Lake was picture-perfect. Posters for lectures by various "big names" were everywhere—how I envied the students studying here.

After Peking University, it was a short distance to Tsinghua University. Lacking an alumni card, we considered paying 80 yuan per person to a tout, but my daughter was tired from all the walking. So we just circled around the main gate, then took the subway back. Dinner was the same steamed buns as yesterday. But surprisingly, after eating, my daughter "revived" and swam for another hour at the hotel pool.

Day 6: Summer Palace, National Natural History Museum, Temple of Heaven

Again, we woke at 6:30 and left before 7 a.m. The subway wasn't crowded, and we arrived smoothly at the Summer Palace. The gates weren't open yet, so we had breakfast at a nearby KFC. As soon as the garden opened, we entered. With few visitors around, we rented an audio guide and listened to historical tales while admiring the scenery, marveling at the luxurious life of the "Old Buddha" (Empress Dowager Cixi).

A boat ride on the lake is a must at the Summer Palace. From the boat, you can take in the sights on both shores, with a gentle breeze — so pleasant.

We spent half a day there and left around noon. Then we headed to the National Natural History Museum. Unable to book online in advance, we negotiated with a tout outside for entry. Every museum in the capital is impressive, and spending the hottest afternoon hours indoors was a good idea.

Right next to the museum is the Temple of Heaven. We took our daughter straight there to see the former imperial sacrificial site, and she learned a lot more history.

Day 7: Return Trip

Today was our day to leave Beijing and head home. We had long planned to enjoy one final good meal before departing. In the morning, my daughter wanted to swim again, so her dad took her to the pool while I packed.

Around 10 a.m., after packing and checking out, we strolled around the embassy area near Liangmaqiao, then went to "Da Dong" for their famous roast duck. The dishes were indeed exquisite, and the duck was superb. We originally ordered half a duck, but ended up adding another half.

Our Beijing trip concluded happily with this delicious meal.