Beijing’s Best Family Outing: Shunyi Flower Port – Spring Blooms
Tulips are blooming this spring – come check out Shunyi Flower Port, the most important stop on Beijing’s flower-chasing map! The port has entered its most splendid season. Over 100,000 square meters of dozens of tulip varieties burst into color, looking as if a palette has been overturned, set against blue sky, white clouds, and lush green lawns. It feels like stepping into a fairyland. There are endless things to enjoy, with flowers and lawns covering the entire scenic area. This is definitely the dreamy sea of flowers you must visit this spring.
Last weekend, I (Yiyu) brought Pangpang and friends to the flower port, and it was so much fun. This year, the park adopts an oil-painting style, offering an immersive garden experience as if wandering through Monet’s masterpieces. Beyond the endless European-style tulip sea, there are other novel and vibrant seasonal blooms – a visual feast that keeps your camera shutter busy!
It’s not just about flower gazing and photos – there’s the Butterfly World (live butterfly flying), Children’s World (outdoor playground), Cute Pet Paradise (with expansive outdoor space), and the Shiyue Bookstore (picture books and drawing). The entire enormous park is pretty tiring to cover, but absolutely worth the ticket! Moms bringing kids, go for it!
Yiyu’s warm tips: No pets allowed in the scenic area! You can walk on the lawns and have picnics. You can also bring children’s balance bikes and bicycles – let them burn off infinite energy! In the sea of flowers, kids riding bikes race through the park, running into the wind and laughing heartily. The soft green lawns hold their most carefree childhood moments.
At the entrance, the Butterfly World venue features science education areas and a VR interactive zone, but the highlight is the 7,000-square-meter Asia’s large-scale live butterfly conservatory. Here you can not only get up close with live butterflies but also learn about science, culture, and art. The precious butterfly specimens from around the world are fragile and beautiful, greatly enriching a child’s knowledge. In the live butterfly conservatory, feel the joy of butterflies playing with you – when one flutters its lovely wings and gently lands on your hat, quickly capture that precious moment with your camera.
To see the tulips, focus on four main zones: 1. The tulip main display area with a 'Dutch Charm' theme; 2. The premium bulb flower display area themed 'Romantic Paris'; 3. The seasonal herbaceous flower display area with a 'Roman Holiday' theme; 4. The delicate micro-landscape display area themed 'Monet’s Garden'. Here’s a first set of tulip 'portrait shots'.
Tulip bloom period: mid-April to early May. This Tulip Cultural Festival spans the Labor Day holiday, but I strongly recommend going on a weekday to avoid crowds and have the entire flower sea to yourself! In mid-April, the blooms are already stunning, with some still in bud; late April is likely the peak of beauty. The planted area inside is vast – almost everywhere you look is a sea of flowers. They are mainly concentrated in the 'Hundred Flowers Field' and 'Grand Flower Sea' areas on either side of Cherry Blossom Avenue. The color combinations are dazzling and charming, forming flower seas and ribbons according to the terrain. The flowers are not planted too densely, so you can walk along the small paths and lawns to take photos in the middle, but be careful not to step on the blooms.
The Flower Goddess Square right at the entrance is in full bloom, but it’s very crowded. There’s also a Great Wall sculpture you can climb for an elevated view of the entire park, but it’s better not to take photos there because of the crowd. Inside the scenic area, there are plenty of flowers and you can get clean, uncluttered shots. Follow the jumping fountains and head deeper in.
The park also has a Cute Pet Theme Paradise that kids adore, where they can feed animals up close. Feeding bunnies and lambs makes children super happy, and brave little ones can even hold newborn lambs. There are also peacocks, ostriches, and more – truly a special experience! The adorable alpacas are notorious for spitting, so everyone kept a safe distance. Enjoy the fun of nature and wildlife, get close to the animals, and let your cute kids and cute pets enjoy a wonderful weekend together! The animals here are in good condition, the outdoor space is big, and there’s no unpleasant smell – it’s quite clean.
There’s also a bookish spot in the scenic area! This is the first A-level scenic bookstore in Shunyi District, brimming with Chinese style. It has a rich collection of picture books and regular books, as well as a parent-child reading area and an art area. There’s even a yummy milk tea and juice bar for a break. The drawing might not be masterful, but the photos you take will look like you’ve got the air of a great artist. Pangpang has grown from a little baby, and now there’s a touch of focus in his eyes.
There’s no shortage of delicious food at the Flower Port. On the lawns, you’ll find many food carts, and having a picnic on the grass is also a great choice. There are plenty of restaurants, and I’ve heard there are flower banquets and Instagram-worthy flower-themed afternoon teas. We had a hearty meal at Star Print Plaza, where Chinese and Western casual dining are reasonably priced and tasty.
Choose to stay inside the scenic area – the Twelve Zodiac-themed tent hotel is truly dreamy. Sleeping amid flowers and gazing at the stars is so relaxing! The courtyard is like a fairytale world, with rocking chairs, swings, flowers, and lawns. When you wake up, you’re surrounded by spring scenery. There’s also an RV base you can try out!
We bought a combo ticket for the entrance and Butterfly World, 110 yuan. I suggest visiting Butterfly World first, then taking photos in the tulip sea. Follow the jumping fountains all the way – the slight slope nearby makes for great photo angles. Stroll all the way to Lucky Cloud Lawn and Fantasy Flower Lake, where there are pleasure boats and white geese. The mist combined with tulips makes for unbelievably dreamy shots! There are also some food carts here, or you can have lunch at Star Sea Square, where both Chinese and Western cuisine are abundant. In the afternoon, concentrate on photos at the Grand Flower Sea, pretending you’re in the Netherlands for instant shots! The windmill is super photogenic! One or two hours at the Cute Pet Paradise is enough.
Attraction: Beijing Shunyi International Flower Port.
Address: North of Hongsi Village, Yangzhen, Shunyi District, Beijing.
Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:10.
Ticket price: 80 yuan/person (during Tulip Cultural Festival). Students and seniors over 60: 60 yuan/person. Seniors over 80, children under 1.3 meters or under 6 years old: free. Butterfly World: 50 yuan/person. Various combo tickets are available on the official mini-program. Annual passes can also be used.
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I’m Yiyu911, a seasoned fun-lover, family travel blogger, and female travel photographer who loves exploring and sharing. For more fun, shopping, and food tips, remember to follow me!
