2023 Summer Vacation: Qinhuangdao to Beijing, Off the Beaten Path (Universal Studios)
The city of Qinhuangdao in Hebei Province has three railway stations: Qinhuangdao Station, Shanhaiguan Station, and Beidaihe Station. Shanhaiguan lies to the north, Beidaihe to the south, and Qinhuangdao right in the middle, all with very convenient train services. The eastern starting point of the Ming Great Wall is Shanhaiguan, and the western starting point is Jiayuguan. The sections at Badaling and Mutianyu near Beijing are the middle part. This past May Day, while randomly scrolling through travel videos, I was captivated by the line 'Wow, the Great Wall at Shanhaiguan actually extends into the sea!' and it planted a seed. Little did I expect to actually come here two months later. Beidaihe, a nationally famous name, I always assumed was a resort for retired officials, until I recently looked it up and realized it’s actually the middle stretch of Qinhuangdao’s long, narrow coastline, dotted with seaside resorts and park scenery.
Day 1: Shanghai to Shanhaiguan by high-speed train. With my kid, we walked one kilometer to our guesthouse. On the way back, we exited the ancient city and took a motorized rickshaw that got us to the station in 5 minutes. The guesthouse was inside the ancient city of Shanhaiguan, on East Nine Lane. The old city is encircled by tall, gray-black brick walls, with a single main street—South Street and North Street running north-south. On both sides are east and west alleys named as lanes, scattered with local homes, and some turned into guesthouses. Walking along the main street is lively with shops and restaurants, bright and bustling; turning into the alleys, you find a quiet, local living atmosphere. The eastern gate of the ancient city is the 'First Pass Under Heaven' scenic spot. Buy a ticket to go up the tower for a view; you can also walk along the wall below. Note that if you leave the scenic area from here to catch a taxi, be sure to exit via the south gate, not the east gate. Outside the east gate there’s nothing but an empty road and a parking lot, making it hard to get a ride or even get a location fix. Inside the ancient city, attractions like Wang’s Family Compound and the Bell and Drum Tower aren’t worth visiting. For breakfast, try Sì Tiáo Bāozi (Four Stripe Buns) shop; the pork and scallion buns are tasty. For a proper meal, find a crowded hǔn guō (mixed hotpot) restaurant and order what you like. There are a few coffee and juice shops but not many, since the ancient city only has that one main street.
'Old Dragon’s Head' (Laolongtou) is the Great Wall that actually extends into the sea, 5 kilometers south of the ancient city. You can take a taxi there and back, buy a ticket to enter. Note: if you buy a child’s ticket online, you must have an ID card that scans—household registration booklets don’t work. So you can only buy it at the ticket window on site. After entering, there are some camps and mazes off to the sides—don’t bother. Head straight to the seaside section of the Wall. That stretch isn’t very long, but it’s packed with people. Still, it’s worth walking, seeing, and lingering. I never expected the sea at Qinhuangdao here to be so beautiful, blue tinged with green. There are oil rigs on the horizon, large ships passing by, and on the beach below, lots of families with kids playing in the water and sand. Behind this sea-end section of the Wall, the fortifications form a rectangular loop. Whichever side you enter from, you end up walking in a circle back to where you started, with no exit, so you retrace your steps to the gate.
In Shanhaiguan, I only visited these two spots and spent one night inside the ancient city, because I had just one day and one night. If you have more time, you can climb Jiaoshan Great Wall, which is more dramatic, or even take a boat out to sea.
I stayed at Tianyi Courtyard Guesthouse, a tidy little siheyuan (courtyard house), well-kept, with clean rooms and attention to detail. I just wasn’t crazy about the red window frames. The next morning, I walked from my room to the veranda and saw a few guests happily heating buns over the stone table and stools in the courtyard. It was so nice to see older folks enjoying their trip. A little black dog on the neighbor’s courtyard wall wagged its tail, and a grandma tossed it two buns.
Day 2: Shanhaiguan to Beidaihe. I had booked a 20-minute high-speed train from Shanhaiguan to Beidaihe but missed it, so I rebooked a slightly later one from Shanhaiguan to Qinhuangdao, then took a taxi from Qinhuangdao Station to Aranya in Changli—a bit farther than from Beidaihe Station.
There are many spots in Beidaihe; you can’t possibly hit them all. Traveling with a kid, I picked just one place, stayed put, and let him play in the water and sand while I gazed at the sea and waded in the waves. That was enough. This time I chose Aranya, a gated vacation community—safe, pleasant, with controlled crowds. I booked a hotel right by the sea for one day and one night. The Pulan Hotel sits on the first row of lanes along the beach, a charming little villa. Open the door and the sea is right there—a true vacation feel. The Bohai Sea waves were surprisingly fierce. I took my kid into the water in flip-flops, and after playing, we just walked straight back to our room to rinse off. That closeness is so convenient. The seawater wasn’t as blue as at Shanhaiguan, but still pretty—an endless expanse with not a ship in sight. The sand was fine and soft, comfortable underfoot, and the beach had no litter. The white chapel was photobombed from dawn to dusk—impossible to get a shot without people. The Lonely Library was fully booked, no chance to go inside; we just saw its exterior—no time to read there anyway. For dinner, we had barbecue and chicken wraps right next door at the Sea Breeze Bar, dining with the sea breeze. The next morning before 5 a.m., the beach was packed with people waiting for the sunrise. In the gray haze on the horizon, I could just make out several ships. The hotel gave us a Western-style breakfast set, which we ate in the courtyard.
Day 3: Beidaihe to Beijing. The original bullet train ticket was missed again, so I had to cancel and rebook a later ordinary express train. There were still soft-seat tickets left, and it was just two hours to reach Beijing. With one 18-inch suitcase and a small backpack, my kid and I managed the six-day trip. We arrived at Beijing Station in the afternoon, queued for a taxi, and checked into Hanting Hotel Tiananmen Branch on Nanchizi Street. The hotel was old, conditions just average, but the location was excellent. After dropping our bags, we ate noodles and dumplings at a nearby shop. Right across the alley from the hotel is the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Walk through and exit at the west gate, and you’re facing the Meridian Gate square of the Forbidden City. Today being Monday, the museum was closed, so the square was almost empty—perfect for a casual look. We followed the Forbidden City’s walls and moat all the way around to the back gate, Shenwumen. You have to tell the guard you’re heading in for coffee, and he’ll let you into the Shenwumen square. Under the wall to the right, in a row of side rooms, is the Forbidden City Turret Coffee (Jiaolou Kafei)—though it has nothing to do with any turret. With the Forbidden City closed on Monday, the café was quiet, only a few tourists seated. The uncrowded atmosphere was wonderful. I ordered a chocolate slush for my kid. Outside the café were some oversized Forbidden City cat dolls and a big fat orange, from the series of picture books my kid loves. After coffee, we crossed the street to Jingshan Park, hiked straight to the top for a panoramic view of the Forbidden City, then descended by another path and exited the same way. By then it wasn’t early, and from Shenwumen Square there was no transport to Tiananmen Square or back to the hotel, so we had to rely on our legs again. That’s why we missed the flag-lowering ceremony at Tiananmen Square. Back at Hanting, we rested early to save energy, because the next day I’d be walking 20,000 steps with my kid. I forced myself to work until 11 p.m. before sleeping. That night, a fierce storm with thunder and lightning raged outside the window—what a downpour.
Day 4–5: Two days at Universal Studios Beijing—the real highlight of this summer trip. I booked the hotel for two nights, so that on the second day we wouldn’t have to check out early, store luggage, and then haul it onto the subway late at night to switch hotels. It cost more but was much more comfortable. We checked out of Hanting just after 7 a.m., grabbed the two breakfasts the hotel gave us, walked to Tiananmen East subway station, and took Line 1 all the way to Universal Studios.
Unlike Disney where you exit the subway and walk another 10 minutes, at Universal Studios Beijing you step right out of the station and face the first security checkpoint. A staff member asked if we were hotel guests—note that hotel guests go through a dedicated lane on the left for security, then take an elevator up to CityWalk. Otherwise, you queue at the row of standard entrances on the right, go through security, and walk up a slope. CityWalk is wide, clean, and polished with shiny shops on both sides. Once I got up to CityWalk, I saw a big crowd coming from the left behind me—that was the stream from cars and other transport. Following the crowd, we saw the revolving globe (spinning backward), then turned 45 degrees right, crossed a bridge, and arrived at the main gate of Universal Studios. The hotel is literally the park’s front door and facade—its arched entrance is the park’s gateway, and the hotel’s inner courtyard serves as the morning waiting area in a loop. Hotel guests enter through a VIP door on the right, go up to the second floor, reach the hotel lobby, check in, and store luggage. Note: aerosol sunscreen is not allowed inside; spray plenty before entering and then pack it in your stored suitcase. You can bring an umbrella for sun protection. Then go down to the first floor and enter the park through the hotel’s exclusive gate. I loved that beautiful spiral staircase, the vintage chandeliers—even the elevator looked so retro. You have to go through security again for personal items, phones included, like at Disney. Next, you validate your ticket and take a photo, then you can enter and exit as many times as you want by face scan. From arriving at the subway station to entering the park, it only took half an hour.
All those online Universal Studios guides are pretty useless during the summer crowds. Queues for the major rides are 60 minutes or more, only dropping to 40–50 minutes for a brief period in the evening. Without Express Pass, if you queue for everything, no guide can help you do all the rides in one day. Staying at the hotel lets you skip the park entrance line; the early access one hour lets you hit two big rides quickly, maybe three if you rush, but the rest you still queue for. This time, my kid and I had two full days of tickets and two nights at the hotel. Our rule was never to queue more than 40 minutes, and we managed to do all the rides, see all the shows. We did Despicable Me Minion Mayhem three times, Jurassic World Adventure twice, and Lights, Camera, Action! three times, plus meals, coffee, and returning to the hotel midday for a rest and some work. It wasn’t some clever plan, just a less tiring, more immersive way to enjoy a vacation feel. Paying for the dream—isn’t that why we come here, to escape the grind and soak in something wonderful?
The next morning, we came down just after 7 a.m., missing the first wave of hotel guests, but using the hotel entrance was still faster. ID check, bag security, face scan—and by 7:30, people were already waiting outside. Since I knew the route from day one, I hustled with my kid straight to Harry Potter in 8 minutes, then started the magical winding queue, which basically means nonstop walking inside the switchbacks until you reach the innermost entrance, already tired—another 20-plus minutes. This ride requires storing your bag; phones are allowed. When you exit, you retrieve your bag from the other side of the lockers. In the afternoon, I took my kid to the hotel’s kids’ club. Unlike the free inflatable castles or ball pits at typical family hotels, this one was a curated toy area with all kinds of beautiful toys, coloring sheets, bright and rich, plus a cute screening room. After dinner, a sudden downpour forced us back to get an umbrella. Both the park and hotel only opened in September 2021, so everything is very new, and I loved the style. The hotel room doesn’t include breakfast—probably because guests rush out early and wouldn’t have time—but there are two restaurants where you can pay for a breakfast or dinner buffet on the spot, which should be pretty good.
Day 1 lunch: at Mr. Ping’s Noodle House in Kung Fu Panda Land, queued over 20 minutes to order; two bowls of noodles tasted decent.
Day 1 dinner: at the popular Three Broomsticks, had fish and chips, corn salad, and cream of mushroom soup.
Day 2 lunch: at Flying Hunter Restaurant in Jurassic World, had noodles—not great.
Day 2 dinner: at the Neighbors Café in Minion Land, had two rice dishes—okay.
In Hollywood, there’s only one attraction: Lights, Camera, Action! I don’t know why it’s always empty, with a queue time of just 5 minutes. It’s actually pretty good—a studio set simulating a typhoon with all sorts of effects. We saw it three times, once right in the front row, up close, which was even better.
Minion Land has three rides: Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (a 4D motion seat experience), the Twirly-Wirly Roller Coaster (a small coaster with a second loop that tilts 90 degrees), and the Silly Swirly (a caterpillar-themed spinner). There are also Minion meet-and-greets and carnival games.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has two rides: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (similar to Soaring over the Horizon at Disney—a motion simulator that tilts you sideways and back, but very secure), and Flight of the Hippogriff (an outdoor family coaster). There’s also Ollivanders, a show where a guest is chosen to buy a personalized wand.
Kung Fu Panda Land has three rides: Journey of the Dragon Warrior (a gentle boat ride through scenes, like Disney’s Voyage to the Crystal Grotto), Kangaroo Boogie (a carousel), and Flamingo Flyers (spinning lanterns). Plus climbing structures and games.
Transformers area has three rides: Transformers: Battle for the AllSpark (a moving vehicle 4D attraction—the only one requiring 3D glasses), Decepticoaster (the biggest coaster, not for the faint-hearted), and Bumblebee Boogie (teacups style).
Jurassic World has two rides: Jurassic World Adventure (a moving vehicle 4D; sitting in the front row you feel like you’re being chased by dinosaurs; in the third row you’re completely unafraid because there are people in front of you), and the Fly-Thru Jurassic (where you store bags and ride suspended, a bit like the Jet Packs at Disney, gliding along).
There’s also the Summer Splash outdoor stage show, Untrainable in the theater, and the WaterWorld stunt show—if you’re not into fighting scenes, once is enough. They claim a ‘soak zone,’ but it’s just actors splashing water with buckets and guns before the show, nothing like the joyful soak from the killer whale show at Haichang Ocean Park. There are other singing shows and meet-and-greets. Each evening there’s a Universal Parade with floats featuring beloved movie characters. At 8:30 p.m., my kid and I headed to the castle for the nighttime light show. That magical Hogsmeade village really had a great vibe—I loved it. I found a spot and squatted down to wait; my kid stood beside me and reminded me, ‘It’s starting.’ The 5-minute light show was utterly underwhelming. After it ended, we walked back to the hotel and didn’t bother with the second show at 8:45.
One more thing: the entire Universal Studios park, hotel, and CityWalk are covered by free Wi-Fi. On day one, not knowing this, I used up my mobile data. Only when I checked into the hotel that evening did I find out. The Wi-Fi drops off once you leave CityWalk.
Day 6: We slept in late, so visiting the Capital Museum was out. Instead, we checked out at the last minute, 11 a.m. We exited the park, strolled around CityWalk, had a leisurely meal, then took the subway to Beijing South Station and headed home. There are actually two Peet’s Coffee shops in and around Universal Studios—normally a blessing, but the ones here brewed their coffee way too bitter. Beijing South Station’s boarding process is a bit different from Shanghai’s high-speed train stations, but you can board half an hour before departure.
My kid can’t handle the grind, and neither can I. I won’t say we should only focus on travel and extracurricular reading, because that’s still a comparison—whose kid has seen more and knows more. Life isn’t about competing or slogging.
Four and a half hours on the high-speed train, so fast, and we were back at Shanghai Hongqiao Station.
To sum up: the best rides at Universal Studios Beijing are really these big ones—Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Jurassic World Adventure, Fly-Thru Jurassic, and Transformers: Battle for the AllSpark. Some minor rides feel dull after one go. The shows aren’t that impressive. The nighttime light show is disappointing, with no fireworks. The grand parade is nice, though. Still, all in all, it was just too wonderful.
Every beautiful memory stays in the heart, and in this topsy-turvy world, it gives me a firm belief to keep living.
