Beijing

Best Things To Do

Beijing Aquarium This is an inland aquarium which exhibits numerous species of under water creatures. Dolphin shows take place daily and are a highlight of this aquarium. A panda house is located nearby as well.

Showing 1–22 of 22 places

City guide section

Top picks in Beijing

Showing 1–22 of 22 places

Browse the highlights below, then open any place for maps, area notes, and practical details.

Museum of Ancient Architecture

This museum should definitely be visited as it houses some of the most magnificent ruins and remnants of famed Chinese architecture.

Great Hall of the People

The Great Hall of the People is one of ten buildings (creatively known as the Ten Great Buildings) constructed to honor the tenth anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in 1959.

Military Museum of the People's Revolution

This fascinating museum dedicated to China’s military and its history first opened in 1960. The building’s edifice is a striking example of Socialist Realism.

Olympic Park

The 2008 Summer Olympics signified China’s return as a global economic power. It’s hard to forget the spectacular opening ceremony. Three years on, the Olympic Park is still there and open to the public.

Summer Palace

When the Hailingwang Emperor of the Jin Dynasty moved the capital back to Beijing, he needed a new palace to escape the sweltering summers.

White Cloud Temple [Baiyun Guan]

D. Followers of the Daoist religion come to worship here. Chinese monks in traditional costume also can be seen here. This is an interesting temple to visit.

The Great Wall

Contrary to popular belief, the Great Wall is not visible from the moon, or even Earth’s orbit. Nevertheless, it is one of mankind’s great engineering achievements.

Capital Museum

The Capital Museum is one of Beijing’s newest. It first opened in 1981, and moved into its current location in 2005.

What to do with kids in tow

Beijing Aquarium This is an inland aquarium which exhibits numerous species of under water creatures. Dolphin shows take place daily and are a highlight of this aquarium.

Beijing Aquarium

This is an inland aquarium which exhibits numerous species of under water creatures. Dolphin shows take place daily and are a highlight of this aquarium. A panda house is located nearby as well.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

This has to be one of the most stunning edifices in all of Beijing if not in all of China. The hall dates back to the early 1400s.

Factory 798

This 'factory' comprises of several galleries and rooms showcasing contemporary fashions; art pieces by local and international artists; some stellar photography and some very beautiful hand painted textiles.

National Museum of China

The National Museum of China is at the tail end of a renovation which will modernize the museum and more than triple its exhibition space. The world’s largest collection of Chinese antiquities is housed here.

Forbidden City

No trip to China would be complete without a visit to the Forbidden City. The imperial palace built by the Ming dynasty is the symbol of China.

Gate of Heavenly Peace

A portrait of General Mao, Chinese communist hero, now stands mounted above the central door via which the Chinese emperor in ancient times would enter through.

Bei Hai Park

Beihai is Chinese for “northern sea” and the park is named for the manmade lake that covers most of its 170 acres. It is more than a thousand years old, dating back to the Liao Dynasty in the tenth century.

Lama Temple

Traditionally it belonged to the next Yongzheng Emperor but after the seat of the empire was shifted to the Forbidden City in the 1740s this building was converted into a temple.

Confucius Temple

This is a significant temple since it was built in 1306 to honor revered Chinese philosopher and thinker Confucius.

The Big Bell Temple

It now houses the biggest bell [over 20 feet wide] built by any Chinese emperor as well as other bells dating back to the Yuan and Ming dynasties.

Dong Yue Miao

This is one of the finest temples dedicated to Daoism. This was built in the early 1320s to honor the god Dong Yue thought to reside in the mountain known as Tai Shan.

Temple of Past Emperors

This is the site where emperors belonging to the Ming and Qing dynasties made sacrifices to their dead ancestors.

Milu Park

This is a fantastic and enjoyable place for adults and children alike. It's a great place to view wildlife in conditions far different than those in a zoo.