Beijing with kids in June
Mar 5th, 2004, 05:21 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 10,823
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Beijing with kids in June
My husband, kids (boys, ages 10 and 12), and I have planned a visit to Beijing this summer on our way home to the States (we live overseas).
As we have it now, we will arrive in Beijing about 3 pm on a Thursday, spend 4 full days, and leave about 1 pm on the 5th day. We are thinking of staying at either the Grand Hyatt or the Peninsula Palace.
We want to hit the major sites, but don't want to exhaust ourselves. We will still have a long way to travel after this stop!
The Forbiden City and Tiamian (spelling?) Square are right by the hotels - so those will be easy. We also want to do a day trip to the Great Wall.
Can anyone recommend things the boys might like? I want them to have some fun and not think of this as just another "educational" trip!
They saw a museum in Houston with replicas of the Chinese clay warriors. Are any of the original sites of these warriors close enough for a day trip?
Any help/suggestions would be appreciated!
As we have it now, we will arrive in Beijing about 3 pm on a Thursday, spend 4 full days, and leave about 1 pm on the 5th day. We are thinking of staying at either the Grand Hyatt or the Peninsula Palace.
We want to hit the major sites, but don't want to exhaust ourselves. We will still have a long way to travel after this stop!
The Forbiden City and Tiamian (spelling?) Square are right by the hotels - so those will be easy. We also want to do a day trip to the Great Wall.
Can anyone recommend things the boys might like? I want them to have some fun and not think of this as just another "educational" trip!
They saw a museum in Houston with replicas of the Chinese clay warriors. Are any of the original sites of these warriors close enough for a day trip?
Any help/suggestions would be appreciated!
Mar 5th, 2004, 06:34 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,778
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Obviously the fort-like Great Wall ought to offer considerable enjoyment for the boys, with almost unlimited opportunities for scrambling about. I'd give up the time to reach one of the remoter and less populated sites. Jinshanling would be a good choice, and take a picnic. This will take up most of a day.
There's at least one terracotta soldier (or repro thereof--with Chinese museums you never know) in the History Museum on the east side of Tian'an Men Square. Beijing is still waiting for a museum building to match those of the Shaanxi Provincial Museum or Shanghai Museum, and there's something rather deadening about the History Museum, but in addition to the terracotta warrior(s) there's bound to be a few other things to catch their attention if the passage through is otherwise kept fairly brisk.
You'll probably want to avoid the zoo, which most people find disturbing, unless it's for a quick in and out to see the pandas. There are several major aquariums in Beijing, including one next to the zoo entrance, and one called the Blue Zoo, near the Worker's Stadium, not that these are particularly Chinese experiences.
How about a boat trip up the canals to the Summer Palace? There are regular departures from behind the zoo, and more frequently from Bayi Hu, a lake just to the west of the city centre.
If wildlife is of any interest (tamed wildlife) then the Milu Deer Park a taxi ride south of the city, home to China's last surviving herd of the very odd-looking Pere David's deer (actually extinct in China until restocked from animals taken to the UK in the 19th century), is pleasant and well-run. And Beijing's bird markets provide plenty to look at.
At several parks, such as Beihai, you can rent remote controlled model speedboats, or wallow about in pedal-boats yourself. Again, not exactly Chinese, other than in the surrounding environment (which would include in this case several temples, and a stupa).
To the north of the city centre there's an Aviation Museum, complete with a mini NORAD-like tunnel-hanger which curves right through the mountainside and is rather murky and mysterious.
I hope these thoughts at least help to get you started.
Peter N-H
http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html
There's at least one terracotta soldier (or repro thereof--with Chinese museums you never know) in the History Museum on the east side of Tian'an Men Square. Beijing is still waiting for a museum building to match those of the Shaanxi Provincial Museum or Shanghai Museum, and there's something rather deadening about the History Museum, but in addition to the terracotta warrior(s) there's bound to be a few other things to catch their attention if the passage through is otherwise kept fairly brisk.
You'll probably want to avoid the zoo, which most people find disturbing, unless it's for a quick in and out to see the pandas. There are several major aquariums in Beijing, including one next to the zoo entrance, and one called the Blue Zoo, near the Worker's Stadium, not that these are particularly Chinese experiences.
How about a boat trip up the canals to the Summer Palace? There are regular departures from behind the zoo, and more frequently from Bayi Hu, a lake just to the west of the city centre.
If wildlife is of any interest (tamed wildlife) then the Milu Deer Park a taxi ride south of the city, home to China's last surviving herd of the very odd-looking Pere David's deer (actually extinct in China until restocked from animals taken to the UK in the 19th century), is pleasant and well-run. And Beijing's bird markets provide plenty to look at.
At several parks, such as Beihai, you can rent remote controlled model speedboats, or wallow about in pedal-boats yourself. Again, not exactly Chinese, other than in the surrounding environment (which would include in this case several temples, and a stupa).
To the north of the city centre there's an Aviation Museum, complete with a mini NORAD-like tunnel-hanger which curves right through the mountainside and is rather murky and mysterious.
I hope these thoughts at least help to get you started.
Peter N-H
http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html
Mar 5th, 2004, 10:11 AM
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,501
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi
My wife and I went to Beijing in March last year and we stayed there for about a week. We went to the Great Wall of China at Simatai and that was amazing...I think Simatai is a bit less crowded compared to e.g. Badaling. Aapart from the we saw the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of heaven park etc. I have posted a trip report with pictures on my personal homepage www.gardkarlsen.com
Maybe you can find some useful information there. Have a great trip
Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway
My wife and I went to Beijing in March last year and we stayed there for about a week. We went to the Great Wall of China at Simatai and that was amazing...I think Simatai is a bit less crowded compared to e.g. Badaling. Aapart from the we saw the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of heaven park etc. I have posted a trip report with pictures on my personal homepage www.gardkarlsen.com
Maybe you can find some useful information there. Have a great tripRegards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway
Mar 5th, 2004, 09:47 PM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 10,823
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great suggestions! I'll do some research and then see what the family thinks. The boat trip to the Summer Palace appeals to me and the remote controlled model speed boats caught the interest of my 10 year old!
We've learned to do a "must-see" list and a "would be nice to see but not critical" list when we travel places. Cuts down on the stress!
Thanks!
We've learned to do a "must-see" list and a "would be nice to see but not critical" list when we travel places. Cuts down on the stress!
Thanks!
Mar 6th, 2004, 04:32 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think just seeing the major sites will keep you occupied, but here are a few suggestions.
1. Acrobatic performances
These are usually at night, there are several troupes in the city, your hotel should be able to provide details and get tickets for you. Mostly tourists, both Chinese and Western. Some of the troupes have child performers, which your kids may find interesting.
2. Bike Tour of old Beijing
Click on "Destinations" above, scroll down to Asia, choose Beijing and click on the left where it says "Beijing by Bike". You will see a fairly detailed description of a self-guided bike tour of the old part of the city. Also print out the map on this site. I don't know the date this was written, but beware that parts of the hutongs are constantly being torn down, so some of the places mentioned below may not exist any more. Perhaps your hotel could offer more recent advice. The area is flat and has little car traffic, so it is safe for kids.
You can also do a guided bicycle rickshaw tour of this part of Beijing. It is a lot of fun, and includes a stop at the drum tower. Your hotel can help arrange this for you. Kids might enjoy riding their own bikes rather than sitting in the back, but at least this way you would not get lost or have old directions to areas of the hutongs that no longer exist.
3. Sunrise flag raising ceremony Tiananmen Square
If your kids are early risers, this is a good way to start the day. The huge square is the emptiest you will see it all day and you can really appreciate its size. You can watch a troop of goose-stepping PLA soldiers come out of the Forbidden city gates and go over the raise the flag in the square. Starts at first light, check with your hotel; also look at sunrisesunset.com for sunrise and sunset times every day of the year in Beijing.
4. Kungfu/Martial Arts performances
You should be able to see performance in Beijing. Sometimes the famous Shaolin warriors perform in Beijing. Check a guide for the week you are there, or ask at your hotel.
5. Dragon Boat Festival
This is usually sometime in the third week in June, I know that Hong Kong is celebrating it on June 22 this year. There may be races in the Ming Tomb area.
6. Museums
Ancient Coin Museum
Deshengmen Tower (Deshengmen Jianlou),
Xicheng District, 6201-8073,
9 am-4 pm; closed Monday
Beijing Museum of Natural History
126 Tianqiao Nandajie, 6702-4431
Daily 8:30 am-4 pm
Has a good dinosaur bone collection. Near the Temple of Heaven.
1. Acrobatic performances
These are usually at night, there are several troupes in the city, your hotel should be able to provide details and get tickets for you. Mostly tourists, both Chinese and Western. Some of the troupes have child performers, which your kids may find interesting.
2. Bike Tour of old Beijing
Click on "Destinations" above, scroll down to Asia, choose Beijing and click on the left where it says "Beijing by Bike". You will see a fairly detailed description of a self-guided bike tour of the old part of the city. Also print out the map on this site. I don't know the date this was written, but beware that parts of the hutongs are constantly being torn down, so some of the places mentioned below may not exist any more. Perhaps your hotel could offer more recent advice. The area is flat and has little car traffic, so it is safe for kids.
You can also do a guided bicycle rickshaw tour of this part of Beijing. It is a lot of fun, and includes a stop at the drum tower. Your hotel can help arrange this for you. Kids might enjoy riding their own bikes rather than sitting in the back, but at least this way you would not get lost or have old directions to areas of the hutongs that no longer exist.
3. Sunrise flag raising ceremony Tiananmen Square
If your kids are early risers, this is a good way to start the day. The huge square is the emptiest you will see it all day and you can really appreciate its size. You can watch a troop of goose-stepping PLA soldiers come out of the Forbidden city gates and go over the raise the flag in the square. Starts at first light, check with your hotel; also look at sunrisesunset.com for sunrise and sunset times every day of the year in Beijing.
4. Kungfu/Martial Arts performances
You should be able to see performance in Beijing. Sometimes the famous Shaolin warriors perform in Beijing. Check a guide for the week you are there, or ask at your hotel.
5. Dragon Boat Festival
This is usually sometime in the third week in June, I know that Hong Kong is celebrating it on June 22 this year. There may be races in the Ming Tomb area.
6. Museums
Ancient Coin Museum
Deshengmen Tower (Deshengmen Jianlou),
Xicheng District, 6201-8073,
9 am-4 pm; closed Monday
Beijing Museum of Natural History
126 Tianqiao Nandajie, 6702-4431
Daily 8:30 am-4 pm
Has a good dinosaur bone collection. Near the Temple of Heaven.
Mar 12th, 2004, 05:27 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We were there in June 2002 with 3 kids under 8. They were surprisingly interested in the usual sights, but they especially enjoyed the Chinese acrobatic show (a definite favorite) and Summer Palace, along with the Great Wall. But I have to say that second favorite behind the acrobatic show was the pool at our hotel. Remember to give them time to veg out, it's a lot of history to take in within a few short days!!
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Bo2642
Asia
29
Jul 20th, 2012 07:41 AM
