101 fun Things to do in Beijing!

Here is our list of 101 fun things that you can do and see in Beijing . If you ever feel bored here, it's not because Beijing is a boring city, maybe you just don't know what to do!

Free things to do in Beijing

1. ​Attend the flag lowering ceremony at Tiananmen Square (at sunset)
   
2. Attend the flag raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square (at sunrise)
   
3. Dance with locals in the park in the morning or evening
   
4. Hang out in an exercise park and try to use all the gadgets
   
5. Visit The Bookworm (a bookstore with lots of current western titles and a restaurant)
   
6. Visit an art gallery (some might have entrance fees)
   
7. Visit Nan Luogu Xiang and Bei Luogu Xiang (small shops, cafés and bars)
   
8. Visit Baochao Hutong
   
9. Visit Wudaoying Hutong
   
10. Visit Liulichang street/hutong
    
11. Visit the 798 Art District (galleries and restaurants)
    
12. Visit the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao at Tiananmen Square (you have to get in line very early in the morning)
    
13. Visit a morning market
    
14. Visit the Cishou Pagoda in the west at Xibali Zhuang
    
15. Visit the tomb of Matteo Ricci.
    
16. Wander around the old Legation Quarter (near Tiananmen Square)
    
17. Wander the old streets of the Da Zha Lan district
    
18. Visit the Beida/Renda/Tshinghua campuses
    
19. Fly kites at a park or a square
    

Tickets needed

1. ​20. Attend a Chinese Acrobat performance
   
2. Attend a concert in the National Center for the Performing Arts
   
3. Attend a folk or jazz concert at the Sanwei Bookstore
   
4. Attend a Peking Opera performance (In the Mei Langfang theatre)
   
5. Attend a "Red ballet" show (eight model operas)
   
6. Attend a show at the Lao She Teahouse
   
7. Climb to the top of Coal Hill in Jingshan Park (just north of the Forbidden City)
   
8. Visit the Planetarium
   
9. Visit the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan)
   
10. Visit Ritan, Yuetan and Ditan parks (in the four "corners" of Beijing)
    
11. Visit the Botanical Gardens
    
12. Visit Prince Gong's mansion garden
    
13. Visit the Lu Xun museum
    
14. Walk around Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace
    
15. Walk around the lake at the Old Summer Palace
    
16. Visit the Capital Museum
    
17. Visit the CCTV Tower. (This is best done on a clear day)
    
18. Visit the China Minorities Park
    
19. Visit the Confucian Temple
    
20. Visit the Yonghegong Lama Temple
    
21. Visit the Forbidden City
    
22. See the pandas at the Beijing Zoo
    
23. Visit the ancient observatory at Jianguomen
    
24. Visit the Military Museum
    
25. Visit the Museum of Ancient Chinese Architecture in the Xiannong temple
    
26. Visit the Old City Wall at Chongwenmen—Go into the Dongbianmen Tower at the east end to visit the Red Gate Art Gallery and view photos of Old Beijing
    
27. Go see a live concert at a bar (e.g. Mao, Temple, Modernista, Yugong Yishan)
    

Tickets / Spending money needed

1. ​Take a rickshaw ride through old Beijing
   
2. Climb the Great Wall at Jinshanling and hike to Simatai
   
3. Climb the Great Wall at Mutianyu and ride the alpine slide down.
   
4. Climb up the mountain at Badachu Park and ride the alpine slide down
   
5. Drink 'bubble tea'
   
6. Eat a bowl of Zha Jiang Mian (traditional Beijing style noodles)
   
7. Eat baozi on the street for breakfast
   
8. Eat Beijing Roast Duck
   
9. Eat candied fruit on a stick (bingtang hulu)
   
10. Eat at the Schoolhouse near Mutianyu
    
11. Eat jianbing on the street for breakfast.
    
12. Eat scorpions on a stick at the Wangfuing night market
    
13. Eat snacks on the street in the evening (Especially Chuan'r =lamb skewers!)
    
14. Eat youtiao (oil sticks) on the street for breakfast
    
15. Eat at an outdoor café in the lakes area
    
16. Enjoy a tea ceremony at a teahouse (but be aware of scammers!)
    
17. Get a 'dry hair wash'
    
18. Get a facial
    
19. Get a foot massage
    
20. Get a manicure/pedicure
    
21. Go boating or skate at Houhai lake (depending on the time of year)
    
22. Go boating at the Summer Palace
    
23. Go to the top of the Gate of Heavenly Peace to look out over Tiananmen Square
    
24. Go up into the tower at Deshengmen
    
25. Have a suit or dress made
    
26. Rent a bike (or buy one)
    
27. Ride a subway line to the end. Get off and explore the neighborhood.
    
28. Ride the tourist express train from Xizhimen to the Badaling Great Wall
    
29. Visit the Water Cube and Bird's Nest Olympic venues (you'll need to pay to go in)
    
30. Take a boat ride along the canal near the Summer Palace
    
31. Take any bus to the end of the line. Get off and explore.
    
32. Visit a temple fair during Spring Festival
    
33. Visit Beihai Park
    
34. Visit Cuan Di Xia Ming Village (2.5 hours west of town in the mountains)
    
35. Visit the National Art Museum
    
36. Visit the Bell Tower and Drum Towers
    
37. Visit the Bird's Nest (pay to go inside)
    
38. Visit the Fragrant Hills
    

Shopping

1. ​Hang out at The Village at Sanlitun (lots of western shops, Apple store etc.)
   
2. Shop at Beijing Glasses City (low priced frames and lenses)
   
3. Shop at Jenny Lou's imported foods market (they also deliver!)
   
4. Shop at Jingwuxing Wholesale Market
   
5. Shop at Ladies' Street
   
6. Shop at Panjiayuan Antique Market (not real antiques, remember to bargain)
   
7. Shop at the clothing wholesale market across from the Beijing Zoo
   
8. Shop at the Liang Ma Flower Market (across the canal from the Lufthansa Center)
   
9. Shop at the Pearl Market (Hong Qiao)
   
10. Shop at the Silk Market (Xiu Shui Jie)
    
11. Shop at the wholesale fabric market at Muxiyuan
    
12. Shop at IKEA (or just go see people sleep on the beds and sofas)
    
13. Shop at the Yashow Market (Ya Xiu) near Sanlitun/Gongti area
    
14. Shop at Tianyi Wholesale Market (lots of small things, you can get all the souvenirs you need from here)
    
15. Shop for antique furniture and reproductions at Gaobeidian
    
16. Shop for computers/electronics in Zhongguancun