How To Plan A Trip To Beijing: Beijing Trip Planner 2024/2025
Visiting Beijing for the first time? Does trip planning exhaust so much of your effort and time? Have no idea where to start? Yes, it may be overwhelming for everyone, not only you, to plan a perfect trip to Beijing, such an amazing city which is full of history and culture as well as thousands of hotels, attractions, shops, and restaurants, that’s why we stand out to help. Our Beijing Trip Planner is the best tool which aims to help to focus on where to go, where to stay, where to eat, when to go and more vital travel information you need to know before you go, such as Visa-free Policy, city transfer, etc.
◆ Tian’anmen Square/Forbidden City/Jinshan Park (a half day)
Enter Forbidden City, the most imperial site of China from Tian’anmen Square, explore the halls and houses where the ancient emperors lived, and enjoy a panoramic view of the whole Forbidden city from a higher location in Jingshan Park.
◆ Hike one or two section of Great Wall (one or two days)
Beijing possesses most of the famous sections of Great Wall, such as Mutianyu, Badaling, Jiankou, Simtai, Huanghuacheng, etc. Enjoy a memorable hike on the Great Wall is the No. 1 things to do for all travellers in Beijing. The less-crowded and beautiful Mutianyu Section is most recommended. To enjoy a 2 days Great hiking, you can choose Gubeikou+Jinshanling, or Jinshanling+Simatai.
◆ Appreciate the royal gardens in the Summer Palace (2 hours)
The Summer Place ranks No. 3 on TripAdvisor among all things to do in Beijing. This 700-acre royal retreat offers you a glimpse at how the imperial family once spent its leisure time. It is located on the northwestern suburb of Beijing.
◆ Explore the traditional living style of old Beijing in Hutong (1~5 hours)
Beijing Hutong connecting the quadrangle dwellings is more than a tourist attraction, but the pulse of this city. All the over 6,000 long, short, wide, narrow, straight and winding alleys link the whole Beijing from the ancient times. They tell various stories that happened here and show the historic development and cultural change of Beijing city.
◆ Savor a delicious meal of Peking Roasted Duck in a local authentic restaurant
The daintiness of Peking Roasted Duck has been brought to the entire world as more and more restaurants of Peking Roasted Duck have been set up in Newyork, Paris, Melbourne. But the authentic recipe never go abroad. To savor at the true taste of Peking Roasted Duck, you really have to come to its originated place – Beijing.
◆ Enjoy a tremendous performance of Chinese Kung Fu
Having no idea where to have fun in the night of Beijing? The Red Theatre is the place you should go where you can enjoy a Kungfu Show - the Legend of Kung Fu which is a theatrical production, presenting the origin and development of traditional Chinese martial arts with thrilling performance and vibrant show atmosphere. It is usually performed after 17:30. Address: 44 Xing Fu Da Jie, Dongcheng District, Beijing北京东城区幸福大街44号
Keep Reading: Beijing Top Attractions and Things to Do
Beijing Top Attractions and Things to Do
Temple of Heaven
To discover the essence of Beijing, you need at least 3 full days. Below is the most classic 3 days itinerary at leisure pace:
DAY 1: Discover the Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City and Summer Palace;
DAY 2: Hike one section of Great Wall near Beijing (Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng, Badaling..)
DAY 3: Visit Temple of Heaven and explore Hutong
If you want to discover more highlights of Beijing, you can plan one or two more days. You can have a Great Wall hiking to the wild sections, such as Simatai, Jinshanling, Gubeikou, etc., or plan a family tour with a full-day Universal Studios adventure, photography tour, or walking tour to explore more of Beijing’s charms. China Discovery has designed many featured Beijing tour packages for you. You can also ask our travel experts to tailor-make your own Beijing experience.
Beijing applies to the newest 144-Hour TWOV (Transit Without Visa). Transit passenger from 54 specified countries who holds valid passport and connecting flight tickets to a third country or region can stay in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei up to 6 days without a Chinese visa, for examples: America > Beijing > Hong Kong; Australia > Beijing > Singapore. There are 144-Hour Visa-free Counters set up in Beijing Capital International Airport. Check 6 Steps to Apply for 144-Hour Visa Free
If you want to stay longer than 6 days in Beijing, or Beijing is just a part of your China trip, you will have to apply for a China Tourist Visa (L Visa) before coming to China. You can apply for Chinese visa at Chinese Embassy and consulates in your country.Except special circumstance, applicants can get a Chinese Visa after 1 ~ 4 working days, even on the same day of your submission.
Keep Reading: Beijing Airport Layover | Chinese Visa Application
Mutianyu Great Wall in Summer
Having a temperature and continental monsoon climate, Beijing has hot and rainy summers, cold and dry winters, cool and sunny autumns, windy and booming spring. The coldest month is January with the average temperature of -4 °C/24.8°F, and the hottest season is July (at an average of 26 °C/79°F) with most rainfalls.
Beijing is a fantastic destination year-round, but the best times to visit are from March to June and September to November, when the weather is pleasant - neither too hot nor too cold. During spring, you can enjoy the colorful flowers, while autumn brings vibrant foliage at attractions like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Just remember to avoid traveling during Chinese holidays, especially the National Day Holiday (usually from October 1-7).
Summer can be hot and crowded, with many students and families on vacation. If you must visit during this time, be sure to book your hotels, train tickets, and attraction passes in advance. If you choose to visit in winter, prepare for cold weather and pack appropriately to stay warm. The advantage is that it will be less crowded, and travel costs can be more affordable. Plus, if you're lucky, you might get to witness Beijing's breathtaking snowscape!
Beijing is the transportation center of China. It has a vast network of both arrival and departure, connecting the China’s capital city to most domestic cities in China as well as most of international cities in the globe. There are 3 airports, 4 railway stations and hundreds of bus stations in Beijing.
For international travellers, you can take international flights directly to Beijing from Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Oceania, etc, or take international cruise to land China at Tianjin, Beijing’s neighborhood, then transfer to Beijing by train or highway. If Beijing is not your visit stop in China, you can take domestic flights, high speed trains, fast trains, highway, bus to Beijing from most cities in China, such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, etc.
Wangfujin Area (王府井)
Qianmen Area (前门)
Hutong Area (胡同) The Great Wall Area suits travelers who want to hike the Great Wall early in the morning and see
marvelous sunrise, or late in the afternoon to watch a beautiful dusk, especially in the JInshanling Great Wall. If you long for a majestic night view in the Simatai Great, living at its foot in the Gubei Water Town will be an excellent choice.However, there are only a few star-level hotels to choose.
- Wangfujin area has fantastic location and top class hotel facilities. It is located at the east side of the Forbidden City within 30mins walking. This area is also the paradise of shopping and food hunting. Many luxury 5 stars hotels are located at Wangfujin Area, such as the St Regis Beijing, Waldorf Astoria Beijing, etc. But the hotel rates here are usually higher than other areas in Beijing.
- Qianmen Area is located right in the front of Tian’anmen Square. It takes only about 5 minutes to walk to Tian’anmen Square, and 10 minutes to Forbidden City. For those want to stroll around the imperial Forbidden City, this area is the best choice. It also have many place for shopping and dining. The Ritz Calton is the bes hotel at this area.
- Hutong Area is located on the north of Forbidden City. If you want to stay in somewhere local and more cultural, Hutong Area is the best choice. This area gathers many famous attractions in Beijing, such as Drum Tower, Nanluoguxiang, Prince Gong’s Masion, Lama Temple, Shichahai, etc. Hotels types ranges from boutique courtyard hotels to Youth hotels, business hotels, luxury hotels, etc. There are also many souvenir shops, bars and restaurants here.
Beijing is the best city in China to start a China tour because: 1) it can be arrived from most international cities by flights; 2) it has flights and trains to most of the popular destinations in China; 3) visiting Beijing first help you to learn about China's culture and history.
How to plan a China tour from Beijing
The transportation matters most when you are planing a China tour from Beijing. Usually, a 2~3 days trip to Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors, Ancient City Wall...) usually comes after the Beijing tour. After Xi'an, you have many options: 1) take a long trip to Tbiet (4~8 days); 2) fly to Zhangjiajie (3~4 days); 3) take a bullet train to Chengdu (2~4 days); 4) go to Take a Yangtze River Cruise in Chongqing (4~5 days); 5) fly to Guilin to visit Yangshuo and Longji Rice Terrace (3~4 days). After above tours, you can finish your China tour in Shanghai or Hong Kong.
Keep Reading:
20 China Tours from Beijing
Beijing Xian Tours | Beijing Shanghai Tours | Beijing Zhangjiajie Tours
China Tours from Beijing
Best Beijing Tour Packages for 2025
As the capital city of China for centuries, Beijing is an internatinal metropolis with numerous historic scenic sites. You can visit the Forbidden City to witness the royal buildings of the ancient China empire, hike on the incredible Great Wall, and wander along the traditional hutongs to experience the authentic local life...all of your dreams about Beijing can be tangible in our Beijing tours. We are also specialized in tailor-made tours that fit you best according to your own interests, requirement, traveling time, etc.
This is the most popular China tour to Beijing, Xian and Shanghai to visit the most iconic China attractions - Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, The Bund, etc., and explore great of both China’s past and present.
Visit the best and featured highlights of Beijing in a single trip and explore the glorious past and present of Beijing in one go. Apart from Beijing's time-honored landmarks - Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Great Wall, you will admire the most outstanding architectures in Olympic Park.
Visiting two ancient hearts plus a cozy high speed train experience, you will not only explore the long history of China, but also find out how the time-honored country is like in recent days.
During this 4-day Beijing tour, you'll start by exploring the city's must-see landmarks and then embark on an exhilarating side trip to hike the Jinshanling Great Wall. This section of the Wall is renowned for its dramatic mountainous terrain, intricately designed watchtowers, and breathtaking panoramic views.
This 4-day tour offers the chance to explore Jinshanling by day, known for its breathtaking vistas, and Simatai by night, celebrated for its enchanting evening views. The itinerary also includes a visit to the charming Gubei Water Town. Of course, essential Beijing landmarks such as the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and traditional Hutongs are covered.
Want a quality but enjoyable time with your children in Beijing? This 5 days Universal Studios Beijing family tour is well-arranged to fulfill your needs. You will have a sightseeing trip involving a full-day adventure to Universal Studios Beijing. Apart from offering entertainment, this tour helps them learn, grow and gain a better understanding of China.
Want to make your Beijing Xian trip a little adventurous? Here is the idea: hike one of the wild sections of the Great Wall in Beijing, then go to hike Mount Huashan near Xian city. They may not be the type of serious hiking, but definitely interesting and enjoyable.
This is a comprehensive trip to the 8 most popular travel destinations in China - Beijing, Xian, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Chengdu, Chongqing, Yangtze River Cruise, and Shanghai.
