12 Must-Do Experiences in Beijing
From cooking classes to high tea, and from pedicab tours to sidecar excursions, some experiences just shouldn't be missed in China's capital city.
Want to learn how to make tasty dumplings? Or hand-pulled noodles? Or the cuisine of Hunan, Yunnan and Sichuan? The Hutong is a cozy retreat where you can gather with a small group and—all tools provided—learn how to make a dish or two. The Hutong...
Qian Hai Bei Yan, ShiChaHai, Xicheng Qu, Beijing Shi, China, 100009
One element of experiential travel is in the local transportation; in Beijing, the hutong pedicab tour is a great way to experience the city and learn how people lived, both past and present. Pedicabs wind through the narrow streets with open...
3 Hufang Rd, Xicheng Qu, Beijing Shi, China
While visiting Beijing on a Fulbright over the summer, we were given the opportunity to attend a traditional Peking Opera. Though the show was entirely in Mandarin, it was highly entertaining and lively. The vibrant colors of the venue, coupled...
Xicheng, Beijing, China, 100006
I felt obligated to visit the Forbidden City while in Beijing as it tops every "must see" list. I sort of wish I hadn't. Even though I went early in the morning it was already mobbed with tourists. After about thirty minutes inside the compound...
"Guijie" street is lined with hole-in-the-wall hot pot places. It's also home to one of my favorite courtyard restaurants, Huajiayiyuan 花家怡园, which serves some of the best Peking roast duck in the city. There's even a kung-fu noodle master and tea...
Chaoyang, Beijing, China, 100096
The UCCA is home to a number of spaces dedicated to contemporary art exhibitions. It's pretty amazing entering a Bauhaus-inspired architectural space filled with pop culture icons, printed on hundreds of lamps—quite a feast for the eyes! In the...
Chaoyang, China, 100027
Co-existing amid electric and gas-powered buses, taxis and private sedans, scooters and bicycles and three-wheel vehicles, the sidecar motorcycle is a common sight on Beijing's busy streets. One group is using these handy vehicles to make a visit...
China, Beijing Shi, Chaoyang Qu, Chaoyang Park W Rd, 维多利亚花园D4 101
Hiking and sleeping on the Great Wall of China is a unique and memorable experience! This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I will always cherish and recommend to future travelers to Beijing. We made many new friends, but still had our own...
2 Jiuxianqiao Rd, Chaoyang Qu, Beijing Shi, China, 100096
How a complex of German-built factories became one of East Asia’s hottest art destinations is also the story of modern China. When construction on a number of electronics factories began in Dashanzi in 1956, the area was farmland. Joint...
2 Dongbiaobei Hutong, JianWai DaJie, Dongcheng Qu, China, 100005
This is great sight if you're interested in astronomy, science, ancient technology, the meeting of East and West, or you just need a break from the noise and crowds. The observatory was built in the Yuan Dynasty (1239-1368 AD). It was put to great...
China, 北京市东城区天安门
It's really spectacular at night - lit up in red and gold, brimming with locals and visitors. Take a few photos, then follow the locals across the street to their preferred dives for great food!
