TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN BEIJING – Trip Expect Journey

10 Thing To Do In Beijing

I’ve lived in Beijing for over twenty years, and over that time I’ve come to know the city inside and out. Beyond its famous landmarks, Beijing is full of unforgettable experiences—from wandering through quiet hutongs in the early morning and standing atop the majestic Great Wall to enjoying freshly roasted Peking duck at a local restaurant. Each experience reveals a different side of the city. In this guide, I’ve put together 12 of my favorite things to do in Beijing, combining iconic attractions with local experiences to help you discover the very best of China’s capital.

Hey! I’m Yolanda, a traveler with adventure in my blood and taste buds forever hunting for the next feast. My mission? To live off the beaten path and constantly seek out the new and exciting.

BEIJING

10 THINGS TO DO IN BEIJING

Hike Mutianyu Great Wall

Beijing has three really popular sections of the Great Wall: Mutianyu, Badaling, and Juyongguan. Personally, I prefer Mutianyu. It’s a bit farther than Badaling, but the scenery is way more beautiful—super lush with trees and plants. It’s gorgeous in every season: in spring the mountains are covered with wildflowers, and in autumn it’s all fiery red and golden leaves. You can take a cable car up and down, which saves a lot of energy and also gives you an amazing bird’s-eye view from the top. Plus, there’s this super long slide for the way down—it’s so much fun! The best part? Mutianyu has fewer tourists, so you get a much better experience. And one more thing I love: in summer, they have night tours, and that feels totally different from the daytime visit.

Visit the China Arts and Crafts Museum

The China Arts and Crafts Museum (also called the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum) – oh my god, it’s absolutely stunning! Don’t let the name “Arts and Crafts” fool you – this is not some tourist souvenir shop; it’s a nationallevel treasure hall. They have jade carvings and embroidered textiles so exquisite they’d make even the British Museum jealous. And you can even get handson with intangible cultural heritage activities – make your own rubbings, sachets, ronghua (silk flowers), flowingsand paper fans, New Year woodblock prints, and more. It’s a total blast!

Explore the hutongs from Dongsi to Beixinqiao to Yonghegong

Beijing’s hutongs are a mustsee – you haven’t really seen the city until you’ve wandered through them. One of the classic routes is from Dongsi to Beixinqiao and then to Yonghegong (Lama Temple). It’s a route I often take for strolling and grabbing bites along the way. You’ll see traditional old Beijing architecture, spot local grandpas playing chess, and find it packed with great food spots. You can walk or bike – whatever you prefer.

Tour the Forbidden City and climb Jingshan Park

The Forbidden City was home to China’s Ming and Qing emperors—24 of them in total. It covers a massive 720,000 square meters and has over 9,000 rooms. It’s the largest and bestpreserved ancient wooden architectural complex in the world today, so if you’re into Chinese architecture, this is an absolute mustsee. Fair warning: it’s huge. A quick glance will take you 23 hours, and if you want a deep dive, plan for 45 hours. Either way, you’re looking at at least 20,000 steps on your pedometer.

It’s incredibly photogenic, so I highly recommend renting a Hanfu or Qingdynasty costume for some epic photos—you can literally play emperor or empress for a day! And here’s a pro tip: after you leave the Forbidden City, walk over to nearby Jingshan Park. Climb up to Wanchun Pavilion, and you’ll get a breathtaking bird’seye view of the entire palace complex from above.

Wander the Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven was the sacred site where Ming and Qing emperors came to worship Heaven and pray for good harvests. It’s the largest and bestpreserved ancient sacrificial complex in the world today. Fun fact: it’s actually four times bigger than the Forbidden City! That said, if you plan your route well, 23 hours is plenty. While you’re exploring this royal landmark, you’ll also get a glimpse of local life—people doing tai chi, playing cards, singing—which adds a lovely everyday vibe. The absolute mustsees are the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Echo Wall, and the Circular Mound Altar. Don’t miss them

Eat Peking duck and traditional copperpot hotpot

Peking duck and copperpot hotpot are two classic dishes you simply have to try in Beijing. The duck has crispy skin and tender meat—wrap it in a thin pancake with sweet bean sauce, cucumber, and spring onion, and it’s pure heaven. The hotpot uses a charcoalfired copper pot with a clear broth; you dip paperthin slices of fresh lamb into it, then into a rich sesame paste sauce—it’s warm, comforting, and delicious. But there are so many restaurants in Beijing serving these two, and the quality varies a lot, so check out my other post for recommendations on where to go.

Visit 798 Art District

798 is a pretty interesting place. It used to be a factory complex from the 1950s, but now it has become an art center brimming with creative energy. The district is huge, full of industrial heritage blended with contemporary creativity—just like Beijing’s version of SoHo. Throughout 798, you’ll find art museums, galleries, street art, trendy boutiques, specialty restaurants, and cozy cafes. I often pick up little knickknacks I like there, and it’s almost impossible to leave emptyhanded. Oh, and be sure to wear comfortable shoes—you won’t be able to get out in under three or four hours.

Experience a Chinese tea ceremony

Ok honest confession — I used to be the kind of person who couldn’t function without coffee. Then one afternoon I got pulled into a tea ceremony, and it completely rewired how I think about “having a drink.” You do everything yourself — warming the pot, measuring the leaves, timing each pour — while the tea master just sits there guiding your hands. My first pour came out way too strong, she just laughed and said “try again,” and by the fourth pour I’d actually figured it out. The whole thing took two, three hours, phone stayed in my bag, I just sat there smelling the leaves unfurl in the water. Walked out feeling more unwound than I’ve ever felt after a coffee. If you’re someone who can’t leave the house without a cup in hand — genuinely, try this instead. Slowing down turns out to feel amazing.

Get a traditional Chinese massage

You really have to feel the ache-then-bliss of Chinese massage yourself to understand it, especially after a full day of walking. It’s nothing like a spa — it leaves you feeling weightless, almost like you could float off the ground. The practitioner asked where it hurt, pressed her thumb into my shoulder, and found the knot almost instantly — then just started working it loose. When she hit my shoulder blade I nearly yelped, and without even looking up she said, “hang in there, this one’s blocked.” No oils, no background music, the table’s basically a wooden plank, and at some point she cupped and scraped my back too — I caught a glimpse in the mirror afterward and my back was covered in red and purple marks, startled me at first, turns out that’s just the circulation getting unstuck. An hour later I felt absurdly light, like my feet barely touched the ground walking out. That kind of lightness, a full night’s sleep couldn’t have given me.

Enjoy craft beer in a hidden courtyard tucked away in the hutongs

This is one of my secret spots. I love going there in summer—it’s a hidden Chinese courtyard tucked away in the hutongs. I grab a craft beer, and man, it’s just so refreshing. It always draws people from all over the world who love hutongs, love traditional courtyards, and love sipping a cold beer in the summer evening breeze. After a drink or two, when you’re feeling good, you can just walk over to Shichahai—it’s not far—and watch the sunset by the water. Shichahai is definitely a must-see in Beijing, but it’s become way too famous these days, so it gets super crowded. But if you do want to go, I can point you to the less crowded spots, and even tell you where you can grab a coffee or afternoon tea with a great view over the whole area.