I never wanted to visit China.
If you asked me 5 years ago what places I had on my travel bucket list, I would have given you a dozen other places and told you that Asia is just not that appealing to me.
Well, obviously, things have changed now that I live in Thailand and one of my favorite travel destinations is now China.
Traveling through this country really opened my eyes to how much it has to offer as far as places to see and things to experience, and Beijing is on the top of this list.
A place I would go back to for sure.
Two days are not nearly enough in Beijing, but here are our recommendations for the top four things you just can’t miss while visiting.
1. Day One In Beijing – Summer Palace
Even in my half-state of awareness, high fever, body aches, and general crappy feeling, this place is one of the most memorable part of my China Trip.
Yes, I happen to be lucky enough to contract some kind of three-day flu that started in the, smack-dab, middle of our China travel.
Nevertheless, nothing was going to stop me from enjoying my adventure…well, I was going to try my best not to let it, anyway.
The Summer Palace can be an all day event, or you can squeeze in seeing a temple if you spend only half the day here (unfortunately, I just couldn’t make it to the Temple Of Heaven).
It’s one of the easiest places to get to from central Beijing, and it doesn’t take that long to get there, being about 15 kilometers away.
Pro-Traveler Tip: This place is going to require a lot of walking around. Make sure you have comfy shoes and attire.
The general entrance fee is ¥30 (less than $5 USD), but there are additional fees if you want to go into one the many Halls.
You do have the option of buying the combo ticket if plan to visit everything they have to offer and spend the entire day.
The most memorable image I have of visiting the Summer Palace is the walk around the lake.
While I was in a terrible condition by that time, I still loved the views and peaceful nature of this part. The Summer Palace is basically a huge park.
One which includes buildings, unique architectural designs, beautiful gardens, a lake you can boat on, and features landscapes of hilly areas with fantastic, breathtaking panoramic views.
Walking up the hills was a bit of a challenge for me in my state, but I managed to drag myself up to take a look at the beauty of this place from high above, and it was well worth it.
While I was unable to make it all the way around the lake, I thoroughly enjoyed the stroll through an open passageway that outlines the lake.
The passageway is a covered area with colorful paintings on the inner part of the ceiling, creating a very nostalgic, romantic path to stroll. The energy that you feel here is one of relaxed enjoyment.
There are families, couples, friends, all enjoying the summertime. As if there are no cares in the world and time is at a slower pace.
Looking out at the lake you can image the ancient residents taking advantage of the peaceful nature and calming ambiance of this grand site on their holiday stay.
The park was quite populated since our visit was during the warm summer season that is considered the best time for being here.
I don’t really feel that this aspect had a huge effect on our experience.
The park is so huge that the crowds have plenty of room and there is always a place you can find to take in the beauty.
Where To Stay In Beijing Near The Summer Palace
Our guesthouse was walking distance to the subway, so it provided us a very cheap and convenient way to get around Beijing, including getting to the Summer Palace.
We took Subway Line 4 and got off at Beigongmen Station, or you can also get off at Xiyuan Station, get out of the station from Exit C2 and walk west to the East Palace Gate.
Beijing 161 Wangfujing Hotel
No. 161 Li Shi Hu Tong,
Dong Si Nan Da Jie，
Dongcheng District,
Wangfujing Street & Forbidden City,
Beijing, China 100010
2. Day One In Beijing – Houhai Bar Street
Do not miss Houhai Bar Street when visiting Beijing. I know that from the name it might sound like a place that attracts only 20-something Western backpackers, but it’s really not!
Yes, you may have some young visitors here from around the world going from bar to bar, but it’s really a place for everyone.
It’s really a fantastic spot for shopping, eating, and just strolling around people watching.
The area of shops, bars, restaurants, along with street food stalls sprinkled here and there, surrounds a lake. The interesting thing about is the way you enter.
Going from the main street down one of the famous Hu Dongs that Beijing is known for, sort of gives you the feel of transforming through time and dimension. Okay, maybe that’s a weird way to explain it.
I just felt that it was a cool way to get away. I could imagine that the people who live there would spend the day at work and doing errands and such and as the evening drew close, they would step into these streets and leave the day behind.
Entering a fun and relaxing place to cleanse themselves from the stress.
The narrow alley that leads to the lake area is lined with small shops filled with souvenirs and clothing. This would be a great place to get some stuff to take home to family and friends.
You also have your choice of some delicious food and snacks. One of our favorites was the grilled oysters followed by some ice cream with churros (warm churros melting that ice cream, oh, I can still taste it)!
Take some time to walk around and enjoy the scene as the night provides the stage for the street and store lights to dance on the lake water.
Pick one of the many chill bars or clubs and have a drink or two. It’s really a great spot for nightlife in Beijing!
Having left the Summer Palace early that day and not being able to go to the Forbidden Temple due to my fever, this was the perfect ending to the day.
3. Day Two In Beijing – Mutianyu Great Wall
Is any visit to China complete without seeing The Great Wall? I don’t think so.
We have a whole other post explaining in full detail our experience of the Mutianyu Great Wall.
It was a bit challenging trying to decide which section to visit. I had done a lot of research on each section, and each provides different pros and cons.
There are sections that are less visited and not as well kept. There are sections that are very popular and crowded but are easy to get to, closer, and restored. Some sections provide views; some provide great hikes.
I think you can imagine our dilemma at this point. We were playing Goldilocks, trying to find the perfect section of the Great Wall.
After much debate, we agreed that Mutianyu would be the one for us. We were right!
This section is about an hour and a half away from Beijing.
Taking the bus there was easy and VERY cheap. Additionally, the views of rolling, lush, green hills were absolutely mesmerizing.
You can choose to hike most or all of this section of The Great Wall, or you can ride the cable-car or both!
You can even toboggan down for a fun and unique experience that gives a different perspective of this historical and extremely impressive structure.
We visited The Great Wall in the middle of Summer so, as you can imagine, it was quite warm but we made sure to stay hydrated the whole way!
My sister had also visited during the winter with my mom, but the icy path made it difficult to walk very far at that time.
If you do visit Beijing in the winter months, we would suggest a trip to Harbin. The Harbin Ice Festival is a must see for anyone looking for the perfect winter destination in China!
It is easy and convenient to get to Harbin on the high speed train from Beijing. So, don’t miss it!
4. Day Two In Beijing – Wangfujing Shopping
I have to apologize that I don’t have any photos of this area. My GoPro was lost, well, stolen before we got here.
We accidentally left in on a bus bench and when we realized it and went back for it (took about 7 minutes), it was gone. Of course, I was really bummed about this, so I didn’t even take any pictures with my phone.
Anyway, the best way for me to describe this area is to compare it with Shanghai’s Nanjing Road.
You can even say it’s a tiny bit like Time Square, NYC.
The wide walking street is packed with modern buildings housing Western and Chinese shopping, eateries, hotels, etc. It’s bustling with people in the summertime.
You could spend hours just sitting and people watching without a single boring moment.
Pro-Traveler Tip: spend your time on the snack street. So much good street food here, your tummy will thank you!
What’s your favorite thing to do in Beijing? Let us know if the comments below. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this article as well as any experiences you could share with us!
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