Beijing: Great. Never Again.
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Well, let me first talk about my own issues. I’ve long known that visits to many of Beijing’s attractions require advance booking, but I tend to be impulsive. After not having much fun in Qingdao, my husband suddenly proposed a trip to Beijing with the kids, and we really did set off on a whim.
I naively thought that even if I couldn’t secure tickets through regular channels, I could find scalpers who could provide high-priced ones. Well, I looked all over online and failed to make reservations for Forbidden City (the famous imperial palace), the National Museum and so on. The scalpers could only attempt securing tickets seven days ahead of time—provided you couldn’t get them by yourself in advance. Fine, then that means forbidden sightseeing spots like the Forbidden City, National Museum, and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall are all out of the question.
Day 1: Universal Studios Beijing
Overall experience was decent. Baby strollers were available for rent at around RMB 150 a day, which could accommodate two children, storage backpacks and drinking water, making the hands free to some extent.
We arrived late at night, and since the younger sibling is too young to participate in many activities, we didn’t purchase Fast-Pass tickets which allow you to skip the line.
The wait time wasn’t as unpleasant as expected, mostly taking place indoors. However, the waiting area resembles a labyrinth! You think it'll soon be your turn, but suddenly you find yourself going around in circles again. You can do nothing but follow the crowd.
Notice: Remember to go to the bathroom and bring drinks before waiting in line.
Favorite attractions: Minions Park, Jurassic World Flying Tour, Jurassic World Adventure, and Harry Potter’s Magic World
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As a suggestion, if you plan to experience Transformers Revenge of the Fallen, maybe leave it for last. Once you ride this exciting roller coaster, you may lose interest in going anywhere else and just want to relax.
You can opt-in for photography service inside the park. For RMB 280, you can download all the photos from this service. It seems pretty worthwhile.Day 2: A “Sudden Encounter” at Tiananmen Square
We had planned to watch the national flag raising ceremony early in the morning at Tiananmen Square (you absolutely need to reserve a timing-slot in advance via WeChat applet). But due to the rain and my concern about bringing two kids along, we had second thoughts about staying up late the previous night to stake a location in the queue. Our children couldn't stay awake until midnight, eventually preventing us from witnessing the moment.
I reckoned we could at least take some photos of tourists there in the afternoon. Unfortunately, our earlier reservation had expired, preventing us from entering the square.
Late in the evening, determined not to give up, we rented some bicycles–each carrying one child–and prepared to ride down the Chang'an Avenue (the avenue next to the Tiananmen Square) at night.
Imagine the fate of a family who chose to rent a bike without receiving adequate advice from the shop owner! We were living near Wangfujing (a nearby busy commercial district), where riding is convenient. However, mid-way through our journey, precisely during the flag lowering ceremony, traffic restrictions emerged across the avenue!
It felt like every road and alley around the Chang'an Avenue had been closed except for the main route! Police officers stood at each intersection, directing all cyclists forward without deviation.
Our family struggled throughout the whole travel; we rode for around two hours to pass through all the intersections until finally arriving the front of the Tiananmen. However, upon arrival, we discovered that taking photographs was prohibited in this ceremony. We had to ride through quickly!
On the way back, traffic police continued to impose travel restrictions! It took us three painstaking hours to complete our journey and give back the bicycles. At that point, we were all thoroughly soaked and tired, and no longer conscious where our legs or hips were.
Then, I started to understand why the initial deposit for hiring the bikes was RMB 500 per bike- otherwise, I would have just discarded the bikes onto the road in frustration!Important Tips & Warnings:
When visiting Beijing, make sure to plan ahead of time and ensure all necessary reservations at the attractions!
Don’t hold out much hope; it won’t change the end result. It will leave you with mixed feelings.
Keep in mind that summer heat can scorch a person! It almost turns the day into night!
Be well-prepared mentally; I find Beijing’s local cuisine rather unpalatable (opinions vary, and everyone may have different tastes)!
Universal Studios Beijing experiences relatively high traffic congestion during holidays (e.g., summer vacation), where every single attraction requires approximately one hour of waiting time per queue, compared to what people claim online that takes two or three hours, but not THAT long indeed. If you prefer less waiting, there is always the option to purchase Fast Pass tickets, although the price is definitely over-the-top.
Special notes about night-cycling Chang'an Avenue:- Make sure to avoid busy hours during the flag-lowering ceremony around 6 to 8 PM, resulting in extensive traffic restrictions!
- Check which way to ride, as certain routes may only allow traffic in one direction; you can ask the staff for clarifications.
- Do note that the rental bicycles (similar to those shared bikes on the street) are prohibited in the Tiananmen area; however, the specific bicycles designed for the family travel are permitted.
- Remember not to stop for photography or stalling on the road while cycling!
Finally, the sad lesson to be learned:
Beijing will most certainly “punish” those who don’t carry solid planning skills and lack foresight! By trusting these warnings, could save you potential troubles! -
So many locals warned us against coming during the summer break, but we just wouldn't listen and came anyway. Well, how did that turn out? It really pays to listen to good advice.
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Everyone knows it's better to travel off-peak. The thing is, kids have school, so holidays are pretty much the only time we get. Do you really think adults want to come during peak season? Wouldn't lounging somewhere cool be much nicer?
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Beijing's attractions are all incredibly tiring on the legs. With tour groups, the schedule is tight because they rush you through for just a fleeting glimpse. But if you travel independently, you'll walk so much you'll start questioning your life choices!
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It was so painful. I'm definitely never going to Beijing during summer vacation again.
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That's just how it is around Tiananmen Square. That's why so many people put it on their must-see list, thinking it's just a quick walk-through. I went three times in five days, and I felt each visit was a little different. But even after going three times, I still couldn't get my bearings and tell which entrance was which. I was constantly alternating between being lost and finding my way.
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It was genuinely too painful. There's absolutely no way I'm going to Beijing during summer vacation again. Not a chance.
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Girl, you're hilarious! That bit about the 'rat crossing the street'—I can totally picture the scene.
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If it weren't for the armed police or traffic police constantly telling us to keep moving forward, I would have genuinely thought we were being scammed! It was always 'you can turn at the next intersection,' and two hours later, we still hadn't made it in.
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When I saw that part about cycling, I admit I had a bit of a mean laugh, because it reminded me of myself. Yesterday at the Forbidden City, I was halfway through and absolutely exhausted and starving. Turning back wasn't really an option, so I just had to tough it out and keep going.
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Honestly, I'm speechless. Maybe I should count myself lucky I didn't manage to book the Forbidden City? Otherwise, it would have been two days straight of being this exhausted. The mere thought is unbearable.
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Our original plan was to see the flag-raising ceremony, the Tiananmen Rostrum, the Great Hall of the People, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, and the Palace Museum. However, we left late, and on top of that, there were road closures. So, with two elderly folks and one child in tow, we ended up power-walking for over half an hour, completely exhausted, and managed to perfectly miss the flag-raising. Afterwards, we decided to queue for the Chairman Mao Memorial. Initially, staff said people over 65 could use a fast-track lane, but by the time it was our turn, the rule suddenly changed to 70 and over, wasting another hour of queuing time. We had no choice but to rejoin the regular line. After another two and a half hours baking under the scorching sun, we finally saw Chairman Mao. By then, we had absolutely no energy left for the rest of the itinerary. The whole family just went back to the hotel and slept until evening.
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Seriously, just thinking about it makes me break out in a sweat! When did you all go? Was it during the summer vacation too? It must be much easier to visit these past couple of days. Some friends of ours went after school started and were able to hit up all the spots. I, on the other hand, didn't manage to make it anywhere.
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You set off without proper preparation and didn't plan your itinerary well! Just a spontaneous 'let's go' trip! All I can say is, you reap what you sow.
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Tell me about it!
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It truly is a bit of a food desert. The Peking duck from a place near my home is tastier than what you get at Siji Minfu, and it costs less than 20% of their price. It really feels like you're just paying to suffer.