Parks in Beijing 🌷 The 15 Greatest Parks To Visit (in 2022)

The Guide to the Best Parks in Beijing

For anyone who doesn’t know, there are tonnes of parks in Beijing. So we’ve picked out our 15 favourites for you to enjoy!

We’ve split the parks up based on their entrance fees, so for those who are on a budget you know where to go.

However, you’ll see that almost all of these 15 parks actually have an entrance fee of under 20 CNY, so they’re all pretty cheap really!

Parks in Beijing – Free Parks

Parks in Beijing – Entrance Fee Under 5 CNY

Parks in Beijing – Entrance Fee Under 10 CNY

Parks in Beijing – Entrance Fee Under 20 CNY

Parks in Beijing – Entrance Fee Under 35 CNY

Summer in Beijing 🌞 – 5 Top Recommendations (for 2022)

Summer in Beijing – 5 Top Recommendations Anyone who is familiar with summer in Beijing knows that with average temperatures of 30-35 degrees Celsius, it can be a bit of a struggle. Some days it may even get up to…

Parks in Beijing – Free Parks

First up, let’s have a look at the parks in Beijing that are completely FREE to enter.

Ritan Park 日坛公园 (rì tán gōngyuán)

Ritan Park also known as the Temple of Sun Park is located in one of Beijing’s embassy districts, just west of the CBD.

You’ll notice that a few of these parks have tán (坛) in the name, which means temple in Chinese. These parks were built around ancient Chinese temples and have now been opened up to the public.

Ritan Park is relatively small compared to some of the other parks in Beijing, but there is still plenty to enjoy.

The beautiful scenery and size of the park make is perfect for a stroll. You can take in the small lake, garden area, pavilions and even the little “mountain”.

And of course you can also see the restored Temple of Sun altar.

For those who are more active the park also has a running path complete with km marks so you can keep track of the distance you’ve run.

There is also an amusement section with activities available such as rock climbing or fishing.

🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 21:30 (winter), 06:00 – 22:00 (summer)
📍Address: 6 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District

Qingnianhu Park 青年湖公园 (qīngnián hú gōngyuán)

In the Gulou area of Beijing we have the lovely Qingnianhu Park.

The name of the park is literally “Youth Lake”, referring to the construction of the lake in the park which was dug by teenage volunteers in 1958.

If you didn’t know 湖 (hú) means lake, and again this is a character you’ll see a lot in park names.

This park is famous for it’s modern art sculptures that are dotted around the scenic areas. Some of the sculptures are definitely a bit more on the unusual side, but I’ll let you be the judge of that!

One of the biggest attractions of this park is it’s huge outside swimming pool, which opens during summer.

Visiting the pool is a great way to cool off during Beijing’s hot summer weather. However, it should be noted that access to the pool is not free, and you’ll need to pay an admission of 50 CNY.

🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 21:30 (all year)
📍Address: Andingmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District

Olympic Forest Park 奥林匹克森林公园 (àolínpǐkè sēnlín gōngyuán)

It may come as a surprise that this is Beijing’s biggest park and it is also FREE!

With 2.6 square miles of park to explore and no entrance fee this is definitely the biggest bargain on our list of parks in Beijing.

As the name suggests, the beautiful forest scenery make this one of the best parks to come to escape the city and get back to nature 🌲.

Or at least the best way while still remaining in the city, otherwise to really get away a day trip might be more in order.

Olympic Forest Park has a northern and southern section divided in the middle by the fifth ring road which cuts right through the middle.

There are two particularly famous spots: the Aohai Sea which is a large lake and Yangshan Mountain.

Having such a large area it’s a great idea to rent a bike, (they have tandem bikes if you’re up for some fun) or you can rent a battery car if you’re feeling more lazy.

🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 21:00 (summer) 07:00 – 19:00 (winter)
📍Address: 15 Beichen Donglu, Chaoyang District

Day Trips From Beijing – LTL’s Top 5 (for 2022)

Insiders Guide to the Best Day Trips from Beijing If you’re looking to escape the city and are wondering where to get some fresh air then LTL has you covered with our top 5 day trips from Beijing. It’s amazing…

Tuanjiehu Park 团结湖公园 (tuánjié hú gōngyuán)

This is another park that is on the smaller side, but its super close location to the Sanlitun shopping area make it really convenient to get to.

If you’re anything like me and find that Taikooli can be a bit overwhelmingly busy at times, then this is a great place to go to afterwards to relax.

You might have guessed from the name that this is another park with a lake feature.

To be honest lakes seem to be a bit of a permanent fixture in most Chinese parks, if it doesn’t have a lake can you even call it a park 🤷‍♀️? Just joking, you’ll see there are a couple of lake free parks on our list.

Here you can rent a boat or just stroll around enjoying the tranquil atmosphere with Beijing’s skyscrapers towering in the background.

This is a popular park with locals so you can expect to see lots of activity such as dancing, Chinese chess or even some Chinese opera!

🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 21:30 (winter), 06:00 – 22:00 (summer)
📍Address: 16 Tuanjiehu Nanli, Chaoyang District

On a budget and looking for more free things to do in Beijing?

Parks in Beijing – Entrance Fee Under 5 CNY

Next are the parks which you have to pay a very small entrance fee for, this is normally either 2 or 3 CNY, which lets face it is hardly anything.

Jingshan Park 景山公园 (jǐngshān gōngyuán)

This is one of Beijing’s most famous parks, located directly opposite the north gate of the Forbidden City.

Climb to the top of the hill and you’ll be rewarded with one of the best views in Beijing: a bird’s eye view of the Forbidden City (weather permitting 🤞).

Originally an imperial garden, where the emperors would make sacrifices to their ancestors, Jingshan Park was opened to the public in 1928.

Now, fully restored, it is a popular place for tourists, and things can get a little crowded up on the central pavilion.

However, walking around the lower grounds is a lot less busy and you’ll often see some locals here too.

💴Price: 2 CNY
🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 21:00
📍Address: 44 Jingshan Xijie, Xicheng District

Ditan Park 地坛公园 (dìtán gōngyuán)

Just north of Lama Temple (雍和宫 yōnghé gōng) lies this wonderful little park.

Also known as the Temple of Earth Park this is another of Beijing’s altar parks that has been restored and opened up to the public in the 20th century.

This is a great park to visit during Chinese New Year when they have their annual temple fair.

Autumn is also a good time to visit to view the beautiful yellow leaves of the gingko trees.

The small size of Ditan Park make it perfect for an afternoon walk, popular with locals you can expect to always see some tai chi here.

If you want to practice your calligraphy they also have “water calligraphy” available which is where you can purchase a brush and write with water on the ground.

💴Price: 2 CNY (for access to altar 5 CNY)
🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 21:30
📍Address: A2, Andingmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District

You can check out some “water calligraphy” in action below.

Jade Lake Park 玉渊潭公园 (yùyuāntán gōngyuán)

Next up on our list is the stunning Jade Lake Park, located a bit further out in Haidian District.

This park is super easy to find with its west entrance being opposite the distinctive China Central Radio and Television Tower.

(Not to be confused with the CCTV Tower in Guomao.)

The majority of the park is taken up by the lake, over which you can get some truly breathtaking views.

Jade Lake Park is famous for its amazing Cherry Blossom Festival 🌸, the park has over 3,000 cherry trees so you can just imagine how beautiful it looks in spring.

💴Price: 2 CNY (during Cherry Blossom Festival 10 CNY)
🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 20:30 (spring and autumn), 06:00 – 21:30 (summer), 06:30 – 20:30 (winter)
📍Address: Xisanhuan Lu, Haidian District

Zhongshan Park 中山公园 (zhōngshān gōngyuán)

Zhongshan Park is named after the provisional first president of the Republic of China Dr Sun Yat-sen whose name in Chinese is 孫中山 (sūn zhōngshān).

The park is located just northwest of Tiananmen Square, right by the entrance to the Forbidden City. Like many of the parks in Beijing, it was originally a site of imperial sacrifices.

Features in the park include many ancient pavilions, a small lake, the altar and many old halls which were built for members of the imperial family.

The best time to visit Zhongshan Park is during the Spring Flower and Tulip Blossom Festival🌷, to see the beautiful flower displays, although you will have to pay a higher entrance fee during this time.

💴Price: 3 CNY (including pavilions 5 CNY, during the Spring Flower and Tulip Blossom Festival 10 CNY)
🕓Opening times:
📍Address: West of Tiananmen Gate, Dongcheng District

Parks in Beijing – Entrance Fee Under 10 CNY

Chaoyang Park 朝阳公园 (chāoyáng gōngyuán)

This is one of Beijing’s biggest parks, with a length of 2.8 km and a width of approximately 1.5 km.

Chaoyang Park is situated just east of Sanlitun, right by the Solana shopping mall.

The park has loads of different areas, so whatever it is you’re looking for you’ll be able to find it here.

There is even a whole amusement park inside the park, complete with rollercoasters and other fairground rides.

One of the best things about this park is that there is an area where you are actually allowed to sit on the grass.

Anyone who is familiar with Chinese parks will know what a rarity this is!

💴Price: 5 CNY
🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 22:00 (all year)
📍Address: 1 Nongzhan Nanlu, Chaoyang District

Beijing Botanical Gardens 北京植物园 (běijīng zhíwùyuán)

To visit the Beijing Botanical Gardens you’re going to have to travel a bit further out from Beijing, but believe us when we say that it’s worth it.

Lying right up in northwestern outskirts of Beijing, this one is a must for any nature enthusiasts out there.

With regular flower festivals and new flower displays there is always plenty of beautiful scenes to take in.

To enter the conservatory you’ll need to pay an extra 45 CNY.

However with over 3,000 different plants on display you definitely get your money’s worth!

Along with the beautiful gardens there are also several Buddhist temples located inside Beijing Botanical Gardens. The most famous of these is the Reclining Buddha Temple (卧佛寺 wòfó sì). You’ll need to pay an extra 5 CNY for access to the temple.

💴Price: 5 CNY (To include conservatory 45 CNY, entrance to Reclining Buddha Temple 5 CNY)
🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 19:00 (summer), 07:00 – 17:00 (winter)
📍Address: Wofo Si Lu, Xiangshan, Haidian District

Parks in Beijing – Entrance Fee Under 20 CNY

Fragrant Hills Park 香山公园 (xiāngshān gōngyuán)

Located just further on from Beijing Botanical Gardens is Fragrant Hills Park.

This large park covers mountains and forests, and is a great choice for people who enjoy a bit of hiking.

Once you reach the summit you’ll be rewarded with being able to visit three beautiful pavilions.

If hiking really isn’t your cup of tea there is also a cable car available to get to the top as well.

There are two really good times to visit Fragrant Hills, one is during the spring when you can see all the cherry blossoms on the trees.

The other time is during the autumn when you can see an amazing array of autumnal colours on the tress.

💴Price: 10 CNY (April – October), 5 CNY (November – March)
🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 19:30 (all year)
📍Address: Xiangshan, Haidian District

Beihai Park 北海公园 (běihǎi gōngyuán)

Beihai Park is easily recognisable for its White Dagoba landmark. Located just south from Houhai and northwest from the Forbidden City, this is another of Beijing’s most central parks.

Over half of Beihai Park is covered by a large lake, which is a great spot to rent a boat and enjoy the spectacular scenery🚣‍♀️.

In the middle of the lake is the Jade Flowery Islet where the iconic White Dagoba perches on top of a small hill.

This is one of Beijing’s most popular and well known parks, so it can sometimes get a little busy.

However, it’s large size means that you should still be able to find some quiet areas to relax in.

💴Price: 10 CNY (April – October) 5 CNY (November – March)
🕓Opening times: 06:30 – 21:00 (all year)
📍Address: 1 Wenjin Jie, Xicheng District

Old Summer Palace 圆明园 (yuánmíng yuán)

The Old Summer Palace, I’ve never heard of that?!

Yes, many of you may not be aware but there are actually TWO Summer Palaces in Beijing.

One of Beijing’s hidden gems, the Old Summer Palace or Yuanming Yuan as it is sometimes called, is a lot quieter and more serene than the newer Summer Palace that we are all familiar with.

The Old Summer Palace was built during the 18th century.

However, it was then destroyed by British and French forces during the Second Opium War.

Now the Old Summer Palace has been turned into a public park and tourist attraction, with the ruins of the palaces kept protected.

The Old summer Palaces is made up of one large lake and lots of other little lakes.

It can be quite a big area to explore on foot, so I’d recommend renting one of their fun pedal cars. They also have electric ones if preferred.

This is one of my personal favourite parks in Beijing, simply because I find it much more peaceful than other parks of a similar size.

💴Price: 10 CNY ( through ticket to include the ruins 25 CNY)
🕓Opening times: 07:00 – 21:00 (all year)
📍Address: 28 Qinghuaxi Lu, Haidian District

World Heritage Sites in China – 15 of the Most Amazing Spots

LTL’s Breakdown of 15 World Heritage Sites in China Did you know that there are an unbelievable 55 listed UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China! This makes China rank top in the world along with Italy which also has 55…

Temple of Heaven 天坛公园 (tiāntán gōngyuán)

One of Beijing’s most famous sites, this is a must visit for anyone who comes to Beijing.

However, even if you’ve visited before I’d recommend coming here just to enjoy the park grounds.

To visit the actual Temple of Heaven and other buildings you’ll need to pay an extra fee. But that really is a must for any first time visitors.

This is a great park to come for a bit of people watching and to enjoy some Chinese culture.

You’ll see loads of local retired Beijingers scattered around playing cards, Chinese chess, Mahjong or a range of other traditional Chinese games🀄.

Aside from the main temple areas there are plenty of other parts of this park to explore. The many wooded areas also make it a great place to visit in summer as they provide some much needed shade.

💴Price: 15 CNY (through ticket to include temples 35 CNY April – October, 30 CNY November – March)
🕓Opening times: 06:00 – 21:00 (all year)
📍Address: Yongdingmen Dajie (West Gate), Chongwen District

Parks in Beijing – Entrance Fee Under 35 CNY

We are onto our final section, parks under 35 CNY.

Well, parks in Beijing are just so much of a bargain that we actually only have one park in this category which is the Summer Palace.

Summer Palace 颐和园 (yíhéyuán)

The last park on our list is the unmissable Summer Palace, this has to be a must on everyone’s Beijing bucket list.

One of China’s 55 World Heritage Sites, it is an amazing sight to behold.

Even if you’ve visited before I honestly think this is a park you can visit visit countless times. I’ve already been around four times and I still haven’t been able to see everything!

As this is a top tourist destination the park can get quite busy, especially during summer.

However, since it’s so huge the crowds tend to disperse once you actually start walking around inside.

A sure way to avoid any potential crowds is to take a boat out onto the vast lake and take in the views of the Summer Palace from the water.

💴Price: 30 CNY (April – October), 20 CNY (November – March)
🕓Opening times: 06:30 – 18:00 (all year)
📍Address: Yiheyuan Lu, Haidian District

So there you have it, our complete list of the 15 best parks in Beijing!

Parks in Beijing – FAQ’s

Want more from LTL?

If you wish to hear more from LTL Mandarin School why not join our mailing list.

Sign up below and become part of our ever growing community.

WANT TO STUDY CHINESE FREE FOR A WEEK? Check out Flexi Classes and get 7 days for free.

We’ve got the best teachers, from the comfort of your own home!

BONUS | Want to learn Chinese in China? Check out our lessons in Beijing.

Subscribe

Loading...

If you wish to hear more from LTL Mandarin School why not join our mailing list.

We give plenty of handy information on learning Chinese, useful apps to learn the language and everything going on at our LTL schools! Sign up below and become part of our ever growing community!