Tania McCartney and Gabriel Monroe

Dali

This town in central Yunnan combines natural beauty with exotic local flavor. Dali has a striking physical location and an interesting history as a former capital. The Bai people have inhabited the area for thousands of years, and their cultural influence is immediately evident in the food and romantic legends of the region.
If your family is feeling adventurous, renting bikes is a great way to explore the area and avoid the tour buses. Since the town is small, it's no hard task to navigate its thin, cobblestone roads and ancient walls. Its small-town charm has attracted a fair-sized foreign community, which means that decent Western cuisine such as pizza, coffee and pancakes can easily be found. History aficionados will find the Dali museum and its three main pagodas particularly interesting, while hikers can explore Mt. Cangshan - an exquisite mountain famous for strange cloud formations. The nearby Erhai Lake, one of the seven largest lakes in China, is surrounded by tiny villages.

• Read more

Inner Mongolia

The trek to Inner Mongolia may lead some travelers to question whether or not they are still in China. The flowing grasslands and desert expanses of this exotic land are a far cry from Beijing, and the capital city Hohhot offers exposure to mystic traditions and delicious cuisine. While organized tours are available in and around Hohhot, families with older children may want to visit more remote towns and villages. Spend a night in a traditional nomadic yurt and visit the mausoleum of Genghis Khan. Culture-seekers can soak up traditional Mongolian singing and dancing, while adventurers can try horse and camel riding. Due to the normally harsh climate in this part of the country, visiting between June and September is recommended.

• Read more