“Icy winds on your face are awesome!” said no parent with restless kids indoors ever. As the chill fades and the blossoms burst into bloom, it’s time to let loose your energy outdoors. Beijing’s parks are calling – whether it’s scaling obstacle courses, biking an 11km loop, or gliding around in a giant pink flamingo, there’s no shortage of ways to get active together. Truth be told, I’ve had my share of cop-outs where I encourage my daughter Leili to try something new while I “supervise” from the sidelines (aka backside on a bench plus doom-scrolling). But with her grandmother visiting, I wanted to make this April outdoors a family affair. So, pack the snacks, slap on the sunscreen, and let’s celebrate spring with these fun-filled adventures!

Treetop Thrills at Happy Gorilla

We kicked off our spring reboot by heading skyward. Suspended between tall trees, Happy Gorilla Tree-Top Adventure Park (快乐猩猩树上穿越主题公园) is a high ropes obstacle course tucked into the southwest corner of Chaoyang Park – a network of wobbly planks, cargo nets, swinging ropes, bridges, tunnels, and trapezes, all suspended in the air.

Happy Gorilla offers two difficulty levels, divided by height: under or over 140 cm. The junior course (starting from RMB 320) was perfect for our crew – Leili, Eva, and Enya, all age six. Harnessed in and helmeted up, they clambered onto the starting platform with big grins and a touch of nervous energy.

Despite a few shaky steps on the swingiest bits, the girls tackled it all with surprising aplomb – no meltdowns, no fear of heights, just giggling, pink-cheeked determination. The course ended with a mini rock wall and a breezy zipline to land back on terra firma. It took just over an hour, and while the area was lively with other families, we didn’t have to queue. For a dose of fresh air and adrenaline, this one’s a must-try.

Find it:
Happy Gorilla at Chaoyang Park
200m inside the No.7 East Gate of Chaoyang Park, Chaoyang District
朝阳区,朝阳公园东7号门内200米
Subway Line 14: Chaoyang Park
Open daily from 9am-6pm

Biking the Olympic Greens at Olympic Forest Park

The next stop is Beijing’s green lung! Designed by Tsinghua University’s Urban Planning and Design Institute as a “back garden” to the 2008 Summer Games, Olympic Forest Park (奥林匹克森林公园) is the largest public green space in Beijing. Its whopping 680 hectares are split into north and south zones, linked by an “Ecological Corridor” – a bridge that cleverly spans the Fifth Ring Road.

Both zones are havens for running clubs, picnicking families, romping kids, and young cyclists. While adult bicycles are unfortunately prohibited, children’s bikes are welcome, making for an amusing dynamic of kids pedaling ahead while parents jog to keep up.

This imbalance is offset by the joy of the ride: 11km and 7.5km loops, respectively, in the north and south gardens. We entered via the park’s north gate and ended at the south gate, weaving through sections of both loops and stopping to see wetlands, scoop up blossoms from the ground, and savor an ice cream.

On a recent Saturday, the park was teeming with sports teams, vendors, dogs, strollers, and tents. After crossing the Corridor, we turned left to follow the western edge of the south loop along a near-empty stretch hugging a tranquil tree-lined canal. The route encircles Yangshan Hill (仰山) and winds down to the southern tip of Aohai Lake (奥海) (where crowds reappeared). The incline is mostly flat, making it accessible for those new to riding – we even saw younger kids on balance bikes. For a springtime ride, the highlight is catching glimpses of the iconic Olympic Tower through a flurry of pink and white blooms.

Find it:
Olympic Forest Park South Gate
33 Kehui Road, Chaoyang, Beijing
Subway Line 8, Senlin Gongyuan Nanmen (森林公园南门) station
Open daily from 6.30am-10pm

Captaining a Flamingo Boat at Aohai Lake 

We returned to Olympic Park on a quiet Tuesday with friends – this time, Laura joined Leili to co-captain a flamingo-pink boat across the glassy waters of South Garden’s Aohai Lake. Technically, this outing isn’t quite “active,” since the boats are electric rather than pedal- or oar-powered, but it’s the perfect cooldown after a bike ride: a chance to rest tired legs and take in the lakeside scenery.

A boat for six costs RMB 240 for unlimited usage time. Our captains took their mission seriously, taking turns navigating past ducks taking flight and steering clear of collisions with other boaters. The gentle pace, the fresh breeze, the Olympic Tower gleaming in the sun, and blooms ringing the lake all made for a meditative ride to soak in spring vibes.

Find it:
Olympic Forest Park South Gate
33 Kehui Road, Chaoyang District
Subway Line 8, Senlin Gongyuan Nanmen (森林公园南门) station
Open daily from 6.30am-10pm

Want more ideas for getting active outdoors this spring? Stay tuned for where to go for hikes, camping, fishing, and tree-planting excursions both inside and outside the city – coming soon!

Join Tara Fegelein and her family as she explores family-friendly destinations in and around Beijing. Click on the #Kidventures hashtag below to check out her full list of recommendations.

Images: Tara Fegelein

Together with the Great Wall and the Karez Well, the 1,700-kilometer-long Beijing-Hangzhou (Jinghang) Grand Canal has been described as one of the three greatest building projects in China. Often lauded as the largest and longest conservation project in the world, the canal starts at Beijing, passes through Tianjin, and ends at Hangzhou in the south.

Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park has been built to spread the culture of this project. Covering a total area of 3.68 million square meters with a length of 4600 meters, this canal park is a multifunctional place that includes sports, boating, fishing with drones as a creative  idea we got from dronesuavreport.com, camping, recreation, education, and tourism for all ages.

How to Get There

Last time we took subway line 6, and got off at exit A of Beiyunhe West (北运河西) station. It was not difficult to find shared bikes around the subway station. For those don’t care about the quality of the bikes and don’t want to go through the hassle of renting a bike from a store, it’s convenient to take a shared bike to the canal park since it only takes about 20 minutes.

If you want to go by bus, you can take bus 24 at Dongzhimen Station (东直门站) and get off at Beijing Station （北京站）. Walk to Beijing Qianjie Station （北京前街站）, and transfer to bus 804, then get off at the Qiji Village Station （七级村）. From there, biking or walking to the north gate of the canal park takes less than 20 minutes.

Main Attractions to See

There is one river, two pathways, six gardens, and eighteen scenic spots (一河、两岸、六园、十八景) in the Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park. If you are on one side of the canal, It is a very long way to cross to the other side. Therefore, packing a lot of water is a must!

Along both sides of the river, there are six scenic areas. Entering from the north gate, the first place we saw was the Taoliu Scenic Area in Luhe River (潞河桃柳景区), which covers a large area of flowers, weeping willow, and fruit trees. Biking towards the south, we stopped at the Wenying Scenic Area in Moon Island (月岛闻莺景区) to enjoy a peaceful moment, taking in the beautiful flora and fauna. It was pleasant to see many lotuses and to feel the breeze at the end of summer.

               
The further south we biked, the more people we saw. The southern side is definitely more popular, but if you want to go for a picnic, the north is better. Passing by Yinfeng Autumn Scenic Area (银枫秋实景区), at Jungle Scenic Spot (活力丛林景区) we found a mini version of the amusements in Chaoyang Park. It had been shut down previously, but now it’s back for kids to play. There are also signs saying you can camp along the way, but it’s not permitted to stay overnight there.

If you want to rent a cruise boat, Mingjing Yizhou Scenic Area (明镜移舟景区) is a good place to go. It costs RMB 50 and above to rent a boat depending on what kind of boat you pick. Around the wharf area, docks, a food warehouse, stores, bars, and inns can all be found here. Finally the southernmost part of the park is the Gaotai Pinglin Scenic Area (高台平林景区), where you can find a lot of big trees and little hideaways to explore.

Facilities in the Park

Restrooms, playgrounds, and parking facilities are found along the path at irregular intervals, and while food and beverages are available from local communities, it may be a few miles between them.

Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park 通州大运河森林公园
Daily until 11 pm. Free entry. Songliang Road Nanduan, Tongzhou District. 通州区宋梁路南段 (6156 9200)

Photos: Wendy Xu

There’s a lot to be said for messing about in boats, and simply drifting lazily on a lake. Boating season in Beijing is now upon us, and many of the boating lakes around the city (mostly located in Xicheng and Haidian districts) have been open since Mar 16.

We’ve rounded up Beijing’s boating options by area, but have left The Old Summer Palace (圆明园) in Haidian and Jingdong Grand Canyon京东大峡谷 in Changping, off the list for now, since they’re currently not available for boating.

Please note that we cannot guarantee the complete accuracy of the prices listed below, as there is a variety of boating options. It is advisable to bring cash with you since some of the parks only accept cash for deposit payments.

Beihai Park

This centrally-located scenic park is home to a lake that covers an area of around 390sqm, and surrounds its iconic white tower. The park has over 460 boats for rental, including electric and pedal powered, at seven terminals scattered in the park. Professional boatmen are also on site to offer boating services.

RMB 120 per hour plus RMB 400 (pedalos)/ RMB 500 (electric boats) for deposit. Daily 6.30am-9pm. 

Houhai

Tucked into one of the city’s most famous hutong areas, the artificial lake of Houhai still retains its charm and liveliness nearly 700 years since it was built, and attracts those who fancy a leisurely afternoon out, thanks to its beautiful scenery, the various entertainment it provides, and the wide option of bars and restaurants nearby.

RMB 120 per hour plus RMB 200 as the deposit. Daily 10am-8pm.

Taoranting Park

Taoranting Park hosts Taoran Pavilion, one of the top four pavilions in China. There are two separate spots in the park that allow boating, with over 200 boats including pedalos, electric and rowing boats. The vintage boats in the west terminal, however, are the most eye-catching and popular.

RMB 120 per hour plus RMB 300 for deposit. Daily 6am-9.30pm.

Yuyuantan Park

Yuyuantan Park is one of the greenest parks in the city and home to a wide range of beautiful cherry blossom trees. The bank along the lake is heavily planted with the photogenic trees, offering a great blossom fix while you drift around on the lake. The park has over 700 boats to choose from, including pedalos and electric boats.

RMB 80 per hour plus RMB 200 as the deposit for 4-person pedalos; RMB 100 per hour plus RMB 300 deposit for 6-person pedalos; RMB 150/180 per hour plus RMB 300/400 deposit for 6-person electric boats; RMB 100/130/150 per hour plus RMB 300/400 deposit for 4-person electric boats. Daily 6.30am-7pm.

Summer Palace

The beautiful traditional royal garden, numerous pavilions and ancient temples make the Summer Palace a great place visit all year round. Kunming Lake covers an area of 2.2 square kilometers, which is five times as large as Beihai, and is one of the most popular skating places in winter, and boating place in summer. Pedalos, row boats, and electric boats are all available.

RMB 60 per hour for 4-person pedalos, RMB 80 per hour for 6-person pedalos, RMB 120 per hour for row boats, RMB 120 per hour for normal electric boats, RMB 180 per hour for antique-style electric boats. RMB 400 deposit for padelos, rowboats and electric boats, and RMB 500 deposit for the antique-style electric boats. Daily 7am-5pm.

Zizhuyuan Park

Located next to Xizhimen, Zizhuyuan is known as “the heaven of bamboos” with pavilions, bridges, and traditional building that are all built from bamboo. Entertainments such as bamboo sedan-sitting and diabolo playing, as well as bamboo-made crafts add extra charm to this long-standing park. Pedalos and electric boats are available.

RMB 80-100 per hour, plus RMB 300 for deposit. Daily 6am-9pm.

READ: The Best Spots to Enjoy Plum Blossom Season in Beijing

More stories by this author here.
Email: kuang@thebeijinger.com

Photos: Unsplash, Beijing.com, Mafengwo.cn