Beijing may be an urban city miles away from the coast, but if we can’t go to the beach, let’s bring the beach to us! After all, what is summer without some fun in the sun, sand and “sea”? These might be the closest things to a beach that you can find within Beijing’s borders.

爱伴Sand乐园

Newly opened this summer, this sand + water play park has been making waves with locals who could not travel outside of the city. Located in the heart of the Beijing Olympic Park, and therefore surrounded by the lake and greenery, the park is perfect for little ones who just want to curl their toes in the sand or dip their feet in cool water (even if it’s just an inflatable pool). There are also paddle boats, floats to ride on, and slides and a playground. Be prepared for crowds by 10am on the weekend. Tickets start from RMB 76 for a solo child above 12, RMB 118 for a child below 12, and RMB 188 for one adult + child, and can be purchased on Dianping or at the door.

Find it:
朝阳区奥林匹克森林公园洼里湖东岸
Beijing Olympic Park East Road, near Wali Lake, 15 Beichen East Road, Chaoyang District

人间花海 (rén jiān huā hǎi) literally “A sea of flowers on earth”

If you’re willing to travel just a little outside downtown Beijing to Miyun District, this park is set amidst the picturesque backdrop of green mountains and valleys of bright flowers. Sporting an outdoor pool and waterpark with twisty slides, plus a sandy beach area, this would make a great day trip for families longing to get out of the city, just a little. There’s a restaurant on-site but it wouldn’t hurt to pack a picnic lunch, especially for the car ride. As the name suggests, the park itself is dedicated to flowers of all varieties, which you can see within the sprawling fields of the park. This scenic spot is definitely Insta-worthy! Tickets are RMB 50 per person, available on Dianping.

Find it:
密云区太师屯镇车道峪村
Yu Village, Taishitun Town Lane, Miyun District

Wenyuhe Park 温榆河公园 (wēnyúhé gōngyuán) 

Last but not least, we’ve mentioned it before but in case you missed it, Wenyuhe Park is a great place to visit with the family for these reasons:

1. Admission is free!
2. It is within the 5th Ring Road and a one-and-a-half-hour drive from downtown Beijing.
3. It is huge, with wide-open spaces and green rolling hills, plus no amusement parks in sight! (Though there is a train the kids can ride.)
4. There are bookstore cafes on the premises where you can simply read and sip tea or coffee.
5. There is a sandy beach area by the river which offers water activities like boating.

*Do note that there is another Wenyuhe Park (exactly the same name) in Tongzhou District. That is NOT the one you want.

KEEP READING: My New Favorite Park Has A Sandy Beach And Nature Day Camp

Images: Dianping

It’s just the beginning of summer and the temperatures are already getting nigh unbearable. Well, what better way to cool yourself down than to splash into some of Beijing’s best water parks!

Huan Le Shui Magic Water Park 欢乐水魔方水上乐园 (Huān yào shuǐ mófāng shuǐshàng lèyuán)

Featuring Asia’s first 20-meter high tube water slide, the Huan Le Shui water park has 13 major attractions including a wave pool, “tsunami” pool, lazy river, “tornado” water slides, and a magic castle suitable for younger kids to explore its shallow depths. An all-day adult ticket will set you back RMB 168 and a child is RMB 115, and trust us, you’ll need a full day to truly experience everything this park has to offer.

No. 11 Xiaotun Lu
小屯路11号 
Open daily, 10am-6pm

Olympic Water Park (Shunyi) 顺义奥林匹克水上公园（Shùnyì àolínpǐkè shuǐshàng gōngyuán)

This park has it all – lush green spaces, an indoor kids playground, and even an ice-skating rink! But we’d like to draw your attention to its 10km long outdoor water arena which was built to host the 2008 rowing and canoeing Olympic events. While we may not be Olympians, these days the park is open for all sorts of water sports such as canoeing, rowing, sailing, and most thrilling of all, cable wakeboarding! There’s also a large outdoor pool with some kid-friendly amenities. A tip from other visitors: The entire park spans over 300,000 square meters and while it does offer a few restaurants, it’s recommended to pack plenty of snacks and maybe even a picnic lunch to take full advantage of the beautifully manicured lawns and poolside. Entry tickets are only RMB 20 but you’ll have to top up for all other activities.

No. 19 Baima Lu
顺义区白马路19号 
Open daily, 9am-5pm

Lan Diao City Waterscape Park 蓝调城市水景水上乐园 (Lándiào chéngshì shuǐjǐng shuǐshàng lèyuán)

This is one for the little ones, centrally located in Beijing’s Chaoyang district. Featuring huge inflatable pools the size of regular swimming pools, but equipped with mini slides, there’s also a sandpit for the kids to get into full beach fun! Tickets are RMB 38 for kids and RMB 78 for adults on the weekends.

朝阳区金盏乡楼梓庄蓝调庄园 (Jīn zhǎn xiāng lóu zǐ zhuāng lándiào zhuāngyuán)
Open daily, 11am-7pm 

Nan Gong Hot Springs Water World 南宫温泉水世界 (Nángōng wēnquán shuǐ shìjiè)

Maybe you’re one of those who actually love the heat. In that case, turn it up to 11 in this hot springs water park! Catering to a younger demographic, this water park has plenty to offer curious little ones. Water playground, check, pirate ship, check, gentle and wide water slides, check. They also have a special Thursday ticket deal where adults get in for RMB 88!

丰台区王佐镇福宫路39号
Open daily, 10am-7pm (last entry at 6pm)

Ou Pu Le Shui Shi Jie Water World 欧谱乐水世界亲子游泳 （东直门店）(Ōu pǔ yào shuǐ shìjiè qīnzǐ yóuyǒng)

For the sole purpose of learning to swim, this aquatic center offers swim classes for parent-and-child, as well as young kids from birth! Personally, I never dared to put my own baby in the water even though scientifically, they say newborns would be perfectly fine and even feel right at home thanks to their recent memories of the womb. Should you wish to test the research, know that you’ll be in good hands with the coaches at Ou Pu Le, who are specially trained in pediatric swimming protocols and CPR-certified. Plus, their center is conveniently located in downtown Beijing, with one more in Tongzhou.

Grand Orient Plaza
东直门外小街甲2号（正东国际中心)
Only available for classes, please call 400 030 3096 95093

Youth Lake Water World 青年湖公园水上世界 (Qīngnián hú gōngyuán shuǐshàng shìjiè)

Unwilling to travel over 10km to a pool? You’ll be pleased to learn that there’s a water park right around Beijing’s third ring road. The best part? The tickets cost just RMB 64 for adults and RMB 48 for kids! Check out their twisty water slides and kid’s water playground, which ensure there’s something for everyone at this park.

Andingmen Waida Jie, Qing Nian Hu Park, Dongcheng 
东城区安定门外大街青年湖公园
Open daily, 10am-5pm

KEEP READING: The Water’s Fine! Parent-Child Swimming Classes Around Beijing

Images: Dazhongdianping, courtesy of location

Beijing may have a profusion of indoor water parks and swimming pools, but on those hot, muggy summer days all the kids really want is to splash around in the sun. Barring a weekend trip, it’s surprisingly difficult to find a good outdoor pool with decent facilities and within a reasonable distance from home. Here’s a roundup of outdoor pools ranging from the basic to the luxurious. All prices and hours are accurate as of print time.
Qingnianhu Park
Qingnianhu Park boasts a massive water park with pools for kids, serious swimmers, hot tubs, and slides. There isn’t much shade, so be sure to bring hats, sunscreen, and other sun protection. The admission price includes access to the wider park.

RMB 40 for adults, RMB 30 for kids under 1.3m. Daily 9am-7pm from June to August. Qingnianhu Park, Andingmen Waidajie (corner of Andeli Beijie), Dongcheng District (8411 6321) 东城区安定门外大街青年湖公园（安德里北街路口）

Splash Recreation Club
This long-running hotel swim club is a favorite with many Beijing families. Based out of CITIC Hotel Beijing Airport (formerly known as the Sino-Swiss Hotel), the Splash Recreation Club
(浪花俱乐部 lànghuā jùlèbù) is open to outside guests, and grants access to the hotel’s indoor and outdoor pools, a poolside bar, and a restaurant. The admission price includes towels and a locker.

RMB 100 for adults, RMB 50 for kids over 1m, free for kids under 1m. Open Mon-Sat 10am-10pm. CITIC Hotel Beijing Airport, 9 Xiao Tianzhu Nanlu, Shunyi District (6456 5588) www.citichotelbeijing.com 顺义区小天竺南路9号北京国都大饭店

The Emperor
For a touch of luxury, The Emperor hotel has a glass-edged outdoor pool open to outside guests. It ain’t cheap, but the lack of crowds and views of surrounding Qianmen may well be worth the indulgence. The admission price includes towels and a locker. On weekends, The Emperor also offers a buffet breakfast from 7am to 10.30am.

RMB 258 for three hours (kids and adults). The Emperor Hotel, 87 Xianyukou Jie, Dongcheng District (6701 7790) www.theemperor.com.cn/en/index.html 东城区鲜鱼口街87号皇家驿栈前门店

Chaoyang Park
Chaoyang Park Water World features 250,000sqm of pools, slides, artificial beach, and beach volleyball facilities. Sure, the outdoor pools can get crowded during the summer, but it doesn’t get much more convenient than this. The drawback is that Chaoyang Park’s pools open later than most; when we called, an employee said they wouldn’t know the new admission prices and opening hours until the end of June.

2016 prices and opening hours TBA. Chaoyang Park, 1 Chaoyang Gongyuan Nanlu, Chaoyang District (6506 5409) 朝阳区朝阳公园南路1号朝阳公园

Tuanjiehu Park
This one inspires a lot of debate; some parents hate the Tuanjiehu Park water park, while others swear by it. It’s a modest affair by any standards, consisting only of a large pool and a small beach, but its location makes it a standard for many Sanlitun families. Our advice? Try it for yourself.

RMB 60 (weekdays) or RMB 80 (weekends) for adults and kids over 1m, free for kids under 1m. Open daily 9.30am-8.30pm from June 1 to August 31. Tuanjiehu Park, Tuanjiehu Nanli, Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District (8597 4677) 朝阳区东三环北路团结湖南里团结湖公园

This article originally appeared on page 28-29 of the 2016 June-July Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Scott and Elaine Ver Der Chijs, Sergei Galyonkin

The Beijing National Aquatics Center (北京国家游泳中心), better known as the Water Cube, stands as a monument to the swimming competitions of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. It was in the confines of this immense bubble-covered structure that thousands of fans cheered on as Michael Phelps won eight gold medals and beat the world record for the 100m butterfly event.

But now, with the sounds of cheering long gone, what has become of “the fastest Olympic pool in the world”? Even with all its speed, has the Water Cube been able to out-swim the curse of irrelevance so frequently visited upon other former Olympic venues?

The answer, quite fortunately, is yes. The Water Cube has been in almost constant use since 2009, when it was opened to the public on certain days of the week. From ordinary swim tests to lavish weddings, The Water Cube has seen it all. Formerly filled with the graceful moments of professional swimmers, the bubble-clad behemoth has even been host to grace of a different kind: a stunning production of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.  More than a few jewelers and other artists have taken the graceful curves of the foamy edifice as inspiration for a plethora of souvenirs.

The Water Cube’s stint as a performance hall didn’t last long; the frothy structure was closed to the public in October of 2009 in order ready the complex for yet another transformation. This time, a fragment of the complex would become a water park.  Reopened in early August of 2010, on the 2-year anniversary of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, the redesigned facility became Happy Magic Water Cube Park.

Where Olympic athletes once gathered to discuss strategies, smaller, slightly less professional swimmers now giggle and splash as plastic bubbles and jellyfish float through the air. The park takes up 12,000sqm of the former Olympic venue and features 13 water slides and rides, not to mention the wave pool and a lazy river. In addition, 60 or so lifeguards watch over the enormous park. As if that weren’t enough, there is even a spa area for exhausted parents. The Olympic pool has been left intact for swimming matches, and other areas of the park are available for exercise and various events.

Just in time for the 2012 London Summer Olympics, this post is part of a series called “Where Are They Now?”, which explores what became of four 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics venues: The Bird’s Nest, The Water Cube, the Beach Volleyball Ground at Chaoyang Park, and Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park. This is the second installment of the series.

Photos (in order of appearance): Sophie Zhu (1) and Dina Mao (2 and 3)

Nestled in the heart of one of Beijing’s most centrally-located parks, the Tuanjiehu Water Park is a city haven for summer fun lovers. Located near the West Gate of the park (xi men), the water takes a few minutes to find on foot, but is well worth the trek.

A Chinese façade doorway tells you you’ve made it to the water park, just beside an inline skating rink. Tickets are RMB 40 on weekdays, RMB 50 on weekends, and kids below 1.4 meters get to go in for free.

The man-made beach can get crowded by afternoon; go early to stake out a spot

The 100 meter long man-made beach is fairly clean, and is one of the few stretches of sandy beach to be found in downtown Beijing (the other being Chaoyang Park’s man-made beach at the old Olympic beach volleyball grounds).

There’s plenty of shallow water areas for early swimmers

The water at the edge of the beach is shallow and fenced off, making it perfect for toddlers. Lifeguards keep guard beside every pool to make sure pool goers are safe and following regulations.

For those that want to escape the hijinks of other areas, there’s this lap pool that does not allow small children or flotation devices

For older swimmers there are two main swimming pools: the adult pool (for those above 1.5 meters tall — it doesn’t allow floats so this is the place for accomplished swimmers). The kids pool is for children under 1.4 meters tall and requires adult supervision.

The main pool features this centerpiece featuring gently sloped waterslides that kids will enjoy

The main pool features a man made wave machine that sends waves throughout the pool once an hour and features a centerpiece of four adjacent slides with an umbrella-like dome that has water splashing off it. Rocks make for an energetic climb to the top to take on one of the slides. The slide provides a decent splash back into the pool, although make sure your kids come off the slide with their bodies centered or else it could be a bumpy ride into the waters.

Two larger waterslides are for more adventurous swimmers

Two other main slides exist, a straight wave slide and a turning slide, both fun but for those that can swim only. Warning for teens: the straight slide provides a smooth ride into the water, while the trip down to the water can be quite bumpy for the turning slide.

Just off the main pool a fake harbor boat is docked, with chairs inside for providing a nice picnic or rest place. A bamboo pagoda is also set up at the other end of the water park for guests in need of relaxation with their kids.

Lockers for valuables cost RMB 10

Inside you’ll find the lockers convenient for valuables, (RMB 30 deposit with RMB 20 refund upon returning the key). Right beside, the bathrooms are passable but definitely old school. There is a stand for swimsuits, goggles; and basic swim necessities. There are also two snack stands for hungry children, with cookies, chuan’r (meat skewers), drinks, and popsicles to cool off with after a swim on a hot day.

There are generally less people during weekdays, but it is advised that you come before 2pm, which is when more guests generally arrive.

A weekend trip here would be worlds apart from a weekday trip. If you like the peace and quiet we advise coming here on a weekday.

The koi pond, with a winding river that leads into expansive lakes surrounded by bushy willows and traditional black and white Chinese buildings provide the perfect city escape. Take a paddleboat, rowboat, or electric powered boat and explore it all! Prices for renting boats cost RMB 30-40, with a RMB 100 deposit. The chang’lang (long open-corridor) features locals playing their traditional Chinese instruments like er’hu and Chinese flute, it costs RMB 5 to feed the gold fish, which clump together to get food. An array of beautiful stone bridges also aligns the park. For fun on land for younger kids, there are a whole range of mini rides to check out, the merry-go-round and mini choo choo train and trampoline.

After a tiring day of fun at the park, head out the East Gate (Dong Men) and turn left; walk 100 meters; and enjoy tasty Cantonese food at Jindingxuan, a chain store in Beijing with exceptional service.

Address: 16 Tuanjiehu Nanli, Chaoyang District 朝阳区团结湖南里16号 Daily 6.30am-9pm 8597 3603

Click here to see map.