Since Jan 15 this year, the Ice Lantern Festival at Longqing Gorge 龙庆峡 (lóng qìng xiá) has been a must-visit for locals. Located near Yongning Ancient Town past Changping District in the northeast of Beijing, it’s a couple of hours drive from the city. Many families prefer to go after dark so as to truly enjoy the illuminated spectacle in all its glory.

While you are able to drive all the way into the entrance of the Ice Lantern Festival, there is also the option to walk from the main parking area. Moving at a distracted kid’s pace, the walk from the parking lot to the main entrance was less than an hour and lets you cross the “heart” bridge over the frozen lake. This is what former editor Cindy Marie Jenkins and I did with our young ones in 2021, which you can read about here. There’s also a shuttle bus for RMB 20 each way.

Once you get to the Ice Lantern Festival grounds, entry is RMB 100 per person, while children below 1.2m or under 6 years of age get in for free. There are lanterns of animals, Peking opera masks, and Chinese characters on display at this year’s festival, but some new highlights include the Beijing Winter Olympics-themed lanterns and ice sculptures.

Pro Tip: You can also check if the toboggan ride is still available, which depends on the weather conditions during your visit.

The ice exhibition itself is in an enclosed space past the open area with the lanterns. In here, you’ll find all sorts of beautiful ice creations including a model of the Forbidden City and other Chinese landmarks. When we went last year, our kids discovered a mini ice slide which they played on, though I’m not sure we’re supposed to touch the sculptures. One of the coolest things you’ll definitely want a photo of is the frozen waterfall, which will be flowing and gushing when you return in summer!

The Ice Lantern Festival is open from 2-10pm daily, with last entry at 9pm.

KEEP READING: Cold Hard Lessons That Parents Learned From Ice-Hiking

Images: Dianping

Want to play in the snow again but definitely not praying for another snow day in Beijing? Me too! However, despite the odd blizzard here and there, just because it doesn’t really snow in Beijing doesn’t mean we’re deprived of all the snow day activities that make living in a place with four seasons so magical.

Located in Haidian District, on the west side of the city, is a huge park that’s been transformed into a snowy winter wonderland.

玉渊潭公园  yù yuān tán gōng yuán is open daily from 9am–5pm. Their snow season is expected to last until mid-February but the exact date depends on the weather conditions.

The park is an open snowy playground that’s perfect for tubing and running around in giant inflatable balls like a hamster. Simply put, they’ve got plenty of snow and plenty of open space. Like with most places in Beijing though, if you go on a weekend or holiday, you can expect some pretty sizable crowds. But, during the weekdays, the place is as good as exclusively yours!

Tickets to the park are RMB 40 per person, and there’s no snow gear rental on site so dress warmly. As for tubes, inflatable balls, and other snow day toys, those you can rent on site. The most popular – snow tubes – are RMB 100 per hour with an RMB 300 deposit. The rest of the toys are charged by the minute since, let’s face it, they’re mainly for photo ops anyway.

玉渊潭公园  yù yuān tán gōng yuán
No. 10 West Third Ring Middle Road, Haidian District
海淀区西三环中路10号

Images: Uni You

Good news for seasonal ice skaters: the Kempinski Hotel Beijing has just launched a cozy new rink filled with winter warmers courtesy of their F&B experts.

The Liangmaqiao hotel’s Ice World rink, open until March 1, is an ideal place to lace up and enjoy a casual skate with friends and family. It can also be rented for tailor-made events such as office team building, birthday parties and more.

Aside from the ice, the venue also serves warm treats like mulled wine, hot chocolate, and gingerbread cookies from its outdoor wooden stalls.

Imagine how cozy you’ll feel taking a spin on the ice while refreshing yourself and warming up with treats like homemade Christmas stollen with butter, roasted almonds and goulash soup and warm Fruit Punch, Hot Chocolate, mulled wine, and coffee.

Two hours of ice time can be purchased for RMB 50 per person, while packages for private events cost RMB 148 and feature theme gourmet meals from the hotel’s kitchen.

For more info on public skating call 6465 3388 ext. 4182 or email restaurant.beijing@kempinski.com. For group/event booking call 6465 3388 ext. 4161 or email meetings.beijing@kempinski.com.

We found out about this just a tad too late for inclusion into our December feature on winter activities, which appears below (check out a sneak preview of our December issue on issuu.com here), but here’s some other spots to enjoy indoor and outdoor ice skating:

Dulwich College Beijing (outdoor, climate controlled)
Legend Garden Campus, 89 Capital Airport Road, Shunyi District (8450 7676, information@dulwich-beijing.cn)  北京市顺义区首都机场路89号丽京花园7区

Center Ice Asia (indoor)
Daily noon-8pm. Hokay Ice Sports Center, Quanfa Garden North Gate, Chaoyang District (8575 9826 (Chinese), info@centericeasia.com) www.centericeasia.com  浩泰冰上运动中心朝阳区朝阳路兴隆公园内

Le Cool Ice Rink (indoor, year round)
Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-7pm. B2/F, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6505 5776, lecool@cwtc.com) www.lecoolicerink.com 朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸商城B2楼

All Star Ice Rink (indoor, year round)
Daily 10am-10pm. 1/F, Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District. (5905 6328) 全明星滑冰俱乐部,朝阳区朝阳公园路6号蓝色港湾国际商区首层

Qianhai (Houhai) Early morning to dusk (outdoor, weather permitting) Qianhai, north side of Beihai Park, Xihai Beiyan, Xicheng District. (6612 5717) 后海地区, 西城区西海北沿(北海公园以北)  

Zizhuyuan Park (outdoor, weather permitting)
Daily 8am-6pm. 45 Baishiqiao Lu, Haidian District. (8841 2830) 紫竹院公园, 海淀区白石桥路45号 

Photos: Courtesy of Kempinski Hotel Beijing

When Wukesong Ice World unveiled its multipurpose outdoor ice arena last Thursday, droves of skaters arrived with the hopes of lacing up and having fun on its gleaming sheets of fun. However, it was so attractive that the facility couldn’t handle the crowds, so it took one step backward and closed … and now due to reopen tomorrow.

Diehards hoping to practice their gold medal worthy triple axel, mellow couples and families looking to hold their loved ones’ hands as they glide along, will be awed at the new “Ice World.”

Anchored by a panoramic 1,800 square meter ice rink, the new center also features a 600-sqm square for “ice bumper cars”, a 10-meter high ice slide, and a winding, 150-meter long “fun channel.”

There’s also a coffee shop, a European-style hand-made candy shop and Mexican and American fast food on site.

Beginners and little ones need not fret: plastic seal toys, each dubbed “Bobby,” are available for small children to ride while parents pull them across the ice. Fully grown first-timers can also hold on to “Bobbies” for balance.

Entrance to the park is RMB 40 for 90 minutes and includes free skate rentals. Bumper cars are an additional RMB 40 for 5 minutes; the ice slide is RMB 10 per run, and Bobbies can be rented for RMB 50.

Be warned that interest in the park is high and tickets can sell out, so online advanced booking via Ctrip here is suggested (sorry, Chinese interface only).

The park is open daily from 10am-8pm and is located 300 meters east of Wukesong subway stations’s Exit B.

And if you don’t want to trek to Wukesong for your ice skating fun, here’s a host of other ice options:

INDOORS

All Star Ice Rink
This 800 square meter rink at Solana mall features private lessons (in Mandarin only) from Chinese national skating team coaches. Classes cost RMB 135/40min. Daily, 10am-10pm. 1/F, Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District. (5905 6328) 全明星滑冰俱乐部,朝阳区朝阳公园路6号蓝色港湾国际商区首层. Weekdays: RMB 30. Weekends: RMB 50.

Century Star Club
Famed for its top notch ice skating lessons, which make up for the somewhat limited space on this fairly small rink (which slightly less than regulation size). Private lessons: RMB 300/90mins. Group lessons: RMB 75/90mins.
Hours vary, visit the website or call for open times. B/F, Capital Gymnasium, 54 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Haidian District. (6834 6346) www.centurystar.com.cn 世纪星滑冰俱乐部,海淀区中关村南大街54号首都体育馆

Joy City
Located in the massive Joy City complex, this rink hosts a variety of hockey tournaments.
Weekdays 10am-8pm, Weekends 19am-7.15pm Floor 7, Joy City Mall, Chaoyang North Road No. 101, Chaoyang District, Beijing7F (8552 6871, 8552 6695). http://www.championrink.com/en-us/events/champion. Weekdays: RMB 50/1.5 hours from 10am-5pm, (RMB60/1.5 hours after 5pm). Weekends: RMB 60/1.5 hours.

Le Cool
A charming, popular little indoor rink with boisterous crowds and a buzzing atmosphere.
Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-7pm. B2/F, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District.朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸商城B2楼 (6505 5776, lecool@cwtc.com) www.lecoolicerink.com. Weekdays: RMB 30 for 90 min (10am-6pm), RMB 40 for 90 min (6-10pm). Weekends: RMB 50 for 90 min. Skate rental included.

Xiyue Ice Skating
This 1000 square meter rink can easily help you kill a day, thanks to its location in the Xidan cultural centre, which is rife with shopping options and restaurants.
Daily 10am-9.30pm. Xidan Cultural Centre (in 77th Street), Xicheng District. (6602 0050)喜悦溜冰场, 西城区西单文化广场77街. Weekday mornings/afternoons: RMB 35/90 mins. Evenings/Weekends: RMB 45/90 mins.

OUTDOOR:

Houhai’s Qianhai
Beijing’s most popular outdoor skating spot is not only enjoyable for ice, but also the people watching (seeing newbies leaning on grade school classroom chairs to maintain their balance while wobbling along is an endlessly entertaining site). The charming nearby hutongs make for a charmingly unique backdrop as you lace up your skates and carve some ice of your own.
Daily, early morning until dusk. Qianhai, north side of Beihai Park, Xihai Beiyan, Xicheng District. (6612 5717) 后海地区, 西城区西海北沿(北海公园以北). Week-days: RMB 10. Weekends: RMB 15.

The Summer Palace
This park’s Qing Dynasty architecture makes for a fantastically exotic back-ground that skaters can enjoy while gliding across the massive lake. 
Daily, 6.30am-6pm. Qinglongqiao Jiedao, Haidian district (6288 1144). 颐和园,海淀区青龙桥街道. RMB 50 from Nov.-Apr.

Beihai Park
Like the summer palace, this historic park skating venue has a beautiful, culturally rich backdrop, including the White Tower, ie. Bai Ta pagoda.
Daily, 9am-5pm. 1 Wenjin Jie, Xicheng District 西城区文津街1号 (6404 0610, 6403 1102)

Dulwich College Beijing
This quiet little rink is an ideal place for youngsters to learn how to skate for the first time and sharpen their skills as they grow and improve. The venue has lessons for basic skating lessons, synchronized team skating, figure skating and hockey for students aged 4 to 18 (call the number below for registration details).
Weekends, 3:30pm-7pm (not open to the public on weekdays, opening time sometime change due to special events, call beforehand). Dulwich College Beijing, Legend Garden Villas, 89 Capital Airport Road, Shunyi District, Beijing (64549150). 北京市顺义区首都机场路89号丽京花园7区，北京德威英国国际学校. http://www.dulwich-beijing.cn/page.cfm?p=588. RMB 50 (skates included).

Weiming Lake
Skating Rink
This artificial lake at Peking University may just be the most affordable skating venues in town. Its quiet campus location makes for an ideal wintery escape from the busy city. RMB 8/hour.
Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Weekends and Holidays 9am-8pm 5 Yiheyuan Lu, Haidian District海淀区颐和园路5号

Zizhuyuan Park
According to Tour Beijing, this venue seems like a lower grade, outdoor rival of to Wukesong Ice World, this outdoor venue has a host of offbeat alternative ice activities like ice bicycles, ice chairs, ice ships and more.
Daily 8am – 6pm. 45 Baishiqiao Lu, Haidian District (8841 2830). Take bus No. 114, 300, 323, 334, 374, 811, 814 or 817 and get off at Bishiqiao stop. RMB 10 to skate. RMB 10/hour for an ice chair, RMB 30/30mins. for an ice bicycle, RMB 20/hour for an ice ship.

Photos: China Daily, Ctrip