Things to do in Luanping

Luanping · 29.5 km from downtown

2.7k reviews

Jinshanling Great Wall stands at the border between Luanping County of Chengde City and Miyun County of Beijing. It is named after the large and small Jinshan between Wuling Peak of Yanshan Mountain and Gubeikou Wohu Ridge. This section of the Great Wall was built along the foothills and offers a broad view. It is a beautiful, magnificent part of the Great Wall dating from the Ming Dynasty. Compared with other parts of the Great Wall, it maintains its well-preserved original appearance—simple and pure, quiet and peaceful. It is an excellent choice for visiting the Great Wall near Beijing.

Luanping · 29 km from downtown

Aranya · Jinshanling

4.9

3.5/5

6 reviews

Aranya · Jinshanlingis an eco-resort and lifestyle destination that blends the concepts of natural mountain living with wellness-focused travel. Nestled in a valley embraced by the Yanshan Mountains and the Jinshanling Great Wall, it is surrounded by rolling peaks and vast forests, offering a tranquil atmosphere close to nature that allows you to leave the hustle and bustle of city life behind. The project emphasizes "dwelling among the mountains and rivers," with a design that seeks harmony with the original landscape. Buildings and landscapes are quietly embedded into the valley, presented in a simple and rustic form that echoes the textures and colors of the surrounding nature.Aranya · Jinshanlingis more than just a residential area; it is a lifestyle destination that advocates for physical and mental well-being and community interaction. Through its high-greenery environment, carefully laid-out residences and public spaces, and activities centered around culture, social connection, and wellness, it provides diverse experiences for residents and short-term travelers alike. Here, you can stroll through the woods, listen to birdsong, and watch the flowing water, or participate in rich community activities and cultural gatherings, finding inner peace amidst the changing scenery of the mountains throughout the seasons.

No. 8 of Ski Resorts in Hebei

Jinshanling Galaxy Ski Resort

3.9

4.5/5

76 reviews

Jinshanling International Ski Resort is located in Dongyingzi Village, Changshanyu Town, Luanping County, Chengde City, Hebei Province. The average winter temperature can drop as low as -10°C, with snow coverage lasting for over four months. The ski resort is conveniently located near the Luanping exit of the Daguang Expressway, with interconnected national and provincial highways forming a comprehensive transportation network. It's approximately 165 km from Beijing, just a 2-hour drive via the Daguang-Jingcheng Expressway. The main ski area features a ski equipment hall, ski resort hotel, mountaintop restaurant, alpine ski resort, and seven advanced domestic and international cable cars, capable of accommodating 12,000 skiers and snow players simultaneously while hosting major national skiing competitions. The resort also includes a snow entertainment zone with nearly ten activities such as snowmobiles and snow tanks. The ski resort has 3 parking lots, with 2 additional parking lots at the mid-mountain shuttle stop. The resort restaurant is located on the 3rd floor of the ski equipment hall, offering some Chinese-style light meals to meet visitors' daily energy needs. Jinshanling Ski Resort has a main peak elevation of 1,750 meters. The entire attraction was planned and designed by Tsinghua University Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., while the main ski area was designed by Canada's Ecosign company. With a vertical drop of up to 600 meters, the resort features 31 planned ski slopes spanning approximately 30 kilometers in total length and covering about 1.02 million square meters. It stands as a rare and exceptional professional skiing destination.

Luanping · 22.3 km from downtown

No. 4 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Beijing

BEIJING WTOWN

6.8

4.7/5

15.6k reviews

Backed by the Simatai Great Wall, Beijing WTown is an ancient town attraction rebuilt and renovated on the foundation of an old village. The water town is built along the water, combining the solid grandeur of a northern ancient town with the liveliness of a Jiangnan water town. Since no vehicles are allowed in the attraction, walking is the main way to explore. Entering from the west side, you can see many ancient residential buildings relocated from Shanxi and other places along the way, with well-preserved and exquisitely crafted door lintels and carvings that are worth stopping to admire. Boat tours are also a popular way to explore—sitting at the bow and gliding leisurely through the water alleys offers a charm all its own. Not far into the town is Sima Shaoxiao Distillery, where you can watch traditional brewing techniques up close; the adjacent Yongshun Dye House dyes cloth by soaking it in large vats, and the huge lengths of colorful printed fabric hung out to dry in the courtyard are highly photogenic and a popular spot for taking pictures in the water town. The old stage on Riyue Island often hosts performances of northern opera such as Hebei Bangzi, while Zhenyuan Escort Agency restores the original appearance of an ancient escort agency, where you can learn about the escort culture. The west side of the water town is home to traditional handicraft shops such as kite shops, New Year picture shops, and shadow puppet theaters, while the east side has scattered tea houses, roast meat restaurants, and other dining spots where you can taste local flavors such as Miyun roast meat. The night view of Beijing WTown is a major highlight, with lights outlining the contours of the ancient town's buildings and creating a dreamlike atmosphere. The water show in front of Wangjing Tower is a signature nighttime attraction, where fountain jets dance to the rhythm of music and lights, occasionally shooting out dazzling flames that echo the silhouette of the Simatai Great Wall in the distance. The Simatai Great Wall lies to the southeast of the water town and can be accessed from within the attraction for a climb, allowing visitors to experience the steepness and grandeur of this Ming Dynasty section of the wall. The water town also boasts natural geothermal hot spring resources—soaking in a hot spring within the ancient town in winter is a unique experience for a northern winter getaway.

Beijing · 32.3 km from Luanping

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Badaling Great Wall

10

4.7/5

63.7k reviews

The Badaling Great Wall is a highly representative section of the Ming Great Wall, located in Yanqing, Beijing, north of Juyong Pass. Since ancient times, it has been a strategic military location guarding the northwestern passage to the capital. The pass city is trapezoidal in shape, narrow in the east and wide in the west, with two gates, east and west. The east gate bears the inscription "Juyong Outer Town," and the west gate bears the inscription "Key to the North Gate." Both inscriptions remain clearly legible to this day. Extending north from the pass is the North Wall, along which more than ten watchtowers are distributed; to the south is the South Wall, which has fewer watchtowers. North Tower 8 is the highest point of the entire section, at over 1,000 meters above sea level, and from its top you can overlook the magnificent sweep of the wall winding along the mountain ridges. The North Wall has higher terrain and steeper slopes with open views, and is the main route for most visitors; the South Wall is relatively gentle and less crowded, making it suitable for visitors who want to take photos at a relaxed pace and avoid the crowds. If time permits, walking the South Wall first and then the North Wall is a more leisurely arrangement. Badaling Great Wall is also one of the earlier sections of the wall opened to the public. The top surface of the wall is paved with square bricks, and the widest parts can accommodate five horses walking side by side. Defensive structures such as battlements and arrow holes are well preserved, and walking along it gives a direct sense of the construction standards of Ming Dynasty border defense works. In fall, layers of red leaves on the mountains contrast beautifully with the gray brick wall, making it a season that many photography enthusiasts travel specifically to capture. ▲Travel through 600 years of gilded splendor and encounter the visual shock of crimson red leaves blanketing the mountains ▲nightAs night falls, it winds through the mountains like a brilliant golden dragon, and the ancient city wall illuminated by lights tells of the glory and mystery of a thousand years of history ▲ In winter, the Badaling Great Wall, covered in pristine white snow, winds through the mountains like a silver dragon. The golden light of dawn spills across the wall, painting a tranquil and magnificent picture.

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Universal Beijing Resort

10

4.6/5

82k reviews

Beijing Universal Studios is a highly anticipated theme park destination, including Universal Theme Park, Beijing Universal CityWalk, and two resort hotels. It features brand new selected Attraction and includes popular entertainment facilities and attractions from Universal Theme Parks around the world. ▲Universal Studios Beijing: Blending Chinese cultural elements to create a unique experience, it has seven theme Attraction, 37 rides and entertainment facilities and landmark attractions, 24 performances, 80 Dining and 30 retail stores. ▲Minion Land: It is a colorful world full of joy! At this moment, these naughty Minions are walking around the streets, ports and city centers, having fun all over the world without restraint! At the same time, Gru is also recruiting soldiers for the Minions Army, so hurry up and sign up at Gru's house! ▲The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™: Here you can leave the ordinary world behind and experience the wonderful rides and endless magical adventures, which will lead you step by step into a thrilling and interesting magical world! ▲Transformers Metrobase: This is a Cybertron-style base, which is transformed by Transformers the size of a city. If you are ready to become an agent, then accept Optimus Prime's recruitment, join the Beijing Nest Force, fight side by side with the Autobots, and fight against the Decepticons to protect the earth! ▲Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness: This is an ancient place like a paradise, and also a legendary place that combines the beauty of nature and craftsmanship. Come here to explore your own Kung Fu! There's also Jurassic World Isla Nublar, Hollywood, and Waterworld waiting for you to explore! ▲The Universal Studios Grand Hotel The Universal Studios Grand Hotel is located at the entrance of Universal Studios Beijing and offers Hollywood-themed accommodation and the privilege of Early Park Admission via the Universal Studios Beijing VIP Experience entrance; NUO Resort Hotel is a 5-minute walk from the entrance. Guests can enjoy a well-equipped fitness center, indoor swimming pool, and spa center (NUO SPA). Guests can also enjoy Early Park Admission via the Universal Studios Beijing VIP Experience entrance. Both hotels combine themed features with high-end facilities to create an immersive vacation experience.

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

The Palace Museum

10

4.9/5

205.1k reviews

The Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace, was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is also the symbol of ancient China. When you are in the majestic and orderly high walls and deep courtyards, you can truly feel its former glory. ▲The long history has left behind large-scale precious buildings and countless cultural relics, which have also become the main attraction of visiting the Forbidden City today. ▲Classic attractions: The Forbidden City Corner Tower is a polygonal building with a convex plane on all four sides. It is located in Dongcheng District, Beijing. The roof has three layers. The upper layer is a hip roof with vertical and horizontal intersections. It is composed of a gable roof with flowing water on two slopes and a hip roof with four slopes. Because there are nine main ridges on this roof, it is called the Nine-ridge Hall. ▲Sundials are divided into two types according to their installation principle: equatorial and horizontal. The sundial installed using the equatorial principle is called an equatorial sundial. The key points of its production are that it must have a time plate, a latitude arc and a gnomon. When operating, the time plate must be parallel to the equatorial plane of the earth, the gnomon must be in the same direction as the earth's axis, and the shadow cast by the gnomon on the gnomon is the desired time. ▲The Treasure House is located in the Ningshou Palace area. It has a rich collection of treasures, including Buddhist supplies, ornaments, daily utensils, and treasures for appreciation. Among them, the red coral lion about 14 cm high, the Dongzhu court beads about 130 cm long, and the gold "Fengtianzhibao" seal are all rare treasures. ▲The Clock and Watch Museum is located in the Fengxian Hall in the palace. Most of the clocks on display are British products, but there are also clocks from other countries such as France and Switzerland. In addition to the timing function, these clocks are decorated with figures, birds, beasts, flowers, etc., which can also make various different movements. They are very delicately made. Among them, the copper-plated gilded writing clock, the copper-plated gilded enamel gourd-top fishing and woodcutting farming clock, and the copper-plated gilded rotating flower running man rhinoceros carrying clock are very rare.

2026 Global 50 - Cool Water Escapes

The Mountain Resort Scenic Area

8

4.6/5

28.9k reviews

Construction of the resort began in 1703 and took 89 years to complete, spanning the reigns of the Qing emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong. This was the second political center apart from Beijing during the Qing dynasty. The mountain resort is divided into four major areas. On the south side are the palace and lake areas, and on the north side are the mountain and grassland areas. The palace and lake areas house the essence of the mountain resort. The lake area contains many examples of architecture from China's Jiangnan region just south of the Yangtze River. These are a result of the love the emperors Kangxi and Qianlong had for the Jiangnan scenery.

Chengde · 50.9 km from Luanping

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in BEIJING W TOWN

Simatai Great Wall

5.8

4.7/5

1.6k reviews

AuthenticGreat WallAttraction] Simatai Great Wall is one of the latest opened sections in BeijingGreat WallAttraction, located at the border of Beijing and Hebei, has preservedMing Great WallThe original Great Wall was built along razor-edged mountain ridges, making it extremely precipitous and creating diverse wall forms in this section. The eastern segment has 16 watchtowers, while the western segment has 18.BadalingCompared to other attractions like the Great Wall, Simatai Great Wall is farther from the city center, so it has always had few visitors.Badaling Great WallThat kind of overcrowding phenomenon. In addition, the Simatai Great Wall was developed relatively late, avoiding the issue of excessive renovation, and withBadaling Great WallIn comparison, this place appears more authentic, with dilapidated walls and ruins stretching as far as the eye can see. Every fall, the red leaves here attract many travelers to admire the crimson-covered mountains from the ancient Great Wall, offering a completely different experience from viewing the foliage at Fragrant Hills. Simatai Great Wall east section introduction: Simatai one-sided wall is now open: The Simatai Great Wall, hailed by UNESCO as the "original Great Wall," was officially inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987. It has gained global acclaim for its five distinctive marvels: thrilling ascents, dense watchtower distribution, picturesque scenery, ingenious design, and complete preservation. The Times of the UK once ranked it as the "top of the world's 25 must-see landscapes." A professional saying circulates in the industry: only by climbing Simatai can one truly understand the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. Unlike other standardized restoration sections, Simatai completely retains its authentic Ming-era features, serving as the definitive model for studying the military engineering, frontier defense wisdom, and architectural aesthetics of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. The opening of the Simatai single-sided wall showcases one of the rarest and most unique ridge-core remnants along the Great Wall. Centered around this perfectly preserved Ming Dynasty single-sided wall as its landmark feature, complemented by four exceptionally rare original Ming structures, these layered and mutually enhancing elements create China's only authentic outdoor classroom of Ming frontier defense. Together, they fully reconstruct the military system and cultural heritage of the Great Wall as it existed six centuries ago. Single-sided wall [the Great Wall's perfectly preserved single-sided wall]: The single-sided wall, as an irreplaceable gem of the Great Wall, is the only surviving original structure of its kind along the entire wall, with no replicas or restoration alterations, preserving the authentic architectural style of the Ming dynasty. Ming border garrison troops mastered the military strategy of "using terrain to fortify defenses," innovating the wall's construction by leveraging Simatai's steep ridges and cliffs: abandoning the conventional dual-wall structure, they utilized the sheer outer cliffs as a natural defensive barrier, building only a single orderly defensive wall on the inner side, creating the unique marvel of the single-sided wall. It is not a naturally collapsed ruin, but a functional structure deliberately designed, precisely laid out, and completely preserved under Ming military planning, serving as the physical embodiment of Qi Jiguang's frontier defense philosophy. This entire wall section perfectly integrates natural barriers with man-made defenses, shattering the public's conventional perception of the Great Wall as having "twin high walls in continuous regularity." Walking along the single-sided wall on the precipitous ridge, with one side flanked by the solid ancient Ming wall and the other by sheer cliffs dropping thousands of feet, visitors directly experience both the majestic grandeur and the harsh realities of Ming frontier defense. It is precisely because of this unique form and heritage that the industry consensus emerged: only by climbing Simatai can one truly understand the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. Ascending this single-sided wall allows genuine comprehension of the ancients' supreme military wisdom in "using natural barriers as defenses and craftsmanship to repel enemies," as well as the Ming Great Wall's construction philosophy of adapting to local conditions and following natural advantages. It serves as a precious physical specimen for studying the Ming Dynasty Great Wall's frontier defense system and architectural techniques. [Four rare supporting relics] 1. Octagonal dome-top watchtower: A rare octagonal watchtower on the Great Wall, built without wooden beams or iron nails, relying solely on interlocking brick-and-stone physics for load-bearing, representing the pinnacle of Ming Dynasty masonry craftsmanship; 2. Twin lotus stone carving: an original Ming dynasty relief carving on the arched gate of the enemy tower, embodying soldiers' wishes for national peace and family reunion on the frontier; 3. Ming dynasty wall-attached platform: The only intact original wall-attached platform along the entire Beijing Great Wall, used for stationing troops and storing military provisions, restoring the authentic scenes of frontier defense life; 4. Arrow window arch lintel: The original Ming dynasty brick and stone arch features refined lines, embodying the architectural aesthetics of the Ming dynasty Great Wall. The Simatai Great Wall takes the single-sided wall as its core framework and four exceptionally rare original Ming structures as its cultural pillars, perfectly preserving the historical appearance, military system, and humanistic stories of the 600-year-old Ming Dynasty Great Wall. This opening strictly follows the cultural relic revitalization principle of "minimal intervention and preservation of original state," bringing these long-secluded frontier remnants out of obscurity and transforming them into a living cultural classroom accessible to the public for climbing, viewing, interpreting, and reflecting. It truly achieves mutual empowerment between heritage conservation, cultural transmission, and tourism integration, enabling more people to ascend the Simatai Great Wall and understand the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. Travel route reference The hiking trail at Simatai Great Wall is relatively steep. It takes more than 1 km of uphill walking from the foot of the mountain to the watchtower, requiring a certain level of physical strength. At the base of the Great Wall, there is a cableway that directly reaches near "East Tower 8" and "East Tower 5". Visitors with limited physical strength can choose to take it. The cableway costs CNY 90 for a one-way trip and CNY 160 for a round-trip.

Beijing · 31.7 km from Luanping

2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do

National Museum of China

9.5

14.1k reviews

The National Museum of China is located on the east side of Tiananmen Square and was formed by merging the former Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution. The building is one of the ten great structures built for the tenth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1959. The museum holds over 1.4 million items, covering categories such as ancient artifacts, modern and contemporary artifacts, rare books and ancient texts, and artworks, among which the number of Grade One cultural relics is substantial. The three permanent exhibitions are the core of any visit. The "Ancient China" exhibition, located in the basement-level galleries, follows the succession of dynasties and is divided into eight sections from remote antiquity to the Ming and Qing dynasties, displaying heavyweight artifacts such as the painted pottery basin with human-face and fish design, the four-ram zun vessel, the Houmuwu ding, the drum-beating storyteller figurine, and the jade burial suit sewn with gold thread, several of which are listed as cultural relics prohibited from being exhibited abroad; this exhibition is also the most artifact-dense area in the museum and is worth spending time examining closely. The "Road to Rejuvenation" and "Road to Rejuvenation: New Era" exhibitions, located in the northern galleries, review the Chinese nation's journey of rejuvenation since the Opium War of 1840, with exhibits including the oil painting The Founding Ceremony of the Nation and the Shenzhou 5 return capsule, among other landmark artifacts. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, the museum regularly hosts thematic exhibitions on ancient Chinese Buddhist statues, coins, porcelain, and painting and calligraphy, and periodically presents special exhibitions and international exchange exhibitions covering history and culture, archaeological discoveries, and classic fine art. With numerous galleries spread across multiple floors, visitors are advised to plan their route in advance and allow ample time.

No. 2 of Global Traveller-Picked Attractions in Beijing

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Mutianyu Great Wall

8.4

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Beijing to Jinshanling Great Wall 1-day tour & no shopping · English-speaking guide · includes admission ticket