Dongcheng district, Beijing, China

Places to visit near Beijing

Beijing is a city in Dongcheng district, Beijing, China, home to about 11,716,620 people. Within 50 km by road there are 209 places to visit — 69 forts & heritage, 31 museums, 20 buddhist sites and 21 parks. The must-see places are Imperial Ancestral Temple (1 km), National Museum of China (1 km) and Pudu Temple (1 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Beijing on the map

Beijing, Beijing
Beijing, Dongcheng district, Beijing, China. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Beijing at a glance

Location
Dongcheng district, Beijing, China
Population
about 11,716,620
Coordinates
39.9075° N, 116.3972° E
Places within 50 km
209 (127 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for forts & heritage; October to March for buddhist sites; year-round for museums and parks

Top places to visit near Beijing

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Beijing: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Beijing

Things to see near Beijing, by type

Forts & heritage near Beijing

75 forts & heritage within 100 km of Beijing. The closest is Huangshicheng (1 km); the best-known is Monument to the People's Heroes (1 km). Best time: october to february.

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Museums near Beijing

34 museums within 100 km of Beijing. The closest is National Museum of China (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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Buddhist sites near Beijing

22 buddhist sites within 100 km of Beijing. The closest is Pudu Temple (1 km). Best time: october to march.

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Parks near Beijing

21 parks within 100 km of Beijing. The closest is Changpuhe Park (1 km); the best-known is Ritan Park (4 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Beijing

14 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Beijing. The closest is Zhongshan Garden (1 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Temples near Beijing

11 temples within 100 km of Beijing. The closest is Imperial Ancestral Temple (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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A one-day trip from Beijing

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 6 km on the road.

  1. Start in Beijing
  2. 1 km Pudu Temple · Buddhist site, Dongcheng
  3. 1 km Imperial Ancestral Temple · temple, Dongcheng
  4. 1 km Zhongshan Garden · garden, Dongcheng
  5. 1 km Monument to the People's Heroes · monument, Dongcheng
  6. 1 km National Museum of China · museum, Dongcheng
  7. 1 km Back to Beijing

Plan a longer trip from Beijing — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Beijing

No traveller has reported from around Beijing yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Beijing

    All places near Beijing by distance

    Within 15 km of Beijing

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Beijing by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Forts & heritage6975Huangshicheng (1 km)
    Museums3134National Museum of China (1 km)
    Buddhist sites2022Pudu Temple (1 km)
    Other attractions2021Tian'anmen Square (1 km)
    Parks2121Changpuhe Park (1 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens1314Zhongshan Garden (1 km)
    Temples1011Imperial Ancestral Temple (1 km)
    Churches910St. Michael's Church, Beijing (1 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs69Forbidden City Moat (1 km)
    Mosques & dargahs77DongSi Mosque (2 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints24Jade Spring Hill (20 km)
    Rivers, islands & mangroves11Jade Island (3 km)

    Beijing: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Beijing?

    Imperial Ancestral Temple (temple, about 1 km), National Museum of China (museum, about 1 km), Pudu Temple (Buddhist site, about 1 km), Monument to the People's Heroes (monument, about 1 km), Zhongshan Garden (garden, about 1 km), Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (monument, about 1 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Beijing?

    209 places on Spotwander: 69 forts & heritage, 31 museums, 20 buddhist sites, 20 other attractions, 21 parks.

    Which is the nearest fort to Beijing?

    Huangshicheng, about 1 km by road; Gate of Heavenly Peace (1 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest museum to Beijing?

    National Museum of China, about 1 km by road; 中国铁道博物馆（正阳门展馆） (1 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest Buddhist site to Beijing?

    Pudu Temple, about 1 km by road; Temple of Wisdom Attained (Zhìhuà Sì) (3 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Beijing?

    Start in Beijing, visit Pudu Temple, then Imperial Ancestral Temple, then Zhongshan Garden, then Monument to the People's Heroes, then National Museum of China, and drive back — about 6 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Beijing?

    October to February for forts & heritage; October to March for buddhist sites; year-round for museums and parks.

    Towns near Beijing

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Beijing’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Beijing on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.