Live Your Best Lives
National Day holiday is here! Let's grab a group of friends and go on a road trip outside Beijing. This time, our destination is the World Grape Expo Park and surrounding attractions in Yanqing. We found a B&B with these attractions as the center, played cards, and chatted. It was so much fun! You can do this on any weekend!
Two-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Depart from the city - World Grape Expo Park - Stay at a Hidden Luxury B&B
Day 2 Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park - Guyaju - Return to the city
All-you-can-eat vineyard
My friends and I spent the morning dawdling until we left the city around noon and arrived at the World Grape Expo Park in the afternoon. It was a gloomy morning, but it cleared up when we got to Badaling. There were white clouds over the vineyards. Look at those two big grapes at the entrance. They look more like eggplants, haha!
There's a huge parking lot at the entrance of the Vineyard Expo Park, making parking very convenient. The entrance fee is 20 yuan, and there are electric carts in the park that took us around to pick grapes.
The grape trellis is beautifully set against the blue sky, white clouds and distant mountains, just like something out of a French movie.
The dandelions next to the trellis are also ripe, and they are so round and plump that they are very lovely. Pick a few, blow on them, and let them flutter in the wind. We also found a bunch of super big grapes, enough for us to eat along the way today, haha. The vineyard is also a great place to take photos. The neatly arranged grape racks and the blue sky and white clouds behind them form a beautiful picture. The dress I’m wearing today also suits it very well.
Seeing the little windmills from time to time, I felt like I was in Europe for a second. We also found several large logs, which are perfect for taking photos, whether standing or sitting. The freshly picked grapes can also be used as props.
The electric car continued to take us to the next stop. This time, there were white-skinned grapes, hanging in bunches, crystal clear, and super cute in the sun.
Looking behind the vineyard is Haituo Mountain. In the afternoon, white clouds rose, coupled with the gentle autumn sunshine and cool breeze, it really felt like I was in Switzerland in an instant.
Encountering lovely morning glories on the road~
We spent the afternoon at the World Grape Expo Park, enjoying the scenery, playing, and taking photos. For a grape lover like me, it was truly satisfying. Don’t miss it!
World Grape Expo Park Address: 800 meters south of Xialufengying Village, Zhangshanying Town
Stay in a simple and beautiful light luxury B&B
After feasting on grapes in the vineyard, we’ll move on to our B&B for tonight. I really enjoy experiencing B&Bs, and I feel like it's a great place to relax. This time we stayed at a small, secluded luxury B&B not far from the vineyard.
As soon as you enter the door, you'll see a large lawn facing the misty Haituo Mountain.
We booked Villa No. 1, which has three floors. There are five rooms in the main building, and there is also a small wooden house next to it where people can live. It's super fun. Let me show you a closer look~
Look, this is our Yard No. 1. It has a yard and a balcony, and there is a small wooden house next to it. Can you see me waving from the third floor?
The first floor is a super spacious hall where you can play games and watch TV.
The room has a simple but detailed Nordic Instagram style. It is very warm and the bedding is very soft. I especially like the deer antler bedside lamp, it is so cute.
Flying up, I saw the entire B&B comprised of three rows of villas and a large lawn. I'm thinking of using this lawn for a lawn wedding, with a bunch of friends hanging out at the B&B that night. Hahaha, but forget it, as a single person, I'm just overthinking it. …
Behind the entire B&B is Haituo Mountain. Unfortunately, when I was flying the drone, there was fog and the Haituo Mountain was blocked. There are swings and slides on the lawn, suitable for adults and children to play, and you can also set up various props for a picnic. We had dinner today at the B&B, which has its own light luxury restaurant. We originally just wanted to have a quick meal, but unexpectedly, everything from the environment to the food was perfect, which was quite a surprise.
The restaurant boasts a minimalist design and spans three floors. The first floor is where breakfast is served, while the second floor offers some private rooms. The first floor also serves as the B&B's reception, where you can play table football while waiting to check in.
Since it's around Mid-Autumn Festival, you can also purchase mooncakes from Xiaoyin Light Luxury.
Hotel Address: No. 3, District 7, Xiaohetun Village, Zhangshanying Town, Yanqing District, Beijing
Price: The price of renting a whole villa is around 3,000-6,000. There are six rooms, so it is actually very cost-effective and suitable for a group of friends.
A delicious meal is essential
Let's take a look at our dinner tonight~ Looking at the menu, I found that this place is more Huaiyang cuisine with a creative style. The light taste also shows the chef's level. After tasting it, I was amazed. It can be said to be the standard of a five-star restaurant!
Huaiyang Braised Lion's Head with Crab Roe
Beijing evenings in October are already quite cold, and a bowl of lion's head soup is a perfect warming aid. I drank it all and refused to let the waiter remove it.
Kung Pao Fried Shrimp, although a relatively common dish, was absolutely delicious! The shrimp were generously portioned, large and tender.
Red Wine and Bell Pepper Beef Dices. The plump bell peppers were my favorite, and the beef diced was chewy and firm.
Baked abalone with black truffle sauce. Don't overdo it when you're out and about!
Green leaf bullfrog. The tea leaves are super fragrant after they're fried! The steamed Dongting Lake white fish in Taibai chicken broth had no fishy smell and was considered one of the best Huaiyang dishes you can find in Beijing. After finishing the main courses, I was a bit exhausted when it came to the main course and dessert... I apologize for the durian pastry, pan-fried buns, and hedgehog pastry. Of course, we packed up the leftovers so we could have them as a late-night snack while we were out and about. I have to give special praise to the hedgehog pastry. The little hedgehog is so cute. The chef is so thoughtful. After a comfortable night's sleep at the B&B, I spotted a small Instagram-style dining area with a Happy Birthday banner hanging in the restaurant while having breakfast. Hidden Luxury B&B truly offers a variety of styles, perfect for gatherings, birthdays, and team-building events!
Breakfast is also very rich. After breakfast, let’s continue today’s itinerary!
The romantic reed marsh of Wild Duck Lake
The first attraction we went to today was Wild Duck Lake. We originally wanted to take pictures of the reed marsh from the top down at the Wanghu Tower, a popular internet celebrity. As a result, we were told at the door that the Wanghu Tower had been closed since the beginning of the epidemic and we couldn’t go up... It was really a bit disappointing, but since we were here, we might as well go in and have some fun~
The entire Wild Duck Lake is the Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park, which is famous for its vast expanses of reeds. After arriving, we realized how large the area is. There are layers of mountains above the reeds. It is a very artistic wetland park. Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park is Beijing's only wetland bird nature reserve. Through years of development, it has developed a rich, biodiverse, and stable wetland ecosystem, making it a key bird habitat in Beijing and even North China. Wild Duck Lake boasts 264 bird species, including six species under first-class national protection. A wide variety of aquatic, wetland, and terrestrial plants are also found. This is a highly recommended visit for those who enjoy both animals and wetland landscapes.
Wild Duck Lake Park covers a very large area. At present, the battery cars in the scenic area are not open to the public. In addition to walking, it is recommended that you can rent a two- or four-seater travel bike. The four-seater is 100/hour and the two-seater is 60/hour. You can ride and enjoy the scenery along the way. By the way, this electric scooter is also very advanced. It can be unlocked and locked by scanning the code by yourself just like the shared bicycles. The price is per half hour. We returned the scooter in the last few minutes of the hour and a half, otherwise we would have to spend 50 yuan more! October is the best time to visit Wild Duck Lake. In the crisp autumn air, you can see golden reeds swaying in the wind, with the distant mountains reflected in the wetlands. Later, when the reeds bloom, the scenery will be even more beautiful in the backlight. There are observation decks along the way, where you can see the wetlands reflecting the distant mountains and clouds like a mirror. Everything is incredibly peaceful and beautiful. We rode all the way to the place where we could see Wanghu Tower (yes, we still didn’t give up), which is the building in the distance. After climbing up, we can take pictures from a drone-like perspective, but now there is a gate on the path leading to Wanghu Tower, and entry is prohibited. Of course, it’s not just internet celebrities who have good camera positions. You can take pictures of reeds anywhere, and they look great in backlight.
Of course, it’s not just internet celebrities who have good camera positions. You can take pictures of reeds anywhere, and they look great in backlight.
After entering the scenic area, the originally bright sunshine was dimmed for some reason. In addition, the entire mountain path was sandwiched between the crevices of the mountain, which really gave it a mysterious feeling. You need to follow the signs and walk slowly up.
On both sides are steep cliffs and dense vegetation. Is it possible to live in such a steep rock face? Along the way, you will see some strange rock formations from time to time through the signposts, which look a bit weird. After walking for about 20 minutes, I looked up and saw the Ancient Cliff Dwelling right in front of me! There were many mysterious caves hidden in the exposed mountain ahead, and you could get a closer look by climbing higher. This section of the trail was particularly steep, with a stream flowing through it. I felt a bit like archaeologists—it was quite thrilling. When we arrived at the foot of Guyaju, we could clearly see that this side of the mountain was covered with stone caves. These were the places where our ancestors actually lived. Most of the stone chambers are rectangular and quite spacious, but we didn't dare to actually go inside because it was so dark.
This is a dwelling built by ancient people into the steep cliffs. The sheer granite walls are dotted with hand-carved stone chambers of varying sizes.
The view from the base of the mountain isn't very clear, but you can follow the path to a viewing platform for a clearer, fuller view.
According to statistics, there are 174 preserved stone chambers in the ancient cliff dwelling, divided into three areas: front, middle, and back. The back area is divided into seven floors, with a total of 26 stone chambers. The lower floors served as stables, while the upper floors were residential areas. Many of the stone chambers are interconnected, some even offering three bedrooms and two living rooms. It seems these ancient people were quite particular about their craft. On the ground floor platform of the Guyaju Residence lies a stone mill, said to be the only relatively intact artifact from the residence. However, due to severe weathering, its original appearance is no longer clearly discernible. Many mysteries remain about the residence. When did the inhabitants move in, what ethnic group they belonged to, and how they carved these remarkable stone chambers? These mysteries only deepen its mystery.
In addition to this classic Guyaju Residence, there are also numerous stone houses on another nearby hill, though they are unfortunately currently under renovation. The viewing platform is located right in the middle of several mountains. From there, you can see two ancient cliff dwellings and the mountains in the distance at the same time, as well as the city and the lake in the distance. It feels like you are standing on a high place and looking into the distance. The scenery is also unique.
Using a telephoto lens, you can clearly see the details of the stone chambers in Guyaju, which are layered and very mysterious.
Standing on the viewing platform, you can see mountains surrounding you on all sides. It's truly amazing that our ancestors used their wisdom to carve out homes on this steep cliff.
Seeing the ancient cliff dwelling from a drone is even more amazing. This is the only place in the entire mountain that has been carved out. As we left Guyaju, the cloudy sky suddenly broke out into the sun, and I even managed to capture a small sunset on the way back. This two-day, one-night trip to the surrounding area was truly rewarding. I ate tons of grapes, stayed in a wonderful B&B, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Wild Duck Lake and the mysterious Guyaju. I highly recommend this to anyone visiting Beijing; it's a great weekend getaway! Take action now while there are still grapes~
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