The right way to enjoy a northern winter: take your kids for a cool walk at Vanke Shijinglong Ski Resort!

Number of days: 1 day
Time: December
Average cost: 300 yuan
With whom：parents and children

While winters in the north are certainly chilly and we can't dress up and bask in the warm sunshine, we do have something even southern kids would envy—playing in the snow! Heading to the ski resort, fully kitted out, and taking your kids for a walk while skiing is simply amazing—you'll be the envy of other parents in no time!

Vanke Shijinglong Ski Resort

This year, I chose Vanke Shijinglong Ski Resort for my skiing trip, primarily considering its convenient transportation and surrounding facilities. Not only is there a wealth of restaurants nearby, but it's also not far from the Club Med Joyview Yanqing Resort and the delightful Orenda Village. From the city center, it's easily accessible via the Beijing-Tibet Expressway and the Beijing-Li Expressway.

Once you're at the resort, the most daunting part is changing gear. Thankfully, Vanke Shijinglong Ski Resort is very user-friendly in this regard, renting snowsuits and lockers at the first counter, then protective gear and snowshoes, and finally collecting your gear inside the resort. A friendly reminder: gloves are not available for rental in the protective gear store, so it is recommended that you bring your own.

It's probably every child's nature to love playing in the snow! My little girl has been nagging about wanting to play in the snow for almost a year now. Once we get to the ski resort, we change into our gear, rush out like crazy, sit down on the ground and start scraping at the snow... Hey! This is not the right way to ski, okay?!

Currently, Vanke Shijinglong Ski Resort offers three beginner and two intermediate slopes, along with two magic carpets and two cable cars. However, for a skier like me, the intermediate slopes are just something I can only admire. Even skiing the beginner slopes with my child is a real challenge. The ski resort will soon open interesting parent-child activities such as the Hedgehog Park and Snow Tubing Surfing, so you can still have fun even if you don’t want to ski!

Although I'm a terrible skier, I'm lucky enough to have a good friend who can ski! With her careful guidance, my little girl figured out the ropes after just two trips to the beginner slopes. She learned how to glide and stop, and gradually she dared to ski all the way down from the beginner slope. Her obvious progress gave her a great sense of accomplishment, and she's become even more interested in skiing!

The internal facilities of Vanke Shijinglong Ski Resort are also very complete. Next to the ski equipment hall is a two-story restaurant. The second floor is a buffet area. The first floor has various snacks such as pancakes, grilled sausages, noodles and spicy hot pot. There is also a convenience store at the entrance of the ski resort. Overall, it is very convenient.

Starry Sky Snow House

Of course, the most dreamy one is the Starry Sky Snow House! The pristine white igloos dot the ski resort's upper reaches. Their rounded shapes are truly eye-catching. Walking into your own cozy tent amidst the snow and ice is simply heavenly! The tents not only have private bathrooms, but also boast 180-degree panoramic views and transparent roofs. After a night of skiing, you can lie back and count the stars—just thinking about it is so romantic!

The small log cabin gas station next to the igloo is the "igloo front desk" and "VIP lounge area." You can take a break here when you're tired of skiing, gazing at the white snow outside the window with a cup of steaming hot tea in your hand. This is the right way to spend a northern winter that southerners can't even begin to experience!

Warm Tips

Address: Zhongyangfang, Zhangshanying Town, Yanqing District, Beijing

Transportation: Driving is recommended; a free shuttle bus is available from Yanqing Station to the ski resort every Saturday and Sunday, departing from Yanqing Station at 9:30 a.m. and returning to Yanqing Station at 4:30 p.m.

Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (last admission at 4:00 p.m.); additional night sessions are available on Fridays and Saturdays, from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. (last admission at 8:00 p.m.)

Prices (prices fluctuate with the season): Weekdays: 4-hour package 100 yuan/person, full-day package 130 yuan/person; weekends and holidays: 4-hour package 170 yuan/person, full-day package 220 yuan/person; night package 80 yuan/person; locker rental 20 yuan; a deposit of 300 yuan/person is required when exchanging ski equipment.

Skiing process: Go through skiing formalities (apply for a ski card, pay a deposit) - Rent ski clothes, protective gear, and lockers - Change ski clothes - Rent ski equipment in the outdoor area - Check and put on ski equipment - Enter the ski resort (determine whether to hire a coach based on your level) - Return ski equipment after skiing