Taking Kids for a Stroll in Beijing During May Day

Number of days：5 days
Time: April
Average cost: 3000 yuan
With whom：parents and children

Ever since the outbreak, I've barely left the house. This year, I'm feeling the pinch, so I decided to take a short trip and take my kids to Beijing for a stroll during May Day. We'd originally planned to have dinner on the night of the 30th, but my son's school let him out early, and my boss kindly granted me a day off, so... we took a train to Beijing on the night of the 29th. However, this decision turned out to be a mistake. If you're not in your twenties, you shouldn't be taking a night train. Even a soft sleeper wouldn't be suitable. I actually lay awake all night, lying there until dawn.

We arrived in Beijing on the 30th, and spent the first day at Happy Valley. It couldn't have been a smarter decision. We arrived at West Station at 7:30 a.m. and took the subway directly to the Lavande Hotel near Happy Valley. We checked in, had breakfast, and headed straight to Happy Valley.

We entered the park around 9:30 a.m., and many of the rides were closed. We first lined up for the Family Coaster, which is said to be the least scary ride in the park, but I was almost scared to death when I sat on it. Then we went on the rafting ride. These two rides almost killed me, so I said no to all the other rides! So, I waited in line with my child for all the rides, and he went on his own. He was a little scared at the Tower of the Sun, but he didn't feel anything for the others.

The children had a great time on this day trip to Happy Valley. To sum up, the following points are worth noting: 1. Choose the project that suits you. Over-stimulation is what happened to me. 2. Go as early as possible and prioritize the big attractions. In the morning, we rode the roller coaster, rafting, and jungle train, and the lines were no more than 20 minutes. In the afternoon, when my child went for a second ride, the lines were over an hour long. 3. There's a KFC inside the park, and the food is decent, but it's best to go during off-peak hours, as it can be incredibly crowded! 4. There's a paid train at the entrance that goes around the park, perfect for when you're tired. It's incredibly slow, and I don't know if the scenery is great, as I slept on it for a while, but the kids were very happy. 5. If you're planning a day trip, it's best to stay nearby, as it's very tiring. 6. Lastly, a word about rain ponchos. Our first water activity was rafting, and I bought my son a rain poncho from the park. It was long enough to wrap him up perfectly. We both put two plastic bags over our shoes, and I used the park's free poncho. I wrapped both of them around myself, so much so that the woman on the boat with us said, "Did you wrap yourself in plastic wrap?" I was so upset! The bottom line is, if you can bring your own, definitely bring your own. It's best to bring shoe covers, as they're quite expensive inside the park.

DAY 2: The next day, we went to Legoland Discovery World in Tianjie, Chaoyang District. As a Lego fan, my son had been dreaming of this place for a long time. After changing hotels (Quanji Tianjie Branch) that morning, we arrived at the park promptly at 10:00 AM. We booked our tickets through China-TravelNote, and entry was very convenient. It wasn't as big as I'd imagined, but there were activities throughout the day, but reservations were required. The experience was quite good, and most importantly, my son was thrilled. What I admire most about my son is that as long as he enjoys something, no matter how bad the environment or how crowded it is, he can let himself be completely delighted.

DAY4: We had originally planned to go to the World Park today (my son specifically asked us to go to), but because we walked so much yesterday and his feet were almost worn out, we asked to go somewhere a little easier today. So, we went boating in Beihai Park, hoping to experience the beauty of paddling. We arrived at the park around 12:00 PM and waited in line for the four-person electric boat for over 20 minutes, the fastest of the bunch. At 140 yuan per hour, the price was reasonable. We explored every possible part of the lake. I calculated my time, so I had plenty of time to get back. The biggest mistake I made was not factoring in the wind speed (the boat was fast on the way out, but incredibly slow on the way back). It almost took an hour longer than that. My son was smart enough to cancel his card at the last minute. Oh my goodness! An extra hour's charge for the overtime was deducted.

In the evening, I had a dinner with my younger brother's family. We didn't make plans to come together, but we happened to see each other. The two little kids played happily until eleven o'clock and cried when we said goodbye.

DAY 5: I'm heading back this afternoon. I had a reservation at the National Museum this morning. Passing Tiananmen Square, I took some photos of my kids to document this trip to the capital. I have a special fondness for Tiananmen Square. Every time I'm in Beijing, I make a point of visiting it. It makes me feel so at ease.

The National Museum wasn't crowded; after all, everyone had to make an appointment to enter, and there were crowd limits at the entrance. My child was most interested in the science and technology exhibits; he didn't quite understand the others, and his uneducated mother couldn't explain what they were all about.

What I am most interested in is this set of jewelry and this embroidery work. I love them very much.

For the return trip, we bought tickets for the high-speed rail, the Fuxing bullet train. It only takes two hours from Beijing to Hohhot. This speed is amazing.

Summary of the lessons learned from this trip: In the future, when the country is on holiday, try not to go out. There will be too many people and the roads will be too congested. If you must go out, never go near closed roads or stations. Without cars, you'll have to rely on your legs, which is too tiring. We walked a total of 100,000 steps in five days, and the children managed it all on their own. We primarily relied on the subway and bus for transportation. After such a grueling journey, as we were leaving Beijing, the children, clutching their subway cards, said with emotion, "Goodbye, Beijing! I don't know when I'll be back next time. I really don't want to leave." This is my child. No matter how hard or tiring it is, it doesn't matter. As long as they love it, they will persevere.