Things to do · Beijing
Things to do in Beijing北京
What's on tonight and this weekend, then every evening option by kind: bars, shows, cinema, spas, sport, classes, markets, family and rainy-day picks, with times, prices and whether to book.
Key facts
- Picks
- 12
- With set times
- 0
- Categories
- 7
- Checked
- From guide data
Tonight
What is on now and later today in Beijing, from picks with set times. Your device clock is converted to Beijing time.
Checking the time in Beijing…
None of the picks for Beijing have set times in our data yet; see the lists below.
Plan tonight
Dinner, then a show or activity, then a bar or night market, built from picks with times. Walk and ride minutes are straight-line estimates.
Working out tonight from the Beijing clock…
This weekend
Weekend-only markets, walking streets and shows for the coming Saturday and Sunday in Beijing, plus festivals that usually fall this month.
Working out the dates…
Nightlife & bars
Bar streets, rooftops, pubs and late spots, with closing times and the usual traps.
No strict citywide curfew; bars and clubs in nightlife areas often run to 02:00 or later on weekends. Subway service stops around 23:00, so plan a taxi or DiDi home.
Sanlitun and Gulou bar streets
EveningLateBars, clubs, craft beer. The main nightlife areas; Gulou's bars are smaller and more local, Sanlitun's louder and more international.
- When
- Until Late, especially weekends
Hutong cafés around Nanluoguxiang
EveningLateCoffee, tea, casual evening drinks. A quieter alternative to a full bar night.
- When
- Until About 22:00–23:00Until About 10:00 PM–11:00 PM
Beer
Local lagers such as Yanjing and Tsingtao · Restaurants and bars citywide
Live music & shows
Concerts, jazz, circus and theater that work without the local language.
Chinese opera or acrobatics show
EveningIndoorBeijing opera or an acrobatics show are the classic evening cultural options; check current venues.
- When
- Evening performances
- Price
- ¥180–500 (≈ US$30–70)
- Where
- Various
Map ↗Times and prices: check
Cinema
Where films run in English (or with English subtitles) and what a ticket costs.
Cinema
IndoorForeign films are usually dubbed rather than subtitled in mainland Chinese cinemas; check listings.
- When
- Daily
- Price
- ¥50–100 (≈ US$7–14)
- Where
- Malls
Map ↗Times and prices: check
Sport & fitness
Matches to watch, runs, rides and lessons.
Hutong bike or rickshaw tour
EveningA guided ride through the lanes with stops at a local courtyard home; agree the price and route before starting.
- When
- Daytime or evening, about 2 h
- Price
- ¥150–350 (≈ US$25–50) (2026 estimate, check)
- Where
- Nanluoguxiang and Gulou hutongs
Classes & workshops
Cooking, crafts and guided tastings: a morning or evening you learn something in.
Peking duck dinner
EveningIndoorBeijing's signature dish, carved table-side; book ahead at a known restaurant.
- When
- Evening
- Price
- ¥150–400 (≈ US$25–60) shared
- Where
- Wangfujing or the hutongs
Calligraphy or tea ceremony class
IndoorKids: 5–12, TeensBook through a reputable operator or your hotel, not an unsolicited street invitation.
- When
- 1–2 h
- Price
- ¥150–400 (≈ US$25–60)
- Where
- Various
Family fun
What works with kids, by age band.
- Long, flat distances at the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven suit a stroller better than the narrow, uneven hutong lanes.
- The Beijing Zoo (pandas) and the Natural History Museum are easy half-day family stops away from the core clusters.
- Subway stations have lifts at most stops, making the metro the easiest step-free way to move a stroller or pram across the city.
- Heat or bad air: Oriental Plaza and other malls near Wangfujing have AC and indoor play areas.
Calligraphy or tea ceremony class
Classes & workshopsIndoorKids: 5–12, TeensBook through a reputable operator or your hotel, not an unsolicited street invitation.
- When
- 1–2 h
- Price
- ¥150–400 (≈ US$25–60)
- Where
- Various
Rainy day
Indoor picks for a wet afternoon.
798 Art District wander
IndoorConverted Soviet-era factory buildings now full of contemporary art galleries and studios.
- When
- Daytime
- Price
- Free to walk; galleries vary
- Where
- Day trip, 40–50 min
Wangfujing Street and snack lane
IndoorOriental Plaza mall (AC); the flat, covered fallback.
National Museum of China
IndoorVast indoor collection facing Tiananmen Square; check the closing day.
Map ↗Times and prices: check
Capital Museum
IndoorWest of the centre; a large indoor rain-day option.
Chinese opera or acrobatics show
Live music & showsEveningIndoorBeijing opera or an acrobatics show are the classic evening cultural options; check current venues.
- When
- Evening performances
- Price
- ¥180–500 (≈ US$30–70)
- Where
- Various
Map ↗Times and prices: check
Calligraphy or tea ceremony class
Classes & workshopsIndoorKids: 5–12, TeensBook through a reputable operator or your hotel, not an unsolicited street invitation.
- When
- 1–2 h
- Price
- ¥150–400 (≈ US$25–60)
- Where
- Various
Cinema
CinemaIndoorForeign films are usually dubbed rather than subtitled in mainland Chinese cinemas; check listings.
- When
- Daily
- Price
- ¥50–100 (≈ US$7–14)
- Where
- Malls
Map ↗Times and prices: check
How this page is built
Built from Voykit's data; times and prices change
The rest are drawn from this guide’s own Beijing lists: the things-to-do list, experiences and tours, drinking spots, weekly events, the rainy-day plan and the like-a-local picks. A city gets this page with at least 6 picks across 3 kinds.
“Tonight” and “this weekend” use your device clock converted to Beijing time (Asia/Shanghai) and only list picks with set times in our data. Walk and ride times in the planner are straight-line estimates. The rain switch uses a live Open-Meteo forecast. Prices are local currency with an approximate conversion; anything marked check can change, so confirm on the venue’s own site before you go.