Make Golden Week Special With These 15 Family-Friendly Events

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If you are planning on staying in Beijing over National Week (October 1 – 7), life may feel like it is going to shut down. Between road closures, extra security, and everyone’s usual hangouts closed for the holiday, it may seem like the perfect time to curl up at home and sleep the week away. For those of us with kids or a restless spirit though, this may not be as peaceful as it sounds. Never fear! Beijingkids is here to give you some alternatives to sitting around watching TV for Golden Week.

Survival Camp Level 2, Sept 30 – Oct 4  

Ages 7 – 14. Registration is still open to join this exciting survival camp. If you have already done some survival or adventure activities with Imagine, then this camp is what you need to take your survival skills to the next level. The camp teaches all kinds of advanced survival skills. Spend two days in the forest in Huairou, followed by a three day overnight trip to Baihe, Miyun. This is for kids who want to step out of their comfort zones and test themselves while taking their survival education further. 

RMB 950. 8am – 5.45pm. Huairou and Baihe.

Explore western China with Beijing Hikers, Oct 1 – 7 

Ages 6+. Beijing Hikers is offering two exciting trips to explore western China. Journey to the West, along the Silk Road: Korla to Kashgar and Journey From the West: Urumqi to Jiayuguan. These two adventures will cover more than one thousand kilometers by jeep with lots of opportunities to get out and explore on foot. See Xinjiang Province, and the most and least traveled portions of the Silk Road. See famous landforms, ancient cities, grasslands and deserts and get a taste of the rich Muslim culture in western China.

RMB 15,220 – 19,150, all inclusive trip. Beijinghikers.com

Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi'an – 3 Must-Go Cities Tour, Oct 1 – 7        

If you love big, exciting and new cities then join Cultural Exchange Trips (CET) for this three cities tour. Spend seven days exploring these famous and beautiful cities. You’ll visit Chongqing, the largest inland municipality in China; see Chengdu where the biggest panda research center in the world can be found; and last visit Xian, the capital of 13 ancient Chinese dynasties. This tour will include pandas, the Leshan Giant Buddha, Mahjong, Sichuan hotpot, and the Terracotta Warriors.

RMB 4,585, fee includes everything except entrance fee tickets to all places. Meeting point at Beijing West Railway Station.

Golden Week Specials at Jen Beijing Hotel, Oct 2 – 5 

If leaving Beijing isn’t in your plans but you still want to relax, consider staying at Hotel Jen Beijing for a few days and enjoy their daily lineup of family-friendly activities, dining specials, live music and craft beers. For this week the standard room price includes all activities at Trainyard, a breakfast buffet, and dinner at San Wu Tang.

All ages. Work out with your family at Trainyard yoga. This workout is a great opportunity to show children that exercise should a part of your daily life. Bond through a fun and exciting yoga workout and Zumba!
Class is included in stay. 10.30am-11.30am. Trainyard. (8647 1050) . 

Ages 3 – 12. Another exciting option is Kids Boxing at Trainyard Boxing Area.  Famous boxing coaches Jerson and Lando will teach your children the basics of this exciting, fun, and tough sport. Parents are welcome to accompany their kids.
Included in stay. 10-11am. Trainyard Boxing Area (8647 1050). 

All ages. After your kiddos are tired from the exercise classes, come and quench your thirst with Beersmith’s delicious selection of craft beers. If you want to try all of the beer, order a flight and enjoy this craft beer and food pairing package. Order two paddles of eight different beers and soak it up with grilled pork sausage, mashed potatoes, burger with fries, salad and calamari. If the food isn’t enough for you,The Nightshift will be performing live each night during Golden Week.
RMB 388/two people, one kid per paying adult enjoys a free meal. All day. Beersmith. 

All ages. Still hungry? Great, because San Wu Tang also has specials this week. Enjoy the famous Sichuan dish Fuqi feipian or sliced beef and offal in chili sauce included in their Family Sharing Package. In this package enjoy  the regular buffet, and some special holiday dishes like steak rolls, seafood, and chocolate lava cake.
RMB 268 (online purchase) RMB 298.Sun Wu Tang.

Price varies. Hotel Jen Beijing. (6505 2277) 

China Puppet Art Theater “The Red Army's Battle Steeds” (Puppet Show), Oct 2 – 3          

Ages 3+. The China Puppet Art Theater was founded in 1955, and has continued through the years to tell stories about China through this traditional Chinese art. The theater is devoted to combining unique Chinese national arts and fairy tales into its performances. This production tells the story of a battle horse named Yidianhong, who is left  by the commander of the Red Army with a small squadron for the wounded to ride. Heizi, a Red Army soldier in the squadron, bonds with the horse after the horse saves Heizi in a battle. Learn what happens next in this harrowing story at the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

RMB 180 – 300. Shows start at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. National Centre for the Performing Arts.

Tengger Desert Lakes, Inner Mongolia (4 Days), Oct 2 – 5       

Age 7+. On this four-day expedition you’ll experience life in the desert, with two days of hiking and one night of camping in the Tengger Desert region of the Alashan Plateau, adjacent to the huge Gobi Desert. Visit desert lakes and oases, traveling through the dunes by foot, by jeep, and by camel! On the last day of the trip, visit the Western Xia Imperial Tombs, taking a look at the distinctive pyramid-shaped burial mounds. This is an all-inclusive trip.

RMB 6,850 (ages 7-11), 7,090 (12-17), 8,800 (adults). Requires reservation.  ([e-mail] / 6432 2876)

Guilin: Li River, Yangshou, Longji Rice Terraces,  Oct 2 – 5         

All ages are welcome, but check to make sure this trip is right for your family. Visit one of the most beautiful places in China with CET. Guilin is known for mountains, rice terraces, the Li River, and much more. Highlights include visiting the Mahai Village, the rice terraces, bamboo rafting, hiking, and karst formations.

RMB 895 – 1,845, children under 3 are free. Trip arrives and leaves from the Guilin train station or airport. 

Atelier Art School October Holiday Workshops, Oct 2 – 6   

Atelier Art School is offering three workshops for kids and adults this Golden Week. A Journey into Abstract Art, A Creative Approach to Painting and finally, a Drawing and Painting Class. Register by emailing [e-mail] or [e-mail] (132 4018 4908) or wechat: ateliershunyi.

A Journey into Abstract Art:  Ages 5+. During this workshop, students will learn about the different artistic movements and artists that composed constructivism. Students will explore artists like Malevich, Lissitzky, and Popova and the various artistic styles they inspired. Experiment with painting, sculpturing, collage, graphical art, architecture, and fashion design.

RMB 2,000-2,500. Classes are from 10am–noon for children 5–8 years old and 1-3.30pm for children 9+. Sanlitun and Shunyi Campus. 

A Creative Approach to Painting: 13+ including adults. At this workshop students will learn how to look at a subject, learn where and how to start, become familiar with lighting and shadows, and discuss the subtleties of color.

RMB 2500. 1pm – 3.30pm. Atelier Sunlitun Campus.

Drawing and Painting Workshop: Join this workshop to work on your drawing and painting skills. Discover drawing in pencil and charcoal, introduce colors to your drawings with pastels, and learn to use watercolor paints to add beauty to your work. In this class learn to draw a figure in pencil and charcoal and use pastels and watercolor to paint a still life of food or flowers.

RMB 1800. 1pm – 3.30pm Atelier Shunyi Campus. 

Teatro alla Scala “Le Corsaire”, Oct 4   

All ages. In 1498, Habsburg Emperor Maximilian I moved his court to Vienna, and the Vienna Boys Choir was born. Over the centuries, the Viennese Court attracted great musicians like Isaac, de Monte, Fux, Caldara, Gluck, Salieri, Mozart, and Bruckner; Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, and Franz Schubert were themselves choirboys. Until 1918, the boys sang exclusively for the court. In the 1920s, the choir was reestablished as a private organization. Since 1926, the Vienna Boys Choir has sung 1000 tours in 97 different countries.

RMB 280 – 1080. 7.30pm. National Centre for the Performing Arts. 

China Puppet Art Theatre “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea” (Puppet Show), Oct 4, 5, 6   

All ages. China Puppet Art Theater has always sought to innovate in this traditional storytelling method. It is devoted to telling the stories of China, and integrating unique Chinese national arts and fairy tales into the performances. The theater has produced many popular works, especially for children. They have performed many fairytales surrounding the story of the Monkey King and the Journey to the West.

RMB 180 – 300. 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Ticket required. National Centre for the Performing Arts.

Studio Ghibli Symphony Concert, Oct 5         

All ages. Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed and well-known animation studios in the world. It has produced some of the most revered and beloved animated works to have ever graced the screen. Not only are these films known for their stories, beauty, and strong (usually female!) characters, but also the music. Join a team of voice-actors, musicians, orchestras, and singers to see the music of these films come to life in person. Join Azumi Inoue, who sang some of the most iconic Studio Ghibli theme songs including Castle in the Sky and My Neighbor Totoro, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and more as they bring the sound of Studio Ghibli to Beijing.

RMB 280 – 680. 7.30pm. Beijing Exhibition Center Theater.

Kids Club: The Silver Pagodas , Oct 6             

Ages 5-12. This easy kid-orientated hike will take you through the countryside for a picnic by the 600-year-old Silver Pagodas, then spend the afternoon relaxing in the sun with an optional climb up to Silver Mountain. Join Beijing Hikers for this fun and relaxing day exploring Beijing’s beautiful countryside.

RMB 150 – 360. 8am. Pick up areas are Liangmaqiao subway and Lido Metropark Hotel Starbucks. 

Photos: courtesy of event coordinators

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