It is time to go for outdoor activities in this early summer. It is comfortable to walk in a park in the evening or at weekends. It would be much greater if these parks are offered for free. We have listed 12 parks with beautiful scenery in Beijing.

Olympic Forest Park

Lay in the south of central Beijing, the Olympic Forest Park is the largest city landscape in Asia. The Olympic Forest Park is built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and is now opened to public for free. The park features in tourism, entertainment, sports and exercise.

Bus Routes:

South Gate: Take subway Line 8 to the South Gate of the Olympic Forest Park.

West Gate: Take bus No. 510 or 81 to the Aolinchuntian Station.

East Gate: Take bus No. 3 to the South Yangshanqiao Station.

Haidian Park

Built on the site of the former imperial Changchun Park, the Haidian Park follows the natural style of the Changchun Park. The park comprises attractions such as Taoyuan Study, Wanquan Spring, Danling Lake, Twin Bridge, Imperial Rice Field, Crops-Viewing Pavilion, Dew-Collecting Terrace, and Flower Valley.

Address: No. 2, Xinjiangongmen Road, Haidian District, Beijing

Bus Routes: Take bus No. 384, 384 (section), 482, 534, 563, 664, 671, 992, 968, 996, Te 5, Te 10 or Yunton 108.

Yuan Dynasty Capital City Wall Site Park

Built in Yuan dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty Capital city wall has a history of over 700 years. Xiaoyue River is the major water scenery area of the park. The Yuan Dynasty Capital City Wall Site Park consists of 7 scenic areas including Capital Tour, Guests from Four Seas, Cherry-apple Brook, Stability and Prosperity, Heyday of Yuan Capital, Aqua Luxury and Dragon Pond Fish Leap.

Address: Jia No. 30, Anwaixiaoguan Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Bus Routes: Take subway Line 10 at the Jiandemen Station, Beitucheng Station, Anzhenmen Station or South Exit of West Huixin Street to the park.

Rending Lake Park

Built in 1958, Rending Lake Park is designed with a modern European style. It covers an area of 9.2 hectares, of which 1 hectare is covered by water. The south of the park is characterized by grass, waterscape, sculpture, flower stand and landscape wall.

Address: No. 25, Liupukang Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Ritan Park

Built in 1530 during the late Ming Dynasty, the Temple of the Sun is one of the five famous altars in Beijing. It is the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshiped the god of the sun. With an area of 20.62 hectares, the Ritan Park has developed into a classic garden with national characteristics.

Address: No. 6, North Ritan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Bus Routes:

South Gate: Take bus No. 1, 4, 120, 728, 848 or 859 to the Ritan Road Station.

West Gate: Take bus No. 44, 750, 800 or Te 2 to the Yabao Road Station.

North Gate: Take bus No. 101, 120, 43 or 109 to the Fangcao Road Station.

Honglingjin Park

Honglingjin Park is a theme park for children named "Red scarf" in the country. It is a place for patriotic and popular science education for teenagers. Built in 1958, it covers an area of 390,000 square kilometers, of which 160,000 square kilometers are covered by water.

Major attractions of the park are a theme square named "Song of the Red Scarf", Ginkgo Square, Dream of Sea Square, Music Fountain and the Practical Road Safety Education Base.

Address: No. 5 Houbalizhuang, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Tuanjie Lake Park

Tuanjiehu Park covers an area of 12.3 hectares, including a water area of 5.4 hectares. The ring shape of the lake, which means lake of unity, was constructed in 1958. There is a stone fish in the park, which is considered as the symbol of the park.

Address: Tuanjie Lake Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Bus Routes:

Take bus No. 115, 718 or 825 to the Tuanjie Lake Park Station.

Take bus No. 113, 405, 402, 725, 757, 750, 801, Yuntong 107, Te 3 or Te 8 to the Baijiazhuang Station.

Purple Bamboo Park

Purple Bamboo Park is situated at the southern end of Baishiqiao Road in the outside of the Xizhimen in Beijing. The park covers a total area of 45.73 hectares, in which one third of the area is covered by water. It consists of three lakes, two islands and one embankment. It is a natural mountain-water landscaped garden which is famous for the scenery of bamboos.

Address: No. 35, South Street, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing

Bus Routes:

Take bus No. 114, 118, 334, 360, 362, 482, 534 or 87 to the south gate of the Purple Bamboo Park.

Take bus No. 332, 608, 563, 689, 697, 717, Te 4, Te 6, Yuntong 106, 106 or 205 to the National Library of China Station.

Dongsheng Bajia Suburb Park

Bajia Suburb Park is located in Dongsheng Village of Haidian District in Beijing. It covers an area of 1,521 mu (101.4 hectares). The park functions as the service center, exercise footpath, science education and training base, entertainment and activity area for children.

Address: Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing

Bus Routes: Take bus No. 333, 355, 392, 398, 490, 478 or 691 to the Xuzhi Road Station and walk toward the west direction about 600 meters.

Changpu River Park

The name of the Changpu River or Outer Part of Golden River comes from the acorus calamuses in the river. The Changpu River Park, opened to public in September 2002, is located in the north of the Tiananmen Square. The main attractions of the park include “Changpuyingchun (spring acorus calamus)”, “Tianfeizhaying (shadow of the Tianfei floodgate)”, “Hongqianghuaigu (red wall)” and “Lingxufeihong (Lingxu Pavillion and Feihong Bridge)”.

Address: East of the Beijing Working People’s Cultural Palace, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Bus Routes: Take bus No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, 52, 57, 22, 54, 120 or 802 to the Beijing Working People’s Cultural Palace Station.

Qingfeng Park

As one of the boutique parks in Beijing, the Qingfeng Park was opened for free in September 2009. The park, covers an area of 200,000 hectares, is divided into the east and west parks by the East 3rd Ring Road. The main factors of the park are “sails” and “boats”. The north part of the park is constructed as a modern waterfront landscape area and the north part is a green ecological and cultural area.

Address: Jia No. 2, Changpo Village, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Bus Routes: Take bus No. 976, 974, 801, 707, 686, 627, 57 or 28 to the South Dabeiyao Station.

Shijingshan Sculpture Park

Shijingshan Sculpture Park is the first garden park features in plants and sculptures of China. Opened in 1985, it was rewarded as one of the “Great New Gardens in Beijing”. The park covers an area of 36,000 square kilometers, in which water area is 50,000 square kilometers. It has more than 87 varieties of plants.

Address: West Bajiao Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing

Bus Routes: Take bus No. 598 or 399 to the West Bajiao Road Station.