The ancient canal with thousands years of history is showing new signs of life. Recently, the Beijing-Hebei section of the Grand Canal, 62 kilometers long, has opened to traffic. Tourists can experience a cruise journey to Hebei when the epidemic prevention and control conditions allow. Since it’s the middle of summer right now, why not come here to play with water and enjoy the scenery?

Grand Canal Forest Park

Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park covering a total area of 713 hectares, is a national 4A scenic spot. It is a large-scale green ecological park that in extension, transformation and integration based on former Canal Culture Square, Canal Olympic Park, and Ecological Park. 

Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park embodies a design of “one river, two banks, six gardens and 18 views”. Entering the park from the north gate and heading south, you can see the Wenying Scenic Area in Moon Island surrounded by water. Shaping like a crescent moon, it is named as Moon Island. The Moon Island takes in a forest of tall trees decorated with other plants like flowering shrubs and is filled with the mild summer breeze.

Mingjing Yizhou Scenic Area is the canal’s terminal and also the broadest water surface in the park which is as calm as a mirror. Standing at the head of the dam and looking at the peaceful water surface, it gives people infinite reverie. A Chinese painting of “Lu River Transportation” on the wall presents a historical picture of the prosperity of the canal.

Address: Tonghuai Road, Tongzhou District, Beijing

Opening hours: All day, closed at 6 pm

Admission: Free. The park is currently under reservation. Please make a free reservation in advance by searching "Grand Canal Forest Park" on Meituan or Dianping

Xihaizi Park

In the summer time, Xihaizi Park resembles a bright ink painting that interweaves with colour blue and green. There are two shadow stones beside the lake, which are called “Eyes of the West Sea”. Through it, you can see Dipamkara Buddha Buddhist Relics Pagoda that has a history of more than 1400 years.

The pagoda witnesses the canal’s water flow for thousands of years, like an old man. And the Xihaizi park has incorporated rich historical relics to form a precious scenic framework of “one tower, two lakes, four districts and eight scenes”. Above the rippling lake is the Yunqu Bridge extended more than 100 meters, with a pavilion-like bridge in the middle. It has seven eaves that are bilaterally symmetrical and upward layer by layer, resembling a tower hill that is indeed spectacular.

Standing in a distance of the Yunqu Bridge is the Xihai Pavilion, a landmark on the north-south axis of the park. Sitting in the pavilion, there is a rippling lake on one side and lush grass and trees on the other, accompanied by the mirror-like summer river and the fragrance of grass and flowers.

Address: No.12 Xihaizi West Road, Tongzhou District, Beijing

Opening hours: All day

Admission: Free

Zhangjiawan Park

Zhangjiawan is an ancient canal town, situating at the most northern part of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. As the old saying goes, “What worth appreciating at the Beijing Flower Festival? Nine out of ten people will say Zhangjiawan”. The tourist attractions in the park recreate the old memory of Sishui and the scenery view of tea houses and water lanes.

The two rivers embrace each other, interweaving in color blue and green. The ancient town is a treasure land, coexisting with the park in harmony. There are elegant buildings, clear lakes, corridors, stacked rocks, leaning windows that scatter at different heights with antique beauty, making people feel as if they have traveled back to the Jinling city.

Apart from that, there are also a series of landscapes such as ten thousand boats merging together on the market day, a high platform to look far away, an ancient town in Sishui, and a forest of singing warblers. Therefore, you can enjoy views from Suzhou and Hangzhou even without leaving the capital.

Address: Shizhuangchang Road, Tongzhou District, Beijing

Opening hours: All day

Admission: Free

Central Green Forest Park

The Central Green Forest Park, with the beautiful scenery and ancient style architecture, has been selected as a famous checkpoint in Beijing for two consecutive years. It is designed around the traditional 24-season Chinese lunar calendar, planting flowers in different areas according to relevant solar terms. The sea of flowers in clusters makes this place a unique scenery and attracts countless tourists.

Walking into the Central Green Forest Park, you can immediately catch the smell of the fresh scent of grass and trees. This urban forest park with an area of about 11.2 square kilometers features millions of canopy trees, 24-season canopy gaps and landscape avenues of all seasons.

Moreover, it has the most beautiful family restaurant---Forest Qiqu Restaurant in the middle of the park where there is a 10-meter-high slide, steam trains, mirror mazes, Joy Planet, climbing nets and other facilities. So bring your kids on this wonderful trip!

Address: Northeast of the Intersection of Jingtang Road and East 6th Ring, Tongzhou District, Beijing

Opening hours: Open all day (Forest Qiqu Restaurant: 10:00---18:00)

Admission: Free ticket for the park, but the Forest Qiqu Restaurant requires a reservation in advance by searching for “Central Green Forest Park” on Meituan or Dianping.

Canal Culture Square

The Canal Culture Square is located northwest of Dongguan Bridge in Tongzhou District. Once you enter from the south gate, you can see a colorful pagoda with a plaque “Canal Culture Square” written by Ouyang Zhongshi.

There is a statue called “Dongfang” standing at the north end of the square, with a flying dragon on the upper level and three majestic kylins on the lower level. The three kylins look down at this place, lifelike and momentum magnificent.

On the north side of the square, there is Qianhe Xielu Bridge known as “the most beautiful landscape on the North Canal”. Seeing from a distance, the walkway and cycle path on both sides are integrated with a curvilinear bridge. These three views at different heights, full of ups and downs, resembling a curling flounce and filled with sense of future.

Address: No.9 Furong West Road, Tongzhou District, Beijing

Opening hours: Open all day

Admission: Free