Avoid the Crowds!!! Unlock the Millennial Elegance of the Royal Gardens

Beihai Park, Beijing: An In-depth Guide 🌸 Decoding Before You Go ⏰ Opening Hours & 🎫 Ticket Guide Off-season (November 1–March 31): Tickets 5 yuan/person, combined ticket 15 yuan/person Peak season (April 1–October 31): Tickets 10 yuan/person, combined ticket 20 yuan/person Opening hours: Off-season 6:30–20:00, last entry 19:30. Peak season: 6:00–21:00, last entry 20:30. Gardens within the park and small courtyards: Off-season 8:30–17:00, last entry 16:30. Peak season 8:00–18:00, last entry 17:30. Closed on Mondays, except for Tuancheng. Combined ticket: 20 yuan (including Qionghua Island) Boat rides: 40–150 yuan (depending on the boat type) 💡 Hidden Perks Free admission for those over 60 | The first 100 visitors every Wednesday receive a lotus bookmark 🚇 Transportation Tips 🚇 Subway Line 6, exit D at Beihai North Station → Enter through the North Gate (avoid the main tour groups) 🚗 Drive and park at "Jingshan Park West Gate Parking Lot" → 5-minute walk to the South Gate 🏯 Must-See Spots 1️⃣ Qionghua Island: Key Highlights: White Dagoba (a Beijing landmark)/Yong'an Temple (inscribed by Emperor Qianlong) Fun Tip: Touch the "Kunlun Stone" for good luck Best Time: Before 8:00 to capture the White Dagoba without crowds 2️⃣ East Bank Secrets: Key Highlights: Hao Pu Jian (Emperor Qianlong's fishing spot)/Hua Fang Zhai (a popular spot for ancient costume photography) Fun Tip: Find the "Yunxiu" Taihu Stone Best Time: Rainy or foggy days for the best atmosphere 3️⃣ North Bank Highlights: Key Highlights: Nine Dragon Wall (one of the three great dragon walls in China)/Jingxin Zhai (Emperor Qianlong's study)/The sound of the water zither at "Qinquan Corridor" Best Time: 15:00 for the interplay of light and shadow 4️⃣ Boating on the Lake: Key Activities: Lotus boat (summer only) and traditional rowing boat (for an ancient experience) Fun Tip: Bring bread to feed the mallards Best Time: Sunset 📸 Picture-Perfect Spots (Photographer's Secrets) 1️⃣ White Dagoba Reflection: Take a symmetrical photo in front of the "Qionghua Island Spring Shade" stele on the south bank of the lake. 2️⃣ Five Dragon Pavilions at Sunset: Capture the golden glazed tiles against the sunset at 17:30. 3️⃣ Framed View of Jingxin Zhai: Photograph the Taihu stone "Xiaolinglong" through the moon gate. 4️⃣ Stone Bridge at Hao Pu Jian: Dress in Hanfu, hold an oil-paper umbrella, and capture the atmosphere of "Dream of the Red Chamber." 🍜 A Taste of the Royal Gardens 🏮 Food Inside the Park 1️⃣ Fangshan Restaurant: Wan Dou Huang + Yun Dou Juan (around 150 yuan per person for court-style tea and snacks) 2️⃣ Shuanghongxie: He Hua Su + Chilled Lotus Seed Soup (summer only) 🚶 Nearby Time-Honored Brands 1️⃣ Huguosi Snacks (Beihai North Branch): Mian Cha + Cream Fried Cake 2️⃣ Xingyuan Restaurant (Ping'anli): Sweet and Sour Pork + Knife-Cut Noodles 🗺️ Route Planning (Avoiding the Crowds) 🐾 Half-Day Highlights Route: Enter through the North Gate → Jingxin Zhai → West Heaven Fanjing → Nine Dragon Wall → Five Dragon Pavilions → Take a boat to Qionghua Island → White Dagoba → Exit through the South Gate 📚 Cultural Immersion Route: Tuancheng (see the Dushan Dayuhai) → Qionghua Island (Yong'an Temple inscriptions) → Yuegu Tower (calligraphy of the Three Rarities Hall) → Hua Fang Zhai (where Qi Baishi once lived) 🌙 Night Tour Bonus: Open for night tours on summer weekends (19:00–21:00), with a light show at Jingxin Zhai 🎭 Hidden Cultural Experiences ✅ Ring the bell at Yong'an Temple (10 yuan/3 rings, for a morning and evening bell ritual) ✅ Make rubbings at Hao Pu Jian (requires advance reservation for a cultural preservation class) ✅ Lotus Exhibition (July–August): Adopt a royal lotus 💡 Tips for Advanced Players 1️⃣ Morning Exercise Privilege: Enter the park at 6:30 and learn "Beihai Health Exercises" with Tai Chi practitioners. 2️⃣ Winter Exclusive: Ice skating and ice carting (late December–February, less crowded than Houhai) 3️⃣ Combined Tour Route: Beihai South Gate → Jingshan Park's Wanchun Pavilion (overlooking the central axis) → Forbidden City Corner Tower sunset 4️⃣ Ancient Tree Hunt: Find the "Tang Dynasty Locust Tree," "Shade Marquis," and the 800-year-old Chinese red pine. ⭕ Before leaving the park, buy a lotus ice cream at "Shuanghongxie"—the jasmine fragrance on your tongue will unlock memories of old Beijing. When the bronze bell gently rings at the corner of Yong'an Temple, when the remnants of lotus leaves outline an ink painting on Taiye Lake, this royal garden, dating back to the Liao Dynasty, holds a Beijing charm that is even more vibrant than the Forbidden City.