Don't Want to Be Stuck in the House on Oct 1? Explore a Free Park Instead

For those of us who will be stuck in Beijing over the holiday week, whiling away an afternoon chilling in a local park sounds like a very good way to spend the day.

If you agree then you're in luck because Beijing Municipal Landscaping Bureau has announced that 18 parks that usually require tickets will be open to the public for three on Oct 1 as part of the ongoing celebrations, Xinhua News reported on Sep 20. 

The 18 parks are the Temple of Heaven, Ditan Park, and Longtan Park in Dongcheng District; Taoranting Park, Beijing Zoo, Yuetan Park, and Shuangxiu Park in Xicheng District; Chaoyang Park in Chaoyang District; the Summer Palace, Beijing Botanical Garden, Fragrant Hills Park, Yuyuantan Park, and the Old Summer Palace in Haidian District; Beijing Garden Expo Park and Fengtai Science Park in Fengtai District; Eight Great Sites Park (Badachu Park) and Beijing International Sculpture Park in Shijingshan District; Hulongyuan Park in Changping District.

Of the 18 parks, nine require you to book in advance via either their website, app or official WeChat account. For ease of searching, we have listed the Chinese names of the parks below:

• Temple of Heaven 天坛公园
• Ditan Park 地坛公园
• Taoranting Park 陶然亭公园
• Chaoyang Park 朝阳公园
• Beijing Garden Expo Park 北京园博园
• Beijing International Sculpture Park 北京国际雕塑公园
• Summer Palace 颐和园
• Beijing Zoo 北京动物园
• Badachu Park 八大处公园

All in all, more than 300 parks will be open to the public on Oct 1, although you should be sure to check in advance before you set out as some may be closed for part of the day.  

For detailed reviews for some of Beijing's many excellent parks, check our Park Life column here.

Rather get out of the city? It's Still Not Too Late to Fly to Hong Kong for the October Holiday

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