First time taking grandpa and grandma to Beijing? A warm-hearted complete guide to enjoy the capital city with ease and peace of mind!
Trip Highlights:
✅ Cover all classic attractions: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Mutianyu Great Wall, and other key landmarks all in one trip
✅ Designed for seniors: fully accessible facilities + low-intensity itinerary, daily walking ≤ 8,000 steps
✅ Exclusive Trip.com benefits: fast-track tickets + special hotel discounts, save up to 30%
✅ Deep cultural experience: Peking opera show + royal cuisine tasting to feel the charm of old Beijing
1. Itinerary Plan (5 days 4 nights)
Day 1: The solemnity and grandeur beneath the Imperial City
Morning:
• Tiananmen Square (free):
Check the flag-raising time in advance (available via the “Beijing Bendi Bao” WeChat official account). It’s recommended to take a taxi to the east side road of the square to avoid security peak hours. Take photos with the Monument to the People's Heroes as the background and visit the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (free, reservation required one day in advance).
Tip: Tiananmen Gate Tower offers free admission for seniors over 60, where you can climb up to overlook the entire square.
Noon:
• Siji Minfu Roast Duck Restaurant (Forbidden City branch):
A 10-minute walk to the east gate of the Forbidden City. The window seats offer views of Donghua Gate. Recommended dishes: crispy tender roast duck, Beile roast meat. Average cost per person: 120 RMB.
Afternoon:
• The Palace Museum (ticket 60 RMB, half price for seniors):
Reserve in advance via the “Palace Museum” mini program 7 days before at 8:00 PM, choose the “morning session” to avoid crowds. Enter from the Meridian Gate and tour along the central axis visiting the three main halls, with a focus on the Treasure Gallery (extra reservation required, 10 RMB for seniors). Seniors over 60 can use the special love channel at Meridian Gate to skip the queue.
Effort-saving options: rent a wheelchair (at Meridian Gate entrance, deposit 500 RMB) or take an electric cart (10 RMB/person) to Qianqing Gate.
Evening:
• National Centre for the Performing Arts (admission ticket 30 RMB):
A 15-minute walk to the west side of the Great Hall of the People to enjoy the night view of the architecture. It is recommended to book classic performances like “Teahouse” or “The Peony Pavilion” in advance, ticket prices range from 200 to 500 RMB.
Day 2: The poetry and leisure of the royal gardens
Morning:
• Summer Palace (free, enter directly with ID card):
Take a taxi to the newly built palace gate, follow the accessible route to visit the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and Bronze Ox, then take a boat to the Marble Boat (boat ticket 60 RMB/person). Electric mobility scooters are available for rent inside the park (300 RMB/day).
Noon:
• Tingli Restaurant:
Located inside the east gate of the Summer Palace, specializing in royal cuisine. Recommended dishes: pregnant mandarin fish, pea jelly. Average cost per person: 180 RMB.
Afternoon:
• Jingshan Park (ticket 2 RMB):
Take a taxi to the west gate of the park, climb Wanchun Pavilion to overlook the Forbidden City panorama (gentle stone steps, about 10 minutes to the top). Visit the Shouhuang Hall Qing Dynasty royal sacrificial exhibition, then walk down to Beihai Park for boating.
Evening:
• Shichahai Bar Street:
Take a tricycle tour of the hutongs (150 RMB per vehicle) to experience the old Beijing courtyard style. Recommended dish: grilled meat at “Kaorou Ji,” average cost 80 RMB per person.
Day 3: The grandeur of the Great Wall and the bustling city life
All day:
• Mutianyu Great Wall (ticket 40 RMB, round-trip cable car 120 RMB):
Book the “Mutianyu Great Wall + round-trip bus” package on Trip.com (includes guided tour, 268 RMB/person), gather at the front gate before 7:30 AM for departure. The cable car goes directly to Tower 14; recommended photo spot is “Hao Han Slope.” The slide down (100 RMB/person) is suitable for seniors with good physical condition.
Evening:
• Qianmen Street:
Stroll through the old shops of Dashilan, taste the century-old Lu Zhu stew at Menkuang Hutong (average 30 RMB per person). Recommended souvenirs: Neiliansheng cloth shoes, Ruifuxiang silk.
Day 4: Prayers at the Temple of Heaven and modern landmarks
Morning:
• Temple of Heaven Park (free, enter directly with ID card):
Take Metro Line 5 to the East Gate of the Temple of Heaven, focus on visiting the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Echo Wall. Electric carts inside the park cost 15 RMB/person to reduce walking pressure.
Noon:
• Lao Ciqikou Douzhi Shop:
Walk to the north gate of the Temple of Heaven to experience old Beijing breakfast. Recommended: fried dough rings with fermented mung bean juice (5 RMB/bowl), sugar fire cake. Average cost per person: 15 RMB.
Afternoon:
• Olympic Park (free):
Take Metro Line 8 to Olympic Sports Center Station, visit the exterior of the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. If physically able, climb the Linglong Tower (ticket 80 RMB) for a panoramic view of the park.
Evening:
• Bird’s Nest Skywalk (ticket 160 RMB):
After 7:00 PM, the light show starts. Walk along the steel structure corridor over 60 meters high and feel the grandeur of the Olympic venue.
Day 5: Memories of the hutongs and a warm return
Morning:
• Prince Gong’s Mansion (ticket 40 RMB, half price for seniors):
Take Metro Line 6 to Beihai North Station, explore the “Land of Ten Thousand Blessings.” Focus on visiting Xijinzhai and Western Gate. It is recommended to rent an electronic guide device (20 RMB/unit).
Noon:
• Huguo Temple Snack Main Store:
Walk to Huguo Temple Street to taste Beijing snacks like Ai Wo Wo and Donkey Roll. Average cost per person: 25 RMB.
Afternoon:
• Wangfujing Pedestrian Street:
Visit the nostalgic themed area “Heping Guoju” in the department store, buy Daoxiangcun snack gift boxes. Book airport transfer service on Trip.com (economy sedan 200 RMB/car) according to flight time for return.
2. Practical Tips
1. Transportation Guide
• Metro: Seniors over 65 with “Beijing Tong - Elderly and Disabled Card” ride free, download the “Yi Tong Xing” app to scan QR codes for entry and exit.
• Taxi: Prefer “Trip.com special car,” note “for elderly” when booking, drivers will assist getting in and out.
2. Accommodation Recommendations
• Beijing Tiananmen Yifei Hotel (Trip.com 4 diamonds, about 800 RMB/night):
5-minute walk to the Forbidden City, 8th-floor terrace overlooks the Forbidden City panorama, offers accessible rooms and 24-hour hot water kettles.
• Wangfujing Hilton Hotel (Trip.com 5 diamonds, about 1200 RMB/night):
Next to Metro Line 1, rooms equipped with bath grab bars, hotel offers traditional Chinese medicine therapy services.
3. Ticket Discounts
• Forbidden City: Seniors over 60 with ID card get half-price tickets (30 RMB), Treasure Gallery 10 RMB.
• Great Wall: Seniors over 60 free admission, no discount on cable car.
• Temple of Heaven / Summer Palace: Seniors over 60 free admission, no reservation needed.
4. Health Protection
• Medicine: Carry antihypertensive drugs, motion sickness patches, montmorillonite powder; medical rooms in scenic spots provide basic treatment.
• Sun protection: June temperatures in Beijing range from 25-35°C, recommend breathable quick-dry clothing, bring a folding umbrella and sun hat.
5. Cultural Experience
• Peking Opera: Liyuan Theatre (inside Qianmen Hotel) offers tea-seat performances, classic shows like “Farewell My Concubine” at 7:30 PM nightly, tickets start at 280 RMB.
• Royal Cuisine: Baijia Dayuan (Suzhou Street) offers dining served by eunuchs and palace maids, average 400 RMB per person, reservation required 3 days in advance.
3. Trip.com Exclusive Benefits
1. Fast-track tickets: Book combined tickets for the Forbidden City + Treasure Gallery on Trip.com and get a Meridian Gate fast pass to save queue time.
2. Hotel discounts: Book “Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing Beijing” to enjoy Trip.com member price with 200 RMB off, including breakfast for two.
3. Car rental service: Rent a 7-seat business vehicle (with driver), 8 hours per day for 500 RMB, suitable for family travel.
Taking grandpa and grandma to Beijing is not just a trip, but a dialogue across time and space. From the solemnity of Tiananmen to the elegance of the Summer Palace, from the grandeur of the Great Wall to the warmth of the hutongs, every scene carries the memory of history.