Best Cities for Families in China

With such a rich, ancient history and incredible, vast and stunning landscape, narrowing down the best locales in China to visit with the family is no easy task. As with any family trip, convenience is key and even a far-off destination like China can still be in everyone’s comfort zone.

The key to a well-planned family vacation to the Far East can sometimes be sticking with tourist-ready locations, like cities. These metropolises are highly-populated and visited for good reason — there is so much to see and do for all ages. Use this list of family-ready cities to keep in mind for your family vacation to China.

Beijing

Sometimes the most obvious choice is also the best and it doesn’t get much more obvious than the capital city of Beijing. Home to the Forbidden City, Great Wall and Summer Palace — just to name a few — Beijing is a crowd pleaser for history, culture and quintessential China.

The daring kids in your crew can toboggan on the Great Wall, head out for a hike or take a boat tour of the Summer Palace. As a family, get your shopping and walking shoes and explore downtown, or to the Temple of Heaven for some more sightseeing. There are plenty of ways to keep the kids busy and engaged, including Beijing World Park, Beijing Zoo or Beijing Ocean Park.

The Great Wall of China. Photo: Derrick Neill | Dreamstime.com

Shanghai

With a more modern appeal, Shanghai boasts the East China Sea to one end and epic city attractions to the other. Take the kids along the waterfront and cruise the Huangpu River, or get a birds-eye view from Shanghai Tower. Definitely don’t forget to take a stroll down The Bund. The neon lights running along the Huangpu River make for great family photos and a fun night excursion with the kids.

Explore Old Shanghai and the city’s eclectic architecture, or head to the many family-friendly parks and zoos, like Shanghai Wild Animal Park, Shanghai Natural Wild-Insect Kingdom and Shanghai Ocean Park.

Whichever city you visit, your family will be in good hands with an established brand for accommodations, like Mandarin Oriental, Grand Central Hotel or Dorsett Shanghai. These brands, among many others, are all well-equipped for families of all ages and interests and can easily accommodate any needs at the concierge desk. Take their expert advice for family-friendly restaurants and attractions, or call down for family necessities you may have forgotten at home — typically, they can help with a variety of needs.