Cheap Things to do in Beijing – Explore the City for Free99!

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Hello my fellow cheap-o’s. I wrote a beginner’s travel guide to Beijing, or at least the activity side of the city. But honestly there’s SO MUCH (I mean, it’s a massive city) that I decided to make a separate post for all of the cheap things to do in Beijing! I mean, after all, the only price better than cheap is free – and this post has both of them!

That said, before we get too far deep into this, I’ve only been to Beijing once for about a week (with some day trips thrown it), so this post obviously isn’t all encompassing. But yanno what, it’s a start, so hopefully you can mix in some of these cheap things to do in Beijing into your itinerary and keep your wallet happy.

Cheap Things to do in Beijing

I do wanna say that, for the most part, there are a LOT of cheap things to do in Beijing. I was honestly shocked at the price (or non-price) for some of these attractions, especially because it is such a major city. But when there’s a will to be cheap, there’s a way to be cheap.

Jingshan Park

A real hidden gem of Beijing, Jingshan Park is directly north of the Forbidden City and offers gorgeous views of the palaces, Beihei Park, city skyline and misty mountains in the distance. The views are really the best in the city and it’s surprising this little park is not more popular. 

Sunset is the best time to visit for spectacular views. Definitely one of the best cheap things to do in Beijing, and even better that it costs less than half a dollar.

• Address: 19 Beibeikou, Heishan, Haidan District
• Time Needed to Visit: 1-2 hours
• Opening Hours: 06:30 to 20:00
• Entrance Fee: ¥2 ($0.30)
• Nearest Metro: Shichahai (line 8) then a 15 minute walk to the entrance

Hutongs

Hutong means “narrow lane” or “alley” and represents the series of maze-like backstreets that criss-cross through central Beijing. People have been living in the hutongs since the Yuan Dynasty (1271 to 1368) and the small dwellings are still occupied by local residents today. 

You will notice that there are public toilets on most streets as the houses still do not have running water. That said, many of the hutongs include modern bars and restaurants (with indoor plumbing) which make a great place to spend an evening. I especially loved all the food booths and souvenir shops!

If you don’t mind spending a little to go a long way, I highly recommend taking a Hutong food walking tour. You get a little history and cultural insight to an already dope spot.

When walking the hutongs be aware that people live here and are going about their daily lives, so please refrain from annoying them in the name of Instagram!

• Address: the hutongs are located across the city spiraling out from around Tiananmen Square. 
• Time Needed to Visit: 1-2 hours
• Opening Hours: 24 hours
• Entrance Fee: free
• Nearest Metro: Shichahai (line 8), Dashilar (line 2 & 7)

798 Art District

The hippest new part of the city is for sure one of the best cheap things to do in Beijing! Explore the area around disused Factory Number 798 which has now been taken over by Beijing’s urban art community. 

At 798 Art District you will find galleries, exhibitions, instillations, graffiti, craft shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. Although the area is free to walk around, some of the galleries and exhibitions will have a cover charge. 

• Address: 2 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District 
• Time Needed to Visit: 2+ hours
• Opening Hours: 24 hours
• Entrance Fee: free
• Nearest Metro: Wangjing Nan (line 14) then a 20 minute walk

Beihai Park

One of Beijing’s largest parks, Beihai offers a touch of solace from the fast pace of the city. There is a large lake with bridges, islands and pavilions. It’s one of the more chill activities, but you can’t hate on a good park day.

• Address: 1 Wenjin Street, Xicheng District 
• Time Needed to Visit: 1-2 hours
• Opening Hours: 06:30 to 20:00
• Entrance Fee:
  • Low Season (Nov to Mar): ¥5 ($0.75)
  • High Season (Apr to Oct): ¥10 ($1.50)
• Nearest Metro: Beihai Bei (line 6)

How to Get Around for Cheap

Taxis are best avoided as they can be difficult to hail, especially for foreigners who many drivers see, to ignore. If you do take a taxi ask for the meter to be turned on rather than accepting an arbitrary inflated fee.

Same if you take a small tuk tuk, and agree on the price PER PERSON. One tried to scam me by saying the price we agreed upon was per person instead of total. I just walked away after paying the agreed price (I also didn’t have any more than that so…#CantScamABrokeGirl)

Local buses, although cheap at only ¥1 or ¥2 are best avoided for non-Mandarin speakers unless you know the exact route. The timetables are not in English and buses tend to get very crowded. Remind me to tell you about the time I rode the bus for like…an hour in the wrong direction in Chengdu, China lol.

So long answer short – the metro is amazing and will connect you to all the fun cheap things to do in Beijing.

Conclusion

Alright folks, I kept it short and sweet for once, but hopefully these suggestions of cheap things to do in Beijing come in handy for ya! If you’ve been to Beijing, let me know in the comments if there are any other attractions you would recommend for cheap things to do in Beijing! I need ideas for my next trip!

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