Five days in Beijing gives you enough time to see the city’s major historical sights, spend one or two days at the Great Wall, and still leave room for activities kids can enjoy.

The challenge isn’t finding things to do. It’s deciding what not to put on the same day.

Beijing is huge. The Forbidden City involves a lot of walking, the Great Wall can take an entire day, and several major attractions require advance reservations. A schedule that looks reasonable on a map can become exhausting once transportation, security checks, meals and children are added.

This 5 day Beijing itinerary with kids is built around a first visit: two days for the Great Wall, one main historical sightseeing day, and lighter days at the beginning and end.

We traveled in Beijing with our 6-year-old and did much of this route ourselves, including hiking Jinshanling, camping overnight inside a Great Wall watchtower and visiting Mutianyu. Where our plans changed, I’ve treated those sights as recommendations rather than presenting them as places we personally visited.

5-Day Beijing Itinerary at a Glance

Day	Recommended Plan	Pace
Day 1	Arrive → hotel → easy first day	Easy
Day 2	Jinshanling Great Wall → Gubeikou overnight	Active
Day 3	Great Wall sunrise → Mutianyu → Beijing	Moderate
Day 4	Tiananmen Square → Forbidden City → Temple of Heaven	Full
Day 5	Historical costume photoshoot at the Imperial Ancestral Temple → Wangfujing	Flexible

Don’t want to camp or spend two days at the Great Wall? You don’t have to. Visit Mutianyu as a day trip instead and use the extra day for the Summer Palace or another Beijing attraction. See the Alternative 5-Day Beijing Itinerary Without Great Wall Camping below for an easier version of the trip.

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Day 1: Arrive in Beijing and Keep It Easy

Don’t put a major attraction on arrival day.

Immigration, baggage, airport transportation, hotel check-in and jet lag can make arrival times unpredictable. Use the first day to get settled and deal with the practical things you’ll need for the rest of the trip.

Before Leaving the Airport

If you didn’t arrange an eSIM, international roaming or a China SIM before your trip, look for a SIM card option at the airport before heading to your hotel.

Having mobile data from the start makes the first few hours easier—you may need it for maps, translation, messaging, payment apps and arranging transportation.

Bring your passport, since identification may be required when purchasing and registering a local SIM.

If you already have an eSIM or international roaming working when you land, you can skip this step.

Once You Reach Your Hotel

Use the rest of Day 1 to get everything ready for the next few days:

Make sure your SIM/eSIM or roaming data works.
Get Alipay and/or WeChat Pay working.
Confirm the next day’s Great Wall transportation.
Check your attraction reservations.
Buy water and snacks.
Take an easy walk if everyone still has energy.
Let the kids use the hotel pool if you have one.

Where to Stay in Beijing With Kids

For a first visit, Dongcheng District is a practical area to consider, particularly if the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and Wangfujing are on your itinerary.

When comparing hotels, look for:

Convenient subway access
Reasonable travel time to the sights you want to visit
Breakfast
Family rooms if needed
A swimming pool if your kids will use it
A 24-hour front desk
Easy pickup access for drivers and tours

We stayed at Jian Guo Garden Hotel in Dongcheng. The pool was useful with our daughter, and the hotel worked well for sightseeing and our Great Wall pickup.

Read our Jian Guo Garden Hotel review →

Set Up Payments Before You Arrive

Set up your China payment options before your trip rather than waiting until you need to pay for something.

We had Alipay configured before arriving, but it later required additional verification. Having another way to access money was useful until we got WeChat Pay working.

Read: How to Pay in China as a Foreigner →

Day 2: Hike Jinshanling and Camp at Gubeikou

If hiking is one of the main reasons you’re visiting the Great Wall, consider giving it more than a few hours.

Jinshanling Great Wall With Kids

Jinshanling works best for families with children who are comfortable walking for several hours, climbing stairs and handling uneven ground.

Our family-paced hike took roughly 3–4 hours, with our 6-year-old completing the route.

Expect steep sections, uneven stone and plenty of stairs.

Bring:

Shoes with good grip
Water
Snacks
Sunscreen
Hat
Portable charger
Light day pack

Our tour company handled transportation, tents, sleeping bags and meals, so we didn’t carry overnight camping equipment during the hike.

Jinshanling or Mutianyu With Kids?

If your family wants a longer Great Wall hike, consider Jinshanling.

If you want an easier visit with younger children, Mutianyu is the simpler option because of its visitor infrastructure and lift access.

You don’t have to visit both.

Night 2: Great Wall Camping at Gubeikou

After Jinshanling, transfer by road to Gubeikou for the overnight.

One important planning point:

Jinshanling, Gubeikou and Mutianyu are not one continuous family hiking route in this itinerary. We used road transportation between the sections.

Our tour company arranged the overnight, including the tent and sleeping equipment.

If you’re interested in doing something similar, arrange the overnight in advance and confirm exactly what’s included with your operator.

Should You Spend Two Days at the Great Wall?

If the Great Wall is one of the main reasons you’re traveling to Beijing, two days gives you time to hike a quieter section, stay overnight and see another section the following day.

If you mainly want to see the Great Wall without making it a major part of the trip, visit Mutianyu as a day trip instead.

That leaves an extra day for Beijing.

Read our complete 2-day Great Wall itinerary, cost and packing guide →

Day 3: Great Wall Sunrise and Mutianyu

If you’re staying overnight at Gubeikou, get up early enough to see sunrise.

After breakfast, transfer by road to Mutianyu Great Wall.

Mutianyu With Kids

Mutianyu is easier to adjust around children’s energy levels because lift access means you don’t necessarily have to climb the mountain from the bottom just to reach the wall.

Allow around 2–3 hours depending on how much of the wall you want to walk.

Mutianyu is also known for its toboggan, but don’t build the entire visit around it.

We planned to use the toboggan but skipped it because the line was long and took the chairlift instead.

That worked fine.

Keep the Afternoon Free

Once you’re back in Beijing, don’t schedule another major attraction.

After hiking the previous day, sleeping on the Great Wall, waking for sunrise and visiting Mutianyu, use the afternoon to recover.

Hotel → shower → pool → dinner → rest.

This is deliberate downtime, not unused itinerary space.

Girl Dress At Great Wall Of China In Mutianyu

Day 4: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven

This is the main historical sightseeing day.

We planned these sights but didn’t complete this day ourselves, so the route below is a recommended itinerary rather than a firsthand account of doing all three in one day.

Morning: Tiananmen Square

Start at Tiananmen Square.

Advance reservations are currently required for the square, including for foreign visitors. Bring the passport associated with your reservation.

Starting here also puts you in position to continue to the Forbidden City.

Late Morning to Early Afternoon: Forbidden City

Continue to the Forbidden City, officially the Palace Museum.

Give yourself at least 2–3 hours.

With children, don’t feel obligated to see every courtyard and hall. The complex is enormous, and trying to cover everything can turn the visit into a long walk rather than an enjoyable one.

Choose the parts that interest your family most and take breaks when needed.

Book tickets ahead and check the current entry requirements before your visit.

Stop for Lunch

Take a proper lunch break after the Forbidden City.

There’s no benefit to rushing through lunch just to add another attraction.

Afternoon: Temple of Heaven

Continue to the Temple of Heaven.

Check the opening hours for the specific attractions inside the park. The park grounds and major ticketed buildings can have different closing and last-entry times.

If the Forbidden City takes longer than expected, move Temple of Heaven to Day 5 rather than rushing through it.

What About Beijing’s Hutongs?

The hutongs can fit here, but I wouldn’t automatically add them.

Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven already make a full sightseeing day with children.

If you want to visit Shichahai and the surrounding hutongs, add them only if your family still has the time and energy—or substitute them for part of Day 5.

Historical Costume Photoshoot Ming Dynasty Hanfu

Day 5: Historical Costume Photoshoot at the Imperial Ancestral Temple + Wangfujing

The last day is a good place for an activity that combines sightseeing with something children can participate in.

One option is a Chinese historical costume photoshoot, with one of Beijing’s historic sites as the backdrop.

Historical Costume Photoshoot: How It Works

We booked our photoshoot as a package.

The preparation took place at the photography studio, where we selected our costumes and had our hair and makeup done.

The process was roughly:

choose costume → hair and makeup → dress → travel to chosen photoshoot location → photoshoot

We were given a choice of photoshoot venues and chose the Imperial Ancestral Temple (Taimiao / 太庙).

That made the activity more than a studio photoshoot.

It also gave us an opportunity to visit and walk through a historic imperial complex while taking the photos.

Imperial Ancestral Temple (Taimiao)

The Imperial Ancestral Temple dates to the Ming dynasty and was used by Ming and Qing emperors for ceremonies honoring their imperial ancestors. The complex sits just east of Tiananmen and is now part of the Beijing Working People’s Cultural Palace.

Its imperial architecture makes it a natural backdrop for historical-style costumes: red walls, courtyards, traditional halls and yellow-glazed roofs.

We were permitted to do our photoshoot there during our visit, and the temple was one of the venue choices offered with our photography booking.

While we were around the temple complex, we also saw uniformed guards marching and conducting a training routine outside.

For a child, this kind of activity can work particularly well after several days of traditional sightseeing because they’re participating rather than simply walking through another attraction.

How Much Time Should You Allow?

Don’t schedule a photoshoot as a one-hour activity.

Allow time for:

Costume selection
Hair
Makeup
Dressing
Transportation to the selected venue
Admission, if applicable
Walking around the site
The actual photography session

Our hair and makeup preparation alone took around 1½ hours.

When booking, check whether the quoted price includes:

costume + makeup + hair + photographer + edited photos + transportation + attraction admission

Packages can differ.

Check the Current Venue Rules

Because attraction and photography rules can change, confirm the available photoshoot locations with the studio when you book.

Finish the Day at Wangfujing

After the photoshoot, keep the remaining schedule flexible.

Use Wangfujing for:

Food
Shopping
Souvenirs
A final walk
Anything you need before leaving Beijing

If you still want to see the hutongs, you could substitute Shichahai for Wangfujing.

Don’t try to force both into the schedule if the photoshoot takes longer than expected.

Alternative 5-Day Beijing Itinerary Without Great Wall Camping

Great Wall camping isn’t necessary for a good Beijing trip.

For families who prefer a simpler itinerary:

Day	Morning	Afternoon
Day 1	Arrive + hotel	Rest / easy walk
Day 2	Mutianyu Great Wall	Return to Beijing
Day 3	Summer Palace	Flexible afternoon
Day 4	Tiananmen + Forbidden City	Temple of Heaven
Day 5	Photoshoot or hutongs	Wangfujing

For families who aren’t specifically interested in hiking or camping, this version may be easier.

How to Adjust This Beijing Itinerary for Your Family

With Younger Kids

Choose Mutianyu as a day trip instead of the Jinshanling/Gubeikou overnight.

You’ll still see the Great Wall while gaining another full day in Beijing.

With Kids Who Like Hiking

Keep Jinshanling.

It makes the Great Wall a substantial part of the trip rather than a short sightseeing stop.

With Kids Who Get Bored at Historical Sites

Balance the palaces and temples with activities where they can participate:

Great Wall hiking
Swimming
Historical costume photoshoot
Rickshaw ride
Shopping
Parks
Trying different foods

A five-day family itinerary doesn’t need to contain five days of historical sightseeing.

If You Don’t Want to Camp

Don’t.

Choose one Great Wall section and make it a day trip.

What to Book Before Your Beijing Trip

Before arriving in Beijing, check or arrange:

Forbidden City tickets
Tiananmen Square reservation
Great Wall tour or transportation
Hotel
Historical costume photoshoot, if wanted
Alipay and WeChat Pay setup
SIM/eSIM or international roaming — ideally arrange connectivity before departure. If you haven’t, check SIM options at the Beijing airport after arrival.
Internet access setup for the services you need
Airport transportation, if you want it arranged beforehand

Keep your passport information available because several Beijing attractions use real-name reservations or ticketing.

Is 5 Days Enough for Beijing?

Five days is enough for a solid first trip to Beijing, but not enough to see everything.

For a first visit, I’d prioritize:

Great Wall → Forbidden City → Tiananmen Square → Temple of Heaven

Then use the remaining time according to your family’s interests.

That might mean the Summer Palace.

Or hutongs.

Or a historical costume photoshoot.

Or simply a slower afternoon.

If you also want the Lama Temple, museums, Beijing Zoo, Olympic Park, Summer Palace and several neighborhoods, stay longer or replace something.

Don’t add attractions simply because there’s an open space on the schedule.

5-Day Beijing Itinerary With Kids FAQ

What should you see in Beijing in five days?

For a first trip, prioritize the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and Temple of Heaven. Use the remaining time for places such as the Summer Palace, hutongs and Wangfujing or a cultural activity.

Is five days in Beijing enough with kids?

Yes. Five days gives families enough time to see several major Beijing sights without making every day a sightseeing marathon.

Which Great Wall section is best for kids?

For most families, Mutianyu is easier because of its visitor facilities and lift access.

Jinshanling is better suited to families who specifically want to hike and have children comfortable with stairs and uneven terrain.

Can a 6-year-old hike the Great Wall?

It depends on the child and the route.

Our 6-year-old completed our roughly 3–4 hour Jinshanling hike. Use your child’s normal walking and hiking stamina rather than age alone to decide whether a similar route is appropriate.

Should you visit both Jinshanling and Mutianyu?

Not necessarily.

Choose Jinshanling for hiking and Mutianyu for convenience.

Doing both makes more sense when the Great Wall is one of the main reasons for your Beijing trip.

Can you do a historical costume photoshoot in Beijing?

Yes. Photography studios offer packages that can include costume rental, hair, makeup and professional photography, with different photoshoot venues depending on the provider.

We chose the Imperial Ancestral Temple (Taimiao) from the venue options available with our booking. Check the studio’s current venue choices and what’s included before booking.

Do Beijing attractions require advance reservations?

Several major attractions use advance reservations or real-name ticketing.

Tiananmen Square currently requires advance reservations. Check current requirements for each attraction before your visit rather than relying on an older itinerary.

Final 5-Day Beijing Itinerary

For quick reference:

Day 1: Arrive → hotel → rest
Day 2: Jinshanling → Gubeikou overnight
Day 3: Sunrise → Mutianyu → Beijing → rest
Day 4: Tiananmen Square → Forbidden City → Temple of Heaven
Day 5: Historical costume photoshoot at Imperial Ancestral Temple → Wangfujing

If you don’t want to camp:

Day 1: Arrive → rest
Day 2: Mutianyu Great Wall
Day 3: Summer Palace
Day 4: Tiananmen Square → Forbidden City → Temple of Heaven
Day 5: Photoshoot or hutongs → Wangfujing

The goal isn’t to fill every hour.

Put the high-walking days apart, reserve the major sights ahead, and leave enough room to change the plan when your family needs a break.

That makes five days in Beijing much easier to manage.