How to Plan the Ultimate Family Vacation to China

Family trips can be hectic to plan. You have to research, find out family-friendly places to visit, figure out an itinerary... you get the drift. And when you’re planning a trip to a place as diverse as China, things can get even more difficult. Allow me to make it a tad bit easier for you. Here are the top places you must visit on a family vacation to China: 

Beijing

 

The capital city is steeped in history, and has been witness to the rise and fall of several imperial dynasties. You should definitely plan a visit to the Forbidden City, built during the Ming dynasty, which is the largest palace complex in the world. And if the kids get bored after a while, head out to the nearby Beihai Park for some pedal-boating and kite flying, and drop by at the Beijing Zoo to see the giant pandas. If this is your first trip to China, then a visit to the Great Wall (which would take up almost an entire day) is definitely essential.

Fun Fact: Large parts of the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid, featuring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, was shot here.

 

Xian

To complete the historical quotient of your trip, go see Xian’s famous Terracotta Army exhibit, life-like terracotta statues that were unearthed from the tomb of an ancient emperor.  If your family loves to try local cuisine, take a Lost Plate tour, and explore authentic Xian cuisine. End your day at the Dayan Pagoda Northern Square with its 9 pm light show and musical fountain display.

Fun Fact: Xian’s Terracotta Army is featured in the movie The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, starring Brendan Fraser and Jet Li.

 

Shanghai

Shanghai is definitely one of the places in China your kids will enjoy. The Shanghai Wild Animal Park will definitely be a fun visit with the kids. You could also squeeze in a water park visit or head up to the Oriental Pearl TV and Radio tower for a bird’s eye view of the entire city. There’s also the huge Super Brand Mall, right across the street. Packed with an ice rink, a gaming arcade and several high-end it’s a place where both the kids and you can have some fun. The last on the list is my personal favourite: The Shanghai Acrobatics Show. The troupe performs at the Shanghai Centre Theater and the Shanghai Circus World and their performance is a must-watch, especially if you’re spending more than a day in Shanghai.

Fun Fact: Shanghai has been a popular shooting destination for movies, especially ones featuring action-packed car chases, including Mission Impossible: 3 and Skyfall.

 

Yangtze Cruise

Cruising along the Yangtze River is bound to be a wonderful addition to your family vacation. There are plenty of cruise options to choose from, though regardless of the cruise you choose, the experience is going to be magical as you travel through lush scenery to see the three the Dragon Gate Gorge, the Misty Gorge and the Emerald Gorge.

Fun Fact: One of the places you can visit on the cruise is Fengdu, the ‘Ghost City’. The Chinese believe this is where the souls of the dead go to travel from this world to the other.

 

Hangzhou

​Wrap up your tour with a fun picnic by the West Lake and a tea museum tour. The Lingyin Temple is an interesting visit; you can either walk or take a gondola up to catch a beautiful view. Don’t forget to try the famous Dongpo pork in Hangzhou, a braised pork belly dish, the crispy spring onion pancakes or steamed pork dumplings with crab meat.

Fun Fact: The Dongpo pork is named after Su Dongpo, a famous poet and epicure from the Song Dynasty, who discovered the recipe while trying to improve the traditional pork-cooking process by adding Chinese wine to the dish.

 

Now that you know how to plan a great family vacation to China, try not to get caught up in cramming up your itinerary with every must-see and must-do. Instead, spend some quality time with each other. After all, isn’t that what a family vacation is all about?