Hebei is a coastal province in northern China that wraps around Beijing and Tianjin on three sides and meets the Bohai Sea to the east. It holds the UNESCO Chengde Mountain Resort, the eastern terminus of the Great Wall at Shanhaiguan and Laolongtou, the Beidaihe seaside resort, and the world's oldest open-spandrel stone arch bridge at Zhaozhou.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Zhengding Old City and Longxing Temple
A walled county town with Song-dynasty Longxing Temple, its 22-metre bronze Guanyin, and Tang-era pagodas.
Highlights: Longxing Temple bronze Guanyin · Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda · Ancient city walls and Nanyang Gate · Zhengding food street
Zhaozhou Bridge and Zhao County
The 605 AD Sui-dynasty Zhaozhou Bridge is the oldest surviving open-spandrel stone arch bridge in the world, a UNESCO-recognised engineering landmark.
Highlights: Zhaozhou Bridge walk-through · Stone-carving garden · Pear orchards (April blossom)
Xibaipo Revolutionary Memorial Site
The village where the Chinese Communist Party central committee was based in 1948-49, with museum halls and preserved offices.
Highlights: Memorial hall · Former headquarters · Mountain scenery of the Taihang foothills
Mount Cangyan and Bridge Hall Temple
A Taihang mountain with a Sui-dynasty temple built across a gorge on a 'bridge hall'.
Highlights: Fuqing Temple bridge hall · Gorge views · Stone steps and cliff-side pavilions
Baoding City Day Trip
Baoding was the capital of Zhili province in the Qing era and keeps a working governor-general's compound, the Lotus Pond Garden and a famous donkey-meat burger food scene.
Highlights: Zhili Governor-General's Yamen · Lotus Pond Garden (Gulianhua Chi) · Baoding donkey-meat burger · Qing-era streets
Chengde from Beijing
The Qing emperors' 18th-century summer capital: 5.6 km2 imperial garden and ring of Tibetan-style temples, UNESCO World Heritage.
Highlights: Mountain Resort lakes and halls · Puning Temple's Guanyin · Putuo Zongcheng Temple · Manchu cuisine
Eastern Qing Tombs from Tangshan or Beijing
The largest imperial mausoleum complex in China, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that holds five emperors including Qianlong.
Highlights: Xiaoling tomb of Shunzhi · Yuling tomb of Qianlong with underground palace · Spirit-way stone sculptures
Shanhaiguan from Qinhuangdao or Beijing
The 'First Pass Under Heaven' where the Great Wall reaches the sea, with an intact Ming-dynasty walled town.
Highlights: Gate tower and calligraphy plaque · Laolongtou · Old-town streets · Jiaoshan section
Chongli Ski Day Trip from Beijing
Day-skiing at Chongli's Olympic-cluster resorts such as Thaiwoo and Wanlong.
Highlights: Thaiwoo ski slopes · Wanlong ski slopes · Olympic Village at Taizicheng
Baiyangdian Lake from Baoding or Beijing
North China's largest freshwater lake system, with reed channels, lotus fields and village islands.
Highlights: Boat tour through reed channels · Lotus bloom (July-August) · Local fish dishes
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Day tours from Beijing to Chengde or the Eastern Qing Tombs run about ¥300-600 (~$45-90); book on Trip.com or Klook.
- Private
- Car with driver ¥600-1,200 (~$90-180) per day; arrange through Trip.com or the Didi app.
- Public
- High-speed trains via 12306 or Trip.com are the quickest option; intercity buses run from county bus stations.
- Rental
- International drivers need a Chinese licence; use Didi instead of self-drive.
Multi-day tours from Hebei
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from HebeiWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Book high-speed train tickets 3-7 days ahead on Trip.com or the 12306 app with your passport number.
Carry your passport for ticket checks and scenic-area entry.
Start early: many sites open at 8:00 AM and last entry is 30-60 minutes before closing.
Download Baidu Maps or Amap offline for rural areas.
Public holidays (Golden Week October 1-7, May 1-5) are extremely crowded.