Trips Experiences Courses Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Abu Simbel
Egypt • 11 days, 10 nights
Ancient Wonders: Egypt & The Nile
from
The waterfalls in Plitvice National Park, Croatia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Upcoming Experiences
View All Experiences »
Members Only
Accidental Discoveries
Members Only
Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Venusians
Members Only
Accidental Discoveries
Members Only
Antiques and Their Afterlives
Members Only
Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Night Doctors
Upcoming Courses
View All Courses »
3D Paper Art: Pop-Ups and Paper Engineering With Yoojin Kim
Writing the Food Memoir: A Workshop With Gina Rae La Cerva
Nature Printing With Latifat Apatira
Making Scents: Experimental Perfumery With Saskia Wilson-Brown
The Truth About Sharks With Melissa Cristina Márquez
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Chiesa di Santa Croce detta "Dei Morti"
Chiesa di Santa Croce detta "Dei Morti"
Karimov Meets Karimov...in Space
Islam Karimov Museum
'Lilith' by David Černý
Uncini della Fortuna (Hooks of Fortune)
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
With its high ceilings, the dining room is pure elegance.
Café Sperl
The Gold Ingot breakfast set boasts a roll shaped like a gold ingot.
Shinhama Ekimae
William Rosenberg built an empire upon his fried-dough foundation.
Grave of Dunkin' Donuts founder
These meat substitutes come close to the real thing.
Bodhi Village
This shrine allegedly contains a real lock of the soccer star's hair.
Bar Nilo
Recent Stories
All Stories Puzzles Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
An Elvis impersonator officiates a wedding at Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.
How Elvis Became the King of Las Vegas Weddings
Candidates for the most dangerous seas in the world include the North Atlantic, the Southern Ocean, especially the Drake Passage, and the waters near the Cape of Good Hope.
Where Are the World's Most Dangerous Seas?
Researchers are rushing to document carvings made by Basque herders, before they're gone.
The Disappearing Arborglyphs Carved by Sheepherders Across the American West
The world's first cold-storage banquet was held in the Hotel Sherman, considered at the time to be Chicago's swankiest hotel.
Remembering the World’s First ‘Cold-Storage Banquet’

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Experiences Courses Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
All China Beijing

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Beijing

24 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Beijing, China

Updated July 1, 2024

Email
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories
Hotel Deals

Unusual Attractions in Beijing

Beijing, China

The World Park

Beijing's World Park offers the excitement of international sites without the travel.
(Flickr/Svalin)

Beijing, China

798 Art District

This probably wasn't what Mao had in mind.
Ming Tombs southern entrance

Beijing, China

Ming Dynasty Tombs

Ming Dynasty necropolis raided during the Cultural Revolution.
The azimuth theodolite.

Beijing, China

Beijing Ancient Observatory

This ancient Chinese observatory still contains early astronomy technology.
Destination Club

Beijing, China

Destination Club

A progressive LGBTQ hub offers dancing, HIV testing, art, and more.
Ming Dynasty-era Vase

Beijing, China

Beijing Capital Museum

Home to over 200,000 artifacts, this museum attempts to guide visitors through the ancient history of Beijing and Imperial China.
The Forbidden City

Beijing, China

The Forbidden City

The most famous location in China was home to whole dynasties worth of imperial rulers.
Dongyue Temple

Beijing, China

Dongyue Temple

This sensational Chinese temple walks visitors through the 76 weird departments of the afterlife.
See All 24 Things To Do in Beijing

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Beijing

China Watermelon Museum

Beijing, China

China Watermelon Museum

This Chinese museum proves that it's a watermelon world, we're all just living in it.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Beijing, China

Architecture 6
Museums 6
Collections 4
Unique Restaurants & Bars 3

Beijing Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. Avatar image for Luke Cata
    Luke Cata
    6
  2. R
    Rob
    6
  3. Avatar image for kendraschaefer
    kendraschaefer
    3
  4. Avatar image for atimian
    atimian
    1
  5. Avatar image for serflac
    serflac
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Beijing.

Places Edited

  1. Avatar image for Rachel
    Rachel
    11
  2. M
    Martin
    11
  3. Avatar image for atimian
    atimian
    4
  4. Avatar image for emiliekinss
    emiliekinss
    4
  5. Avatar image for hrnick
    hrnick
    4
Join the Ranks!
Improve the Atlas with edits and photos.

Places Visited

  1. A
    artistheartkels fb90e2fc
    24
  2. Avatar image for artistheartkels
    artistheartkels
    22
  3. D
    dapolzin
    19
  4. Avatar image for andresvargas
    andresvargas
    16
  5. A
    aaronohlmann
    14

Recent Beijing Activity

  • Avatar image for buryinglamps

    buryinglamps

    wants to go to Dongyue Temple

  • Avatar image for buryinglamps

    buryinglamps

    wants to go to Bai Gong Fang (100 Handicraftsmen Workshop)

  • Avatar image for steffandeturck

    steffandeturck

    has been to 798 Art District

  • Avatar image for steffandeturck

    steffandeturck

    has been to The Forbidden City

  • C

    cnnorfrench

    wants to go to Destination Club

Stories About Beijing

This latte, from the People's Cafe, comes with an edible picture of the God of Wealth on top.

A Gastro Obscura Guide to Beijing

In China's capital, try edgy beers and desserts fit for an empress.
by Xiaokun Song
July 1, 2024
Today nearly 7,000 Père David's deer roam the wetlands of China.

The French Missionary and the English Duke Who Saved a Chinese Deer From Extinction

A conservation tale 120 years in the telling. 
by Marina Wang
January 24, 2020
A hairy monkey diorama made by Ying Li, showing a picnic in the park and a vendor selling pumpkins.

How Chinese Artisans Turn Dead Cicadas Into ‘Hairy Monkeys’

These traditional handicrafts require exoskeletons, magnolia buds, and a steady hand.
by Marina Wang
December 19, 2019

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups.

Learn More

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Puzzles
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Trips Blog
  • Art & Culture Trips
  • Food Trips
  • Hidden City Trips
  • History Trips
  • Wildlife & Nature Trips
  • FAQ
  • Experiences
  • Online Courses
  • Online Experience FAQ
  • Online Course FAQ
  • Eclipse Festival 2024
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2024 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.