3 Days in Beijing
 

My husband and I are going to be in Beijing, next week, for three days. What are the "must see" places? Should we hire a guide and car? How is Badaling for viewing the Great Wall? Best shopping? What to look for?

You really don't need us to compile a list for you because this topic has been well addressed, but be sure to check out the Summer Palace.

Yes to the car and no to the guide.

bad

Much depends on what you want to buy, but Silk Street (xiushui) is an obvious choice. Yaxiu, yexiu, and the like are basically the same thing.

United Airlines has a series of articles titled "Three Perfect Days in xxx". I find them very useful when planning a first time visit to a city.

Three Perfect Days in Beijing

I also like the New York Times 36 hours series.

36 Hours in Beijing

Is your advice to just go with the hotel's recommendation or would you recommend a tour company booked while in the US?

Advice is to search on this forum, but in short, to get a cab at your hotel and rent it for the day (fixed fee - this has been the topic of much debate here). Concierge can write destinations in Chinese, you will have businesscards with the hotel's address and name in Chinese (ask the front desk)...

Hotel cars are $$$.

OP, welcome to FT, welcome to the China subforum. Rather than write out (yet again) the same answers to the same questions, please go to Google and type in the following string in the search box, exactly like this:

beijing sights jiejie 2010 site:flyertalk.com

My recent suggestions will come up, so I won't belabor them on this thread. The other posters above have covered your other questions.