This is probably not a fair comparison. But was thinking about taking family (wife and 2 boys 13/11 years old) to Beijing this summer before end of June (hopefully to avoid the crowd). Wife put out Xian as an alternative. Since don't really know Xian, would appreciate some recommendations from someone with experiences in both.

For Beijing, I had planned to stay a few nights in a traditional courtyard hotel, and also a couple of nights at the Commune at the Great Wall. Will spend a few days climbing the Wall. Visit Tiantan, FC, and the other imperial sites. Also plan to just walk around the old neighborhood and enjoy some of the local food. All in all about 5-6 days giving the boys a sample of old China and just generally relax.

For Xian, I guess there is the regular terricotta warriors. For activities, I think I've heard horse riding and sandboarding. Any other good recommendations for sights/activities/lodging?

Thanks for your help.

Probably best to consolidate the Asia and China post in China
forum.

Why not do both? Adding Xian would add 2 or 3 nights to the travel itin. 2 nights really ought to do it - 3 nights if you take your time. Myself, I just did the terracotta warriors and the sights (pagodas, etc) that can easily be found just by pulling up any Xian itin from an internet travel agent. I don't know what other non-tourist activities there are but I'd suggest spending time in Beijing for that, anyways.

Your profile has you in HKG and TPE. Is this a first trip to mainland China? If not, where else have you/wife/boys (any or all of the above) been? I'm not seeing Xi'an as the place that average boys that age will get a lot out of. But maybe your boys aren't average. Xi'an is not an alternative to Beijing, they are different. But "spending a few days climbing the Wall" doesn't seem like all that great a plan either.

Are you Chinese ethnically and is this supposed to be a "heritage trip" for the boys? Or is this trip plan hitting your hot buttons, and now you're trying to come up with some rationalizations/activities that the boys would like? I'm just not getting a clear enough picture yet to give meaningful advice...

I can tell you that 5-6 nights split between Beijing and Xi'an is not a good idea unless you want to be un-relaxed and rushing about. People do it all the time, but with clear intent to stuff in seeing as much as possible rather than relaxing.

haha.... Nice and direct! ^^

The kids have been to BJ with school, so the usual FC and Badaling are already in the bag. They've also done some snow time in the Bird Nest during the winter. I thought I show them something different, while also packaging some activities into it. They probably can't take too much of walking among the hutongs, but I think it would be worth it to mix that into a range of activities. We spent a lot of time in Taipei and Hong Kong, but minimal time thus far in the mainland. So I thought this might be a good trip during the summer (instead of another US trip).

BJ and Xian mixed together is probably too much for us. We are aiming for one or another (though I personally am leaning toward BJ right now). I thought showing them some "wild" sections of the Great Wall would be interesting (I've done Huanghuacheng years ago and I thought that was pretty thought provoking). I thought that I can also take them to see different ancient buildings such as Yi-Her-Yuan, Tian-tan, and such. But I wouldn't know what else is available in Xian.

Thanks.

If you really only have 5-6 days, I'm going to do something I rarely ever do and advise you to skip Beijing. Your situation is a bit unique, though. Mostly, you and the boys have been there before. If the wife is amenable to the alternative (she suggested, so she should be), then my plan would be a combination of Xi'an and Pingyao.

Xi'an: 3 days. With the following priorities, based on knowing nothing about your family except kids' ages:
--Warriors (don't overhype/overpromote in advance), and do the small pits 3 then 2 then the big pit 1 in that sequence, which is backwards of normal. Don't miss the chariots. You should be OK with 2 hours here, plus travel time to/from city. Afternoons usually less crowded than mornings.
--City Wall
--Muslim Quarter walk
--Big Goose Pagoda (water fountain/light show in Evening)
--daytrip to Zhouzhi Nature Reserve (pandas) (not the Changqing or Foping Reserves which are more for tracking wild pandas which is not congruent with a casual day trip visit). Few realize that pandas can be seen in the Xi'an area not just the Chengdu area. This needs a private car to get to/from.
--If the kids are OK with limited museum going, the Shaanxi Provincial Museum is one of China's better ones.
--Xi'an has a number of other sights that can fill 2 days in the city area (assuming 1 separate day set aside for nature reserve), you can research yourself and make up a B list.
--Most tourists are signed up for the Dumpling dinner and the Tang Dynasty Show, which might actually be fun for the family. Evening.

Pingyao:
--Surviving old town, spend two days is plenty (or afternoon + overnight + following morning is enough) .
--There is an all-inclusive ticket that gets you into a lot of the older buildings of note, but just wandering around especially evening and early morning when all the day-trippers are gone, is nice.
--City Walls. Think you can bike around on top of this.
--Get off the two central "touristed" streets--by walking about 10 minutes away from this, I bumped into an elaborate funeral procession taking place...not set up for tourists, just part of Pingyao life!

Xi'an I'd stay at a decent hotel, if you aren't using points or wedded to an international brand, then Bell Tower Hotel is pretty good and extremely well located by the Drum and Bell towers (surprise!). In Pingyao, book a traditional courtyard hotel in the old town, with kang beds, etc. Tian Yuan Kui used to be well-regarded and their restaurant good, not sure how they are now. I've stayed at Yunjingcheng since TYK was full--it was OK but it was also a few years ago. (Their restaurant was awful, though, eat elsewhere). There are also other places in the old town to stay and soak up the atmosphere.

Xi'an can be accessed by air or rail from lots of places. Pingyao is usually easiest to access from Taiyuan, which is about 2 hours away by bus on excellent road. Xi'an-Taiyuan is a route that has tortuous trains but usually really cheap flights (buy about 2-4 weeks in advance), so my advice would be fly between those two cities then take bus or if you have the cash, just prearrange a private car pickup at Taiyuan airport to take you straight to Pingyao. Taiyuan has high speed rail service (D trains) to Beijing in case you need/want to head there to catch a flight--3.5 hours.

With extra couple of days on your hands, I'd recommend taking the bullet train Xi'an to Luoyang and seeing the Longmen Grottoes. Other options in the area:
--Huashan Mountain, between Xi'an and Luoyang, also accessible in a bit over an hour from Xi'an by bullet train. Day climbs and overnights are popular, but it can be strenuous. Cable car service available also.
--Shaolin Si area, near Dengfeng between Luoyang and Zhengzhou. Martial arts (kung fu monasteries), but beware has become very touristy. Read up in advance so you know what to expect and aren't disappointed.

Highly recommend whatever you choose, to have you, wife, and especially boys do some advance reading on Xi'an and Pingyao, so they have some context of what they will see.

Finally, if you think this is all too much history on this trip, then perhaps 3 days in Xi'an/nature reserve + 2 days in Jiuzhaigou/Huanglong National park (north Sichuan province) is an alternative plan. There is air service between Jiuzhaigou and Xi'an, and much more frequent service between Jiuzhaigou and Chengdu. With one week, you could have a very nice Xi'an-Jiuzhaigou-Chengdu trip (last includes Giant Panda breeding center and also the Leshan Big Buddha). Flying into one of the big cities than out the other.

I like this plan. I didn't reply to this thread sooner because the idea of visiting Xi'an in the summer strikes me as potentially unpleasant (smog, heat, dust), but I also didn't want to dissuade the OP. Throw Jiuzhaigou into the mix, and it's a different story; a nice balance of history and natural beauty.

Wow... Jiejie, you are awesome!!^^

This gives me a whole different dimension to think about..


[QUOTE=moondog;18272890]visiting Xi'an in the summer strikes me as potentially unpleasant (smog, heat, dust)QUOTE]

What normally is a better time for Xian? I've read that Jiuzhaigou is great any season (different flavors according to the season). Would it be better to do this plan in a different season?

Thanks.

[QUOTE=Chihster;18273393]Wow... Jiejie, you are awesome!!^^

This gives me a whole different dimension to think about..


Xi'an is pretty similar to Beijing as far as "best time" to go: April/May or September/October. But you could deal with a couple of days in late June. Most Chinese cities are prone to being hot, humid, and smoggy in summer (except Harbin and maybe the coastal cities which get a bit of ocean breeze). I wouldn't let this change your time frame. Try to go right after your kids get out of school, and before the mainland kids' and college students' school years end.

I forgot to mention above, but if you like the Xi'an-Jiuzhaigou-Chengdu plan, then you can cut a day out of Xi'an (nature reserve) and see Pandas in Chengdu instead. I'd still take it as 2 days/nights in each place, with an extra 1/2 day between each for the travel. Total of a week. Fly into Xi'an out of Chengdu (or vice-versa).

Another epic Jie Jie post! No idea that one could see Pandas near Xi'an. Would have taken family and friends on previous occasions...

It's only been relatively recently (within last 5 years maybe?) that this has been possible in the Xi'an area. Prior to that, was in a restricted area and no facilities for visitors...only researchers. There are multiple reserves that have pandas roaming wild in the Qinling mountains of Shaanxi province, but tracking them requires time and luck. Normal visitors need to visit the facilities that have resident pandas.

While this is probably not relevant to your specific case, I would like to caution future travelers who might be "dark skinned" and planning to travel to Xi'an. At least a half dozen people from my company have now reported open hostility in Xi'an as a result of their skin colour. This ranges from people refusing to ride in elevators with them, shopkeepers physically evicting them from stores, people on the street spitting at them, etc.. There have also been significant issues with getting visa notices, police clearance certificates, visa extensions, etc.. in Shaanxi for those with darker skins.

If you go to Jiuzhaigou/Huanglong I'd suggest 3 days.

Xian is very interesting and pretty easy to get around the central city. I really enjoy seeing locals and especially enjoyed walking up and down the entire Muslim night market. Lots of interesting foods and people.

I also loved walking around the city on top of the city wall. You can also rent bikes to bike the top of the wall.

And there is a museum I the city that has a great collection of things spanning the entire history of China. I found this more interesting than the Shanghai museum. And if one of you is a senior, you can line up for free entry.

OK, after some deliberation, we have settle for Beijing. So I will take the family there during the last week of June. Have over half of the schedule thought out already, but need some more advice regarding activities in the city.

We basically have 2 full days to plan for in the city. Probably not interested in FC again. Will be staying in 北京市东城区东四四条 for the 1st full day, and 北京市东城区南锣鼓巷前鼓楼苑胡同 for the 2nd full day (separate by trip outside of city during middle of the trip). Was thinking about JieJie's Lama Temple - Nanluoguxiang for the 2nd full day. Any advice on what to do for the 1st full day? Huohai, Tiantan, Yiheyuan??

Also, the kids love ducks, so was thinking about taking them to 2 duck restaurants for dinners. As they've been to 全聚德, so I am thinking 大董 and 便宜坊. Would these 2 be workable during our stays in the above 2 places?

Thanks.