What the Heck Can You Do for a Day in Tongzhou?

原创 Irene Li theBeijinger

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Why the heck would you ever want to go to Tongzhou District if you don't live there, you ask? Well, although this big district east of Chaoyang does seem a little far removed from the capital proper, there are a ton of things to do here. If you ever get tired of the hustle and bustle of the city center and just want to have a little getaway, the "sub-center", as the city government has dubbed it, is here. Here's a one-day itinerary to make the best out of Tongzhou.

How do you get there?

You don’t even need to travel that far – just hop on subway Line 6 and it will whisk you to Tongzhou in about 40 minutes.

Xihaizi Park

Starting from Exit C on Line 6's Tongzhou Beiguan Station (通州北关地铁站 tōngzhōu běiguān dìtiě zhàn), walk south for 10 minutes until you arrive at Xihaizi Park (西海子公园 xīhǎizǐ gōngyuán).

In spring, the whole park turns into a paradise of green trees and flowers in bloom. Stroll around the river and see if you can find an elm tree, an age-old wonder that's been around for 300 years, and was once growing from the 13th 13th storey of a pagoda which also calls the park home, until the structure was renovated in 1987.

Can you find the elm tree in the park?

Beijing Tongzhou Museum

The Beijing Tongzhou Museum (通州博物馆 tōngzhōu bówùguǎn) is roughly 10 minutes south of the park. Here, you can find some of Tongzhou's most important cultural relics as well as a big bell dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). If you're a history buff and curious about the evolution of Tongzhou beginning with the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE-24 CE), this place is definitely worth a visit.

Can you believe this big bell dates back to the Ming Dynasty?

Xiaolou Restaurant

Craving some eats after a morning of tooling around? For an unforgettable treat of authentic Tongzhou flavors, head to Xiaolou Restaurant (小楼饭店 xiǎolóu fàndiàn) and order their 小楼烧鲶鱼 xiǎolóu shāo niányú, a must-try dish regarded as one of the three treasures of Tongzhou cooking.

Don't leave Tongzhou without trying this signature dish!

Yunhe Park

After you've eaten your fill at Xiaolou Restaurant, take a walk around the Grand Canal and enjoy the views at Yunhe Park (运河公园 yùnhé gōngyuán) – not to be confused with the similarly named Dayunhe Forest Park (大运河森林公园 dàyùnhé sēnlín gōngyuán).

Amazing views of Tonglifornia by the canal

The canal is currently closed for boat rides due to low temperatures, but the staff told us canal boat tours would reopen around April.

We have it on good authority that boat rides should reopen around April

Boat or no boat, it can make for a memorable experience walking along this grand marvel of engineering.

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La Palette

When night falls, head to La Palette (调味板西餐厅 tiáowèi bǎn xī cāntīng), where you can fill up on some roasted chicken or Australian rib-eye steak. Pair that with a few pints of craft beer and you're in for a good meal.

This entire itinerary can be walked in a single day, however, if you're down to explore more places in Tongzhou, here are a few other things you can do.

Immerse yourself in the arts at Songzhuang Art Gallery (宋庄美术馆 sòngzhuāng měishù guǎn).

If you want to do some shopping, there's Wanda Plaza (万达广场 wàndá guǎngchǎng), featuring a newly-opened underground food court called East 8 Yeah Alley, which features familiar brands like Seesaw Coffee and Croissant Village.

The newly-opened food court in Tongzhou

Inside the food court, you can also find a coffee shop called OKEY DOKEY, which offers oddities like the cactus-flavored tea and the hawthorn-flavored coffee.

For more craft beer, there's the Tongzhou branch of Jing-A. Although it's currently closed for winter, it's a fun spot to hit up and enjoy a few brews and snacks with friends when spring rolls around.