Beijing/Northern Suburbs

The Beijing Northern Suburbs consists of the suburbs and rural areas of Changping District (昌平区; Chāngpíngqū) and Shunyi District (顺义区; Shùnyìqū).

Changping and Shunyi are the northern outer suburbs of Beijing. Many of the communities in the districts would be satellite cities of Beijing but given the city's system of multiple ring roads, the communities are seen as incorporated as part of a mega city.

The communities of Shunyi between the 5th and 6th ring include rich suburbs favored by families who want larger homes, green space, golf courses, and distance from the hustle of Beijing's urban center. There is a large community of expat families in Shunyi and several international schools are located in the area. Pinnacle Plaza, a low rise shopping center resembling suburban California, is a gathering point for the Shunyi expat community.

Beyond the 6th ring both districts are a mix of urban and rural areas. The outer part of Changping is notable for Chinese historical sites including the Ming Tombs and the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall. Beyond the 6th ring, Shunyi has pleasant nature reserves, particularly for bird watching. Beijing is one of the best bird watching cities among world cities.

The suburban parts of Shunyi between the 5th and 6th ring can be accessed by Line 15 of the Beijing Subway.

Changping is served by the Changping Line of the Beijing Subway which stretches 32 km with stops including the Ming Tombs (The subway station is a bit far from the actual Ming Tombs, so it's usually faster to get off at Changping station and take a bus to the Tombs). Line S2 of the Beijing Suburban Railway is connected to the Beijing Subway. It begins in Changping and travels north to Yanqing District. Unfortunately Line S2 has very few trains running.

• 40.253333116.21751 Ming Dynasty Imperial tombs (明十三陵) (Bus 872 from Deshengmen Gate in central Beijing drops you near the Sacred Way; the tomb complex is spread out, requiring a car to get between spots). A part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties". This is the final resting place of 13 of the 16 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. The largest, most impressive and best preserved of them is Changling (长陵), the tomb of Emperor Yongle (永乐皇帝), the 3rd emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and the one to have moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Another notable one is Dingling (定陵), the tomb of Emperor Wanli (万历皇帝), and the only one whose burial chamber has been excavated and is open to the public.  
• Juyongguan (居庸关). The nearest section of the Great Wall to the center of Beijing and among the most popular. It was a fortress guarding an important mountain pass during the Ming Dynasty. The wall in this section forms a full circle. (updated Aug 2019)
• 40.232686116.8639462 Jiaozhuanghu Tunnel Warfare Site Museum (焦庄户地道战遗址纪念馆), 38 Jinianguan Road, Jiaozhuanghu Village, Longwantun Town, Shunyi District (顺义区龙湾屯镇焦庄户村纪念馆路38号) (take Shun (顺) Bus 31, Shun Bus 59 or Airport (空港) Bus 8; you can catch both Shun Bus 31 and Airport Bus 8 from the bus stop outside Fengbo Metro Station, the terminus of Line 15), ☏ +86 10 60461906, jzhddz@163.com. Tu–Su 09:00–16:30, last entry 16:00; closed Mondays except public holidays. A 23-kilometer network of underground tunnels built by residents of Jiaozhuanghu Village in the 1940s during the Japanese occupation of Beijing. The tunnels were used by Chinese resistance fighters to evade capture and launch attacks on Japanese forces. An 830-meter section of the tunnels is open to the public; it is dark, damp and about 6 m underground, so not for the claustrophobic. No booking is needed; enter through the southeast gate of the exhibition hall after a security check. Free.  (updated Oct 2026)

• 40.225092116.2070233 Beijing Waxworks Palace of Ming Dynasty (明皇蜡像馆), Xiguanhuandao, Changping District (昌平区西关环岛), ☏ +86 10 69747257. Peak season 07:00–17:00; off season 08:00–16:30. Wax figures depicting life during the Ming Dynasty. ¥40.  

• Hot springs - There are lots of hot springs, especially in the town of Xiaotangshan in Changping, a byword for hot spring resorts. Shunyi also has options for going to hot springs.
• Strawberry picking - Changping is known for its greenhouse strawberry farms, where you can pick your own from roughly December to June.
• China North International Shooting Range (中国北方国际射击场), 1 Mafang Cun, Nankou, Changping District (Off the Badaling Expressway (G6) at the Chenzhuang exit, about 1.5 miles toward Nankou Town), ☏ +86 10 69771368 ext 3103 (Chinese only). One of the few shooting ranges in China open to the public, attached to an arms research institute. Pistols, rifles and shotguns are available, and there is a small light-weapons museum. Bring your passport for registration. Paid per bullet. 

• Yangfang Shengli Mutton Hotpot (Original) (阳坊胜利涮羊肉老店), 10 Wennan Rd, Yangfang, Changping District (昌平区阳坊镇温南路10号) (150 meters north of Yangfang bus stop (routes 642 and 887), west side of road), ☏ +86 10 69760232. Beijing-style copper-pot mutton hotpot, founded in 1984 and one of the best-known names in Beijing hotpot. Branches elsewhere in Beijing now trade as Yangfang Shuanrou (阳坊涮肉). ¥117. 
  • Yangfang Shengli Mutton Hotpot (Main) (阳坊胜利涮羊肉总店), Yangfang, Changping District (昌平区阳坊镇) (250 meters south of Yangfang bus stop (routes 642 and 887), east side of road), ☏ +86 10 69760365. 400 meters south of the original restaurant, under the same group. ¥117. 
• Little Italy (小意大利), Pinnacle Plaza, 99 Yuxiang Lu, Tianzhu, Shunyi District (顺义区天竺裕翔路99号荣祥广场). Family-friendly Italian restaurant, a long-time fixture of the Shunyi expat community. 

This is not the part of Beijing to go drinking. The closest thing to a nightlife hub is Pinnacle Plaza in Shunyi, which has cafés and restaurants catering to the expat community.

Chain hotels such as Home Inn have several branches in both districts.

• Beijing Longmai Hotspring Village (北京龙脉温泉度假村; Běijīng Lóngmàiwēnquán Dùjiàcūn), Xinggong Road, Xiaotangshan, Changping District (昌平区小汤山镇行宫路), ☏ +86 10 6178 2666. A large hot spring resort, one of the closest to the city centre. Room rates include single entry to the hot springs; everything else costs extra. Listed rates for doubles from ¥600, discounted from ¥322 including breakfast. 
• Aulympic Airportel (空港奥竺宾馆; Kōnggǎng Àozhú Bīnguǎn), 36 Xiao Tianzhu Road, Capital Airport, Shunyi District (顺义区小天竺路36号奥竺苑) (8 minute drive from the airport), ☏ +86 10 5827 1122. Three-star hotel close to Beijing Capital Airport, with an airport pick-up and drop-off service. Handy for early flights or late arrivals. 
• Rylinwon Resort & Spa (北京顺义瑞麟湾温泉度假酒店), Nancai, Shunyi District. A hot springs hotel near the Hanshiqiao Wetland Nature Reserve.