Summer Palace tour?

soun80

I was wondering if it is worth going to the Summer Palace during my pre-tour day in Beijing. Tauck took it out of the itinerary for this year and I would like to know if it’s worth going or just stay put in Beijing. Thanks for your opinions!

lovestravel

We loved the Summer Palace! We were there several years ago with a different tour company and it was one of the highlights of Beijing for us. Because it's almost 10 miles outside the city, you may want to use a tour company such as Viator, or China's version of same, to visit it. It has the gardens, lakes, and park areas that the Forbidden City lacks. We had a lovely boat ride on Kunming Lake where we saw the Seventeen Arch Bridge. You'll also see the Marble Boat on your visit as well as parts of the various palaces. If you have time and the necessary transportation to go, by all means go for it!

MCD

I would definitely recommend going to the Summer Palace. It was gorgeous -- even though when I was there, there was thick fog (more likely smog) covering the lake. I was there in 2009. I just pulled out a map to check, and at the time, the map said that Subway Line 4 was under construction, but it was scheduled to go out to the Summer Palace. You could probably find out on line whether it has been built. The subway system was very easy to use. All of the stations were identified in English as well as Chinese, and when you entered the station, there was a button on the ticket vending machine that said, "Press here for English." If the metro doesn't go there, or you don't want to use it, ask the concierge at the hotel to arrange an English-speaking guide. It's worth the trip.