Longtan Park

龙潭公园

Longtan Lake Park is located in the southeast corner of the Second Ring Road of Beijing, about 1 km east of the Temple of Heaven Park. It is an urban park with lakes, trees and many children's entertainment projects. The park has a beautiful environment, with rockery pavilions, lakes and many trees. It is very suitable for relaxing and watching, and you can also bring your children to have fun. In addition, there are cultural landscapes such as Yuan Chonghuan Temple and Dragon Stone Forest, which you can stroll and visit.
The park is very large, about 900 meters long and 500 meters wide. After entering the park, you can walk around, play amusement projects, row boats on the lake, etc., usually 2-3 hours is appropriate.
The park is built along the lake. The large lake in the center is very large, and the buildings in the park are surrounded by the lake. The rockery, antique buildings and lake water together form a garden-like scenery. You can sit by the lake and relax yourself, feeling very comfortable. On the northwest side of the park is a Yuan Chonghuan Temple, where there are buildings such as Yuan Temple Square and Dragon Pavilion. It was built to commemorate the national hero Yuan Chonghuan. You can go there to see his portrait and the handwriting of elegiac poems written by Kang Youwei and others. On the island in the center of the lake in the park, there are buildings such as Feilong Pavilion and Mingxiang Pavilion, which are antique and have a good dragon stone forest. It is the word "dragon" written on the stone in various fonts from ancient times to the present (from oracle bone script, bronze inscriptions, seal script to modern and contemporary characters). You can visit it.
There are many children's entertainment projects scattered between the trees and buildings in the park, each costing about 10-20 yuan. You can feed fish in the lake, which costs about 2 yuan per serving, and you can also go boating on the lake, which costs about 40-80 yuan per hour depending on the boat.
During the Spring Festival every year, there will be grand temple fairs in the park, where you can buy all kinds of traditional old Beijing items and watch grand performances. It is also a must-visit place for many Beijing citizens who attend the temple fair.

Introduction

  • Attraction Location: 1 Longtan East Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China (北京市东城区龙潭东路1号)

  • History: Longtan Park was established in 1952 and is built around the historical Longtan Temple, which dates back to the Ming Dynasty. The park was developed as a public recreational area and preserves elements of traditional Chinese garden and temple architecture.
  • Architecture: The park features classic Chinese landscape design, including pavilions, bridges, lotus ponds, and winding walking paths. Key architectural highlights include the restored Longtan Temple structures, traditional stone bridges over the park’s lake, and decorative halls with intricate carvings and eaves.
  • Cultural Value: Longtan Park is a cultural hub in Beijing, hosting traditional performances, festivals, and religious ceremonies. It is especially popular during the Dragon Boat Festival and for viewing lotus flowers in summer. The park also preserves historical temple elements and serves as a study site for traditional Chinese garden design.
  • Other Information: The park has areas dedicated to children’s playgrounds, tea houses, and walking trails. It is a serene escape from the bustling city and attracts both locals and tourists.

Visiting Information

  • Opening Hours: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM

  • Contact Number: +86 10 6404 3510
  • Ticket Price:
    Adult: ¥5
    Student: ¥2.5
    Senior (over 60): ¥2.5
    Free for children under 1.2 m
  • Best Photo Spots: Longtan Lake (龙潭湖), Lotus Flower Areas (荷花区), Stone Bridges (石桥), Longtan Temple (龙潭寺), Traditional Pavilions (亭子), Sunset over the lake.
  • Time Reference: 1–2 hours for a casual visit; 2–3 hours for photography and exploring all trails.

Where to Sleep (Nearby Hotels & Stays)

  • Luxury:
    Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing (北京王府井丽亭酒店)
    The Peninsula Beijing (北京半岛酒店)
  • Mid-range:
    Hanting Hotel Dongzhimen (汉庭酒店东直门店)
    Ji Hotel Beijing Dongsi (积家酒店东四店)
  • Budget & Boutique:
    Beijing Drum Tower Hostel (北京鼓楼青年旅舍)
    Dongcheng Courtyard Inn (东城区胡同客栈)

What & Where to Eat

  • Must-Try Dishes:
    Beijing-style Roast Duck (北京烤鸭)
    Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱面, noodles with soybean paste)
    Temple-style Vegetarian Food (素斋)
  • Famous Spots:
    Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (全聚德烤鸭店, near Wangfujing)
    Bianyifang Roast Duck (便宜坊烤鸭店)
    Local noodle shops on Longtan East Road (龙潭东路小吃店)

What Souvenirs to Buy

  • Temple-themed charms (龙潭寺护身符)
    Calligraphy scrolls and paintings (书法/画作)
    Traditional Chinese paper crafts (剪纸)
    Lotus-themed handicrafts (荷花手工艺品)

Transportation

  • By Subway: Take Line 5 to Dongsi Station (东四站) and walk ~10 minutes east to Longtan Park.
  • By Bus: Routes 13, 25, 116, and 425 stop near Longtan East Road.
  • By Taxi/Private Ride: ~20–30 minutes from Tiananmen Square or Wangfujing.
  • Walking/Bicycle: Accessible from nearby hutong areas; bike rentals available in Dongcheng District.

Nearby Attractions

  • Dongsi Hutongs (东四胡同), 1 km – 10–15 minutes walk
  • Beijing Ancient Observatory (北京古观象台), 1.5 km – walk or short taxi ride
  • Gulou / Drum Tower (鼓楼), 1.8 km – walkable in ~20 minutes or taxi

Tips for Visitors

  • Visit early morning or late afternoon for cooler temperatures and better light for photography.
  • Wear comfortable shoes for walking along lake paths and stone steps.
  • Respect temple rules inside Longtan Temple; avoid loud noises.
  • Best seasons: Summer for lotus flowers, autumn for pleasant weather and colors.
  • Combine your visit with nearby Drum Tower, Dongsi Hutongs, and Wangfujing for a cultural day tour.
  • Bring small cash or mobile payment apps for snacks, tickets, and small souvenirs.
  • Check for special temple or festival activities, especially during Dragon Boat Festival or Chinese New Year.

Recommended itineraries

  • 1-Day Route:
    D1: Longtan Park (龙潭公园) – Dongsi Hutongs (东四胡同) – Drum Tower / Bell Tower (鼓楼/钟楼) – Wangfujing Shopping Street (王府井大街)
    Transportation: Walk between attractions; short taxi rides if needed
  • 2-Day Route:
    D1: Longtan Park (龙潭公园) – Beijing Ancient Observatory (北京古观象台)
    D2: Drum Tower (鼓楼) – Dongsi Hutongs (东四胡同) – Wangfujing Street (王府井大街)
    Transportation: Walking and short taxi rides
  • 3-Day Route:
    D1: Longtan Park (龙潭公园) – Temple Visit & Lotus Photography
    D2: Drum Tower & Bell Tower (鼓楼/钟楼) – Dongsi Hutongs (东四胡同)
    D3: Wangfujing Street & Local Food Exploration (王府井美食探索)
    Transportation: Walk or take short taxis as needed

User Reviews

By Xiaoxiao |

In April, Longtan Lake is in full bloom, with cherry blossoms blooming luxuriantly.

It takes about 2 hours to walk around slowly, and the ticket price is 2 yuan.



After entering the park, you can walk clockwise and you will see many beautiful cherry blossoms.

There is also a not-so-small artificial lake and a pavilion, and the scenery is also pretty good.

The various antique buildings are also very attentive.

A place suitable for a leisurely stroll~~

By Small town |

After arriving at Longtan Park, I found that the Longtan Temple Fair was much more fun than the Ditan Temple Fair.

There is a lake in Longtan Park, with stalls arranged in a circle along the lake. There are all kinds of small gifts and snacks here, which is much more lively than the Ditan Temple Fair.

There are many entertainment projects here, such as catching dolls, coin-operated, playing sandbags, etc. Each stall is hung with dolls of all sizes. Basically, it costs 9 coins to play once, and if you are lucky, you can take a big doll home.

By Chu Yunfei QQ |

An important park in the south of Beijing, it hosts the Spring Festival temple fair and the Lantern Festival every year. The lake view of the park is also very beautiful. There are many kinds of plants and flowers growing along the shore. The West Garden of the park was once a famous amusement park in Beijing, but it was later closed.

By Meow Walk |

My favorite place in Beijing, you guys are so gentle

By VI_TUTU |

I hurried to Longtan Park. The temple fair seemed to end at 17:00. I like to visit temple fairs very much. There is no such custom in Shanghai! Hey! Hey! Hey! I have visited the temple fair in Nanjing before. It was very fun! I am also full of expectations for the temple fair in Beijing! The ticket is 10 yuan per person. There is a strong New Year atmosphere at the gate, and big red lanterns are hung high! There are places for playing games on both sides of the road. If you win, you will get toys!

By Dragon |

The dragon stone forest in the park combines the Chinese totem dragon with traditional calligraphy art, which is very unique. From the travel notes "Longtan Park - Exploring Chinese Dragon Culture in Early Winter"

By 一My big big muscles一 |

Chaoyang Park, Chaoyang District, Beijing I like this place the most Do you like it😘😍👏

By Jingjing takes you on a tour of China |

Longtan Park (ticket price 2 yuan) has a large water surface area, and there are also walking trails and various complete sports facilities. During the tour of the park, I accidentally discovered a first-generation fighter jet. It is suitable for a walk on the weekend.

By Xuxuxia |

Every year during the Spring Festival, a temple fair is held here. It is very lively and has northern characteristics, but there are many people.

By Heavy rain causes flooding |

Although it is cloudy and hot, thunderstorms and heavy rain are about to hit.

But the park is very beautiful with lotus flowers in bloom.

The forest is perfect and the water is vast.

It has a Jiangnan water garden feel.

By Cristiano-Manuel |

Group purchases must be made one day in advance, and you cannot enter the venue if you purchase in person. However, it seems that group purchases are not available on holidays. The ticket alone is 50, and children also need tickets. The snow has turned into ice. I think it is only suitable for babies who are still in kindergarten. If they are a little older, they probably won't like to play. Our child just started elementary school and he was there making a snowman by himself. It was a chore for adults to watch the children. If we had known earlier, we should have gone to the ice and snow season at the Bird's Nest. It is said that there are CS and VR. At least adults can play and children can have something to play. I sincerely suggest not to bring older babies here to play, it's a bit childish.

By Haha |

The first choice of public park in southern Beijing. You can go boating in Longtan Lake, and there are also many children's play facilities. It is a good place for weekend leisure and vacation.

By Fishing lights on the river |

Although the park is small, it is quite exquisite and it is nice to take a stroll.

By Turn |

A good place for taking your kids out, you can take a walk, do some exercise, row a boat, and there is also a playground for kids

By Anana |

Located in the Second Ring Road, it is convenient to take the bus. Take 561 or 8 to the north gate of the park, and 60 to the northwest gate. There is also a gate for the cancer hospital, but I don't know the direction. There is a temple fair every year during the Spring Festival, which is very lively. There are many places to eat when you come out of the north gate or northwest gate, such as lamb ribs, skewers, hot pot, and steamed buns. When you walk to Guangming Building, you can also find noodles with soybean paste, rice noodles, dumplings, fish pot, and spicy hot pot. You can choose whatever you want, and the distance is not far.

Tickets are 2 yuan, and you can buy annual, seasonal, and monthly tickets. The price is based on the monthly ticket of 5 yuan.

During the temple fair, the above tickets cannot be used, and you can only buy tickets for 10 yuan. In the winter, you can buy group tickets online for the Ice and Snow Carnival, which is more cost-effective. Please note that no matter how old or small the child is, he or she needs a ticket to go to the Ice and Snow Carnival. The items inside are charged separately, so you must bring enough cash. You can buy shovels and small buckets outside for children to use to collect snow, and the average price is 20 yuan.

In the summer, you also need a deposit for boating, ranging from 300 to 400, depending on what kind of boat you want to row. There are no pedal boats on weekdays, only on weekends.

The scenery here is very good. Although it is a park for citizens to stroll, the scenery and facilities are no worse than those of tourist attractions.

By Small zinc |

Longtan Park is located in the southeast second ring road of Beijing, southeast of Guangming Bridge. The park has beautiful scenery and pleasant views. The Dragon Bridge, Dragon Pavilion and Dragon Gate are built along the mountains and water. The dragon cypress, dragon jujube and dragon locust trees are of different styles. People can row boats in the lake, surrounded by pavilions and towers and lush vegetation.

By Alone with the wind |

My home is near Longtan Lake, separated by a moat. In the past, when the weather was good, I would occasionally take a walk in the park.

The ticket to Longtan Lake Park is two yuan, and the monthly pass is even cheaper. During the Spring Festival, the Longtan Lake Temple Fair is also very famous, but I have only been to the temple fair once, it was too chaotic.

By Little Little Yunyun |

Well, if I talk about this place, it's not enough to say a few words. It's a place with deep feelings. It's at the corner of the southeast second ring road, with four entrances and exits: east, west, northwest, and north gate. It's surrounded by buildings where old Beijingers live. There's an endless stream of aunties and uncles who go through the park to buy groceries. There are different types of sports such as ballroom dancing, square dancing, clapping exercises, shuttlecock kicking, fitness equipment, and table tennis tables. There are crowds of people every day, and it's a bustling scene. Cars coming here can be parked on the side of Xizhao Temple Street outside the north gate. Those coming by car can get off at Beijing Amusement Park, with bus stops of 958, 116, 684.60, etc. If you enter from the north gate, you can take a bus to Guangming Building. Nearby delicacies include Xiaopang steamed buns, Ganlanxiang noodle soup, and Xiaopang stir-fried fish. They are all on the street of the north gate. The Hongyuan shabu-shabu is not bad. I recommended several of them at once. The park has a good environment and relatively complete facilities. You can go boating in spring, summer and autumn. The peach blossoms and crabapples in spring are super beautiful. You can go there with your children, as there are recreational facilities near the east and west piers. The most recommended is the temple fair during the Chinese New Year. Friends who like lively occasions should not miss this time-honored temple fair!

By food |

It's a very ordinary attraction. The ticket price is two yuan, and it's mainly a place for local residents to exercise and walk.

By Flying Beasts🦄️ |

There is a temple fair every Spring Festival in the East Second Ring Road, with a large flow of people. It is recommended to take public transportation. There are buses 6 and 60 to the Northwest Gate, and it is opposite when you get off.

Although it is not very famous, it is well maintained and not crowded. The central lake is large, and with the green plants and various flowers, it is very pleasant to visit.

There are children's play areas not far from the northwest gate and the north gate. The one near the northwest gate is larger, and there is also an arcade area next to it, which is very suitable for children to play.

The Shi Chuanxiang Memorial Hall is also located in the park. It is open to the public free of charge and closed on Saturdays. There are also many fitness facilities scattered throughout the park. Many people play tennis, table tennis, dance and sing here, and it is very lively in the summer evenings.

By The rumored Qin Baibai |

You must visit the temple fair here during the Spring Festival. It has a strong New Year atmosphere and many characteristics of old Beijing. It is also one of the major temple fairs every year.

By I don't eat chicken |

Longtan Lake Park is located in Dongcheng District, Beijing. The student ticket is 1 yuan. There is a character introduction hall of Shi Chuanxiang, a musical fountain, and boating in the park. It is suitable for walking and playing. There are many plants in the park. Be careful of mosquitoes in summer.

By Jia Jia Lion |

Longtan Lake is located in the south of Guangming Tower in Dongcheng District (formerly Chongwen District) of Beijing. It is usually a large park, but during the Spring Festival, there will be an annual temple fair. At that time, the small road with few cars will be crowded with people and traffic. Even the street of Guangming Tower to the north of it has no parking space. You can imagine what the grand occasion is like. The temple fair is no different from other temple fairs. There are also delicious food, fun things, and many New Year goods to buy, but the difference between it and other temple fairs is that there is a beautiful lake, and there will be some ducks playing on the water during the Spring Festival. You can feel that the ducks know first when the spring river water warms up.

By YY's stupid pig |

Those who live nearby can go for a walk, but there is nothing much to do.

By xi-xi |

The best place for a stroll and a gathering at night. Tickets are 2 yuan, 1 yuan with a student ID, and 5 yuan for a monthly ticket. People who come here at night are all nearby residents. There is a fountain in the square, and there are many aunties dancing in the square around...

By Angels & Gods |

This place is where I often go for walks and exercise. It used to be a brick kiln when the outer city was built in the Ming Dynasty. Later it became a stinking cesspool. It was renovated into a park in 1952. The name Longtan Lake was given by Liang Sicheng.

By @Home Army |

I just entered the park and because the weather is nice, I feel relaxed.

Longtan Park is named Longtan Lake because it is connected to Longxugou. The park has beautiful scenery and rich cultural connotations. Ticket price is 2 yuan.

By bolatubeic |

The ticket is 2 yuan. The park is very big. There is a lake where you can row a boat. There are 5 exits. Be careful not to get lost. There will be a lantern festival in early September and a temple fair in the first month of the year.

By float |

Longtan Park has a pleasant scenery, highlighting the Chinese dragon, and the Dragon Bridge and Dragon Pavilion are built on the mountains and rivers.

The dragon cypress and dragon locust trees have a unique style. The classic and modern are integrated, and the garden is beautiful and the theme is exquisite.

The culture is rich and profound, and the scenery is unique and magnificent.