Beijing Suburban Tour | Taking a 2-year-old kid to Shentangyu for a self-driving trip during the May Day holiday, super fun

🎣It’s finally the season for playing in the water in Beijing. I didn’t leave Beijing during the May Day holiday, so I looked for scenic spots nearby for self-driving. I left home at 7 o'clock and headed straight to "Huairou Shentang Valley", perfectly avoiding all traffic jams.
⚠️Remember not to sleep in during holidays, leave ten minutes earlier and save an hour of traffic jam

🧒 For older children, I recommend hiking the "Shentangyu Plank Road", which is more than 7km long. It is a great way to exercise your legs, play in the water, and have a good time. Farmhouse vegetables are easy to find along the way.

👶Don't try it if you have a toddler. Just choose a farmhouse to stay in and walk 1-2 sections of the plank road. There are shallow streams nearby. You can mainly play in the water, fish and dig in the sand.
⚠️The Shentangyu Scenic Area and the plank road are not the same thing. The plank road is free to walk on, but you need to buy a separate ticket for the scenic area, 35r for adults and 17r for children. The stream water in the scenic area is cleaner, there are kayaking, inflatable boats and other projects, and there are not many people

👉 Playing in the stream
There are many places along the plank road and scenic area where you can play in the water. The stream water is clear and the water flow is not fast during the non-rainy season, so you can play with peace of mind.
It is recommended to prepare wading clothes, buckets, water guns, shovels, and scoops for children. If you don’t bring them, you can buy them on the roadside. Ten yuan is not expensive.
⚠️ Please return the fish you catch to the stream and take your own trash with you

👉Parking
The parking lots along the way to the scenic spot are all owned by the farmhouse, basically 20 yuan per car, and you can park for free when dining
The winding mountain road is not wide, with only two lanes. You can park for free on the roadside. Temporary parking is not a big problem on weekdays, but on holidays, private cars share the road with buses and public transportation, so it is easy to get stuck and scratched if there are other cars.

👉Accommodation recommendations
1. Beijing Xianweng Resort
Built on the hillside, the May Day tassels, hawthorns, and roses are all in bloom, making it a great place to take photos
The holiday is cost-effective, free parking, big bed 388r/night including breakfast, the food tastes ok, but the breakfast is too ordinary
2. Colorful wooden houses in Shentangyu, Beijing
The homestay in Shentangyu Scenic Area can be driven into the scenic area and has free parking. The holiday price is 200-300 higher than outside