Your Ultimate Guide to the Summer Palace in Beijing

📍Summer Palace - Empress Dowager Cixi's "Luxurious Private Garden" 🛶"Boating on Kunming Lake, strolling through the Long Corridor, playing emperor on Longevity Hill" - This was indeed the Qing Dynasty's VIP resort! Though Empress Cixi spent navy funds to renovate it (what a spendthrift😅), now you can visit for just a few dozen yuan - what a deal! 📣【Must-Visit Spots】 ❤️Kunming Lake: Rent a boat and pretend you're royalty (just don't sing too loud, or you might draw a crowd). ❤️Long Corridor: 728 meters long with exquisite paintings - count the story panels as you walk and top your WeChat step counter! ❤️Tower of Buddhist Incense: Climb up for a panoramic view - perfect for social media posts captioned "My Empire." 🎫 Admission: CNY 30 (Peak season combo ticket CNY 60, half-price for students, remember your ID) 🍗【Recommended Restaurants】 ❤️Xiyuan Subway Station Food Street - 10-minute walk from Summer Palace, try "Yang Ji BBQ Lamb Skewers," perfectly marbled and delicious! ❤️Old Beijing Zhajiang Noodles (Dayouzhuang Branch) - Thick noodles with sauce and shredded cucumber, fills you up for just CNY 20! ❤️Yang Da Ye Hot Pot (Xiyuan Branch) - Copper pot lamb hot pot, sesame sauce is the best! Try the "hand-sliced fresh lamb" if you're on a budget~ 🍡【Snack Bonus】 ❤️Ludagun & Wandouhuang: Available at stalls near Summer Palace entrance, sweet but not overwhelming, Instagram-worthy! (Same afternoon tea as Empress Cixi√) 🎢【Nearby Attractions】 ✅Old Summer Palace - Next to Summer Palace, impressive ruins (free guide service worth listening to). ✅Tsinghua University/Peking University - 10-minute bike ride, visit China's top universities (perfect for family photo ops👍). ✅Zhongguancun Plaza - Tech lovers' paradise, endless gadgets (keep your wallet safe, shop wisely!). 🏨【Accommodation Recommendations】 ✅Budget-friendly near Summer Palace: Home Inn (Tsinghua University Branch) - CNY 200+/night, clean, direct subway Line 4 access. ✅Beijing Haidian Hotel - CNY 300+/night, established state-owned hotel, convenient location, breakfast included! 📌【Tips】 🚘Transportation: Take subway Line 4 to "Beigongmen Station" for Summer Palace, shared bikes everywhere. 🔆Scam Alert: Avoid "cheap Great Wall day tours" offered at the entrance - they're tourist traps! ⛅️Best Seasons: Spring and autumn are beautiful, wear a hat in summer (limited shade in royal gardens), ice skating on the lake in winter⛸️! 💛Summary: Be an "emperor" at Summer Palace in the morning, enjoy Zhajiang noodles at Xiyuan for lunch, reflect on history at Old Summer Palace in the afternoon - perfect Beijing cultural tour!🎉